1/2 stops, needed, liked, disliked...?

CL01

CL01

Joined
Apr 19, 2007
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I know 1/2 stops on slip-joints are neat & harder to do than no 1/2 stops, so I can certainly appreciate them. However, is their any other reason for them?

I recall not that long ago someone commenting particularly about GECs, but mentioning that they don't really care for 1/2 stops on an EDC. I didn't really think about it until recently, because I've been rotating between a GEC Northfields wharncliffe Barlow in Frontier bone & a Case Seahorse Whittler wharncliffe in orange G-10. The GEC has the 1/2 stops & the Case doesn't. I've noticed that I seem to prefer using the Whittler because it doesn't have 1/2 stops & usually carry that if I know I might be using my pocket knife more.

Again, I'm not complaining about 1/2 stops & I certainly appreciate what goes in them, but just wondering what other uses there are for them, other than craftmenship.

Thanks in advance.
 
I think it may be a safety feature, as well as feel. I do not mind stopping half way to make sure my fingers are out of the way. It is cumbersome on stiff springed slippies, it takes two efforts to open the blade. I prefer half stops on lighter springs.
IMO of course ....
 
My impression is that half-stops were not commonly found on some patterns, such as whittlers. There are many people on this forum that know much more about the traditional patterns than I do, and I would like to hear from them on this.
 
I much prefer no half stops. Half stops on a light springed kife aren't bad, but when they are on bear traps, they are more of a pain than a manual truck without power steering or power brakes.
 
I can't honestly say they are needed, but I sure do like them :D
To me it just makes the knife feel more solid, for lack of a better word.
 
I think a half stop performs a nice function on a knife that does not have enough blade above the scales to pinch open. My new Coats custom is a case in point. The nail nick is above the top of the scales but not much else is. The half stop allows me to open it with a thumbnail to the half stop then pinch the blade to finish opening it without the possibility of it snapping closed. When closing it gives a pause to make sure important bits of my fingers are out of the way and allows for a more controlled closing. This control allows for softer opening and closing which in a knife you fully expect to be around for a hundred..two hundred...or even longer. These softer hits on the steel to steel contact points will help prevent peening or even breakage over the years.

It is also a nice display of attention to detail. If a maker is willing to take the time and effort to put a nice half stop in the action of the knife then he/she is probably the type of person to put equal attention in the rest of the knife. This is not to say that makers that don't use a half stop make lower quality knives because that is not true. The are some great knives that lack a half stop, but to me attention to detail is very important when spending the money for a custom, or semi-custom knife.

Now it is also true that some pattern traditionally don't half a half stop, whittlers were mentioned above. This is fine, a traditional knife should be traditional, but this door swings both ways. I don't like seeing patterns that traditionally have had half stops losing them. And on a custom it is a decision the buyer should get to make.
 
Shaldag's comment about it depending on the pattern is correct. Truely rounded end knives generally have "cam ends", such as whittlers. I don't know that halfstops are necessary per se but it's more of a feature than anything.

I agree with Absintheur's comments as well but i have noticed one thing about the two main knives I carry. Because they snap closed pretty quick, it could be(and has been) more critical to pay attention when closing a knife with half stops, especially if you let them snap closed. The one time my swayback got me was when I was closing it one handed and the Wharncliffe snapped closed on the tip of a stray finger.
 
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Personally I like them on most knives. About 1/2 of my whittlers have them and although that ain't the way they used to be made, I am always impressed when a maker nails it on a whittler.
 
I only have one knife with half stops, a Tidioute Barlow. It initially took a couple days of constant carry to get used to the way the blade stops at 90 degrees. The action has begun to grow on me, and I find that I can go either way; I don't really have a preference as to whether the stop are present or not.
 
Hi,

I tend to like half stops myself. I don't own a lot of slippies with half stops, but I do like the stops on the ones I do have.

From what I've noticed about my preferences is that I like the half stops on a bit larger knife. Say, patterns 3 1/2" or bigger. Like the small Imperial jack in my pocket right now. But on smaller ones, like peanuts, I tend to think they are a bit annoying. I think not every slippie needs to have half stops. But there is definitely a time and place for them.

I must be the only one here who also prefers half stops on stiff springs. It allows me to change my grip for more control.

dalee
 
I think that Absintheur nailed it for me with his explanation. I recently acquired a GEC Northfield Whittler in Sambar Stag that has half stops. The three springs are flush in all three positions and with the strong springs I appreciate the half stop in both the opening and closing process.

I have never been in such a hurry that I can't take another step in the two processes. Plus being aware of the added work and expertise needed to employ the half stop I appreciate the knife that much more.

This knife is true quality and workmanship.
 
I don't like them. Surprisingly enough I've cut myself more often with knives with half-stops than with knives without them.
 
kamagong said:
I don't like them. Surprisingly enough I've cut myself more often with knives with half-stops than with knives without them.
Click to expand...

They'll get you if you aren't extra careful. ;)
 
Never even heard the term before joining the forum. My TAD and Coats both have them and I wonder how I got by with out them the last 36 years. Then again maybe the novelty will wear off in time.
 
I prefer halfstops on all slipjoints. If I change out the rotation from with halfstop to a knife w/o halfstop, it takes several days to get used to the different knife. Vice-versa when switching back. When I am carrying a knife w/o a halfstop, I can certainly enjoy it, but it would always be better with the halfstop.
 
I don't have a preference. If a knife does have them I want them to be tight with no slop.

I know some collectors like them because they allow you to display the knife fanned with out putting tension on the springs
 
I like half stops in larger knives with strong backsprings - such as a #23 Pioneer GEC.
To me, it does make closing the knife safer.

But in a smaller knife like a tiny toothpick, or medium stockman, I think half stops would be superfluous and would feel odd.
 
I have a habit of sometimes starting to close the knife with my thumb which has lead to the half stop snapping the blade right into my index. I personally don't care for half-stops. I feel they just get in the way of an EDC knife and I've been cut way more times from them (and my stupidity I admit) but I've never really seen an advantage.
 
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