Choil opinions

R

rc3mil

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Hey guys. After using my RC3 for a while now i have mixed feelings about the choil. What are your thoughts about it? Would you rather not have a choil on the blade or are you happy that its there?

Personally, I would rather it isn't there. I would like to have a little more blade on the RC3.

Just curious to see what other peoples opinions where on it. I can see it might be useful on a larger knife like the RC6 but on a small blade like the RC3, I don't know.

What are your opinions and why?
 
Personally, I like the choil...but I would trade it away in a heartbeat for another 1/2-1 inch of handle.

The RC3 grip is just a little too short for my hand to be really comfortable for all applications...
 
I agree. The choil makes a larger knife have multifunction ability but in a smaller knife like the RC-3 it is unnecessary.

Great Point.
 
I think I would prefer the RC3 without the choil so that the knife get a longer edge and takes advantage of the part of the blade where you get the most power (close to the handle). Personally I think the choil is more of an actual benefit on longer blades.

When cutting branches with my RC3 I often find the knife to slip or roll away from me, due to the short and slightly angled part of the edge just in front of the choil. But I guess thats just me, since Im used to work with Scandinavian blades where the edge often is longer and totally "horizontal/straight" in front of the handle and not slightly angled as on the RC3.
 
I would rather it not be there on the 3 or 4....not needed, and would look better without it.
 
i like the choil on the ESEE-3, and realistically it would slow production to make choil and non choil versions, plus with the new models and such i doubt we will see it, but that is fine with me :D
 
I just measured the choil on my RC4. From where the full flat grind starts to where the choil meets the blade, it's 1/4", so you'd only gain 1/4" of blade without a choil...not worth it IMO. Actually, you'd gain 1/8" or less, since generally there's a notch at that end of the blade for sharpening.
 
On a knife the size of the RC3 I really like to have as much blade as possible. I am not a fan on the choil on the RC3. I do like it on the bigger knives though. I do like the RC3, no choil would be my only change in the blade. Even with the choil the RC3 is hard to beat!
 
I find that my finger is in the choil almost all the time when I'm using my RC-3. The handle alone is a bit too short for my hand, but when I'm using the choil, the length is ideal.
I've actually slightly enlarged the choil on both my 3 and 4 by about 1/8" and rounded off the transition between choil and edge, and have found that to make the knives a good deal more comfortable in my hands
 
I like the choil for precision work, where you can hold the knife really close to the edge. But it also feel a little weird to handle the knife the normal way with the edge beginning a little more far away from the grip than usual. But I got used to it.
 
I gotta say, the choil is a basic part of the design of the ESEE knives. If you don't like it...there's a ton of other knives out there. There's also the ESEE-5, and the HEST. As someone mentioned, you're not going to gain a whole lot of blade without one. just a little more handle...which, really, you get when you put your finger in the choil. So I dont see the point of the constant "choil removal' debates.

The izula, HEST, ESEE-5, and now the Junglas dont have 'em. That basically covers the entire size range for those that don't like em. I'm a take it or leave it kinda guy. I honestly barely notice it's there. Want more blade? Get a bigger knife.
 
I would hate the RC3 if it weren't for the choil, the boat tail shaped handle makes it slippery and a secure grip is important to me. If I didn't have that choil there I probably wouldn't use it at all. The HEST handle design is much better in my opinion. Maybe they should drop the choil down to the handle. One thing that irks me period is the amount of useless space between the blade and the handle. Whether that be bulky handle scales, big ricasso, etc it is wasted space that not only adds bulk and weight, but also reduces control of the blade. The RAT1 is a good example of this, there's almost a full inch of space when the blade is opened between useable handle and useable blade. It serves no purpose but drastically reduces control of the point of the blade.
 
The only real regret I have of the choil is that I use my ESEE knives enough and am so used to using the choil that I often attempt to place my finger on the blade of my choiless knives :D My first nasty cut using my BK-7 occurred exactly because of that!
 
Love the 3 & 4 but no love for the choil. I do not feel it is needed or any gains are made, with a choil on a blade in the 3 to 4 inch range.
 
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