NA Tactical started as my hobby, making para cord lanyards my name is Carl Horwood. It is based out of Oshawa, Ontario Canada.
I collect knives and wanted to decorate them with paracord lanyards, rather than purchase the lanyards I decided to try making my own. I figured how hard could it be?
In an effort to be different I capped the ends with expended .40 casings, I thought this looked great on my Emerson knives. I decided I wanted to be a little more different and fitted a 9mm into a .40 caliber casing, this is now known as my Hybrid Ballistic Barrel Bead. I tried heating them and polishing them with sandpaper and so forth.
As a member of the Usual Suspect Network (the USN for short), I began to sell these beads on the Cove, the forums buy and sell section. The USN is forum for people who like martial arts, tactical stuff, knives, watches and unique jewelry like Steel Flame.
i was contacted by a member and asked if I produced these in single caliber, he was looking for .45 Auto beads. I said I could, as I had made a couple for myself. This gave way to a whole new area of creation and I began offering beads in .44 Magnum, .45 Auto, .50 cal pistol and .223. I even began making beads from casing people would send me that meant something to them.
While creating I also was learning to tie para cord bracelets. The first one I tied I used a handcuff key braided in for the loop to slip over. Having friends who are in law enforcement I often heard how they never had a key when they needed one, so I began to work on a buckle that would change that. After about four methods of concealment, the Covert Handcuff Key was created, this buckle is a metal universal handcuff key inserted through a 5/8" plastic buckle. It is not a one time escape tool, it is meant for everyday use. I can honestly say, that in the two years I have been producing them not one has come back.
Currently NA Tactical has a developing line bracelets using rare earth magnets inside of brass casings. This gives the appearance of a fired bullet casing on the wrist or two casings sitting end to end. These are two versions coming out in January to add tot he line up.
I take pride in being a creator of unique pieces or paracord jewelry and simple bracelets that met the taste of people the world over. I have shipped bracelets as Australia and Japan, as near as downtown Toronto, to Africa and Europe. My bracelets sit on the wrists of police, firefighters and soldiers, as well as sales reps, business men and store clerks. The sit by themselves or next to a Casio, Seiko, Rolex or Panerai.
June of 2013 I started a Facebook page and have had great support from customers the world over.
I take a lot of pride in crafting a product that people seek out.
This blog will help me introduce new products, feature customer photos, upcoming sales, event support and web site changes.
The hobby of making lanyards became the hobby of making bracelets, this became the hobby of managing Facebook and a website to promote what I do. I call it a hobby, I have a full time job and a family. A hobby is something you do to unwind, braiding para cord and milling brass does just that.
Thanks for following and the great support.
I can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/natacticalparacordaccessories and Instagram @natactical.
