The Complete Book of Knots

What Hacker News says

1. SAI_PeregrinusJul 2026
   The reef knot (square knot in Scouts lingo) is a good binding knot. It's a terrible bend. Scouts teach it as a bend, for some idiotic reason.

   Reefing a sail or tying a parcel, a reef knot the role will fulfill. But joining two ends one should only use bends, And a reef knot's a sure way to kill.

   ⸻Stuart Grainger, ex-Master Mariner, 1985. Referenced from "The Complete Book of Knots" by Geoffrey Budworth.

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2. jerameyAug 2022
   The closest thing I've found to what you're asking for is "The Complete Book of Knots" by Geoffrey Budworth which is generally organized into sections related to typical activities such as sailing, general outdoors, and home use. It's not nearly as comprehensive as Ashley's Book of Knots, but in brevity there is power in helping to find the right knot for the right purpose without being overwhelming.
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