How to Make a Sheath Out of Paracord

Cut four pieces of paracord 30 inches long each. Melt one end of a cord with the lighter, then press the end against the side of the knife blade to melt the end shut. Repeat for both ends of all four cords.

Cut a 12-foot-long section of cord, then pull out the interior core strands from the outer braid and melt the ends shut. With the core strands removed the cord will be able to lay flat.

Fold the 30-inch cords in half, then lay the cords side-by-side with the creases aligned. You now have eight loose ends hanging down side-by-side.

Tuck the hollow cord under the leftmost loose end, then over the next loose end and continue weaving until you have woven the hollow cord around all eight loose ends.

Wrap the hollow cord back under the rightmost end and then weave the hollow cord back to the left.

Cut a piece of elastic cord 6-inches long. Fold the elastic in half and hold it so the loose ends are over the eight cords you are weaving around, with the fold in the elastic extending 3-/4 inches above the folds in the 30-inch-long paracords.

Continue weaving the hollow cord around the folded cords, weaving around the loose ends of the elastic cords as you do so, until the hollow cord has been woven within 6-inches of the loose ends of the cords being woven around.

Fold each of the loose ends of the 30-inch cords up to meet the last row of the weave.

Weave around the eight doubled-up loose ends until you have woven down to the fold in each loose end. Cut the excess hollow cord and melt both ends of the hollow cord to prevent unraveling.

Place the end of the woven sheath against your knife approximately 1-inch from the top of the knife, then wrap the sheath completely around the knife and note where the elastic loop aligns over the sheath when wrapped.

Cut a 3-inch section of cord and push both ends through the weave at the noted point, starting on the same side the elastic band was placed on so the ends are poking through opposite the side the elastic is secured.

Turn the sheath over, grab both loose ends passed through the weave and tie a knot with both ends. Snip the loose ends and melt with a lighter. This creates a button to secure the loop on.

Wrap the sheath around the knife again and test that the loop fits over the knot to close the sheath.

Cut two 1-foot-long sections of paracord and remove the core strands.

Lay the closed sheath on its right side and stitch the left side of the sheath shut with a hollow cord. Weave the hollow cord between the section of sheath touching the backside of the knife and the front section of the sheath, starting near the bottom of the knife and continuing for the length of the hollow cord. Snip and melt the ends.

Turn the sheath over then stitch shut the right side with the second hollow cord.

Cut two 4-inch-long lengths of cord, then turn the sheath over so the backside is facing up.

Tuck one 4-inch cord under a section of horizontally woven hollow cord, approximately 1/2 inch below the top of the sheath, near the right side of the sheath. Weave the 4-inch cord over the next horizontal cord below the cord tucked under, then under the next horizontal section after the section passed over.

Center the 4-inch cord so the loose ends are the same length, then tie a knot with the two loose ends, creating a loop large enough to fit around your belt.

Weave and tie the second cord near the left side of the sheath to complete a second belt loop.