Slip joints & Half stops

[SteveC]

Having just got an old electricians knife that has this feature I'm left wondering why more slip joints don't have this feature ?

Seems like a good safety feature to me especially knives with strong back springs, Vic solo comes to mind.

[Ray S]

I think the reason they don't do them anymore is that it takes longer to fit a good half stop and not have the spring protrude.I have a couple knives around(and can't remember which ones but I think one is a Gerber)that has a stop just before the blade closes completely.It requires you to actually push the blade closed.
Another reason possibly is that by making the tang square it puts more pressure on the back spring when opening and may require making the tang too small. Just speculation on my part.

[Dean51]

I asked that same question a couple years ago on a knife forum & got several opinions.
Some said it's a safety thing but I don't see it. If it does fold past the stop it snaps shut harder than a round tang.
Others said it was a sign of quality if the back springs were flat in all three positions.
Still others just liked the feel.
A couple people said it was more durable because the tang wore on a larger section of the back spring.
I think it's easier & cheaper to make a knife with half stops than one with a round tang. Less polishing.

So your guess is as good as mine. 
Myself I like the smooth action of a round tang.
 

[metasyntax]

I like them, when they're crisp and snappy. When they're sloppy, like a bit of wiggle at the stop, it just doesn't feel right. Weirdly enough, it's almost like they make the blade faster to close, you kind of slam it to that first stop, get your fingers out of the way, and slam it the rest of the way home. You can be a little more aggressive at the start, if you know what I mean.

I don't think I'd like them on a smaller SAK because of tradition... Similarly, the locking Wenger 85mm blades always feel weird with their little stop after the lock is fully disengaged. Same with the two-hand 111mm blades how they kind of stop on their own at about 60% open... I always assumed this was a safety feature of the bigger knives, with the two-handed ones seeming to have more snap.

[Poncho65]

I don't think I have ever really paid attention one way or another I just checked the main two traditional slippies that I carried the longest a Boker and a Hen and Rooster and the both do this Never paid attention that SAK blades didn't as they open in a bit smoother manor to me

Either way really is fine by me I guess

[shecky]

I absolutely think it's an effective safety feature for knives with strong back springs. Bear trap knives like the Douk Douk would be downright scary without that half stop, demanding even more attention to close than open.

I am surprised how often half stops are actively disliked on bladeforums. I like them in general, and see absolutely no downsides to them.

[Zed]

I realy like halfstops and wish more slpjoints had this feature,makes one hand closing safer 

[styx]

Considering I'm very clumsy, half stops are one of the best innovations ever made

[pfrsantos]

Considering I'm very clumsy, half stops are one of the best innovations ever made

You need ratchet, like in the Kudu.

 

[SteveC]

I guess I can see the reasons for and against them.

[Dean51]

Mostly it's just a matter of personal preference.
I used knives mostly stockmans without half stops for 20 years before getting one that had half stops.
It took a couple weeks to get used to the half stop, I don't mind half stops now.
I Just prefer the smoother action with out them.

[styx]

Considering I'm very clumsy, half stops are one of the best innovations ever made

You need ratchet, like in the Kudu.

 

I need steel gauntlets

[pfrsantos]

Considering I'm very clumsy, half stops are one of the best innovations ever made

You need ratchet, like in the Kudu.

 

I need steel gauntlets

You'd cut yourself putting them on...

 

[16VGTIDave]

Kevlar gloves. I have a pair that will take the edge off a blade faster than you can say "That woulda hurt!".

I have knives with and without half stops and don't have a preference either way. I seldom cut myself. But when I do it is my fault. Not the knife's...

[Steinar]

With a half stop, the tang can lie flush with the backspring when the knife is closed if the maker puts a priority on that. Yet another part of the reason might be the estethic of that continuous surface?

Personally, I like half stops on big blades and when the backspring is stiff.

[SAK Guy]

With a half stop, the tang can lie flush with the backspring when the knife is closed if the maker puts a priority on that. Yet another part of the reason might be the estethic of that continuous surface?

Personally, I like half stops on big blades and when the backspring is stiff.

+1  The abrupt stop has torn up my nails in the past but now I have so many big blades with bear trap springs I have learned to appreciate them. 

[styx]

Considering I'm very clumsy, half stops are one of the best innovations ever made

You need ratchet, like in the Kudu.

 

I need steel gauntlets

You'd cut yourself putting them on...

 

Considering I'm one of those people who can get a a knot in a pair of velcro shoes or engineer boots, you're right. Still as I'm getting more interested in bikepacking, kevlar gloves might not be a bad idea

[pfrsantos]

Kevlar gloves. I have a pair that will take the edge off a blade faster than you can say "That woulda hurt!".

I have knives with and without half stops and don't have a preference either way. I seldom cut myself. But when I do it is my fault. Not the knife's...

Look at it like SAK Guy does:

[SteveC]

 

[Gareth]

I definitely appreciate them on knifes with a super strong backspring like this one.



It would close like a bear-trap without it.

[SteveC]

 

That is a lovely Knife   

[SAK Guy]

Kevlar gloves. I have a pair that will take the edge off a blade faster than you can say "That woulda hurt!".

I have knives with and without half stops and don't have a preference either way. I seldom cut myself. But when I do it is my fault. Not the knife's...

Look at it like SAK Guy does:

(Image removed from quote.)

 

[SAK Guy]

That is a lovely Knife   

+1!!!!! 

[Poncho65]

Kevlar gloves. I have a pair that will take the edge off a blade faster than you can say "That woulda hurt!".

I have knives with and without half stops and don't have a preference either way. I seldom cut myself. But when I do it is my fault. Not the knife's...

Look at it like SAK Guy does:

(Image removed from quote.)

 

 

[Poncho65]

That is a lovely Knife   

+1!!!!! 

Very nice