Page 125 - Derek E. Avery - The new encyclopedia of knots

Knot strength: the capacity of the knot to withstand a load without

breaking the rope. It must be borne in mind that all knots weaken rope,
with the exception of the Bimini twist (see page 14). This has a claimed
knot strength of 100 per cent, that is, as strong as the line. Sharp turns
within a knot lead to the loss of strength; therefore hitches, where large
turns are often employed, are generally more efficient than knots.
Examples are the clove hitch, which has a 75 per cent efficiency, and
individual splices which are sometimes recognised as being up to 90 per

cent efficient.