An aficionado! Have you heard of the jam hitch (ABOK #1727)? Grossly underappreciated IMO. It tightens like a zip tie, and (in kitchen twine at least) I've found the string will snap before the loop slips open again. It's my most-used knot, day to day. I like to tie it with the second turn inside the first (like #1855 as opposed to #1856).