Paracord lanyard is generally made of paracord, a lightweight all-purpose utility rope initially used by military personnel before it was made available to the common consumer. It is formed by braiding several feet of paracord together to form a special lanyard which can also be used as an accessory. But do not be deceived by its look as it is not only used for decorative purposes. Behind its creatively crafted beauty lies an extra source of cordage for general utility functions and even on unexpected emergency situations.
Being a great source of extra compact cordage, it also performs like any other fashion accessories we carry around each and every day. From a simple keychain which we can unravel to replace our shoe or boot lace to a knife lanyard which we can use to build our emergency shelter or even use on extreme cases where it can help to save lives. Paracord lanyard is a great EDC (Everyday Day Carry) tool mostly used by survivalist and outdoor enthusiast on their knives as decoration, extra cordage and as a retention strap.
Paracord Lanyard
There are several resources on the internet which provide step by step instructions and guides on how to make a 550 cord lanyard out of a single or multiple pieces of paracord. With difficulty levels ranging from a simple wrapping around or looping technique to the even sophisticated knotting and braiding. The most common technique for making a paracord lanyard is the cobra weave or the snake knot, the same braiding technique used to create the ever famous survival bracelet as well as other paracrod projects.
The tools needed to make a lanyard are just common materials you can easily find on your home and even on your toolbox. Besides the cord itself, you will also need a knife or scissors for cutting, a lighter for burning the ends or joining different colors of paracords together and a ruler or tape measure for measuring the length of paracord needed. Other than these common tools some paracord hobbyist also uses a tool called the paracord braiding jig, a custom tool made of wood with hooks or clamps which holds the paracord during the whole lengthy braiding process.
Key rings, clamps, shackles, led lights and beads are also added to a lanyard to increase not only its aesthetic value but as well as its usability. Cord ends are also used to cover and protect the ends of paracord from running while cord locks can be used as a fastener, stopper and for tightening without using any knot. Other accessories other than mentioned above may also be used depending on its purpose. There are lots of interesting images of paracord projects on the internet which can also give you an idea on how to craft your own lanyard as long as you know the basic knots.
Bear in mind that although it is fun to craft paracord lanyards, you must also learn how to unravel it back to its natural form so it can serve its purpose during those critical times. Without learning how to disassemble your parachute cord lanyard, it will beat the purpose of having it in the first place and may leave this valuable tool useless.
Image taken from Flickr Creative Commons by TomMaillioux [CC BY-NC 2.0 and CC BY-NC 3.0] via Flickr