Making Paracord Jesses

[OutHawkn]

Several of you guys have asked about pulling paracord through itself. Its real fast and easy. But rather than just tell you I thought I'd show you how I make the entire jess.In all things falconry there are a hundred different ways to skin a cat, so this is just the way I do it. If something isnt clear, ask and i'll try to explain it.Here we go........

Take a piece of paracord - 7strand or 11 strand doesnt matter it works on both. I use 7 strand,neon orange,tight weave, or Milspec. And cut it to 24 inches long. Remove the inner strands and discard them.
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Now take a knitting needle that is just slightly smaller than your cord(this will very depending on the size of cord you use) and slide it into the cord about 12 inches or half way. This will provide a back stop to keep you from accidently touching the other side of the cord while burning your hole. You can do it without, but its seasier with....
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa156/outhawkn/makingtheparacordjess008-1.jpg

Then mark the cord from the end thats on the needle up about 11 inches or a little less than half way. At this mark take a wood burner and touch the cord at the mark and it will melt a small hole in the cord. The hole only needs to be about 1/4 inch or so or the length of the wood burning tip.

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa156/outhawkn/makingtheparacordjess012-1.jpg

[OutHawkn]

Now take a piece of galvanized or stainless stiff wire about 8 inches long and slide the other "half" of the cord up onto the wire for about 1/2 inch. Take a flame( lighter,torch,etc) and begin to burn the end of the cord. Hold it there until the cord begins to melt. Remove the flame and gently pull the wire and cord apart but only about 2 MM. This will cause the cord to stretch and make a nice smooth transition. You may need to dip your fingers in cold water and quickly mold the cord into a smooth cone shape.
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Now take the end of the wire and insert it into the hole that you burned near the middle. if you made the cord-to-wire transition smooth enough the cord will slide right in and out. This entire procedure should only take about 60 seconds.

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[OutHawkn]

Now cut off the cord at the end of the wire. Insert your finger into the loop and adjust for how big you want the loop to be. Then keeping your finger in the loop squeeze the cords below your finger/loop and run down the length of the cord a couple times. What your doing is strecthing out both cords(inner and outer). Now measure how long you want your jesses to be and add an inch for the knot. I tie a double overhand knot for bulk, but any knot will do. Take and light the frayed end of the cord ( the one at the knot) and let it burn. It will start to run down the knot. Move it around so it covers a good portion of the knot. The jess is now done. For double safety I dip the knot in plasti-dip and let it dry. This is a liquid plastic that you should be able to buy at a hardware store. Its used for dipping the handles of pliers,screwdrivers in.

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa156/outhawkn/makingtheparacordjess028-1.jpg

Now for another type of jess.............

[OutHawkn]

Cut a third piece of paracord about 12 inches long. Remove the inner strand. Take anoter piece of cord 24 iches long and remove the innerstrand( like you did before).

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa156/outhawkn/makingtheparacordjess029-1.jpg

With your short piece of cord you need to burn the frayed edges off of one end. I do this by insert one end in a small wooded dowel and then burning the end. the dowel keeps the end from closing up. Then just slide the dowel out and there you have.

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa156/outhawkn/makingtheparacordjess030-1.jpg
Take a strong piece of string and tie a loop in it and then run your 24 inch piece of cord through it.You'll want to ionset your string into the frayed end as you want the loop to be on the end you burned.

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa156/outhawkn/makingtheparacordjess031-1.jpg

[OutHawkn]

Pull the inner cord over the outer cord. This will be tight but it'll go. Pull it til you have as large a loop as you want. Cut off the string and adjust the loop and finish the knot end as before.

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Any questions?

[Gil]

thanks for the demonstration but somewhere there i lost myself
i didnt understand what the needle does, the hole you do in the middle or something and where and how do you know where to start or do it and most of the last part.
maybe i just need a cord myself because i dont think i understand much how it is built.
is this the recommended way to make jesses or the best quality ones because if not then dont bother. :)
thanks again for your time also

[OutHawkn]

thanks for the demonstration but somewhere there i lost myself
i didnt understand what the needle does, the hole you do in the middle or something and where and how do you know where to start or do it and most of the last part.
maybe i just need a cord myself because i dont think i understand much how it is built.
is this the recommended way to make jesses or the best quality ones because if not then dont bother. :)
thanks again for your time also

The knitting needle provides a back stop to keep your wood burner from going to far. if it touches the other side of the cord. It will melt the two together and its ruined. It will be a lot easier to ubderstand if you have ever tried using paracord. Do you guys not use it much? Paracord will out last leather by a long shot!!!! Everybody has thier own likes and what they think is "best".

[Harris]

Thanks Bill, another Excellent Tutorial that I'm sure everyone will learn from. :yawinkle:

[OutHawkn]

Thanks Bill, another Excellent Tutorial that I'm sure everyone will learn from. :yawinkle:

Thanks Simon.....................

[GavSterry]

How many people actually use these?


Gav

[Hawking]

Thanks for that. VERY educational.

I have been playing with paracord for a while now and always seem to have it unthread while trying to thread it back through it self.

Thanks again

Mike

[OutHawkn]

How many people actually use these?


Gav

Over they have been in use for years.

[OutHawkn]

Thanks for that. VERY educational.

I have been playing with paracord for a while now and always seem to have it unthread while trying to thread it back through it self.

Thanks again

Mike

Try it this way and you'll find it real easy to do. If not let me know

[Malcolm Edgar]

Very clear and easily understood guide - Thanks.
M

[OutHawkn]

Very clear and easily understood guide - Thanks.
M

Your welcome

[Duck-Hawker]

Thanks Bill would love to have a go at making these Jess's they seem a great idea and like you say would out last leather. Where is the best place to buy the Paracord from never heard of it over here before.

Matt

[OutHawkn]

Thanks Bill would love to have a go at making these Jess's they seem a great idea and like you say would out last leather. Where is the best place to buy the Paracord from never heard of it over here before.

Matt

Almost all of the "Army surplus" stores carry it. Just be sure to use the "tight" weave kind. Its usually advertised as Mil spec ( military spec). They make some that is a loose weave for camping but a bird will pick that stuff apart in no time.....................If you still cant find any,let me know

http://www.vtarmynavy.com/paracord.htm