Want to make a paracord keychain? Here are 16 free paracord keychain tutorials, each with real written steps on the maker's own site and no sign-up. They include easy cobra fobs, snake and box knot keychains, colorful endless falls and sine wave fobs, monkey fist keychains, a belt key keeper and a kid-friendly fishtail. Most take between 2 and 9 feet of cord, a key ring and a lighter, and many can be finished in under an hour. That makes them the perfect quick gift for dads, scouts, teachers, coworkers and anyone who's always losing their keys.
For each tutorial I've noted how much cord it uses, which knot or weave it's built on, and the hardware to have ready. Cord lengths are what the maker used, so if you want a longer fob, add about a foot of cord for every extra inch of cobra weave. Cut a little long; you can always trim and melt the end.
New to paracord? Start with the cobra key fob or the snake knot keychain in the first section. Once you can tie a cobra knot without looking, everything else on this list gets much easier.
Easy cobra and snake knot keychains
The two knots most paracord makers learn first. Each of these is a great first project.
Paracord Key Chain Fob — Instructables. An 11-inch piece of paracord is folded and fused into a loop, then about 3 feet of working cord is tied over it in cobra knots. A carabiner goes on one end and your keys on the other. Six short steps, and a good first fob.
Cobra Key Fob — Useful Knots. Two cords of about 45 and 55 cm are joined, folded in the middle, and tied in cobra knots (also called a Solomon bar) below a loop of about 8 cm. The numbered steps include a separate "tighten" step after each knot, which is exactly what a beginner needs. Finish by cutting and melting the ends.
Cobra Weave Key Fob — Instructables. A short cobra-weave fob finished with lanyard knots, in four steps. The maker suggests tucking a small flint insert into the fob, which turns it into a handy fire-starting tool for camping.
Tracer Paracord Keychain — Instructables. A cobra keychain with a thin micro-cord "tracer" running through the weave. The tracer adds a fine line of contrasting color, so a plain black or olive fob looks far more finished.
Paracord Keychain with a Snake Knot — Instructables. Only 2½ feet of paracord. The cord is threaded through your key ring, a washer or nut is added as an "ornament", and you tie snake knots until the cord runs out. Five steps. The snake knot makes a round, chain-like fob that's comfortable to hold.
Box, crown and colorful key fobs
Square sinnets, multi-color weaves and patterned fobs. These look complicated but follow a simple repeat.
Box Knot Key Fob — Useful Knots. Two 70 cm cords are crossed in the middle and tied into box knots, alternating clockwise and counterclockwise, then finished with a 4-strand diamond knot. It's the same square stitch many of us learned at summer camp with plastic lacing, made sturdier in paracord.
Paracord 5-Color Key Fob — Instructables. Five fused cords are held in a plastic clip around a center cord and knotted in rounds, which makes a chunky, rainbow-striped fob. Eight steps. The maker suggests finishing the center cord with a diamond knot or a monkey fist.
Trilobite Knot Keychain — Instructables. Five feet of paracord in two colors. Two cords of the same length are taped down with the colors alternating, then woven over and under, tied off and fused. The flat, segmented trilobite weave looks great in contrasting colors. Eleven steps.
Endless Falls Key Fob — Useful Knots. Three cords of 75 cm each are started with a cow hitch and woven into a three-color fob with a V pattern on the front and a different pattern on the back. It's finished with a diamond knot. There are 19 photographed steps, so it's easy to follow even though it takes three colors.
Azulejo Endless Falls Key Fob — TITAN Survival. Three 4-foot cords in three colors make a 6-inch fob styled after Portuguese and Spanish painted tile. It's built from a three-step repeating pattern, and the page has written instructions as well as a video.
Divided Sine Wave Sinnet Key Fob — TITAN Survival. Three 4-foot cords (green, brown and blue in the example) are woven over a doubled endless falls base, making a springy, color-segmented wave. A small loop of one color becomes the key attachment. Written steps plus a video.
Monkey fist, grenade and rattlesnake fobs
Chunkier keychains that are easy to grab from a pocket or bag.
Monkey Fist Keychain — Doodlecraft. About 5½ feet of paracord is wrapped three times each way around a marble, tightened twice, and knotted onto a ½-inch light-duty trigger snap. Six clear steps. The same method with 6 feet of cord makes a necklace pendant.
Paracord Grenade — Useful Knots. About 270 cm of cord is tied in three layers of cobra knots below a 7 to 8 cm loop. It's a thicker version of the cobra and king cobra, and it can be tied around a small pouch of survival items, which makes it a fun gift for hikers.
Rattlesnake Knot Key Fob — TITAN Survival. One 5-foot length of paracord is folded in half and knotted down its length. The top loop holds your keys, and the ends get a diamond knot. It makes a ridged, rattle-like fob with written steps and a video.
Belt key keepers and kids' keychains
Paracord Belt Key Keeper — Stormdrane's Blog. About 8 feet of paracord and a swivel clip. It's started like a buckle-less paracord bracelet, measured about 6½ inches from the center, then closed with a doubled lanyard knot that forms the belt loop. The written method is short, so it's a good second or third project rather than a first.
Paracord Fish-Tail Key Chain — Scout Life. Just 24 inches of paracord, a key ring and a lighter (with an adult's help). An overhand stopper knot, then a fishtail weave around the key ring, cinched and melted. Three steps. Scout Life suggests it as a gift for dad, and it's a great project for a troop meeting.
Tips for making paracord keychains
- Use 550 paracord for most fobs. It's strong and comes in hundreds of colors. Thinner micro cord works well for tracers and tiny zipper pulls.
- Seal every cut end. Trim, melt the end with a lighter or thread burner, and press it flat while it's warm (carefully). It stops fraying for good.
- Choose the hardware first. A split ring, swivel clip, carabiner or trigger snap all change how long your loop needs to be.
- Tighten as you go. Most lumpy keychains come from loose knots. Snug each knot down before you tie the next.
- Make a batch. Once you know a knot, keychains take minutes. Make a set in team or school colors for a club, troop or office gift swap.
Frequently asked questions
How much paracord do I need for a keychain?
Between 2 and 9 feet for most of these fobs. A snake knot or fishtail keychain needs only 2 to 2½ feet; a cobra fob needs 3 to 4 feet; and a three-color endless falls fob uses three cords of 2½ to 4 feet each.
What is the easiest paracord keychain to make?
The fishtail key chain from Scout Life and the snake knot keychain are the simplest. For the classic look, the cobra key fob from Useful Knots has the most beginner-friendly steps.
What knot is used for a paracord keychain?
The cobra knot (Solomon bar) is the most popular. The snake, box, trilobite and endless falls knots are also common, and a diamond knot or monkey fist is often used to finish the end.
How do you stop paracord from fraying?
Cut it cleanly, then melt the end with a lighter or thread burner and press it flat while it's still warm. Don't touch the melted cord with your bare fingers.
More paracord and quick gift projects
Pair a keychain with one of our paracord lanyard patterns or a paracord necklace for a matching set. If you love knotting, try a paracord hammock or a macramé plant hanger. For crochet gifts he'll actually use, see our crochet hats for men and our full list of crochet gifts for men, and for more small presents, browse our stocking stuffer ideas and crochet bracelet patterns. Prefer yarn to cord? See our free crochet keychain patterns for hearts, fruit and mini animals.
