Knitting tool that is suitable for being moved in a needle channel of a knitting machine in its longitudinal direction comprising • a shank which extends substantially in the longitudinal direction, • two side surfaces which delimit the shank in a width direction running perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and which are suitable to guide the knitting tool in the knitting mode by contact with a needle channel of a knitting machine, • an upper limiting surface and a lower limiting surface which delimit the knitting tool in the height direction running perpendicular to the two aforesaid directions, • wherein the shank of the knitting tool consists of a rigid shank material and has a braking device with the following features: • a spring section which is bent in the width direction, • a braking means which is attached to the spring section and is deflected at an angle to the longitudinal direction as a result of the bending of the spring section, • wherein the cross-sectional area of the shank material in the spring section in the plane spanned by the width and height direction is smaller than in the adjoining shank sections of the shank, characterized in that • the projection of the side surfaces of the spring section in the plane spanned by the height and longitudinal direction of the knitting tool has a smaller area per length unit than • the projection of the side surfaces of at least one adjacent shank section, but preferably of at least two adjacent shank sections in the same plane, wherein the area per unit length is the quotient of the area of the projection of the side surfaces and the length of the projection of the side surfaces in the longitudinal direction • and wherein the spring section at at least one point of its longitudinal extension over the entire height of the shank in the height direction is bent in the same direction. • a shank which extends substantially in the longitudinal direction, • two side surfaces which delimit the shank in a width direction running perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and which are suitable to guide the knitting tool in the knitting mode by contact with a needle channel of a knitting machine, • an upper limiting surface and a lower limiting surface which delimit the knitting tool in the height direction running perpendicular to the two aforesaid directions, • wherein the shank of the knitting tool consists of a rigid shank material and has a braking device with the following features: • a spring section which is bent in the width direction, • a braking means which is attached to the spring section and is deflected at an angle to the longitudinal direction as a result of the bending of the spring section, • wherein the cross-sectional area of the shank material in the spring section in the plane spanned by the width and height direction is smaller than in the adjoining shank sections of the shank, characterized in that • the projection of the side surfaces of the spring section in the plane spanned by the height and longitudinal direction of the knitting tool has a smaller area per length unit than • the projection of the side surfaces of at least one adjacent shank section, but preferably of at least two adjacent shank sections in the same plane, wherein the area per unit length is the quotient of the area of the projection of the side surfaces and the length of the projection of the side surfaces in the longitudinal direction • and wherein the spring section at at least one point of its longitudinal extension over the entire height of the shank in the height direction is bent in the same direction. • a spring section which is bent in the width direction, • a braking means which is attached to the spring section and is deflected at an angle to the longitudinal direction as a result of the bending of the spring section, • wherein the cross-sectional area of the shank material in the spring section in the plane spanned by the width and height direction is smaller than in the adjoining shank sections of the shank, characterized in that • the projection of the side surfaces of the spring section in the plane spanned by the height and longitudinal direction of the knitting tool has a smaller area per length unit than • the projection of the side surfaces of at least one adjacent shank section, but preferably of at least two adjacent shank sections in the same plane, wherein the area per unit length is the quotient of the area of the projection of the side surfaces and the length of the projection of the side surfaces in the longitudinal direction • and wherein the spring section at at least one point of its longitudinal extension over the entire height of the shank in the height direction is bent in the same direction.