Half stops. Yay or nay?

I think that half stops are fun to play with. But since most of my knives are used outdoors, I prefer to shy away from half stops. Too much a liability when safety is a large concern.

Opening a knife with a half stop isn’t especially difficult when you’re calm and relaxed. But when you’re wet and cold and exhausted, and in a hurry to cut some cord, clean a fish, or open a food package, a half stop is just an unnecessary obstacle to overcome. If the blade is particularly long, unusually slender, and/or the pull strength is on the heavy side, the problem is exacerbated. Case in point is the Backpocket knife. I love the Backpocket, but would never carry one on a hiking trip.

If I have my choice, I prefer no half stop. But it’s just one of maybe 20 different different features to be considered.
 
I'm a glass half full kinda fella so I guess I'm a half stop having kinda guy. But I do only have 5 slip joints and I believe they all have them. I'll have to pick one up without them, cut myself because it doesn't have them to know for sure.
 
I like half stops, if the spring tension isn't too strong. I have knives with them, and without, and either way is not an issue with me. I have two Case yellow delrin trappers, a full size and a mini... one has half stops, the other doesn't. Go figure.
 
Update. Checked all 5 of my slip joints on of them doesn't have half stops. And I'm fine with it so I guess it doesn't really matter either way. But the one that doesn't have half stops is a large Texas toothpick so not sure it counts 20191115_200053.jpg
 
I prefer them on most knives, especially if the pattern is on the smaller side. However, I have many examples of each and it is not a deal breaker either way.
 
Naive question...what exactly are half stops for? Slowing the blade down during an accidental closure?
 
This knife is an example of a piece that has both a square-tanged and a cam-tanged blade in the same package.
The baldes and associated springs are the same stock. The springs are the same size.

Just for giggles, I tested the "ease of closure" for each one while in the open position.
The cam-tanged blade requires less force; it closes easier.

S&M Gunstock Trapper by D P, on Flickr

S&M Trapper springs by D P, on Flickr

This confirms what I had suspected. Half-stop blades are more stout in the open position.
I'm not saying this is "better," it's just an observation. Using this knife as a sort of test was knife-nut fun, nothing more :)

It think half-stop preference is one of those personal choices in knives. Kinda like asking someone if they like onions on a sandwich or pizza. Everyone has their own opinion.
 
I prefer half stops. With all other things being equal, a knife with half stops has better walk and talk.

As far as half stops and their role in knife safety... I am genuinely getting a kick out of how some folks see them as a safety feature, as others see them as a safety concern. I don't really have a strong stance in this part of the debate, as I've had close calls that could support either side of the argument.

For me, and how I use my knives, the one time that I do consider a half stop to be a functional upgrade is when my hands are wet or cold, or otherwise compromised, and I can't get ideal purchase to open the blade. Once I get it to half stop, I can get a better grip, and finish opening the blade.

With all of the above said, I have never once based my decision whether or not to buy a knife on half stops or lack thereof.
 
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bax229 said:
If you search this thread you will see that I already got my answer...I’m sure I can search every topic and find that it has been discussed before...why are we still talking about anything?
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A question was asked concerning the origins of the half stop, and nowhere in this thread is there a real answer. Its much easier just to link to a couple threads where the answer has been already discussed than to type it all out. But, you got the vague answer that you wanted to hear, so whatever....
 
Arathol said:
A question was asked concerning the origins of the half stop, and nowhere in this thread is there a real answer. Its much easier just to link to a couple threads where the answer has been already discussed than to type it all out. But, you got the vague answer that you wanted to hear, so whatever....
Click to expand...
Ya you’re right ... I don’t really care
 
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