List of things to check before buying

[Suerte]

1)Sufficient backspring strength, smoothness, and consistency of opening.

2)Flushness and gaps with the backspring open and closed.

3)Eveness of the meet up of blades and backspring and blade play

4)Blade tips are inside the knife when closed

5)No blade rub when closed or closing

6)Blade doesn't hit backspring upon closing

7)Scales flush with bolsters and top and bottom sides of knife

8)Pins not sticking out / loose

9)No cracks in handle material

Anything else???

 

[brownshoe]

Pins seam-lessly peened with good rounded tops.

Polish high enough so that one cannot readily discern blade pivot in the bolster.

Smooth or rounded spine.

Polished backspring on interior.

Filework lines up accross liners, spacers and scales.

Beginning and end of filework done with style.

Pins flush on interior.

No scale damage around pin, bolster junctions.

Traditional blades with a little custom feel such as the swell or belly on some trappers.

Edited to add:

The handle should readily fall in place in the hand, ready for use.

Dyed handle material (e.g. bone) should have an evenly applied rich color that penetrates the bone as seen on the edges.

Half-stops or not...your preference.