I have a new favorite tool! I have been sealing the ends and of my cords (that are not natural fiber) with the flame of a candle, which is not very precise. So I went looking for something heated and controlled, like my pyrography pen, but without getting goo on my wood burning tools. I found a thread zapper.

This AA battery powered, hand held device has a thin wire loop, and when you press the button, the loop glows red hot. I can apply that heat to the end to the cut end of a cord and melt the fibers together. I can even melt the end a little to the side of an adjacent cord to lock the knot in place.

To make the bracelet I first made a Lucet cord from neon rainbow satin cord.

To finish the bracelet I took a separate piece of rainbow cord and made macrame square knots over the doubled ends of the Lucet cord. I then made celtic button knots at each end to keep them from sliding all the way out of the knot.

Without the thread zapper, securing all the ends of the bracelet with a candle flame was an exercise in frustration. With the tool, the ends came out neat and secure. I really like the ability to have a little sculpting power over the melting as well.

This is not a paid advertisement, by the way. I just really like the tool.