The best three-strand terminal knot for rope for japanese bondage (shibari)?

[Rrok007]

Ah. Okay. Never mind. I totoally understand why you need a stopper knot before. As I seem to recall, typically when adding the second piece of rope, you use a cow hitch/lark's head knot. Everything makes sense know. I beleive SS393 indicated the "thistle knot" you found was actually a manrope knot. That should do you well, or a three strand matthew walker knot would be another handsome way to finish the ends. I'm considering it.

[ibu]

As I seem to recall, typically when adding the second piece of rope, you use a cow hitch/lark's head knot.

Thanks, yes the "lark's head" ABoK#5  could be used to explain the way of adding the second rope to the first.
The second rope is "like the stick".

To be honest:
The way to add the rope results in an ugly and bulky "something".
Sure, it's fast and simple.

I don't know if there are other - and better - ways to add a rope - when you use the technique of a "double applied rope" like it is typical for shibari.

[Rrok007]

Depends on how far from "traditional" you're willing to stray.

The nice and practical part about the lark's head/cow hitch is that it doesn't eat up much rope.

If you're more concerned with aesthetics than tradition, then I would suggest take a look at a number of different bends and splicing techniques. I know that in Des Pawson's book, he shows how to make a perpendicular splice amongst other kinds of splicing.
Bends are specifically designed for joining two different lengths of rope, so you could always look at thouse to see if there's one more aesthetically pleasing.

[ibu]

@Rrok007

Yes, indeed, the "shibari-join" does not eat up much rope. That's an advantage.

Can you please post a link to a picture of the bend or the splice you are talking about. Or a number in the ABoK.

Otherwise it is difficult to make sure, that there are no missunderstandings.

Let's make one thing fix for the discussion:
Each rope is 8m long and is used "double as a 4m rope".

[Rrok007]

Well I tried doing a search for splices and perpendicular splices and couldn't find a good image. I'll have to see if I can find a scan or something. Or see if you can find a copy of Des Pawson's Guide to Knots. the basics of it is that the three strands are spliced though the other rope at a right angle. In my vision, all you'd have to do is splice a small length through, then tie it off with a simple Matthew Walker kot, or possibly a more simple stop knot, such as a wall and crown combo. This would use up very little rope, perhaps close to the amount used by the larks head. And it shows a wider degree of rope skills.

However, considering that your using the rope doubled over (not sure how I forgot that part) I'd suggest a bend instead of a splice.

As for which kind of bend, I'd have to look for a bit. One suggestion would be to use a Double Coin knot (Josophine) as a bend. Make the double coin knot in the second rope, slip the first rope through the loops of the double coin knot and then tighten the double coin knot. A stopper knot at the end of the first rope should prevent slipping through the double coin knot on the second. Should use only slightly more rope than the lark's head, but would look nicer. And due to the nature of the loops in the double coin, you can use it to continue length in vitrually any direction compared to the first rope.

[ibu]

@Rrok007

Thanks for your idea with the double coin knot.

The result is a nicer look of the join of two ropes.

But of course binding that double coin knot needs a lot of time. I think that collides with the typicall character of shibari, that the process of binding is steady flow.

One could say "Binding the double coin knots a each rope is part of preparing the ropes and is done before a bondage starts".
But there are several Bondages which don't need a join of another rope.

Just some thoughts of a beginner.