Belt Up

Step 1:

Good morning instructables
last night I made a paracord belt. This is my first instructable so if I have done anything wrong or anyone wants anything making clearer just comment. I finished this at half 2 this morning so was a little blurry eyed and all made sense at the time.

Step 2:

To create the belt I used a few basic hand tools and some para cord.

Lighter
Knife/scissors
Tape measure
Fid (optional)

9m grey paracord 29 and 1/2 foot
6m Orange paracord 19 and 1/2 foot
4m black paracord 13 foot.

I worked in metric but put it in old money for the older generation and our American cousins.

Follow these 30 steps and hopefully you will have something resembling a belt.

Step 3: Step 1

Cut to length your paracord seal the ends and make a loop in the middle of each piece.
( I just got the loose ends and folded the cord in half )

Step 4: Step 2

Put the grey loop thought the Orange loop and cross the Orange cords in front.

Step 5: Step 3

Bring up the 2 ends of the grey cord in front of the loops and pass them back through the grey and Orange loop.

Step 6: Step 4

Push up the black loop through the Orange loop but behind the grey loop.

Step 7: Step 5

Push the grey grey loop backwards through the black loop and pull the black cord down to tighten the loop around the grey cord.

Step 8: Step 6

Pull all the cords to tighten up the knot you should have something like this.

Step 9:

Hopefully you are still with me and not gone too wrong. If I am going too fast and need to further explain anything just comment below. Everything makes sense to me but I am sat here with the cord in my hand and not trying to read how to do this.

Step 10: Step 7

You should now have 3 cords to the left and 3 cords to the right. Pull the cords and straighten them out as the picture.

Step 11: Step 8

Make a loop with the grey cord on top of the black cord and under the Orange.

Step 12: Step 9

Feed the Orange cord under the grey and black and up through the grey loop then pull tight.

Step 13: Step 10

Just a repeat of step 9 to make a second knot and pull tight.

Step 14: Step 11

Repeat again to make a third knot and pull tight.

Step 15: Step 12

Mirror steps 9,10+11 on the left hand side.

Step 16: Step 13

Pull all the cords tight and tighten all the knots so they are identical. A bit like this.

Step 17: Step 14

Now take the black cords and pull the right over to the left, behind the black and grey through the loop to make your first ring.

Step 18: Step 15

Repeat steps 9,10,11+12 to create this little beauty.

Step 19: Step 16

Now tie off with the black cord but this time tie them the opposite way left over right round the back and back through tighten to make the second ring.

Step 20: Step 17

Repeat again the same 3 knots on the left then 3 knots on the right tie the ring with the black cord alternating from right over left to left over right until you reach the desired length. I did 32 rings in total.

Step 21:

Now you have got to here ( untying and retying ) I went back over all the knots and with my fid retightened and pulling the cords to get them all uniform.

Step 22: Step 18

To finish off the tie the black cords as in steps 14 + 16 depending what you are upto right over left or left over right ( think I more of one than the other I kept forgetting what knot I did last ) I think I finished right over left as in step 14

Step 23: Step 19

Now turn the whole thing over so you are working on the back.

Step 24: Step 20

Now pass the left black cord over the 2 grey and black then behind all 3 other cords and back through the black loop.

Step 25: Step 21

Pull all the cords tight snip off and seal the ends with the lighter ( don't laugh at my pink lighter its probs not the manliest thing I own )

Step 26:

This is where my brain melted It took half an hour and 4 attempts to get it right I have broken this down as best I could.

Step 27: Step 22

Making the end ball knot take the left grey cord and make a loop.

Step 28: Step 23

Make another different loop with the right grey cord

Step 29: Step 24

Pass the end of the right cord under the left cord.

Step 30: Step 25

Pull the loop made with the left cord over the right loop.

Step 31: Step 26

Take the end of the right cord and pass it through the loops and out through the middle hole as shown.

Step 32: Step 27

Now take the left hand end and pass this through the mess of cords and out the middle hole

Step 33: Step 28

Now with the take the left and pass it over the right round the back and through the middle hole.

Step 34: Step 29

Pull the cords a little at a time to make the knot until it's neat and tidy.

Step 35: The Final Step N0 30

Just snip the ends close to the ball and seal.

Step 36:

To fasten the belt there are a few different ways

Step 37:

If you have made it to exact length then just pass the end knot through the start loop

Step 38:

To lock this off just slip the end ball knot back through the 2 grey cords.

Step 39:

If it's a longer belt then just pass the end ball knot through one of the rings and back through the front.

Step 40:

You can also lock this off by passing the end ball knot back through the 2 grey cords.

Step 41: Start Loop

Step 42: Belt Rings

Step 43: End Ball Knot

Total length of the belt measures 1.3m or 4 foot 3 inch

Step 44:

Hope you like my instructable if so I will be doing an instructable on my torch wrap with lanyard and a leatherman pouch that attach to the belt using the rings of the belt and a ball knot to secure them.

Oh and please vote for me in the paracord challenge :-)