Half Stops

[Steve Warden]

Just curious.
To quote Colonel26, "You had me at half stops!" ("A great EDC" thread)

So, what is it about half stops you like? (not just asking the Col., but all)
Maybe you don't like 'em.
I can't say I'm a fan, but if a knife has 'em, I'm okay with that.

[Railsplitter]

I used to favor half stops but nowadays I can take them or leave them. The only time I don't like them is when the blade is already hard to open due to a strong pull. The half stop seems to make it even more difficult and sometimes even dangerous.

[Mumbleypeg]

I like half stops. And I find them to be a safety feature because the blade stops halfway on opening or closing, so it’s not as likely to snap closed on your hand, or on something you didn’t intend to cut. I agree they can make a blade more difficult to open if not fit correctly. Which brings us to why I think you don’t see them much any more - it takes a good cutler to make one fit and operate correctly as compared to a blade having a rounded tang.

Ken

[XX Case XX]

I love half-stops. To me, it's an added bonus. It's like having that one luxury feature on a new car that's cool.

_____________
Mike

[kennedy knives]

I love half-stops. To me, it's an added bonus. It's like having that one luxury feature on a new car that's cool.

_____________
Mike

I'm with Mike only thing that would add to that is if they have Nickel Silver Bolsters, Pins & Liners then that's a nice Knife

[LongBlade]

I think I like them because they demonstrate another aspect of a cutler's skill (most exhibition and higher end knives of old have half stops is my perception and experience) and on blades with strong pulls I think they provide a safety especially when closing the blade... also the half stop puts no pressure on the spring so one can open both blades for photos without worrying ...

To me it is clear when a 2 blade knife has half stops on both blades as it was probably intended by the cutler - What I can't figure out is why a half stop was sometimes put on one blade and not the other - especially when there is a half stop on the pen blade but not the master blade - my thinking would be the larger master blade would have the half stop given the choice of one over the other ...

[Colonel26]

I will second what has been said about quality, skill of the cutler, safety, etc... But, I will add one more, which is probably a part of the safety aspect. If I’m working in the shop or out on the farm and I cut something, it’s real easy to close the blade one handed without fear it will snap all the way closed on my finger. Otherwise I put the spine against the back of my leg and close it that way.

It’s no big deal, but it’s cool to just push the blade down with your thumb and have some control.

[jerryd6818]

I don't have to have them but somehow it feels like they add a little touch of class to the knife (for me). I think, as a general thing, they also have more positive and louder snap than blades without a half-stop.

[Dinadan]

I have mixed feelings.

I have a very large knife (made in China) with a pretty strong snap that might just sever a finger if it closed on it. The half stop gives me a good place to make sure my fingers are not in the way as I close the blade, and I like that. And that knife is the only knife I own where the half stop actually serves a useful function.

I have a medium large knife (made in America) with a super strong snap. On that knife when the blade hits the half stop it hits so hard that the blade vibrates and I can say positively from personal experience that it is dangerous for the person opening it. On that knife the half stop just adds to the danger of an already dangerous knife, though my wound has healed without too much scarring. (The physical wound - the mental wound lasts a lot longer and I still avoid opening that knife!)

On several whittlers and half whittlers that I own, the secondary blades have half stops and the main blade does not. I kind of like that as a special touch, but in all honesty it really adds nothing to the utility of the knife. But as long as the maker does not over do it, it is cool.

[herbva]

I love half stops. It adds quite a bit of control to larger, stronger spring-action knives. And, if you want to oil or clean the tang, the blade locks in a convenient halfway open (or halfway closed) position, and you don't risk an unwelcome, dangerous, sudden snap shut on your fingers or hand.

[treefarmer]

I’ll just add a hearty amen to all the comments that mentioned the safety/control of a knife with strong walk and talk.
Treefarmer

[orvet]

I don't like knives with strong pulls anyway, but when you add a half stop on a knife with strong Springs that makes it dangerous for me. I have had a number of them that snap and vibrate out of my hand. I usually end up getting cut trying not to drop it or trying to catch it after I do drop it.

I especially don't like whittler's or other small blades with half stops because almost without fail they draw blood.

I used to like half stops & didn't mind strong springs too much but the older I get and the more arthritis affects my hands the less I like half stops.

[edge213]

I love half stops.
I don't know why.......but I do.

[knife7knut]

I have quite a few knives with half stops;some on all blades and others on just one blade.The ones that are done right I like but there are a couple old knives that are very hard to open( a Pal and another that I can't recall at the moment)and require using a knife pick very carefully. The Pal has cut me on several occasions to the point that I will not open it anymore.
On the other hand I have an unmarked whittler with half stops on all blades and it is the smoothest opening knife I have ever seen.

[tongueriver]

I like them for all the above reasons. I like both the clack and the click.

[Rotten]

Love the sound and feel of a good half stop knife and any knife that has them gets an extra long look. The GEC 29 wasn't to interesting to me until I learned it had half stops and have come to like it so much there are very few days one isn't in my pocket. My Case Bose stockman collaboration is also a amazing half stop knife.

That said I picked up a GEC Bull Moose that has the smoothest action (non half stop) of any knife I have ever owned or handled and is the knife that I have come to judge all others by.

Either system when well done is a joy to use.

[1967redrider]

I think I like the nostalgia of half-stops more than the functionality. Old, antique Case, Cattaraugus or New York Knife Co/Walden knives seem to demand the walk and talk of half-stops. Visually, they are appealing as they tend to square up the ends of closed blades. Funny how some knife makers don't use them on all the blades on some folders . . .

So, yes, I guess I do like half-stops.

[kootenay joe]

My understanding is that vintage Sheffield knives do not have half stops. The pre 1891 Jos. Rodgers pen knives, half congress and other patterns that i have do not have half stops. Some of the more recent vintage Sheffield knives do have half stops often only on one blade.
There are some collector 'purists' who see a half stop as incorrect for a true vintage knife.
I don't think it takes more skill to make half stops than to make a smooth opening blade & spring without a half stop. When spring tension is 'just right' there is no need or benefit of a half stop. If spring tension is stronger than needed then a half stop might save a finger cut on closing the blade.
For pen knives no half stop = more class.
kj

[RevolverGuy]

The responses here have all been great. For me it depends on the pattern. Love them on congress and barlows. I also own two sodbuster's with half stops and they just feel right.

[TPK]

I personally like em, although I don't have many knives with them. I tend to look at em as an added safety feature & I just find them to be COOL!
... ...
Yep, I guess that's it, I just find them to be "COOL". All that talk about "added safety feature" is just some BS I like to tell myself while the real truth is, I just think they're COOL! In my mind, I almost feel like I'm showing off or braging when a knife has a half stop. Makes me think I got a much "Higher Quality" knife in my hand. Of course that's probably BS also to think that way but I do for some strange reason. I guess, if there were two almost identical knives, one with, and one without half stops, I would be willing to pay 5-10 $ more for the one with half stops just because I like them and they give me that feeling of getting a "Higher Quality" knife.

Tom

[bighomer]

I like them, but I've never associated quality with them. seem to me that most of my congress knives and jackknives have them while very few of my cattle, stockman,trapper and hunters do. I guess I associate half stops more with patterns than anything else. ymmv.

[rea1eye]

I have about 20 knives with half stops. I wish all of my knives with the exception of the
ones which are hard to open had them. I associate the half stop with the knife maker
taking an extra step in putting together a nice knife. When I catalog my knifes ( I have
about 50 of them) I indicate the half stop.

Bob

[313 Mike]

Not a fan of half stops, much prefer a nice smooth opening pull without the interruption. I find a half stop to be more of a safety hazard then anything else actually. The blade wants to jump from open into the half stop, then once that is overcome, it wants to jump again into the closed position. Without it, I am in control of how far the blade closes, and for me, that control equals a safer smoother opening and closing procedure.

[jerryd6818]

So you're saying you're a control freak?

[terryl308]

If made properly (not too stiff a main spring) I like a nice smooth half stop;. I have a newer Queen Cutley # 32 4 blade that has a half stop on all four blades. Because of the extra time in making one, I always think they are a more quality knife. Terry