A method of braiding a stent comprising: (a) providing a number of elongate filaments (20, 20'), each of the filaments having opposed ends and an intermediate portion between the opposed ends; (b) providing a number of tensioned or constant force carriers or constant force bobbin carriers; (c) providing a braiding mandrel (22, 22") having opposed proximal and distal ends, the braiding mandrel (22, 22") comprising a number of circumferentially spaced-apart securement projections at the distal end of the braiding mandrel (22, 22"); (d) securably disposing the intermediate portion of one of the filaments (20, 20') to one of the securement projections; (e) securing one of the opposed ends of the one filament (20, 20") to one of the tensioned or constant force carriers or constant force bobbin carriers; (f) securing the other opposed end of the one filament (20, 20') to a different second tensioned or constant force carrier; (g) repeating steps (d) through (f) until all of the intermediate portions of the filaments (20, 20') are securably disposed to different ones of the securement projections and until each end of the number of filaments (20, 20') are secured to a different one of the tensioned or constant force carriers or constant force bobbin carriers; (h) moving the tensioned or constant force carriers or constant force bobbin carriers around the mandrel (22, 22"); and (i) longitudinally advancing the mandrel (22, 22") in a direction substantially perpendicular to the motion of the tensioned or constant force carriers or constant force bobbin carriers to braid the filaments (20, 20') to form a braided stent; characterized in that step (f) is performed without spooling the one filament (20, 20') to the second tensioned or constant force carrier, and the second tensioned or constant force carrier comprises a retractable carrier filament. (a) providing a number of elongate filaments (20, 20'), each of the filaments having opposed ends and an intermediate portion between the opposed ends; (b) providing a number of tensioned or constant force carriers or constant force bobbin carriers; (c) providing a braiding mandrel (22, 22") having opposed proximal and distal ends, the braiding mandrel (22, 22") comprising a number of circumferentially spaced-apart securement projections at the distal end of the braiding mandrel (22, 22"); (d) securably disposing the intermediate portion of one of the filaments (20, 20') to one of the securement projections; (e) securing one of the opposed ends of the one filament (20, 20") to one of the tensioned or constant force carriers or constant force bobbin carriers; (f) securing the other opposed end of the one filament (20, 20') to a different second tensioned or constant force carrier; (g) repeating steps (d) through (f) until all of the intermediate portions of the filaments (20, 20') are securably disposed to different ones of the securement projections and until each end of the number of filaments (20, 20') are secured to a different one of the tensioned or constant force carriers or constant force bobbin carriers; (h) moving the tensioned or constant force carriers or constant force bobbin carriers around the mandrel (22, 22"); and (i) longitudinally advancing the mandrel (22, 22") in a direction substantially perpendicular to the motion of the tensioned or constant force carriers or constant force bobbin carriers to braid the filaments (20, 20') to form a braided stent;