SUPER EASY PROJECT SOFT SHACKLES 

Thanks a lot for your wonderful video!!

Just wanted to thank you again for this video... loved it when I watched it and have put it into use, especially today when I had someone come to me with a problem to solve. She recently had hip surgery and using a walker, and the basket they gave her for the walker is extremely loose and kept coming off. She asked if I could secure it to the walker better but in a way that would allow it to be removed when needed. Ties... zip ties... SOFT SHACKLES!! I grabbed six feet of white 550, made up 4 soft shackles as you demonstrated in the video, and it works perfectly!! Just another reminder that the bushcraft skills we learn and practice are NOT JUST for the outdoors/wilderness, but can be used all the time. Bravo to you, sir, for all your videos; I have learned so much from them and look forward to more.

A couple of commenters mentioned the whipping coming off the loop end. To prevent the whipping from coming off, before you pull the end of the long cord underneath, take a couple of loose turns around your whipping (it's called frapping). Then pull your long cord underneath. The frapping prevents the whipping from coming off. You may have to tie it a couple of times to determine how loose/tight to do the frapping.

Good stuff, Blackje! I’ve been Scouting and bush rafting for years, and I haven’t encountered that reverse locking knot. I love it! Also, don’t forget to mention that the soft shackle loop is also a ready-made Priscilla knot.

You can also just make a larks head on the loop end, then put the knot through the middle. When you put some pressure on it the larks head locks down and holds securely.

Excellent idea as well as the teaching. Very well explained. Thanks my friend. May I make a suggestion? I really like the Ashley stopper knot. It works better as a stopper knot than the overhand knot as it "bulges" out away from the cord all the way around the cord better than the overhand knot. Hope that made sense.

Oh man you got my brain going nuts thinking of all the stuff I can use this for. Looks like I know what I’m making today and a fresh 100’ roll of paracord ready to go Thx again for the excellent tips 🍁

Well demonstrated and clear to see.

Awesome! Thanks for this!

I love videos like this. I have seen videos about soft shackles but they were like the Clif Notes versions, general explanations. This was the full length book, a detailed lesson, filling in the blanks. I have a hank of bright paracord and a roll of #12 bank line on my work table and am in the process of making a half dozen 6" soft shackles right now. Thank you for another great video. Oh, and thanks, in passing, to Felix Immler.

Blackie, this was one of your best videos so far! This technique has so many applications. I won't have to buy Grimlocs anymore to attach gear to my pack. Thank you! Great job of explaining the whipping technique. I wouldn't have known to finish with a reef knot.

Super 👍👍👍. Thank you very much. I've been mulling over having to buy some Shackles. Now, as a Pensioner, you've saved me quite a couple of bucks .. much appreciated 😊. Take care ..

Never would have thought of that

Thanks for the up close & detailed instructions for us slow kids. I can usually tie any knot with proper instructions, remembering how 15 minutes later is the problem. Repetition & using the knots is the only way I seem to retain the command of knot tying I do have.

Loved your video and then saw the larks head instead of whip and thought you might like that

You’re awesome, thanks for the instruction!

I enjoy your videos and I really like your take on the soft shackle. Have you considered using a larks head to jam against the Knot? This would not be be as quick ,but it would be a little more secure and eliminate the need of the bead/whipping. This would just be another option.

Excellent! I could use these on the otherwise useless daisy chain straps on my backpack.

Blackie Thomas - Nice video. I can think of at least two other uses for Paracord soft shackles. They can hold MOLLE items together and they can work as add on Prussic sliders. They also have the advantage of being quiet, 'biners tend to jingle and click. I will certainly make a few as the need arises. Mine will be without beads or whipping. I can always tie the shackle closed with a Becket hitch, or even a double Becket, if I need it locked solid. FYI Your hand was in the way for half of your whipping demonstration.

Thank you for this. I see many uses for this and even making a few of larger rope for off reading. There are soft shackles on the market but making one yourself is very cool…. Also adding the lock bead or sliding knot is perfect.. no cost if you have rope on hand …. I recently used a pull rope to ATTEMPTED to pull a tree log 20 feet log. Maybe 4000’ the darn slide loops just came apart. I tied a loop knot on each end and lashed over some bank line…. Was strong enough to raise my Tahoe completely off the ground around a tree a attached to my 12000’ winch…. RECYCLE is great way to reuse ont through away…. Keep the info coming Brother.

Awesome tips ! I've been making loops with leftover paracord that I use to stake my tarps and such down with ... now I've got a million more uses for those loops as well. Stupidly useful !

Excellent explanation. I never understood the practical use of soft shackles, nor how to make one. So Thank you! I also like the whipping demo…I tried using gutted paracord and made a simple scaffold knot and it works well and remains tight but slides on the shackle.

More good stuff Blackie 🤠

very cool, quick and easy

Great instructional video.

I learned something new today.ty

Thank you Blackie.

That was awesome 🇨🇦

Just found your channel. I enjoy your instructions on using simple items. You gotta subscriber.

I'm so glad these are simple to do. Now I know what to do with those scrap pieces of Paracord!

AWESOME! Thank You very much Sir. Greetings from France ^_^

Nice and easy project and very useful.

Wow! Thank you Blackie!! I’m kinda of “binge watching “ you channel and came across this one about “Soft Shackles”! Dang if it didn’t bring back some memories! I remember my Dad showing this to me when I was a kid of 11 years old! I remembering well, 1964, (I’m 68 turning 69 right after the first of the year. My Sad made me learn it along with the rest of the knots needed to advance to the next rank in Scouting (BSA in the old days). Brought back a lot of good memories and evertI learned served me well in the 20 years spent in the Army!

Great overview of soft shackles👍🏼👍🏼 I really like that whipped slide lock idea. Ive used beads before but end up loosing them. I like the idea of whipped keeper because it can be made in the field as you said with what you have on you.

Very useful information.

The whipped sliding lock is especially neat! I'm knot going to forget this........

This is great Blackie -- just an idea -- use cable tie for slider

I'm a sailor and teach knots. I love your mindset!

Nice ! can shave some weight by getting rid of the carabiners also they alot quieter for us wanting noise disipline . Nice tip. Thankyou.

I watched this video for instructions on how to make a simple soft shackle. 15 minutes into this video, and still no how to instructions. I DID make one of these simple shackles before the video ended. LOVED the instructions, just didn’t like the 15 minute introduction. I would have liked to have seen making shackles out of different sizes of rope, and with different knots. Thanks again.

Great video! Thanks

Nice video. Thanks 👍

I do my soft shackles with a lark's head, I use it for a lot of things (on a sail boat) but sometimes it's hard to undo if it's had a lot of weight on it. I hadn't thought of your method! it looks good I'm gonna try it!

Just wanna letcha know, I faithfully listen to you , coalcracker bush Craft, and self reliance with Dave, with Cimber bushcraft. Not just watch but listen. Between you 4, I feel I am ready even for zombies! Thank you for sharing! You are one of my heros!!!

If you lightly melt the cover of the para cord before you cut it it is less prone to fraying and easier to keep clean ends

Blackie. So glad I found your channel. I am learning so much, especially knots. Many thanks.

Thanks for the tip!

Outstanding video. Hey LOL. You can use your pace counter as a soft shackles

Hi Blackie So glad you've made this film for us. Soft shackles are definitely going to become part of my kit from now on. Been looking for a quick and simple way to attach things to my rucksack for ages. Great film, thanks for sharing 👍.

These cordage videos are excellent Blackie, they are up there with your outdoor cooking videos. Thanks for making them.

Thank you Sir!

Great video thanks

I cant believe how much I just enjoyed watching you tie knots! I have a question though - what is a square knot?

Thank you for this! I've now learned 2 awesome things, the soft shackle and locking larkshead knot, which I didn't even know was a thing. Now I can see this turning into lots and lots of other ideas

You do an excellent job with your demonstration and explanations!

I saw this video in the spring and have been playing with this during this years motorcycle adventure touring trips. I have to say that I'm incredible impressed, and have more uses and modifications to share. First the modifications: I've played with different stopper knots and found the overhand knot is normally best, but when you want something larger the "Ashley's Stopper" is easy to (un)tie. I found using only the loop under, then knot through can bounce loose without the locking bead or a larger stopper knot. To get a stronger binding without the bead or whip, I just use a cow hitch to pass the stopper through. This also provides the ability to slip the knot to form any size loop and not just use the max loop size at the stopper. The cow hitch can even be upgraded to any desired slide/grip strength with more "prusik" loops. I like keeping cordage whole and not burning the ends into the stopper knot. Leaving the cord 100% viable for other uses. I hate cutting my cordage. Most of my cordage exists in full arm span lengths, generally 2 or 3 arm spans in length. The exception has always been my 1/2 arm span neck loop for convenient in camp flashlight and knife access. Now I've discovered that using a full arm span sized loop, used as a soft shackle with cow hitch makes a good neck sized loop. It gets a bit ridiculous (having 4 cord strands) but even a 2 arm span length cord works if you repeat the cow hitch using the first cow hitch like a larger stopper knot. Using a 1 arm span sized cord with a AA flashlight, I use a very small key ring on the flashlight and pass the loop through and make the soft shackle & cow hitch. As a necklace it's a very convenient no hands light when not moving too much. I can also loop a half hitch around the front of the flashlight and slide the cow hitch to hold snug around my forehead to transforming it into a functional head lamp. When needed I have that convenient arm span length of rope to carry firewood or lash something down. I keep this light in my riding jacket pocket, so it's always handy. Taking the cord off for other uses is quick and easy to (un/re)tie when done, or just grab another arm span length cord to remake another necklace. Small folding knives can utilize the same small key ring system as the AA flashlight. Even using the same necklace cord for both, in the past I've used a small carabiner with the same small key rings and a 1/2 arm span cord loop. Using the 1 arm span cord and cow hitch is lighter, more flexible and a lot quieter. Fixed blades have posed a problem for me in the past, because I'm just not comfortable with something around my neck that could become a loose blade. My most recent small fixed blade knives have been ESEE Izula II and Xancudo (with handle whole). Both of these work great as neck knives if you thread the necklace through the handle and sheath holes. This traps the sheathed knife along the cord without almost no chance of mistakenly unsheathing it. When you do remove it from your neck for use the sheath hangs off for quick cuts, or you can quickly release just the knife from the shackle for longer use cases. The sheath necklace can be return to your neck while using the loose knife and even be used in a normal neck knife storage manner. For larger bushcraft knives like ESEE 3 or 4, I prefer a leather dangler sheath. Or at least I did. Now the normal leather deep sheaths can become a dangler by using your soft shackle. As every lefty knows it is a lot harder for us to slide something onto our belt (a lot more than 1 belt loop). So the soft shackle option is a lot easier. Given how important my knife is, I want it extra secure on my belt, but still easy to get off. A slightly longer than necessary loop of cord with a 2nd stopper knot a few inches apart provides a lot of extra security and makes two sizes of soft shackle possible. I took pictures to show all these combinations. I tried to get these to showup inline as pictures, but apparently it's doesn't work like I had hoped. I'll go look for other descriptions to see if I can figure out how to make them normal pictures here. Top level Google Drive folder of the photo links below: drive.google.com/drive/folders/1D2xe0QpGcyfCDkqOGCpUjF_z8zotwMEl?usp=share_link drive.google.com/file/d/1bdN2n1I4iiqAxqDkfiotu6nrZTAmg-jV/view?usp=share_link drive.google.com/file/d/1RelUCG7IzHpMX6upkc-3LmO2FiL3JBTg/view?usp=share_link drive.google.com/file/d/1jcXae8MWCSRdC2eu2UsQAdvXawlR8Z6o/view?usp=share_link drive.google.com/file/d/1V1dJGW_6vLXkeB7DqmTa2GGYxgGoK7I1/view?usp=share_link

Excellent !! Thank You H.

I'm possum mentally too. Thanks for another tool!

Felix IMMLER. Carabiner; not 'cabiner'. but you've got me fired up, Blackie; I'ma go make some right now!

.. completely agree ,, so much that gets thrown away can be "repurpased" into something else... although we don't know it yet ...

Well Done! Very good breakdown of uses for and how to make soft shackles. Didn't know I needed them.....now I will make some and have with me so I can put them to use. Infinitely more useful than a 'biner' and considerably lighter. Thanks for sharing.

The name you were trying to say is FELIX IMMLER,,, one of the best RU-vid channels out there,, especially if you are interested in the Swiss Army Knife,,

Made up some while watching.... nice to hear how many ways these can be used. Great instructions!

A lot of good uses for them thanks for sharing

Thats a beautiful system of knots and handling cord without tangles. I’m going to learn these techniques. Thank you for showing us these. You’re one clever man! Im watching this from England. I’m subscribed because of this ingenious system!

This was a great tutorial. I made a couple with the oddball pieces of cord.

👁👁 Thanks, Blackie. Followed along and made my first soft shackle. I'm trying to learn.

👍👍👍 whatched again... very instructional demo. Worth thd second watch. Alan 🇨🇱

Thanks!

That's great Blackie, thank you for going step by step on making the Soft shackles and whip. Never even heard of soft shackles until your previous video. Thanks again.👍

If you want to fancy it up just a little bit, make your knot end into a Diamond Knot. A good way to practice one more knot in your arsenal. I use left over bits of tiny cordage to make zipper pulls, using a diamond knot. To fancy it up a little bit more I'll take heat shrink tubing for the tag ends. Love the soft shackles, nice to know how to make them from something other than hollow braided line now.

I use a larks head onto the main line of my soft shackles. This forms a great high tension zip tie that unties easier than the jam knot and also works on a straight piece of line with stopper knots on both ends.

Really been enjoying the past few videos. You are always enjoyable to watch and I learn something everytime. Keep up the great work.

Great video Blackie. Very useful piece of kit

Thanks Blackie, I always like the longer videos and the insight 👍

Great video!!

Very cool!!!

Mr. Thomas- you are on fire these days. Lots of great videos and information combined. RESPECT! Thanks so much for all the guidance. I just keep watching all your work. It’s impressive.

Great video

Blackie, I'm glad that you are showing all the new stuff to me that you can with cordage. Another Outstanding Video keep up the Great Work, Woods Craft and Bush Craft, you are a Master. Tim L.

Very good instructional video. Thank you.

Awesome! I learned something new, made it while you showed it to us!!

Thank you sir

Blackie, I am a new subscriber with admiration for your ideas to make things easier. I think I may have a new idea for your soft shackles. I assembled mine using an O-ring in place of the whip stitch or bead. I use a fishing Wacky rig tool to slide the O-ring over the loop of the soft shackle. Has worked great so far.

Thumbs up!!! Clark

Like the latest version of the soft carabinier / soft shackel.

Thank you, Blackie. A good tip.

This I really liked. Simple, good thing.

The best Knot video I have seen. Easy to understand, uses explained, and good step by step video. Thanks a bunch and I going to make one right now. Enjoy your straightforward style.

Going to make me some this weekend thanks Mr.

Cracking vid! I know what I'm doing with my oddball pieces of paracord today 😁 Tired of those little carabiners always breaking too.

AWESOME

Those small soft shackle looks also make great looks for prussic knows which can be formed around a Ridgeline to make a sliding but locking attachment point which slides in only one dirrection.

Really like your Soft Shackles. Was playing with the idea but the bead had a tendency to slip off the end of the loop opposite the knot. What I came up with is placing a very small loop of 'Ranger Band' (Inner tube) in the center loop of the Soft Shackle. {put it on before you create the knot} Prevents the bead from coming off and gives the bead something to snug up against.

Hi Blackie! I watched this video and really liked it as a jumping-off point… I tried your style of shackles and tried some other techniques just for fun, I stumbled across tying a half hitch in one end of a piece of paracord, and in the other end I tyed the bight-part of a truckers hitch in the direction of the half hitch and connecting them making it a single line shackle (basically functioning as a marlin spike hitch). Just wanted to share something I stumbled across thanks to your video 😊 hope you have a great day

As a modern sailor who spends plenty of time rigging race yachts, I assure you that soft shackles are a core tool, but not all sailors have the techniques.. I’d recommend learning the Diamond Knot, a bit tricky, but a supreme knot to create the terminal ‘knob’ that is captured in the soft shackle.

Thanks a lot for sharing your knowledge! Appreciate it greatly!

This is what humanity is supposed to do share information for survival! And to make life easier! I never could stand people that keep their knowledge secret! Especially people with secret recipes and secret ingredients I mean give me a break I just want to eat good too share the wealth! That's what I say! That's what makes a good society!

Love these video's! So easy to follow your instructions and calming voice too. Thank you!

Another great idea thanks for sharing