Your opinion of half stops on slip joints?

[abcdef]

I'm ok either way on the half stop. Everything would need to be flush on a custom, unless the deal was outstanding. On production knives, the less expensive, the less problem with unevenness.

 

[2Dead]

I'm ok with half stops or without half stops. I don't like a half stop that is too strong to open or pulls the blade out of my fingers. Less likely to happen with a cam tang knife.

 

[brownshoe]

I can take em or leave em, but if I was going to order a knife, I'd have it with a cam tang not a half stop. I like the feel of smooth closing knife. Half stops have cut me more than cam tangs.

When it comes to customs, I have a custom with an unperfect half stop. It was made by a very famous maker on this forum...30 years ago when they were young and new. The knife is a tank, tight as a drum and worth the $250 I paid for it. Except for the off half stop at the closed position, it has no flaws. It was a custom build, so the original owner didn't mind it as well.

I have another custom knife with great half stops. However, it loosened up within a year mostly when I cut the stalks off some ears of corn. Sent it back to the maker to fix...he put a washer in it (originally milled liner construction). I asked for a domed pin so I could fix it myself in the future and offered to pay for it...he didn't take my money (sent back the check) but didn't do what I asked.

The knife loosened up again within less than a year even though I babied it. I got angry at it, was sure I could fix it myself and doubly mad that it didn't have the domed pins I requested. I took it into the basement, wrapped it in leather and pounded it tight on the anvil of my vise with a tack hammer, first gentle, but it needed force. It has been fine for 5 years now, but the nickel silver bolster looks bad...wantabuyit

You have no right to complain about poorly executed half stops in a custom knife unless you specified to the maker that you wanted them flush. This is a perfect example of where a buyer needs to know what they want, know the maker’s work and communicate their desires.

I bought my lemon with it in my hand at a show. It was a good knife to me at the time. What I didn’t see was that the poorly executed milled liners were a harbinger of overall poor construction. What I didn’t know was anything about how this maker’s work held up in use. This is really hard to find out for lots of reasons, first being many people collect custom knives but few use them hard. This maker is respected, teaches regional classes…has been recommended on this forum.

 

[VictorLouis]

Only have a couple in my posession with them, but I do like them. Like whipped cream on top of my frozen mocha, it's a nice
added touch. HOwever, I'm not going to reject the frozen blend if they forgot to add it, LOL.

 

[Woodrow F Call]

I like them, but it's not a requirement. The prices of custom knives warrant flush half-stops.

 

[oldtymer]

For me it depends on the knife. On a small knife with thin blades & polished finish like some Peanuts where it could be difficult to hang on
to a half stop is a handy feature.
On a larger knife with beefier blade material you have better control of the blade opening & closing it. My GEC Western Outlaw has half stops
but would be fine without them IMHO. Same for the Case mini trapper.
As long as the springs are flush when opened & closed so they don't catch on anything or nick a fingertip is more important than being flush at half open.
Different strokes for different folks.
George

 

[CUTS LIKE A KRIS]

I have always liked the tactile feel of the half stop, and find it keeps me more mindful of closing position even when my mind is on other tasks. It is actually a practical experience that solidified my love for them that I posted about it here:http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1153888-An-overview-of-nine-new-slip-joints

"Cleanliness of these new knives is my next point. All of the knives were pretty gritty upon initial opening. So out came the baby oil and hot water. This "experiment" cleaning 18 blades and two punches led me to re-confirm one thing- I prefer half stops. Not only was I more comfortable opening the half stop blades when wet/oily, but they cleaned much, MUCH faster than the cam actioned knives. I'm sure this leads to less wear on the spring/tang junction due to less grit becoming stuck and having to be worked out. Because all walk and talk were similar, and the knives were from a wide variety of models/makers I feel that this is a function of tang types more so than my bias coming through. I also learned that I prefer same side nail nicks- something I had not found of myself before!"

I find that the corners of the half stop help push debris away, while a can action still squishes the material attempted to be removed like a rolling pin, it still works, but is less effective. After the nine knife experience my mind was pretty well made up. Plus the additional sense of security the half stops allowed when covered in baby oil did not hurt either. Not a deal breaker, but I've always wished that Whittlers were half stopped on the main blades as well.

It's not like you're going to use the knife with the blade half open.

I disagree, as I often use my half stop knives in the half stop position when wanting to choke up on the blade. The blade is held with the same tension that it is when open/closed, you can reinforce the handle into the palm of your hand rather than have excess handle past your wrist in usual choked up grip, and I just find it more comfortable. Maybe I'm the only one, but I use my half stops as an active feature of the knives. I've been meaning to post a new thread asking how many use their knifes at the half stop? Try cleaning your nails with the knife fully open, then try when utilizing the half stop to give a quick show of what I am talking about.

And with Wharncliffes your index finger rides along the spine beautifully as reinforcement:

(Edit to add- the Northwoods Whittler is not a half stop knife, but was in the right position and already on photobucket, so used here for illustration purposes!)

You have no right to complain about poorly executed half stops in a custom knife unless you specified to the maker that you wanted them flush. This is a perfect example of where a buyer needs to know what they want, know the maker’s work and communicate their desires.

I absolutely disagree with you here. If you are buying a custom that means you are paying for hand crafted care, which to me includes lack of gaps, well fitted bolster:scale:liner connections, domed or flush pins, and proper walk and talk, which means flush half stops. It's the same as saying that you should let the maker know that you don't want wavy grind lines- it's a given part of the job. No maker to my knowledge states that they leave half stops uneven, so it's ludicrous to think that it should have to be explained/communicated.

 

[ms3902]

If I have a choice I will always take the cam over the half stop. And if the spring is strong with a half stop the knife will not be in my collection very long. This is the very reason I had to get rid of my #47 Viper. When it landed on the half stop it would almost jerk the knife out of my hand because the spring was so strong. For me and the way that I use my knives the cam tang is a much better fit. That being said both the peanut and barlow that I'm carrying today have half stops.

 

[brownshoe]

Kris, your expectations are pretty high. I guess you don't have room in your collection for knifemakers that are not perfect, but still make nice knives...just less than perfect, like most humans.

If you go to shows and look at custom slipjoints, you will find many if not most won't meet your requirements in one area or the other. Just look at at the knifemaker's for sale section, there are plenty custom slipjoints with wavy grinds. One quite popular maker/seller on this forum seems unable to grind in a straight line, each knife has a little dip right before the ricasso. Hey but that gives it "belly" right for better slicing...well when the Boses make the same pattern, there ain't no dip or belly.

Remember it is subjective as well...one man's good walk and talk is another's bear trap. One maker likes flush bolsters, the other likes dovetailed.

If you're a picky buyer, you better tell the maker you are contracting with all your expectations, or you will be surely disappointed. For example, how perfect does your flush half stop have to be 90 degrees +/- 1 degree? Some patterns what is "flush" can be debated due to the knife being curved. Does a centered blade mean no rub or within 0.125", 0.05", 0.01" of center? My imperfect flush half stop custom knife is centered to within 0.05" after 24 years of use. It's always a trade off, perfection is for God not Man.

 

[CUTS LIKE A KRIS]

Actually brownshoe, if you read the thread I linked I expressly say I have some great knives from one specific knifemaker that aren't anywhere near perfect, but that was disclosed upfront like in your case. As well, in my previous post I say "well fitted" not perfect. But something like flush half stops is important. I'm not talking about invisible lines, but nothing that will catch my finger as I'm working is what I consider flush. But from a new knife without any disclosure I want decent flush ness.

 

[TheChunk91]

Im pretty much indifferent but I like the way a strong half stop snaps and its like an additional quality feature imo.
I never mind a regular action either of course. If you are paying the money for a custom knife and considering the personal time of one person put into them then it should be perfect, I would not accept anything less.

 

[mrjefe2u]

I like half stops
I like knives
Cut down my morning glory vines
Now I got hives.

 

[billsch8]

I'm okay either way. I have a collection of both styles and have learned to work with either one. For me a flush spring on the half open position is not a concern on a production knife. Interesting that I have a Rough Rider barlow ( the large one, grand daddy I think its called?) with a half stop and the spring is flush in all positions, paid about $10............go figure

 

[arizonaranchman]

I'm ok with it either way. Not a big deal to me. If I like the knife is all that matters.

 

[Cory Hess]

I prefer not to have them. I'm safer using a knife without half stops. I've nicked my thumb a couple times when I wasn't paying attention opening my knife and the blade jerked into the half stop and I lost my grip on it. I also think it feels nicer to have a smooth motion opening and closing. My favorite knife has half stops, so it's not something that I'd toss a knife out for, but I'd probably be happier with it if it didn't.

 

[AreBeeBee]

I dislike half stops for the same reason many here have cited: jerky opening and closing, with the possibility of a sharp blade jumping out of your control.

That would go double if the spring is strong. (This is one reason I have no GEC knives. They are known for strong springs, many I think have half-stops, and you have to buy them mail order without handling them first. Too many unknowns.)

Half stops are not quite a deal-breaker, perhaps, but I notice the few folders I have with half stops get carried almost never. Just something about them that whispers, "Don't touch me, don't pick me up. I bite."

 

[jc57]

I prefer knives with cam tangs. I can live with knives with square tangs if the spring isn't overly strong. Strong snap + square joints = too risky for me.

 

[Ernie1980]

I like a half stop most of the time, but on some knives it seems out of place. As for the customs, for that kind of money the knife needs to be flush in all positions.

 

[Sam Dean]

Looks to be about like flipping a coin!

I like half stops. My favorite (a custom) has a perfectly flush half stop, and gaps between the liner & spring... But, I wouldn't like it any less if it were more imperfect, such as the half stop not being flush. The whole package is what does it for me.

I don't have ANY production knives with flush half stops. Doesn't bother me at all.

 

[SAK Guy]

When the blade stops abruptly, it tends to rip my fingernail. If all my knives had them, it would be different but hitting that halfstop unexpectedly does it every time.

I can take 'em or leave 'em..