How To Make A Key Fob

Today we are going to learn how to make this key fob. If you are looking for something to make for your dad then this is a good choice, unless your dad is like my children's dad, he can just do it himself. I would consider this an intermediate level because of some of the techniques, the number of strands and knots used. Of course you can reduce the number of strands, or use different knots. I've made these with 3, 4, 5 and 6 strands. Let's get started!

Tools are important and using a tool will make things easier. Some of my tools are store bought and some I had to make because I couldn't find where to buy them at home. You will see in this next image the tools that I found useful to make this key fob. I didn't always have these simple tools so you should be fine if you don't have them. You could improvise and use a nail that you have DE-burred for the fid or maybe use a knitting spike. At minimum you will need a lighter and a very sharp knife.

Take your paracord and cut it into three pieces. One piece two foot long and two pieces four foot long. If you do yours exactly like mine then you should have five pieces around ten inches long as scrap when this project is complete. Middle the two longer strands and arrange all of them as an X with the short strand in the middle. Tie a constrictor knot around them.

And right away you can start deviating from my plan. I usually don't tie the constrictor knot and just arrange them in my hand but this worked out good for me and it allowed me to show you how to lay your cords.

Tie a Full Matthew Walker knot. This knot seems complicated but the base is the easiest knot of all, the simple thumb or overhand knot. You tie one thumb knot around all of the strands with one strand then in turn use the next strand to tie a thumb knot passing the end through the middle of the first knot. The next strand does the same and goes through all of the other knots and so on. In turn means you're going to start with the outer loop strand then do a inner loop strand all the way around. The short strand has to be added in there somewhere but doesn't matter where. If you reduced this to four strands then just do outer inner outer inner. You must carefully and slowly tighten this knot. One strand pulled slightly tight then the next constantly pushing the strands into place. Once you have it firm but not tight you will need to remove the constrictor knot and adjust the short strand, the middle strands and then finally the outer strand to proper length.

Take the short strand and tug it watching the other end of the knot. It should show you where you need to pull so you can shorten it up. We are going to pull it right to the edge of going in the MWK. Pull too far and you pull it out and now work with a four strand  MWK.

Now do the inner loop the same way. I like to do one side half way then the other side but do what you want. This should cover up the short strand. And finally adjust the outer loop to the final length and tighten the whole knot very tight.

Now I've seen a lot of key fobs on the internet that have used a four strand square crown sinnet. This one is going to be a five strand round two over crown sinnet. Don't be intimidated, if you can do the four strand crown then you can do the five strand two over crown. Instead of over one, you go over two strands. This allows you to more firmly tighten up the strands. And instead of left crown right crown left crown you just do all lefts or all rights and it comes out round. So see? It's the same thing!

 

Starting with one strand go over two other strands and down. Then take each strand in turn over two strands and down until all strands have been arranged as the above picture. Firmly tighten. Tie three of these two over crowns to form the sinnet.

 

Now we are going to tie a complex wall knot. Don't let the name fool you, it's just like the two over crown. You simply tie a wall knot but instead of going under one you go under two strands.

Once you have this just pull it tight. You could stop here, trim and burn all strands and have a very cool key fob. We are going to keep going though!

Tie two more two over crowns on top of this. This will be the creamy filling to our manrope knot.

Now that you have the creamy center it's time to work on the knob. It's a manrope knot. I own several knot tying books and several of them have this saying.

First a wall
Then a crown
Follow the lead
Then tuck down

That sums it up pretty good. Tie a wall knot and let it rest above the complex wall. Then tie a crown over that. In mine I tied a five point star crown. I hope you can see by the picture how to lay the strands to make this work out. It may be easier to draw it on some index cards then pull the strands through it and arrange them. There are drawings for this in the Ashley Book Of Knots as well as many more for crowns ranging from two strands to nine strands if I remember correctly.

A wall

Five point star crown

Now comes the doubling the lead part. Just drop the ends down to the left side, right if you tied a counter-clockwise wall, and follow the same wall and crown you just tied. Once you have it doubled, pierce the knot here and open a hole. Some people do this in reverse with a wire loop but I don't have one so I use this. I do have a knitting hook I use to dig into there sometimes if the strand gets trapped under another and I can't pull it out with my dainty little fingers.

Tuck the end down through the hole just as the saying goes.

 

Once you have each strand tucked in the right place you may wonder what to do next. If it were me I'd start tightening the wall and crown up. Tighten up evenly around the whole thing a little at a time until you get it super firm. I use the spike to dig in and pull out the bights of cord until I'm finished.

Use the X-Acto knife or another VERY sharp knife to cut the strands off really close. Be careful you do not cut into the knot. A fellow knotter, aknotter who does amazing work, showed me a way to do this easily. Pull the strand up and place the blade under it. Hold the blade still and wiggle the strand. The first time I tried this the blade flipped out of my hand it worked so well.

The completed key fob

Above you see some three four five and even a six strand fob. Short ones long ones and a fat one. Some finished and some yet to be finalized. I hope you enjoyed this short tutorial, and have fun making one. If you have any questions or need me to explain a step better feel free to ask.