Best products from r/paracord

My cord craft kit

Detail of select tools

DIY Fid, Finished paracord end, Kleen-Kut Paracord scissors & buoy wrap scissor cover

I've accumulated quite a few tools in my years as a knotter/rigger but you really don't need very much to get started in the hobby. When I first started tying, my most commonly used tool was the Dr. Slick Spring Creek Clamp, 5", Black, Straight. You'll find many less expensive "hemostats" on Amazon, this just happens to be the one I picked up at an outdoor outlet many years back. It served as a fid, a "pusher" and a puller. I don't use them for tying much any more, I "thread" with a fid more than I pull through these days, but I do use them for finishing the ends of paracord — see below.

As I said, I now use "fids" or lacing needles regularly. My first fids were homemade — machined by spinning an aluminum Chicago screw in a drill press and shaping it with a file. I progressed to using a pair of the Tandy Leather Long Jumbo Perma-Lok Needle 1193-05 that I'd modified by shortening and shaping the tips to be more needle like. I wouldn't bother these days because purpose made fids are readily available: 3 1/2" Stainless Steel 550 Paracord Fid, Lacing, Stitching Needle. I have fids and Perma-Lok needles in a variety of sizes to accommodate different cords — I don't use 550 exclusively.

Though not completely necessary I do find the Knotters Tool II (Stainless Steel) w/ 3 Different Size Stainless Steel Lacing Needles by Jig Pro Shop to be handy and it includes three fids. An aluminum version is available too, but I'm never one to shy away from investing in a tool that will last. I also use a 4 3/4" Paracord Tucking Tool (Stainless Steel) for tucking and smoothing. You can probably find a similar tool at the local pharmacy, and maybe even at a dollar store.

The best cutting tool I've found for paracord are the Kleen-Kut scissors sold by Paracordist.com. Unfortunately, the store is currently down so I can't supply a link. You can use good quality flush-cutters, bandage scissors or a good, sharp pair of "Fiskars" (or similar scissors) and they will all work. However, I tried everything I could to avoid buying the "special" scissors and, in the end, wish I'd just done it sooner.

My technique for finishing the ends of paracord: Clamp the end of the cord at a 45 degree angle with the hemostats. Cut the cord flush with edge of the clamp. Run a lighter along the edge of the cord to seal. While the cord is still warm, remove the clamp and, if necessary, re-clamp to the very end to squeeze and seal the end. Tuck the end back into the workpiece. If the end is going to be exposed I will sometimes remove a small length of the core first, then trim and seal just the jacket for a flatter, neater finish.

I do sometimes use a hot knife for finish work. Most often the Weller P2KC Professional Self-igniting Cordless Butane Soldering Iron. If I'm at my bench I do have an Engel Heat Cutter HSGM Hot Knife w/ Type R Blade available (used for "big rope" and purchased when I was rigging boats professionally) but it's total overkill for paracord work. I am intrigued by the Hand Held Electric Hot Knife Rope Cutter Set - 100 Watt, Cutting Blade (HHHK-HS18. The tool is probably not as durable as the Engel, but if one isn't using it all day, every day it's likely suitable. One Advantage of these "rope guns" is that they heat up almost instantly but, truthfully, the Weller doesn't take very long to come up to temperature and it's much more portable. Whichever you choose, it’s easy to mar your piece with the hot knife so I generally use the hemostats as a shield. (And again, I'm more often just using the lighter/hemostats for paracord work.)

I also keep a needle case with sail-makers needles and whipping twine (wrapped around the needle case) handy for stitching and whipping. (In a pinch, a single strand of 550 core makes a decent twine, particularly if you pass it along a block of wax.)

I want to emphasize that you don't need all of these tools, you might not really need any of them, but I do find that assembling a good kit and having the right tool available can help overcome tricky problems. I'd say that the Knotter's tool (admittedly, my attachment to this tool may be due to my love for marlin spikes in general) with it's fids—or barring that, just a set of fids—the hemostats, a good pair of scissors and a lighter would make a decent field kit. Add the rest of the stuff to your knotting bench over time. Or not.

I'll also say that there was a certain satisfaction to making and improvising my tools in the early days but now that there are so many quality purpose made tools available via Amazon I don't find it's worth my time any more. (I have a wooden bracelet/collar jig that I made but I recently acquired the aluminum jig from Acid Tactical and I think it's just brilliant and even assigning a lower value to my time than I normally would, much cheaper to buy than build.) I do have a plan to machine a set of Delrin fids and pushers for low-profile air travel "one of these days"

Hope this helps.

The length of it is somewhat deceptive because it's folded in half. It's made of TITAN Survivorcord of the dragonscale variety and the total length is probably around 20 inches when unfolded, including the length of the two Metolius FS mini carabiners. I used the trilobite weave, and I believe it took about 30 feet of cord to make. I'm unsure because I don't know the length of the original hank I used.

I used to have a different one, but I made some design changes on this one that I feel are more effective when using a good, strong weight-rated material like 550 paracord.

Originally I wove around my keyring on one of the ends. This made adding and removing things from my keys somewhat difficult, so I scrapped that idea and just added a second carabiner. I also changed the type of carabiner I used. Originally I had a Nite-Ize one you can get at any Wal-Mart. They're only rated to hold 75 pounds so it seemed relatively pointless to have it attached to such a strong material and not be able to use it in that way, which is why I switched to the aforementioned Metolius.

One other thing I thought of now that I'm using two carabiners: I made it so they're horizontally symmetrical instead of congruent when I fold the lanyard and attach both carabiners to my keys. This idea was inspired by the S-biner, because when you slide a keyring through both clips of the S-biner it makes it impossible to accidentally open the gate and have them slide out. Basically, now my keys are double locked and I don't have to worry about them falling out if I somehow put pressure on one of the gates.

Lastly, instead of burning the tips into the back of the lanyard like I did last time, I decided to tie them into a knot and then burn them into the knot so as to not compromise the strength of the main body.

Am I ever going to need to climb with this? Probably not. But it's nice to have something pretty seriously strong if ever needed. This thing is like a portable ladder rung. I might add some ranger bands just to keep the fold compact, maybe also add some gizmos to the ranger bands on the outside, like a compass or something. I will say that it's a bit bulky but it still fits in my pocket just fine.

I started with just a bit of cord. I got injured in the military and had a lot of time to sit around. I have been doing things with cord for about 4 or 5 years at this point and have collected supplies as I need/wanted them.

If you are just starting with bracelets and key chains you really don't need anything but cord unless you want it. The little buckles can be cool but they are not totally necessary. I would start with a loop and rip a button off of my cammies somewhere to make a closure for a bracelet. Then I learned a few different kinds of button knots and used them instead.

If you are going to make Monkeys Fists it is nice to have something inside to work around(wooden or metal ball). And if you get into things like Turks head knots it is really nice to have a fid(needle with threaded end to seat the cord).

TYIAT has awesome tutorials. and Stormdrain is one of the most well known. He doesn't always have tutorials but the stuff that he makes is gorgeous and there are a lot of good resources on his page.

https://www.amazon.com/Ashley-Book-Knots-Clifford-W/dp/0385040253/ref=pd_sbs_14_8?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0385040253&pd_rd_r=e0ab9849-0e7d-4ba9-a032-9a9d01f9ee48&pd_rd_w=DsijS&pd_rd_wg=En3yr&pf_rd_p=1c11b7ff-9ffb-4ba6-8036-be1b0afa79bb&pf_rd_r=PE3RHZF1NQ3W6QAF2VF8&psc=1&refRID=PE3RHZF1NQ3W6QAF2VF8

That one is the holy grail of ropeworking books. I have yet to get my hands on it so I have never seen it but everyone serious about the hobby loves it.

https://www.amazon.com/Creative-Ropecraft-Stuart-Grainger/dp/1574092480/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=creative+ropecraft&qid=1566544712&s=books&sr=1-1

That is the creative ropecraft. The illustrations can be a bit difficult but its a great beginner book.

https://www.amazon.com/Pawsons-Knot-Craft-Rope-Mats/dp/1472922786/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_2/136-7070516-4175455?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1472922786&pd_rd_r=2e8898cd-24a4-48de-a09f-b99388849af1&pd_rd_w=rUDOx&pd_rd_wg=zQIMo&pf_rd_p=a2006322-0bc0-4db9-a08e-d168c18ce6f0&pf_rd_r=CTJM8EXWXXN8V6FQH32G&psc=1&refRID=CTJM8EXWXXN8V6FQH32G

This is one of Des Pawson's books. I borrowed it from a friend once, tons of info. I had to give it back though. ><

https://www.amazon.com/Marlinspike-Sailor-Hervey-Garrett-Smith/dp/0070592187/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_3/136-7070516-4175455?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0070592187&pd_rd_r=2e8898cd-24a4-48de-a09f-b99388849af1&pd_rd_w=rUDOx&pd_rd_wg=zQIMo&pf_rd_p=a2006322-0bc0-4db9-a08e-d168c18ce6f0&pf_rd_r=CTJM8EXWXXN8V6FQH32G&psc=1&refRID=CTJM8EXWXXN8V6FQH32G

This is a nice cheap book too, I have never seen it myself but it is one that is recommended a lot on various youtube ropecraft channels.

Coupla thoughts.

• For most of my rope, I use ladder winders, such as like this: https://www.amazon.com/West-Coast-Paracord-Organizing-Compact/dp/B06X1GL1C5
  
• I store the ladders in 2 Ikea shoe storage thingies that hang in the closet. such as like this: https://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/70250854/ Each colour gets it's own pocket.
  
• I do have some longer bits that don't really work on a ladder winder. Those I keep coiled, in a rope bag. There are a lot of ways to coil a rope, they're all pretty good. Best bet is to find one you like and go with it. Whatever you do, don't do the old "around the thumb and then over the elbow" trick. That just makes a hot mess.

Yeah. It's a pretty common tool for working with cord. Sometimes it's called a lacing needle.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00BCNGVWU?pc_redir=1396284092&robot_redir=1

I have a Jig Pro Shop spike and fid kit. Love it. (Knotters Tool II (Black) w/ 3 Different Size Red Aluminum Lacing Needles by Jig Pro Shop ~ Marlin Spike for Paracord, Leather, & Other Cords https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01F7MT2VS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_vDKjDbQ6HRAW3)