This is totally random, but I thought it might interest someone…
I picked up a monkey fist online made from paracord wrapped around a 2 inch steel ball. Coolest thing I’ve bought in a while…
I find myself fidgeting with the thing constantly.
I already reached out to the guy to see if he can make me one with a tungsten ball instead since it’s so much denser than steel. So I could have a smaller version with the same weight or one slightly bigger that’s more than triple the weight.
I’ll have to make sure he uses paracord strong enough to handle the additional weight when I’m swinging it around
Yes indeed, be sure to check on that. California is one place where you shouldn’t carry one around.
I’m also not entirely sure where you draw the line between a monkey fist and a slung shot. Like I have one on my keychain that only weighs a few ounces and is maybe 4 inches long total
Nice! This one is like a work of art. I really need to get good with paracord. I use some half assed lanyards for my flashlights that I get from Amazon and para would be so much better.
I’m guessing that the paracord will be pretty sturdy if I’m swinging this thing around outside? It looks like the cord is rated for 550 lbs and the 2” ball only weighs a little over 1 pound
illegal in our state, too.
concealed, like in your pocket,
carries extra charges.
“It shall be unlawful for any person willfully and intentionally to carry concealed about his or her person any bowie knife, dirk, dagger, slung shot,
loaded cane, metallic knuckles, razor, shuriken, stun gun, or other deadly weapon of like kind, except when the person is on the person’s own premises.”
of course, legitimate throw weights similar to this are exempted:
Turks head is much better for covering. Monkey fist is for things like buttons.
A 4x3 doesn’t do that much damage to a hard hat. but a black jack goes straight through.
The monkey fist found in nautical knot books is best for surrounding an orb. The Turks heads in those books are designed for railings and other cylindrical objects.
In the old days if the messenger’s lantern blew out, he could find his way around the ship by feeling the Turks heads on railings- five strand near the captain’s cabin and bridge, four strand in officers’ areas, three strands in crew areas. That arrangement is still used today.
For those who would like to make their own Monkey's Fist to carry as a Pocket Fidget, including a Begleri (a double-ended MF) or a Knuckle Roller, take a look at these Paracord Project Tutorials on YouTube.
That’s crazy. I carry an expandable baton and a knife everywhere, and a tactical pen. Where I live you just have to be careful about carrying something concealed so I always keep my knife in a front pocket with the clip exposed
Generally, that will depend on the number of bights in a Turk's Head knot.
Also, TH knots are best for covering cylinder shapes Ike a ship's railing as Helios Azimuth described. While a TH knot can cover ball shapes with experience, a MF knot is a much easier & more comprehensive covering. For either TH knots or MF knots, easy to DIY jigs can be made on the cheap with some PVC Pipe or Wood Dowels, as can be found on YouTube or Instructables.
Paracord knotting is a relaxing & rewarding adjunct to the hobby of flashlights. One of our BLF's members, who goes by "Essexman" is a prime example of what can be accomplished with a hank of cord...any cord in fact. Hopefully he will chime in with some photos of his elaborate dog leashes &/or other projects.
For paracord that's stronger than Mil Spec 550 to cover a tungsten ball that has a 'cool factor' of its own, take a look at Titan's Survivor Cord!
EDIT: I almost forgot to mention about an equal quality, but less expensive option to Titan's Survival Cord, which is Atwood Rope's Survivor Cord (available in shorter lengths such as 25'). Atwood is one of my top 4 preferred, full-line cordage manufacturers, along with EL Wood, Gladding & Franklin.
*FWIW, I am not a promoter, nor am I compensated in any way by any of the aforementioned products, manufacturers, or YouTube hosts. I just want to share the hobby of knot-tying & paracord braiding.
My apologies for being a smart arse.
Monkeys fist is an easy knot to tie and doesn’t take much practice. Main thing is not to tighten the strands in one go. Instead gradually place and tension the strands on the object. A small marlin spike made from a bolt slightly bigger than the cord size to open the knot and some electrical tape to help poke the end through is handy.
