All About Pocket Knives

So I wanted to get some of your thoughts on half stops, if you like them, don't like them, and why you feel that way.

As for me, I use most of my knives on a regular basis, usually at work. Throughout the course of my day at work I use my pocket knife probably about 5 times an hour on average, maybe more. Most times when I'm using it, I want to get it out reasonably quickly, cut what needs to be cut, and slide it back in my pocket. Most of my shifts at work are 10 to 12 hours. So that's about 50 or so deployments a day...I just find that the half stop slows down the process, without any appreciable benefit to me.
I've actually gotten to the point now that if I know it's going to be a heavy use day, I won't carry a knife that has half stops. Now if it's a day off, or after work, when my knife usage is at a more relaxed pace, then I don't mind it so much...but find I find myself lately passing on knives with half stops more frequently than not.

Personally I love the half stops. There's been many a time when I shut the blade with one hand and the half stop has saved my knuckles. Of course I know I shouldn't do this and there have been instances where the half stop has backfired and continued onto my knuckles.

The other reason I like half stops is because too me it just seems a better quality knife. I have no rhyme or reason for that statement but I like them better.

I love carrying vintage or older knives and I love showing them to anyone interested in talking knives. I've had a number of guys I would expect to know better, open one blade half way, and then open a blade on the same spring half way before I could stop him, which can snap the spring. I've had it happen to friends, but none of my knives yet, but it gives a near heart attack when it happens. I feel much safer handing an antique knife to someone to inspect that has half stops. The two knives I carry for work, besides my Leatherman, are a Parker whittler and a H&B Wharncliff, and they both have at least one half stop. I'm a carpenter and use them many times a day. To be honest, I've never given it alot of thought while using the knife.

djknife13 wrote:I love carrying vintage or older knives and I love showing them to anyone interested in talking knives. I've had a number of guys I would expect to know better, open one blade half way, and then open a blade on the same spring half way before I could stop him, which can snap the spring. I've had it happen to friends, but none of my knives yet, but it gives a near heart attack when it happens. I feel much safer handing an antique knife to someone to inspect that has half stops. The two knives I carry for work, besides my Leatherman, are a Parker whittler and a H&B Wharncliff, and they both have at least one half stop. I'm a carpenter and use them many times a day. To be honest, I've never given it alot of thought while using the knife.

Yes, I once saw, or should I say heard a broken piece of backspring ricochet across a room. Both blades were half open with no half stop and a broken spring was the result. It makes me wince whenever I see someone do this.

When I photograph a double ended knife that has 2 blades on one spring it's much easier to deal with a knife that has half stops. Half stops are pretty cool but not something I focus on. Just don't put 2 blades open tension on one spring and I'm okay.

Wayne

I don't know that half stops are all that special either I would bet they're easier to build than a knife that doesn't have them all it is-is a flat spot on the bottom of the blade blank that has not been radiused I would think it's easier to make a knife with half stops than one without half stops

Yeah Mike......great topic...
My take is, if the half stop rips off my thumb nail......I'm not a fan.
But it's also an added bonus when selling a knife....

I buy a knife when I decide I like it; if it has half-stops that's a bonus, but not a deal breaker if it doesn't. OH

I'm ambivalent about half stops. If they're there, fine. If they're not, that's fine too. That said, for me, they do add a touch of perceived class to the knife. But need them? Nah. I learned when just a young whipper snapper how to close a knife without chopping my finger off, so for me, they're just a frill.


Gary -- I think I remember reading, it's more difficult and time consuming to make a knife with half stops and get them just right. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

jerryd6818 wrote:I'm ambivalent about half stops. If they're there, fine. If they're not, that's fine too. That said, for me, they do add a touch of perceived class to the knife. But need them? Nah. I learned when just a young whipper snapper how to close a knife without chopping my finger off, so for me, they're just a frill.


Gary -- I think I remember reading, it's more difficult and time consuming to make a knife with half stops and get them just right. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

I'm like most who have commented doesn't make a difference one way or the other but I don't see why they'd be worth more is all or be a special feature-just made different is all--split a couple knives and you tell me which you think takes more time for a cutler to make--

PigSticker wrote:

jerryd6818 wrote:I'm ambivalent about half stops. If they're there, fine. If they're not, that's fine too. That said, for me, they do add a touch of perceived class to the knife. But need them? Nah. I learned when just a young whipper snapper how to close a knife without chopping my finger off, so for me, they're just a frill.


Gary -- I think I remember reading, it's more difficult and time consuming to make a knife with half stops and get them just right. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

I'm like most who have commented doesn't make a difference one way or the other but I don't see why they'd be worth more is all or be a special feature-just made different is all--split a couple knives and you tell me which you think takes more time for a cutler to make--

If I understood it correctly, I believe the issue was getting all three flat surfaces on the tang just right so the back spring doesn't peek or sink when resting on them and it's not easy to make that happen.

The stronger the backspring, the more I appreciate a halfstop. I have a couple of mariners knives, that heaven help you if you ever messed up while closing them. I've got a few electricians knives that are just about as strong. Any of which could do serious damage in the bat of an eye. I know how to properly open and close a knife, but halfstops give a person that extra second to think before he does something really stupid. Personally, I can use all the help I can get in that area.

WB

Great replies everyone.

I understand the increased perception of quality that comes along with a solid half stop, and I can surely appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into getting it just right. I can also understand how if the snap on the knife is so hard that you reaaallllly have to muscle it over to get it to close it could be a valuable safety feature.

I just think on some knives it is more of a hinderance than a help. For example, does the Case Peanut really need a half stop? What about the Case mini trapper? I do like me a nice barlow...but one of the things that keeps me from carrying one on a regular basis is that most have half stops, which to me, just impair the smooth opening and closing of the knife. Maybe that is the word that best captures what I appreciate about a knife without half stops...smooth. I can open up the blade in one smooth motion, then close it just as smoothly without the "stutter step" that accompanies the half stop.

Just one man's opinion...

I likeum!!! John

I like half stops. I love to hear that double click.

I dig half-stops. Adds a bit of class to a knife.

royal0014 wrote:Where's Cutty?

Never really thought about it. As long as the walk, talk and snap are good.....

HALF STOPS

Half stops!

Some observations:
3 blade knives(so-called,"whittler" patterns where the master blade rests on both springs)usually do NOT have half stops on the master blade but do on the two smaller blades.
4 blade knives almost always have half stops on all 4 blades.
Early 2 blade knives(where both blades pivot on the same pin)sometimes have a half stop on the master blade but not on the pen blade.This is especially true of most of the English knives in my collection.
On some of the inexpensive old 4 blade knives the back spring will stand proud in the half open position.This seems to hold true for German made knives pre-WWII.
The smaller the size of the knife usually the easier they are to open.Some of the larger English jacks almost require a crowbar to open.
As for my preference: I really don't have one.

Adventure BEFORE Dementia!
I'm liking that line gotta make it into a bumper sticker for the trunk on my bike--never noticed it before on your post's that's new rite?---

I have made slip joint folding knives with and without half stops and for me a knife with half stops is harder to make if done correctly. The back springs of a knife with half stops should sit flush with the liners when closed, at half stop and when fully opened. That requires much more fitting that a slip joint knife that has no half stops. I doubt anyone that has made both would say that a knife with half stops is easier to make.

I don't really think that makes a knife with half stops a better knife. Just different.

Wayne

PigSticker wrote:Adventure BEFORE Dementia!
I'm liking that line gotta make it into a bumper sticker for the trunk on my bike--never noticed it before on your post's that's new rite?---

Actually I painted it on a motorcycle several years ago for a good friend who was losing her husband to the disease. I liked the concept so much I painted it on the front and rear windows of my Safari.Unfortunately coming back from Dayton Ohio in a driving rain storm blew most of it off the windshield. Here is a pic of the rear window that is holding up very well.The other lettering was put on over ten years ago.

It's unexplainable. Half stops are just straight cool.

Looks good K7k--My mother has been dealing with Dementia the last few years she'll be 90 yrs old in Sept. till they got her med's straightened out every day was an adventure---

I realize this is an old thread, but with so many new members on AAPK I thought it might be interesting to revisit this topic to see if there are any new opinions or if some of the old opinions have changed any over the past 7 years or so. Also, I recently purchased a knife from AG Russell that is a traditional (slipjoint) pattern without half stops. The ad copy referenced this article which some people may find interesting.

https://blademag.com/knife-collecting/k ... -half-stop