Choil or no choil knife designs

C

captainclemmys

Joined
Jun 18, 2012
Messages
178
I spoke with Ethan Becker at 2012 blade show and we talked about the use of choils. Our philosophies were similar with regard to choils. They take away from a usable part of the blade. That portion of the blade that lies just anterior to the scales is used by me (and others) for some excellent detail work. I use my BK9 on a regular basis, and I still have good control over the blade without a choil. I have never felt the need for a choil on the BK9. I mentioned this to one "woods guy" and he said that is not possible as all woods knives need a choil and the only reason that the Becker Knives don't have choils is because they are not woods blades. I thought he was joking, and I told him that notion was ridiculous. I have used my BK9 (of Camillus vintage) for years as a woods blade and it has given me good service. I have never felt handicapped because it lacked a choil. I realize that there are many types of knives and some have choils, finger grooves or subhilts. Ultimately, the choice is up to the end user and what works for them...whether it has a choil or not.
Thanks for listen
CC
 
Agreed...i like the choil on the 5 though mostly for potato peeling purpose...my 2 and 7's have no need for it.
 
I like choils. Sure that useful part of the blade is technically gone with a choil, but now that useful part of the blade is next to my finger, where I personally feel I have more control. So to each their own.
I dont like overly big choils though.
check out my 2 and 9
 
Thanks for the information. Did you do the mods to the BK2 and 9 yourself? And what tool did you use dremel or...?
CC
 
I like choils on knives 8"+ but any smaller they are easier to control for fine work so there no use. Knives like the esee-4 seem to have wasted blade space IMHO. The knife is already easy enough to control without choking up.
 
To each their own, for sure. My opinion is that a choil is the most useless thing they ever put on a knife.

Doc
 
I don't personally own one but I really wanted to like them when I handled them but the choil really turned me off of the knife.

Knives such as the TOPS tahoma field knife that are designed as a one tool option and are quite large are the kind of knives I am ok with having choils on, but they're not really required. Look at some of the feather sticks guys produce with the bk-9 and bk-4. Neither of those have choils but still can do good fine carving.

I've made feather sticks and traps with a forest axe before(not trying to brag about my "skillz", just trying to make a point), it's about skill and practice with a specific tool more than it is control. Practice = control.
 
10269408_1476291789269449_7196471632247759882_n.jpg


I didn't use the 15 for any of these:
1964780_1465934456971849_1724675665_n.jpg


1912338_1452996704932291_740504513_n.jpg


1506831_1435200810045214_504322807_n.jpg


1524581_1435198263378802_783971276_n.jpg


I'm going to say whoever ever said that Becker's aren't woods knives because they don't have a choil is kinda ignorant......:D

I'll take my choilless knives thank you very much.
 
Mountainmist,
I agree with you. I thought the same as the statement appeared to be out of touch. Personally, it does not matter to me whether one likes or dislikes choils, but a choil is not the only variable to consider when selecting a woods knife. Historically, most people carried knives on there person for a multitude of tasks whether it be farm chores, woods work, or everyday and general purpose tasks. I don't know if the knives of pioneers (or similar) had choils...perhaps not as many were butcher style knives. At any rate, I don't think the presence or absence of a choil is the only factor to consider when selecting a knife for field use.
CC
 
captainclemmys said:
Mountainmist,
I agree with you. I thought the same as the statement appeared to be out of touch. Personally, it does not matter to me whether one likes or dislikes choils, but a choil is not the only variable to consider when selecting a woods knife. Historically, most people carried knives on there person for a multitude of tasks whether it be farm chores, woods work, or everyday and general purpose tasks. I don't know if the knives of pioneers (or similar) had choils...perhaps not as many were butcher style knives. At any rate, I don't think the presence or absence of a choil is the only factor to consider when selecting a knife for field use.
CC
Click to expand...

I have an ESEE 4 and it has a choil. I really like the choil on that knife, but I cannot imagine liking the BK16 with a choil.... I don't know why, maybe the handle design. I'm not against choils, and I like them on some knives, but Becker's have the blades very close to the handles, and a choil would be pointless. I think the ESEE 3's choil is a complete waste of an otherwise great knife blade.
 
Another thing is,

Everybody's opinion is deferent , some people think anything over 3.5" blade length is complete overkill, others wouldn't think about going out into the woods with anything under 5". Some people *cough*gutsy*cough* think that squared spines are very stupid and put them up with hollow handles and sawteeth as far as uselessness goes, and wouldn't buy a knife with a squared spine, no matter what attributes it has.... That's why you have custom knife makers, and many deferent production knives to choose from. I bought an ESEE 4 because it has slightly thicker stock than the BK16, not because of a choil, a choil is not important to me.
 
Last edited:
All a choil really does is move the detail portion, or useable portion if you will, a little farther forward of the grip. And if you use the choil as intended you are handling the knife with a weakened grip, which in my experience takes away from the overall performance. By the way, my 5 has never cut anything outside the kitchen and it does very well not being a woods blade. On that same notion, all my non-choil Beckers are proven woods blades.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top