I still have an original stich plate. Perfectly safe, but switched to ATC-style 10 years ago cos they do bind up a lot and are irritating - you have to keep clearing the stich plate off the belay biner with your left hand to stop it binding. I had a sprung version too, and while that was better at staying off the biner, the spring would get into all sorts of tangles if you let it.
Funny, Ferno are still selling a version:
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