Adding a touch of style to a hand-me-down hammer, this weave is a two bight, fifteen lead Turk's Head Knot with four passes.
I considered leaving the 7 strands of nylon inside each cord for this wrap. I thought the added mass might be beneficial on a handle for a tool that is going to be swung around a lot. But the more I wove the un-gutted cord, the less I liked the wrap. It was just too much around the handle and gave me the feeling it might easily fly out of the hand when used. So I pulled off the weave and started over, this time utilizing my usual gutted cord method. I'm so glad I did; the grip on this weave is just perfect for a hammer.
Black, nylon 550 paracord bookends the weave for the first and fourth pass. The second pass was woven using desert tan nylon 550 paracord, and the third pass with foliage green nylon 550 paracord.
Here is part two of my papa's birthday gift to me. This LED 2-Cell MINI MAGLITE came in a flashlight pack with my other MAGLITE. I wrapped another three bight, thirteen lead Turk's Head Knot with two passes. The first pass was woven using gutted nylon, olive drab (O.D.) 550 paracord. The second pass was also woven with gutted nylon 550 paracord, this time in a chocolate brown dye.
This LED 2-Cell MAGLITE is another one of my dad's flashlights. This three bight, thirteen lead Turk's Head Knot contains four passes. Using my Perma-Lok lacing needle, I wove about eight and a half feet of each color around the flashlight handle.
I wanted to try a woodland camo color scheme for this wrap. So I cut and gutted four colors of nylon 550 paracord from Supply Captain: dark olive drab, dark brown, olive drab, and coyote brown. I believe I like the look of four passes the best on these MAGLITE wraps. I think four passes gives a sufficient weave given the diameter of these flashlights.
I wrapped this LED 3-Cell MAGLITE for my dad. Like the weave in my previous post, this wrap consists of three bights and nineteen leads. However instead of only containing three passes, this weave sports four.
As you can see, the added fourth color definitely beefs up the weave a bit more. On the wrap for my MAGLITE, there were spots in which the knurled grip was visible beneath the weave. That is not the case with this wrap. The extra cord of the fourth color added quite a bit of length to the overall weave of the knot as well. Even though this weave and the previous both contain only nineteen leads, the weave on this flashlight extends almost to the end of the handle. I spent several hours working on this wrap. I know it would have taken me a lot longer if it wasn't for my jumbo Perma-Lok lacing needle.
My dad was a fan of the urban camo wrap that I used on my MAGLITE. He probably wouldn't have minded one just like it, but in order for us to tell the two apart, we added the burgundy into the mix. I cut and gutted ten feet of cord of each color for the wrap. You need all ten feet to initially complete the weave, however once the knot is cinched down all the way, the excess length, approximately a foot and a half of each color, is trimmed off.
Although this was technically my second MAGLITE wrap, I feel it was the first of the more professional looking weaves that I've done. This three bight, nineteen lead Turk's Head Knot contains three passes each with a different color. I received this LED 3-Cell MAGLITE from my dad on my last birthday.
I use a long jumbo Perma-Lok lacing needle from the Tandy Leather Factory to help with the weaving process. If you're interested in making paracord wraps for projects like these flashlight weaves, you definitely need one of these lacing needles. It will save you much time and frustration. Just twist your paracord into the sharp threads just inside the end of the needle. The tension the threads provide is plenty to keep the paracord from coming loose.
I chose an urban camo color scheme for this weave using black, gray, and white 550 paracord. I used ten feet of each color and as usual gutted the core for a flatter weave. I purchase my paracord from Supply Captain. They offer a great selection of quality paracord at some of the most affordable prices on the web.
Here is a wrap on an Incandescent 2-Cell MAGLITE. This is the first of several MAGLITE wraps that I've woven. They are a great size for paracord wraps and are just outstanding flashlights. This particular flashlight is one of the older models. The incandescent bulb has since been rather trumped by the LED flashlights whose undying bulbs and lumen outputs are hard to match. Despite the milage seen by this flashlight over the years, it still works great and has taken up residence under the seat of the pick-up truck, ready for any roadside use and assistance.
The weave around the handle is a four bight, thirteen lead Turk's Head Knot with two passes. I used some left-over red polypropylene cord on this wrap. As per usual with my wraps, it is gutted cord for a flatter and tighter weave. Typically I would have made the weave a little longer adding more leads, but because it was left-over cord my length was limited. The truth is I will probably re-wrap this one with some 550 paracord. That is, after I've wrapped all the other flashlights laying around the house.
Here is a mini LED flashlight that I wrapped a handle for. The weave used here is called a Turk's Head Knot. This particular Turk's Head is a four bight, thirteen lead knot with a single pass.
I used a couple feet of gutted, black, nylon, 550 paracord. This mini LED flashlight as well as the one below were purchased at The Home Depot.
The weave for this second mini LED flashlight is no different from the one above in terms of knots. It also is a four bight, thirteen lead knot with a single pass. The only difference here is the burgundy 550 paracord in place of the black. I gutted the nylon core on both of these flashlights in order to keep the weaves tight and flat.
I decided it was about time to wrap some handles for my set of Perfect Point Throwing Knives. After trying several different weaves and knots, I settled on this basket-type style.
To weave the handles I used Olive Drab 550 Nylon Paracord. I decided to gut the core for a flatter and tighter weave, but originally the diameter measures 5/32 of an inch.
Start the weave by leaving about an inch of cord lengthwise on the handle before threading it through the hole closest to the tip of the blade. Once on the other side, run the cord towards the hole at the bottom of the knife and thread it through. To complete one pass, bring the cord full circle and lay the running end in line over the one inch section of the standing end. Using the tension of the line to secure the standing end from slipping, thread the cord through the top hole for the second time. You should now have one strand showing on each side of the handle. Thread the line once again through the bottom hole, then the top hole so that you have two complete passes. The cord should be threaded through the top hole a total of three times. These two lines will be the ones running parallel with the handle in the final weave so be sure they are beside each other and not on top of one another. This will make the weaving process easier.
Just having passed through the top hole for the third time, run the cord to the outside of the handle and around it. From here, proceed to weave around the handle in an under/over, over/under method. You will notice the method will reverse. For example the first several intersections you come to should be as follows; under/over, over/under, over/under, under/over. It will make more sense as you follow the weave around. Remember to keep the weave flat and tight as you work.
Once you have reached the bottom of the handle and have room for only one more under/over, tuck the running end under both strands so that the last weaving method you use is under/under. This will secure the end just a little better.
If there is any slack in the weave, now is the time to tighten it up. Once you have everything as tight as can be, snip the excess cord right up to where it is tucked. Singe the end to prevent fraying. Lick your fingers and squeeze the end to mold the hot end flat. Work carefully at this part as you might guess, yes it is hot. The best way to be safe is to be careful and be smart. Butane torch lighters work the best as they provide a controlled, concentrated flame. I use a Tough Wing Torch which has served me well.
I was really pleased with the way these turned out. The added weight creates more balance to each knife. The cord also serves to deaden the knives and reduce bounce. If for some reason one doesn't stick in whatever it is you're throwing at, it won't ricochet with an annoying BING and fly off in any direction.
