... whether there is a solid binding knot for large flat objects like books?
Yes, there are variations on a theme we might
call "Dahm's Floating Binders". Andrew? Dahm
introduced the
Gleipnir binder to this forum a few
years ago, and it became a big hit. I found some
like structures.
Here's a quick verbal presentation, which I've used
with the now ubiquitous cable-pulling webbing (a
soft, highly flexible, solid polyester lubricated tape
in sizes from 400# (!) - 900 - 1000 - 1130 -1250 -1850
- & 2,500 # strengths, varying mostly by width.
This structure I'm about to describe will put TWO
strands of material around its bound dimension.
Simply envisioned, it's a shopping-tag hitch (aka
"larkshead", "girth hitch"),
with its ends run around the bound dimension,
back up to pass
through the hitch --which
might've been preformed on your finger, e.g.--
in opposite directions.
Pulling on these inserted ends,
perpendicularly to the bound dimension,
draws the larkshead towards the hauled-on ends' side
and thus ever more tightens the hitch,
which grips these hauled-on ends.
(Still, when done, it might be advisable to further
knot the ends, into a handle to carry the bound
books, perhaps.)
You can search this site for the original,
and I think the above variation.
(The original can be seen as a simple version
of the
clove hitch in which the crossing part
makes a full turn over-around the two ends,
like a bowline's nipping loop holds the tail's
tucks through it.)
Effectiveness depends on circumstances of materials
and so on; but these can be effective structures!
One can increase the number of nipping turns,
or the binding wraps.
Cheers,
--dl*
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