A paracord monkey fist is beneficial to carry on you for survival and self defense purposes. It's super easy to conceal and carries enough power to slow down any attacker.
In this tutorial you'll learn how to make a paracord monkey fist knot keychain.
How to make a paracord monkey fist:
Supplies you need:
-
1″ steel ball bearing
-
6ft 550 paracord in a color that you want to be the main color
-
4ft 550 Paracord in a color that you want to be the compliment color
-
1″ Monkey Fist Jig
-
key ring
- scissors
- lighter or matches
Step 1:
To get started, we will need to connect both pieces of paracord at the ends so we have one single strand to make our monkey fist:
Let go of the end and you'll feel the white inside strands pull back into the cord, leaving about an inch of empty sheath at the end of the strands. This will help you in Step 2.
Step 2:
Take both ends, melt them using your lighter and press them together.
Step 3:
Now, let's get started weaving the monkey fist!
Grab your jig and line up your paracord so the the merged part is lined up in the center on the inside of the two pegs closest to you.
Step 4:
Start the weave with your minor color. Holding the blue strand in you right hand so it's kept in place, use your left hand to wrap the grey strand out and around the four pegs in a counter-clockwise fashion. This counts as one loop.
You will repeat this 4 more times until you have completed 5 loops.
Step 5:
Keeping those loops in tact, place the ball bearing in the center and hold it in place with your hand.
Step 6:
Repeat Step 4 with the blue strand (your major color). You will wrap it clockwise, making sure it goes on the outside of the grey(minor color) strand. Once you've wrapped it around 5 times, your ball should be able to sit in the middle without you holding it.
Helpful Hint: As you wrap your paracord to make your monkey fist knot, do your best to keep each loop next to each other and not overlapping any other loops. This will make it easier for you when you start to tighten your monkey fist.
Step 7:
Now we are going to complete the last set of loops, continuing with the blue strand. This time, we will weave the strand so it is on the inside of the grey loops but around the blue loops we just made.
Be sure to use this series of loops to contain the ball bearing. Just like the previous steps, you will wrap it around 5 times.
Step 8:
You have now formed your monkey fist knot! Now you are going to remove it carefully from the jig and start tightening. As you go through and start tightening, it is important that you do not make anything too tight.
This is a slow process that you will have to repeat a couple of times to gradually get your Monkey's Fist as tight as you want it. If you tighten too much too early, you will end up causing the cords to over lap. This is especially important for the loops on each ‘edge' – if you pull these too tight, you will begin to pinch the loops underneath together, making it very difficult to keep your monkey fist neat and flat
Take your time at this phase, and try to maintain symmetry all around your knot.
Step 9:
Starting with the grey paracord at the corner where you made your first loop, pull the complimentary side up gently to tighten the corner.
Step 10:
Now move on to the blue strand. You will start at the same point as you did for the grey strand – where they are joined together.
Repeating the same method as in Step 8, start tightening the blue strands, working your way around the five loops.
Step 11:
Since the blue strand continues on to the thirds set of loops, continue to tighten the rest of the blue loops.
Step 12:
Continue to repeat this process until you are happy with your end product.
Step 13:
Once you are happy with the way your monkey's fist looks, you are going to finish it up by making a hangman's noose knot to attach the key ring.
Follow the instructions below to complete your keychain:
Try our giant monkey fist made with a pool ball:
Paracord Projects: Giant Monkey Fist
Ever made a remote control airsoft gun ? We have!
Join our mailing list and be the first to know about it.
(link is on the top right of the page for desktop users and on the bottom for mobile)
Like this post?
Be sure to like us on Facebook (button below) so you can be the first to know about latest project updates as well as great DIY articles.
Pin It so you can come back to it and follow us on Pinterest to get latest project pins.
Let us know in the comments below! Your feedback matters. The more interest we get in posts, the more likely we are to do more like that.
Ready to get started? Here are our top picks for supplies:
Paracord
1″ Steel Ball Bearings
Key Rings
Monkey Fist Jigs
