[bobcowan]

Carrol Smith spent a lot of time talking about locking devices. Get the books, "Nuts, Bolts, Fasteners, and Plumbing Handbook". Very interesting reading.

Split lock washers do have their place. But it is limited. Star washers are a better option for almost everything else that needs a locking washer. Any kind of lock washer or locking bolt/nut surface is going to dig in to the surfaces to varying degrees. That's just how they work.

I use nylock nuts almost everywhere. When not using a nut, I use an internal star washer.