Making Netting From Parachute Cord

Mistwalker · Apr 12, 2009

Parachute cord has many uses. It is great to use in tying up ponchos and tarps for shelters, lashing gear, making splints and tourniquets, making traps, even for climbing if needs be. Another great use for paracord is in making netting. This is done by separating the inner strands from the outer shell, using the outer shell for the top line, and the inner strands for the mesh.

The first thing you’ll want to do is pull the inner strands out and lay them out in such a way as they do not get tangled.

***EDIT*** Remember that as with any other twisted nylon string it will be much easier to work with if you have a way to melt the ends of the strands so that they don't unravel on you.

The take the outer shell and tie it between two small trees at about shoulder height. Then folding the strands in half and using a knot much like a cow hitch or girth hitch, but with a double wrap, you attach the strands to the top cord or main line an inch or so apart. How big you make your mesh is of course dependant upon what you intend to use it for I took pics of the stages of the knot.

Mistwalker · Apr 12, 2009

When you get your strands attached to the top cord they should look like this.

Next, working from left to right, you grab the right side string in the first pair of strings and the left side string of the send pair of strings and tie a knot the way you would just tie a knot in a single piece of string. The take the right side string from the second pair and tie it to the left side string of the third pair the same way and just repeat this process all the way across the series of strings until it looks like the picture below.

and then start the next row the same way and it should look something like this.

Then just keep repeating the same process over again working your way down and you will end up with something like this.

The netting can serve more than just one purpose. Of course it can be used to catch fish, the size of which will determine the size you need to make your mesh. It can be used to make an improvised bag or pack to carry things in. It can also be used with a frame made of limbs to fashion a box trap to catch birds or other game but youll need to be close by or rig up some sort of alert or they will chew their way out before you get to it. In this case the smaller the mesh the better.

JOSH111 · Apr 12, 2009

Very cool! I have over 2500 feet of 550, I may try this.

BarberFobic1992 · Apr 12, 2009

great thread! the best i have seen in a while actually. this seems like a very practicle skill. another good thing is that this is do-able inside, which is good for me considering the rain i am having today. i am definatly going to try this once i get some of my homework done.

Mistwalker · Apr 12, 2009

Remember, and I guess maybe I should have put this in...I just take some things as a given sometimes...that as with any other nylon string it will be much easier to work with if you have a way to melt the ends of the strands so that they don't unravel on you. I guess I should edit that in now.

DOC-CANADA · Apr 12, 2009

Excellent post, mistwalker. Although I like looking at pictures of knives, I like even better, skills pertaining to wilderness and survival skills. :thumbup:

Doc

Pritch · Apr 12, 2009

Another great tutorial, MW! I do have a couple of questions, though.

First, could you explain the knot used when you say "just tie a knot in a single piece of string"? A close-up of the knot or a better explanation would be helpful.

Second, how do you finish the net at the bottom?

Thanks,

-- FLIX

Munky88 · Apr 12, 2009

That's cool, gonna have to make myself a hammock.

tknife · Apr 12, 2009

Good stuff!

Mistwalker · Apr 12, 2009

FLIX said:
Another great tutorial, MW! I do have a couple of questions, though.

First, could you explain the knot used when you say "just tie a knot in a single piece of string"? A close-up of the knot or a better explanation would be helpful.

Second, how do you finish the net at the bottom?

Thanks,

-- FLIX

How about a picture...much better than words for knot tying. I should have put this in before, and I'll eddit it in. This is how you tie that knot.

also as for the bottom I'll have to work on that next weekend, maybe do a whole net with floats and weights. I have busy week coming up. But to explain it; if you have enough material a bottom cord could be stretch across between the same trees and tied on by the loose ends of the net. If not then you can tie the loose ends together in a series of square knots to serve as a bottom cord. Here's a pic that shows both knots.

kgd · Apr 12, 2009

Excellent post - looks like a real deal gill net!

evbouret · Apr 12, 2009

This is a great practical thread. Thank you!

WolfTracker · Apr 12, 2009

Dude, you're a madman!

TheGame · Apr 12, 2009

Nice thread, looks like something I can do with my 8 y/o nephew to get him into liking the outdoors more. Thanks!

mneedham · Apr 12, 2009

Mistwalker,

Great stuff. How long did that take you?

T. Erdelyi · Apr 12, 2009

Great info, these types of skills get lost through the years.

I'm always playin' with paracord, it's amazin' stuff.

If I remember half of what my Old Man taught and teach my daughter half of what I know, she'll be in pretty good shape survival wise.

Mistwalker · Apr 13, 2009

kgd said:
Excellent post - looks like a real deal gill net!

When I was a kid my father brother and I fished commercially. In the beginning we tied our own nets. I stumbled onto that idea one day when playing with some para cord.

evbouret said:
This is a great practical thread. Thank you!

You're welcome, glad you like it!

WolfTracker said:
Dude, you're a madman!

Lol, not sure what you mean by that but...that's the same thing my cousin said when I got him to drop me off at the Northwest Cape in the everglades for two weeks. That was before cell phones.

mneedham said:
Mistwalker,

Great stuff. How long did that take you?

That little section took about thirtyty minutes...but I had to set it up and I was stopping to take pictures

T. Erdelyi said:
Great info, these types of skills get lost through the years.

I'm always playin' with paracord, it's amazin' stuff.

If I remember half of what my Old Man taught and teach my daughter half of what I know, she'll be in pretty good shape survival wise.

I'm still occasionally remembering some of the things my father and grandfather taught me that I had all but forgotten.