Do you remember the number of turns ( and the diameters of the rope and the pole ) ?
I believe that, if we would like to compare apples to apples, we should compare friction hitches with the same number of turns - because this is the most characteristic aspect of them. The rest structure is more or less auxiliary,
Yes, I have this recorded, but it is of no value to report it here because every rope/pole combination would be different. Remember, this is a scissor hitch, designed to expand under load in order to create the gripping tension and specified as requiring sufficient turns such that at least the last two turns should not open under the maximum desired load. This means that by the comparison criterion you propose, the KC hitch is a family of hitches based on how many turns it is made with. Either that or the KC is so different from the rest of the hitches that it simply does not fit into this classification system.
This particular combination of solid core braided polyester with its very high elasticity (60% extension before breaking) and very low CF against high gloss chrome plated steel tube was a massive challenge. At three turns it slid, at four turns it held but the last coils were showing signs of opening, but at five turns it took full load to failure.
Was this hitch tight enough to hold fast on a stainless steel pole, until the rope itself broke somewhere ? What was the maximum load it was holding at the moment of rupture ?
I do not measure failure load, but cord elongation suggested it was ca 60% of cord rated failure. I have found that stainless steel has a higher CF than high gloss chrome, but I think this would depend totally on the metal finish.
Quote from: DerekSmith on March 04, 2012, 05:37:47 PM
remember, the leverage is almost infinite as a coil starts to open.
Nooo ! 
If that was the case, the rope itself would have evaporated long before the leverage reaches "almost infinity" !
Infinite leverage is not infinite force, plus, the leverage quickly drops as the coils progressively open. This in itself is a disadvantage of the KC with highly elastic cordage as it could stretch without building up large forces.
Derek
