Do finger choils add safety on a folder

[JR88FAN]

I've used a ton of knives with huge finger choils (Strider/RHK and many I can't remember) and also a ton of knives without..

Never thought of it as a "safety" thing, nor do I feel less safe without one.

Use your knives with care and common sense, just like anything other tool, and it doesn't matter.

 

[The Aflac Duck]

Yep, I like a choil or ricasso on a lockback that allows easy one-hand closing.

As to whether a choil/ricasso is "wasted space" or not depends on the overall knife design.
On some it is.
On some it isn't.

People who get too hung-up on single features of knives end up missing out on some really great offerings out there.
I just follow the "I don't like that knife, so I won't buy it" method, and it works really well.

For me, blade:handle ratio is important, and a choil on a folder always throws the ratio off, so I dismiss them all. I'm not saying knives with choils are bad, just not for me. I do like them on a larger fixed blade though

 

[King of the Cheese]

A choil wouldn't influence my decision to buy a knife or not. I think they're mostly there to keep your hand from sliding forward and up onto the blade in wet conditions. I agree that IF the knife closed on your hand, the choil helps avoid severance of a finger. If someone is using a folder so aggressively that there is a chance it will fail and close on their finger, it's time for a fixed blade. I wouldn't apply upward pressure on the knife blade of a folder regardless of whether it was a $5 knife or a $300 knife. It's flirtation with danger.

 

[BlueSpartan007]

I always knew the choil to be utilitarian for finer tasks. That being said, I never use it as a safety measure, only when a task calls for it. I probably wouldn't use a knife I fear would have lock failure. Or at least not use it in a measure I think is outside the knife's capabilities, which is probably where the lock failure would come into play.

 

[stabman]

I wasn't touting choils as an awesome safety device...I never thought of them that way till my dad mentioned it.
Looking at them more closely though, it most certainly does add an extra level of safety.
Whether you care about that or not is an entirely separate matter.

 

[EChoil]

I don't like choils on folders. They usually eliminate too much edge. I do have some fixed blades with varying size choils and I use those at times. It's probably more of a safety feature on a fixed.

 

[toker]

I'm not a fan of a choil either. As was mentioned, it's wasted space where an edge could be.

 

[stabman]

I'm not a fan of a choil either. As was mentioned, it's wasted space where an edge could be.

I've never once--not even once--come across a situation where I said "Oh crap, if only this damned choil wasn't there, I would have had enough edge."

 

[sjhong]

I like how a well done choil adds to the grip of smaller knives. The Dragonfly 2 and the Mini Tuff Lite are wonderful designs.

 

[CascadianAaron]

I've never once--not even once--come across a situation where I said "Oh crap, if only this damned choil wasn't there, I would have had enough edge."

Me neither...

I love finger choils on bigger folders as they allow for more control where precision is needed/wanted. My main work knife is a Manix 2 XL and the choil allows it to be used as a big and small knife. But I don't consider it a safety feature as much as a precision control feature.

 

[Goosey]

Then I got to thinking if something was forceful enough to make the lock fail would my fingers be destroyed anyway whether it's a sharpened piece of metal or not? I mean if something strong enough to defeat something like an axis lock or button lock the blades going to come down pretty hard on your fingers either way.

Maybe, maybe not. I don't think the majority of choils offer much meaningful protection from major injury. Smaller cuts with less force involved, sure.

Somewhat related note: I think the same thing of the theory that a framelock is safer than a liner lock because "you squeeze it while in use"...

1. Fingers do not exert much pressure on most framelocks in any regular grip
2. Force to make lock fail will probably be significant
3. Fingers are squishy and soft and won't prevent the lock slipping the short distance needed to make it fail

 

[stabman]

Somewhat related note: I think the same thing of the theory that a framelock is safer than a liner lock because "you squeeze it while in use"...

1. Fingers do not exert much pressure on most framelocks in any regular grip
2. Force to make lock fail will probably be significant
3. Fingers are squishy and soft and won't prevent the lock slipping the short distance needed to make it fail

Except for:
4) I tested it on a worn out frame-lock my brother had, where slight spine pressure would make the blade close.
With a regular grip, with my "squishy and soft" fingers squeezing, I was able to lift a 40-45 pound weight hung from the blade.

So your theory is fine, other than being totally wrong.

It does depend on the frame-lock though...I was checking a few months back, and on some of mine, the fingers don't exert much pressure on the lock-bar.
Once again, the individual knife is the most important thing to consider.

 

[toker]

I've never once--not even once--come across a situation where I said "Oh crap, if only this damned choil wasn't there, I would have had enough edge."

- Likewise, I've never come across a situation where I've wished a knife had a choil.

 

[stabman]

- Likewise, I've never come across a situation where I've wished a knife had a choil.

On my knives without choils, I generally don't miss it (but have once or twice).
On my knives with choils, I generally don't think about it, and just hold the knife however best to cut whatever I need to cut.

If you find yourself thinking about the choil, that's a good indication that it is poorly placed, or not helpful on that knife.
Unless you just hate choils, in which case, forget about the last sentence.

I don't buy or not buy a knife based on choil status.

 

[Lycosa]

Common sense adds safety.
I like 'em all!!
rolf

 

[RetiredGuns]

- Likewise, I've never come across a situation where I've wished a knife had a choil.

I used my SnG to notch some weather treated 2x10s and the choil was invaluable. Getting more hand towards the blade and added control was great. I tried a fixed blade first, but couldn't get the job done without using a second hand on top of the blade. Using the choil & and my thumb forward was perfect. Not needed all the time, but used enough.

 

[WadeWilson]

This is the kind of choil I like. In the handle not part of the blade. Acts as an integral guard. Big fan of Perrin's designs.

 

[Peter Hartwig]

Anyone else ever reach for a choil that wasn't there, do to their being accustom to choil knives. I did this once. It was certainly a WTF you doing moment.

 

[22-rimfire]

I find the usefulness of choils on fixed blades much more than folders, especially knives over 4". Other than when the choil design essentially is part of the handle do they work on folders from a use and perhaps safety point of view. If a blade closes easily with slight pressure on the spine, it pretty much gets tossed in my knife bin never to come out or used. The only exception to that has been very small SAK type knives where the blade use is almost secondary to the other tools like a nail file.

 

[dsmegst]

Anyone else ever reach for a choil that wasn't there, do to their being accustom to choil knives. I did this once. It was certainly a WTF you doing moment.

Every folder I normally carry happens to have a choil - Sage 1, Caly3, Para 2, Manix 2, etc. Then I went back to my BM 940 and instinctively choked up on the blade. Didn't cut myself but I didn't even have a chance to think about it. My fingers went right where they felt most comfortable. I did the same with my small Sebenza too.