Sam's Blog: How to Make Your Own Keyrings

A nice, bulky keyring.

A keyring with a quick snap and an ample ring is something very useful. This article shows a number of ways to make an interesting keyring using various easily found objects that have meaning to you. Keys can be very meaningful. That's why there are also some big keyring suggestions in this article, suitable to be left on tables as bibelots.

The snapping mechanism used makes it easy to just touch your jeans right back pocket and check you have your keys; just unlock the snap, open the door and and snap the keys back on. The following steps will explain how to use "double self-locking" knots.

Edit Steps

Keyring with cord

Assemble the things you'll need – these are listed below.
Assemble the things you'll need – these are listed below. Getting the items for keyrings involves walking to the hardware store, to the boat showroom, walks on the beach or along river banks and sometimes delving in your own workshop trash.
Pass the string through the snap and keyring.
Pass the string through the snap and keyring.
Make a knot around one end of the string.
Make a knot around one end of the string.
With the free end, make a knot that looks like this.
With the free end, make a knot that looks like this.
Tighten the knots.
Tighten the knots.
Pull together and the knots meet.
Pull together and the knots meet.
Check out some variants on this method:
- Here is a string version using a piece of wood salvaged from the workshop.
  Here is a string version using a piece of wood salvaged from the workshop. As you can see, these knots still require pulling.
- This keyring uses cord but adds a heavy pebble weight.
  This keyring uses cord but adds a heavy pebble weight. The antique key attached to it suggests that you don't need to use it often, so it makes a lovely display object when not in use.
- A different type of cord is used here.
  A different type of cord is used here.

Keyring using string

Try this approach using string in place of cord to make the keyring.
Try this approach using string in place of cord to make the keyring.
Double it up and make a knot.
Double it up and make a knot.
Pass the ring through.
Pass the ring through.
Pass the knot through the string loop.
Pass the knot through the string loop.
Pull!.
Pull!
Pass the knot through the shackle.
Pass the knot through the shackle.
Pass the ring through the knot loop.
Pass the ring through the knot loop. Then, pull!

Inspiration for beautiful keyrings

Take a look at the following ideas for keyrings to inspire your own approach to making more:
- A vibrant golf ball.
  A vibrant golf ball.
- A carabiner.
  A carabiner.
- Here is the knot hidden inside a piece of wood.
  Here is the knot hidden inside a piece of wood.
- A pebble.
  A pebble.
- Another pebble.
  Another pebble.
- And another pebble.
  And another pebble.