Staying in place on the retraction stroke is a hit or miss thing on my splitter's valve handle. Plus, it has to get warmed up before it gets to that hit or miss state. I've reversed something or other in the valve (it's been so long ago) and I recall that helped some. Anyway, I tried putting a rubber band on the handle to some handy place as an assist, and it seems to work a lot more dependably now. For what it's worth.