How about just putting a thumb knot or Figure-of-Eight knot in the lot? F-o-8 should look fine. Or something as simple as threading all the strands through a wooden bead, looping them round the outside then pulling them through the bead again. The last couple of strands will probably need pulling through with a needle but it'll end up fairly permanent.
5 hours, I'm not going to accuse you of giving up too easily!!