Who prefers a half-stop on their folders?

For the knife I carry at work I don't want half stops. I want easy opening without them because many times being able to one hand it open is very convenient. Edc away from work I like half stops. I am, usually, not as busy and rushed away from work so I can enjoy just using a knife. I hope my ramblings make some sense.

Chris
 
^^How do you one hand open a slip joint without cutting off your fingers?

I prefer a half stop most of the time, but have a couple of sodbusters without one and they are among my favorite knives.
 
My primary work knife is a Old Timer 80T. It has a smooth easy pull, about a 3. I have learned to pinch the main blade with my index finger and thumb with the springs against my palm. Using the other digits to hold the handle to my palm levering away with the pinched blade until just about half open. Then finish opening on whatever it is I am needing to cut or the sole of my shoe. Never had this knife slip or even come close to cutting me when opening this way. Definitely not a method to try with stiff springs or half stops.

Chris
 
Mixed feelings here. I find half stops very satisfying. There's something about that snapping into position that leaves me with an impression of quality.

That said, I'm starting to rethink half stops. A couple of newer Cases I've recently acquired have no half stop and I find them safer to close one handed. I've got more control over the movement.

The most recent love bite I got from a knife was because my finger was in the way when my Charlow gator-snapped to a half stop position.
 
I don't think I prefer one over the other but most of mine have half stops.
 
I prefer a cam tang but as long as the pull isn't excessively strong I don't mind the occasional square tang.
 
For me it depends on the pull. A knife that pulls light I prefer no stop. On one that rates 6-7 or above on a pull I want a half stop. With that much tension snapping it open or closed I like the halfway point. If you happen to leave a bit of unintended flesh in front of a light closer you get bit. Leave that same flesh in front of a high tensioned beast and you may get stitches. Just my opinion.
 
I think I lean more towards not having half stops. But, the lean is not far off plumb and for sure it is not a deal breaker either way.
 
Not a fan of half-stops, although not a deal breaker. I find half-stops on hard pull knives (7 and up) to be more dangerous, as they can yank the blade out of your control when opening and closing. And as I've never had a slipjoint close on me while using, there is no benefit to me of their supposed safety.
 
Hello!

After growing up with the traditional Trattenbacher Taschenfeiteln, I learned to make do without a half stop (and blades that don't snap easily for that matter... ;) ). Just like Jeff, I find half stops to become more troublesome when there's a really strong snap. I do like soft pulls though.

Best regards,
Alex
 
I am a strong 'half-stop partisan.' Anecdotally, I think knives with half-stops are much more likely to last many years with strong snap. Many if not all of my very old cam-tang knives have floppy blades, and I don't have a square tang knife with bad snap. Again, all anecdotal evidence: I know there are exceptions, like my grandpa's old Camillus, which shows that a well-maintained knife will last no matter what. But it's enough to make me pass up some patterns that don't have half-stops, and seek out others specifically for that reason. E.g. for reasons of pocket carry I prefer a round-bolstered stockman, but I will choose a square-bolstered Case 6332 because it is one of the rare stockman patterns with half-stops.

This could be due to the more evenly distributed wear on the tang/backspring junction rather than at one concentrated point. I also like the 'self-cleaning' joint function evident especially in a flush square tang like a GEC trapper or the original Remingtons. It also just feels very satisfying when a blade thwacks into place in all three positions. De gustibus...
 
I used to heavily prefer non-half stops but now I don't mind either way. I haven't updated my spreadsheet in a while but I think I'm close to 2-1 for traditional knives with half stops as to those without.

As for 1 hand opening, I don't remember doing it with a slip joint but I used to do it all the time with an old cheap pakistan lockback I had gotten from my grandfather. I used to use that knife fishing and could easily open and close it one handed.
 
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