Unchained Preppers
General Category => D.I.Y. => Topic started by: Dave_M on September 22, 2011, 03:00:43 AM
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How many of you out there paid $25 for a pistol lanyard only to purchase a piece of twisted cord
that had an extension specifically put on there that read, "Blackhawk!"? I know I was one of those guys once.
Or has anyone here tried to make a lanyard only to have it look like a polished turd and/or be generally lacking quality?
Here's how you can make you're own lanyard for 1/5th of the cost and have it still be just as effective as the expensive ones.
I used one of these lanyards through two tours in Iraq and it held up perfectly. To test the lanyard I threw my pistol as hard as
I could and experienced no failures whatsoever.
Gather the following materials:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/DavePAL84/projects/lanyard1.jpg)
-Short length of 550 cord
-Heavy guage wire
-Cellphone car charger (thicker the better, the thin stuff won't return to form)
-Lighter
-Cable shrink wrap (I bought a value pack of several different sizes at Harbor Freight)
-Multi-tool
-Epoxy (or shoe goo in a pinch--epoxy is a much much better choice)
-Black hair beads (You can find them in the "Ethnic" hair section at Walmart)
-Carabiner (I got several for $1 a pop at a local sporting goods store)
First off, cut off a length of 550 cord, You want a loop ~3" long, start with about 8 inches.
Gut the 550 cord.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/DavePAL84/projects/lanyard2.jpg)
Toss the innards.
Feed two of the hair beads through both ends of the 550 cord.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/DavePAL84/projects/lanyard7.jpg)
Set the cord aside for now.
Take your multi-tool and snip off the ends of the car charger
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/DavePAL84/projects/lanyard5.jpg)
Loop the ends of the car charger so you have one fat loop (~1/2in inner diameter... the carabiner needs to be able to fit through this loop.)
and one very small loop.
Fasten the loops together with the wire.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/DavePAL84/projects/lanyard6.jpg)
With a square knot, attach the 550 cord to the skinny loop of the car charger
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/DavePAL84/projects/lanyard4.jpg)
Ensure the knot is in the center of the small loop.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/DavePAL84/projects/lanyard8.jpg)
Fully coat both wire wraps with epoxy and let them set until hard.
Fit some cord shrink wrap over the 550 cord, but not over the small loop
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/DavePAL84/projects/lanyard9.jpg)
Using the lighter, shrink up the tubing until it's tight.
With a larger piece of tubing, cover up the wire fasteners on both ends of the lanyard.
Here's what you have:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/DavePAL84/projects/lanyard3.jpg)
Loop the 550 cord through your pistol's lanyard loop hole and tighten the hair beads to prevent the lanyard from being undone or becoming loose.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/DavePAL84/projects/lanyard10.jpg)
Attach the carabiner through the large loop, then attach the carabiner to your belt or other gear. Viola'! Pistol lanyard.
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Wow. That's a great idea. I have at least 4 old cell phone chargers laying around in my basement.
[URL=http://www.smileyvault.co
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That's pretty creative Dave. You've got skills buddy.
This is a great example of a skill that will be essential in WROL. Being able to solve a problem or need by looking at what is laying around. Compartmentalizing their various parts, and realigning and assembling the parts in a way that provides a solution.
Good job!
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Dave! you are one SEXY beast bro. Thats freakin sweet. [URL=http://www.smileyvault.co [URL=http://www.smileyvault.co [URL=http://www.smileyvault.co
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Very Cool Dave that was a Awesome DIY, thanks!
RON L
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Dave; I seen that you did it by your picture but you didn't mention it. EVERYONE be sure to burn the ends of the 550 cord. If you do not it will fray and fall apart rather quickly.
RvR
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Make sure to stress test your chosen cable as well... nothing like making it just nice and having it basically disintegrate when you stretch it under stress. Right thatguy? [URL=http://www.smileyvault.co
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Dave; I seen that you did it by your picture but you didn't mention it. EVERYONE be sure to burn the ends of the 550 cord. If you do not it will fray and fall apart rather quickly.
RvR
Indeed. Though the shrink tube will help mitigate that somewhat. Regardless, I agree with you.
Make sure to stress test your chosen cable as well... nothing like making it just nice and having it basically disintegrate when you stretch it under stress. Right thatguy?
That's exactly why I advocate using cellphone charger cables instead of telephone curly cord.
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Yeah 505th, that sucked.
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why do i need to teather my pistol to my person again ?
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why do i need to teather my pistol to my person again ?
I really hope you are trolling.
I'll bite anyway just in case.
Have you ever done some super mall ninja practice moves and dropped your ink pen?
Kinda like that but with your side arm. [URL=http://www.smileyvault.co
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why do i need to teather my pistol to my person again ?
I really hope you are trolling.
I'll bite anyway just in case.
Have you ever done some super mall ninja practice moves and dropped your ink pen?
Kinda like that but with your side arm.
Yeah not trolling i just dont see the need for a lanyard on my sidearm. perhaps people who use them could give reasons why. because ive never dropped my pistol before. instead of a teather for my pistol i just solved the problem of the gun falling out of the holster in the first place with better retention. its kind of like having a problem with people jumping off buildings to there death so they try and figure out a way to make them not die when they hit the bottom.... why dont we just figure out why they are jumping off the building in the first place.
i can kind of see the extra security feeling of a lanyard on your pistol if your in a warzone. its extra insurance knowing no matter what it wont be gone the next time you reach for it but i think its more mental then anything. i wonder how often its actually put to use when you also have a holster with some kind of button retention.
this is a cool how to though and i might make one to try it out for myself.
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its kind of like having a problem with people jumping off buildings to there death so they try and figure out a way to make them not die when they hit the bottom.... why dont we just figure out why they are jumping off the building in the first place.
HAHA! classic.
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Well, it is mental...and physical I guess. I have seen my CO jump out of a Caimen and his M9 hit the sand, Granted it would have done it anyway. But If he would have had a lanyard he would have noticed it dragging on the ground and I wouldn't have have had to recover it for him. I should have played a fucking funny joke on him. But in my PFC days I was a pushover.
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why do i need to teather my pistol to my person again ?
I really hope you are trolling.
I'll bite anyway just in case.
Have you ever done some super mall ninja practice moves and dropped your ink pen?
Kinda like that but with your side arm.
Yeah not trolling i just dont see the need for a lanyard on my sidearm. perhaps people who use them could give reasons why. because ive never dropped my pistol before. instead of a teather for my pistol i just solved the problem of the gun falling out of the holster in the first place with better retention. its kind of like having a problem with people jumping off buildings to there death so they try and figure out a way to make them not die when they hit the bottom.... why dont we just figure out why they are jumping off the building in the first place.
i can kind of see the extra security feeling of a lanyard on your pistol if your in a warzone. its extra insurance knowing no matter what it wont be gone the next time you reach for it but i think its more mental then anything. i wonder how often its actually put to use when you also have a holster with some kind of button retention.
this is a cool how to though and i might make one to try it out for myself.
How 'bout if you have a retention holster IE: no button, no strap, no nothin holding it in except friction.
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why do i need to teather my pistol to my person again ?
I really hope you are trolling.
I'll bite anyway just in case.
Have you ever done some super mall ninja practice moves and dropped your ink pen?
Kinda like that but with your side arm.
Yeah not trolling i just dont see the need for a lanyard on my sidearm. perhaps people who use them could give reasons why. because ive never dropped my pistol before. instead of a teather for my pistol i just solved the problem of the gun falling out of the holster in the first place with better retention. its kind of like having a problem with people jumping off buildings to there death so they try and figure out a way to make them not die when they hit the bottom.... why dont we just figure out why they are jumping off the building in the first place.
i can kind of see the extra security feeling of a lanyard on your pistol if your in a warzone. its extra insurance knowing no matter what it wont be gone the next time you reach for it but i think its more mental then anything. i wonder how often its actually put to use when you also have a holster with some kind of button retention.
this is a cool how to though and i might make one to try it out for myself.
How 'bout if you have a retention holster IE: no button, no strap, no nothin holding it in except friction.
don't use those? lol, i don't know, I'll let Ken answer this one.
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why do i need to teather my pistol to my person again ?
I really hope you are trolling.
I'll bite anyway just in case.
Have you ever done some super mall ninja practice moves and dropped your ink pen?
Kinda like that but with your side arm.
Yeah not trolling i just dont see the need for a lanyard on my sidearm. perhaps people who use them could give reasons why. because ive never dropped my pistol before. instead of a teather for my pistol i just solved the problem of the gun falling out of the holster in the first place with better retention. its kind of like having a problem with people jumping off buildings to there death so they try and figure out a way to make them not die when they hit the bottom.... why dont we just figure out why they are jumping off the building in the first place.
i can kind of see the extra security feeling of a lanyard on your pistol if your in a warzone. its extra insurance knowing no matter what it wont be gone the next time you reach for it but i think its more mental then anything. i wonder how often its actually put to use when you also have a holster with some kind of button retention.
this is a cool how to though and i might make one to try it out for myself.
How 'bout if you have a retention holster IE: no button, no strap, no nothin holding it in except friction.
don't use those? lol, i don't know, I'll let Ken answer this one.
yeah sounds about right. im not a fan of friction retention. ALTHOUGH... i did buy one only because theres no moving parts to break. its just one solid molded peice. so its kind of a prep holster. if my regular holster ever broke then id be stuck with a friction retention holster in WROL.
But yeah id say just get a different holster instead of adding accessories to band aid the real problem. if i tried to move through the brush around here with a lanyard on it would get caught constantly.
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I've seen several times firsthand where a pistol would've been lost if it weren't for a lanyard.
Depending on the retention system, you don't always have the time to re-secure it before you have to rapidly de-ass an area. When I was in, the Safariland SLS was just getting to us with most of us (myself included) had a Blackhawk holster /w snap retention.
Also, lanyards were required for us. You could make one of these for a couple bucks, spend $25 on a name-brand which is essentially the same thing, or use a shitty government-issue one.
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What a great idea! Good job Dave.
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Those tacticool holsters will get you sometimes. At least he didn't pull a classic TEX "I just shot my f*****g self"! It was certainly a possibility. I think he was drilling ops like he was in a firefight. That's why when he had trouble in retention he threw the gun in the dirt. Don't want to be fumbling with your piece when someone's shooting at you.
I don't know what that was calling the drills. Had to be from somewhere else.
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that was an interesting video... and im 90% sure that was his oriental wife yelling the cammands. it looks like his holster wont accept the gun with the slide locked to the rear. kinda sucks...
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Mail order bitch ?
and his wife ?
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Yeah, after watching it again I think you might be right. I keep mine on my vest. I tried the drop leg but I didn't like the feel of it when I was running. Some guys do though.
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Yeah, after watching it again I think you might be right. I keep mine on my vest. I tried the drop leg but I didn't like the feel of it when I was running. Some guys do though.
I hate the feel of mine on my leg. But the placement over every other option suits me best. So I deal with it.
Kind of like putting on a class ring or a new watch. Just feels strange.
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yeah ive never been a fan of a leg holster like that because its annoying and is a slower inferior draw most times. to shoot directly after exiting the holster you have to first bring the gun high enough to be able to point it forward. that means bringing it up to where a belt holster would be due to the outstretch of your arm.
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Yeah, after watching it again I think you might be right. I keep mine on my vest. I tried the drop leg but I didn't like the feel of it when I was running. Some guys do though.
I hate the feel of mine on my leg. But the placement over every other option suits me best. So I deal with it.
I need to post my current rig. Got rid of the dropleg without fucking with the body armor.
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So, your leg rig was permanently attached to your armor? ( that's what I took from your statement correct me if I'm off)
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So, your leg rig was permanently attached to your armor? ( that's what I took from your statement correct me if I'm off)
No, not at all.
So I've been trying to get rid of my drop-leg holster for a few years now. The problem was that everything that was low enough to clear my plate carrier comfortably seemed to have a leg-strap attached to it.
I decided to try a BladeTech DOH ([url]http://www.blade-tech.com/Tactical-Light-Holster-w-DOH-SR-Loop-pr-952.html[/url]) (Dropped and Offset Holster). The idea is that it drops down a couple inches and wedges away from the body, allowing it to clear the plate carrier easier without utilizing a leg strap.
Now, this was better than a regular belt holster but not quite as good as a drop-leg. I decided that it needed to be dropped another inch or so.
I attached some Molle-loks ([url]http://www.blade-tech.com/Molle-Lok-Small-Set-of-2-pr-1027.html[/url]) to the DOH portion of the holster. Now the holster would easily attach to the MOLLE on my belt and could be further lowered. The problem became that when I lowered it on the belt, the holster would slide up when drawing. Now that simply wouldn't do. If you've never used Molle-Lok before, you'd see that there is a slot on the back to so that one half of the attachment can be affixed to the holster (or whatever) while still allowing the rear to be unlocked. I could give a shit if I can easily take the holster off and I needed the upward movement to stop (while still maintaining how low it sits) so I used a couple of washers (and some new attained longer 8/32 screws) to attach though the entire Molle-Lok. I ensured to lok-tite all of the screws when it was all fitted and tested.
Now, there is no movement, it sits low enough, and the holster remains secure. All I needed to was attach some zip-ties to further restrict the release mechanism of the Molle-Loks.
Pics, of course:
([url]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/DavePAL84/projects/BT-3.jpg[/url])
Here you can see how low it sits and how the DOH works
([url]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/DavePAL84/projects/BT-1.jpg[/url])
([url]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/DavePAL84/projects/BT-4.jpg[/url])
Pic of the washer-mod pre-zipties
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Nice, looks like a good setup. I should post up my new rig sometime. Maybe after the move.
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I love running my drop leg holster, and the whole point of it is to run it as high as possible so you aren't stretching to pull it out. It should be just low enough to be clear of your gear and no more. Where I run mine my hand naturally rests so it takes little movement to get the pistol out of the holster and at least pointed towards the target as I'm bringing it up.
Still it's all about what works best for your and how you run it.
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I love running my drop leg holster, and the whole point of it is to run it as high as possible so you aren't stretching to pull it out. It should be just low enough to be clear of your gear and no more. Where I run mine my hand naturally rests so it takes little movement to get the pistol out of the holster and at least pointed towards the target as I'm bringing it up.
Still it's all about what works best for your and how you run it.
Mine is the same way, just low enough to clear gear & my hand rest on the pistol at a resting state.
I'll show you guys once I get moved.
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This came up on another forum so I read through it.
Bumpski
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I still rock my homebrew lanyard on my pistol belt, still rocking.