On Sep 18, 6:56*am, wrote:
If you're looking to bend the metal to fit a knee then straighten it then bend it again, it depends on how sharp the bend is and how many cycles you need. *A wire coat hanger will if the bend is not sharp go through a surprising number of cycles before it fails, but eventually it will.

You might want to consider a friction-based approach. *Google "joby gorillapod" for one example.

If you're willing to go with a process and not a product, get some 10-gage or 12-gage copper electrical wire from Home Depot or wherever and anneal it after every use--you can anneal it with a burner on a gas stove--just get it red hot and throw it in a bucket of water. *Cut a bunch of extras and do a week's worth at a time.

If you want to get fancy there might be a way to do what you want to with nitinol.

Segmented may be the way, ala gorillapod. I've got a indicator stand
that uses about the same approach using spheres and socketed
cylinders, all with a hole in the center. A tensioned cable through
the center holds it all together, in whatever configuration it happens
to have. May not do the support thing(wasn't quantified) but should
wrap and unwrap indefinitely.

Stan