Choils like em or not......

I LOVE choils. I think it's funny how some people have called them useless and demand half an inch of cutting edge instead. A blade with a choil instantly gives it a more controlled feeling. I don't think it's fair at all to say it's a gimmick based on being cool.
 
As I mentioned earlier, I find choils totally useless. If I want more control when I'm cutting something, I'll simply use a smaller knife. Seems so simple to me.
 
50/50 choil like on the Spydercos.... Love them, don't take up too much space. Once you get used to them you may find it odd not to have one when using a different knife.
 
I like well made choils/ricassos, especial on large knives and my Spyderco Military. What I can't stand is when knives have an unsharpened portion near the handle with the logo stamped on it, absolutely zero function, too big to be a finger choil, larger than a sharpening notch.

eeehh.png


Pic of what I'm talking about.
 
Tactical=Yes have them
EDC=Hell no

I'm more talking about the finger Choils like on the Emerson CQC 8. Something where it's very close to the blade like the Byrd Cara Cara it's fine for EDC as you get more control of the blade.
 
On large fixed blades they can serve a purpose. On smaller blades they are mostly a waste.
 
If by choil, you mean one that is large enough to rest my finger, I mostly don't care for them, though it does depend on the rest of the knife design. My Native III has such a choil and I do not object to it. It fits the knife.

I do in general like a small choil, a small gap between the cutting edge and the tang. I think it makes the blade easier to sharpen. Not a deal breaker, but I prefer it.

Like this:
100_3078.jpg
 
The Government said:
+1

In long term use I have found that finger choils are very uncomfortable. I'd rather have more edge and a well thought out handle.

...but I do like "mini sharpening choils," which only need to be the size of a crumb.
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Yes, that is what I think also. I hand sharpen and when the stone rakes up against the tang, it is like fingernails on a chalkboard to me.

Finger choils as in my Spyderco paramilitary, feels fantastic. Plenty of blade to skin a gator if need be with the choil. It really depends on the manufacturer.
 
Love them.

I'm looking at some knives and will eventually send some of them to someone and have a choil placed or present ones enlarged
 
It depends on the knife, I like the choils on my busses and rats, I also good with the small choils on mny becker necker.

I guess what i dont like is as an earlier poster stated useless peices of unsharpened blade such as on a kabar
 
I carried a Delica for years. Then I got a Caly, with the choil. I think it makes a big, positive difference. I love the choil.
 
Don't confuse handle choils with blade choils. Handle choils :thumbup:blade choils :thumbdn:
 
This thread has served to confuse me.

I thought a choil was only a small notch that allowed you to get the whole blade on the stone without bumping it.

Kind of confused me since people were complaining about having half an inch that they couldn't sharpen.

But people are using them to rest their fingers in? That doesn't seem safe to me, even with a big 1/2" choil.

I don't find them necessary for sharpening, I just like them because there's not that big flat tang-stamp rubbing against the stone rubbing a gouge into it, which makes it easier to get the last bit of the blade.

Matter of fact I think the only two knives with choils are a Benchmade 930 and a Buck 119, and I cannot imagine sticking my finger in either one of them unless I wanted to cut it in half.
 
Nope, ridiculous waste of edge with these finger choils you see on knives like Striders. Give me more edge, if I need that much control i'll use one of my slipjoints.
 
KennyB said:
This thread has served to confuse me.

I thought a choil was only a small notch that allowed you to get the whole blade on the stone without bumping it.

Kind of confused me since people were complaining about having half an inch that they couldn't sharpen.

But people are using them to rest their fingers in? That doesn't seem safe to me, even with a big 1/2" choil.

I don't find them necessary for sharpening, I just like them because there's not that big flat tang-stamp rubbing against the stone rubbing a gouge into it, which makes it easier to get the last bit of the blade.

Matter of fact I think the only two knives with choils are a Benchmade 930 and a Buck 119, and I cannot imagine sticking my finger in either one of them unless I wanted to cut it in half.
Click to expand...


SP113CFPE.jpg


The forward curved area is considered a finger choil and most people refer to this when talking about a choil. It allows you to choke up on the blade and get a little more control when making precision cuts.

For me it depends on the knife. The Caly 3 above is great with a choil and makes a smallish knife fit even big hands great. However, on some knives I am glad they don't have one, especially if the handle is big enough to get a good grip on.
 
We talking folders or fixed here ?

I see no need at all for the little tiny choil on folers other than aesthetics. You cannot possibly fit your finger into these little half moons, so what use are they other than looks.
Plus it wastes blade space.

In doing some quick googling , it seems there is a bit of fuss over what a chol really is. I'm sure someone on here can pipe in. ;)


Tostig
 
Another distinction is a knife that is designed to always be held by using the choil and a knife where the choil is optional.
 
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