I got into doing paracord projects because I want to learn how to make ammo bags for my slingshot ammo. I need to learn to make things perfect, my knots tight, neat, and as close together as they can be. I have never worked with Paracord before this evening, and have a new found respect for a lot of you guys/gals out there making these stunning things no matter what it be. I am no stranger to tying knots as I used to do a lot repelling and sailing. I am very also and Eagle Scout, so I have quite a few knots under my belt. Anyway, that is enough BSing, and I will get to the point. I figured I would start easy and make a simple bracelet. I did a Single-Color Cobra Weave Paracord Bracelet with a buckle for 10 year old daughter with some rainbow colored E.L. Wood cord that I got from Survival-pax.com. This stuff is not real easy to work with at all! All in all it was a fun project, and my 10 year old ended up with 2 new bracelets, one that I made and one that she made. She decided to learn with me. She shoots slingshots with me, and has decided she had planned to make her own ammo bag too since I was making my own. After tonight's experience she says she doesn't ever want to work that stuff again lmao!!!! Here are some photos of my very first paracord project ever. How did i do? I personally think I did fairly well, but I have nothing to compare it to in person other than the cheap piece of s*#! she bought at the flea market.
By the way if anyone knows of a good tutorial on how to make something I can use as an ammo pouch that will hold ball bearings as small as 6mm without losing them I would love to see it! Thanks in advance
Thanks MrParacord, I appreciate the kind words. I have made quite a few bracelets, a couple of monkey fists, a dog collar, and leash so far successfully so far. I have followed Stormdrane's tutorial for making a nice pouch, and a couple of others. The problem I am having is getting the bottom closed off tight enough that it will hold at least 3/8" stainless steel ball bearings that I use for ammo for my slingshots. That is the whole reason I want to make some pouches. I have tied, untied, tied, untied, tied, etc lol. I will hopefully eventually get it the way it works the way I need it too. I am not trying to make a can holder or bottle holder. I need it to serve a purpose. Hopefully, fingers crossed, the one I am working on right now will turn out the way I need it to be! I will post pics once I finish the project. I think I have an idea now on how to get the bottom just right after talking with a fellow knot enthusiast here in my town. He gave me a couple of different ideas to try. The first one looked horrible, so I couldn't stand leaving it like that even though it was the only one that worked. It looked like a jumbled mess to me, and I am too much of a perfectionist to leave it like that. Plus I am trying to get it to look just right and function just right, so I can donate a few of them to various competitions as door prizes. If my name is gonna be attached to it in anyway then it better look it's best. Function over form? No way! I need the perfect balance ;-) I am confident I will get it this time though. I have tied and untied it at least 9 times already!
What about using a separate container then weaving the cord around the container? For example take a plastic chewing gum container that has a lid, choose your "pouch" weave pattern and weave around the gum container. Now you have a "pouch" of sorts that will hold what ever you like. Unless you were looking at something that would be more flat like a wallet. In that case look up paracord wallet and modify the design to fit your needs.
SirDonB, thank you for that idea! I had not thought of that. I do have these little plastic containers we designed we designed at the tool shop I used to work at. They are intended for Medical Marijuana. I have a huge garbage bag full of them from the beginning test runs on the injection mold, and I do not use drugs. I know one container will hold approximately 1 pound of 3/8" ss balls. My only problem with it is getting my fat fingers in to the bottom when I get to the end of the ammo. Also when I am out hunting they make a hell of a racket rattling around inside a plastic container. Not sure how much the paracord will quiet it down, but I am going to give it a shot. TyingItAllTogether has a tutorial for what he calls an Acorn Pouch that seems to be the perfect size for these plastic containers. So I am in the middle of trying to figure that one out. I am having difficulties tying the base platform still, but I will get it. Right now I have been working on this all evening, the piece in the pictures. It is a combination of 3 different tutorials. I am very new to this, so it is taking me some time to blend the 3 slightly different takes on the same pouch and melt them into one cool pouch! I am hoping to finish it tomorrow. The only problem I am having at the moment is getting the vertical weaves perfectly spaced from one another. The size of it is about 4 inches tall and 3 1/4" in diameter as of right now. Now sure how those dimensions will changed when I finally finish it??? It will end up have a cinch close with a toggle to lock it closed. It will also have two belt loops, so I am able to carry it easily with me. The one in the photos I am working on is Black Widow paracord from E.L. Wood. It's the perfect color for the slingshot it will go with! The colors are so incredibly close to being spot on! You would have to look really close to see the difference. I will post a pic of it full of ammo next to the slingshot when all is said and done. But for now here are a couple teaser pics Let me know what y'all think! I don't mind constructive criticism at all, but please remember I have barely been doing this for a month so far Thanks for looking! Mike Z PS...This is my first project using a curved fid! Man has that tool made this project soooooooooo much easier ;-)
Try using the plastic container as a template then once you get the pattern you like take the container out and finish the pouch.
It's finished!?!?!? That was a great piece of advice! It helped a lot, so thank you kindly!!! I believe I have finished my ammo pouch. I am not certain whether or not I want to make it so I can close it or not. It's not something I am going to be jumping around with. I stand at a target and I shoot. The pouch holds a whole bunch of 3/8" ammo, and it holds even more 6mm ammo! More than I can stand there and shoot I just found out this afternoon. I added 3 loops, so it holds steady on my belt perfectly. In the first photo you can see the 3 loops for the belt to go through. Second photo shows the other side of the pouch, and of course I had to show a photo of the inside. This is my first pouch that I have not torn down to rebuild. I don't mind constructive criticism, but please be nice about it is all I ask
Not a bad looking pouch for your first one. I don't have any constructive criticism simply because 1. I never made a pouch before. 2. It doesn't matter how it looks as much as how it functions.
Slipknots If you are still looking for good pouch/basket ideas, look up tutorials for the dragons egg. It's almost entirely made of simple slipknot but starts with 1 crown knot. I made a few for my sling shot ammo and I am able to store 70 3/8" steel ammo in each pouch.
