Newbie question about blade snap

R

robertj298

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Mar 7, 2014
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I have a small variety of slipjoints by Boker, Case, Queen, Canal Street and G.E.C.. They all seem pretty good with no blade play and decent snap but the GEC has to me better snap at the half stop than the others. The others seem rather vague or mushy at the half stop. The only one that comes close to the GEC in this regard is the cheap Case mini trapper I bought for my wifes Uncle. It seems pretty impressive to me, especially for the $32 I paid for it. I'm wondering if this is the norm or is there a big variance from different copies of the same knives?
 
Do they all have square tangs? If the tangs are round you won't have any half stop, or just the vague sense of one as the spring tension hits a neutral point with the tang.
 
ea42 said:
Do they all have square tangs? If the tangs are round you won't have any half stop, or just the vague sense of one as the spring tension hits a neutral point with the tang.
Click to expand...

That is it. It seems some are more rounded than others so I guess that would make a difference also? Thanks
 
The following (active) Case patterns have square joints ("half stops"):

'005 / '005 1/2 / '005RAZ - Barlow/Razor
'07 / '07W - Mini Trapper
'009 / '009 1/2 / '009RAZ - Barlow/Razor
'011 - Hawkbill
'052 - Medium Congress
'117 - Sway Back Gent/Jack
'15 - Small Gunstock
'156 - Tuxedo
'20 - Peanut
'43 - Grand Daddy Barlow
'49 - Copperhead
'546 / '546 1/2 - Back Pocket/Panama Trapper

All others have cam joints (rounded, no half stop). I believe the new Teardrop Jack also has square joints, and the Cigar Whittler has a cam joint on the main blade only, and the smaller blades are square joints. There are a number of discontinued Case patterns with square joints.

GEC makes some with and some without square joints.
 
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GEC is famous/infamous for stout backsprings on most patterns and a firm, positive half-stop on the majority of patterns.
 
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