Do you prefer sharpening choils?

Do you prefer sharpening choils on your knives

  • Yes

    Votes: 1 100.0%

  • No

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • No preference

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    1
shootist16

shootist16

knife law moderator
Moderator
Joined
Dec 25, 1998
Messages
7,394
I have some knives with the sharpening choil and some without. I have heard arguments both for and against. I personally prefer them.
 
Aside from appearance, what possible argument is there against?
 
I assume you mean the little notch right before the tang?
Some people claim that they tend to catch whatever they cutting in that notch. Personally I prefer a notch. Cut one into my Manix myself. Makes honing on a stone a lot easier.
 
Hob is right. I have seen complaints about these catching things that are being cut. I personally like them.
 
I have had problems with them catching on things. I don't need that last 1/8" of edge perfectly sharpened. It also weakens the blade somewhat.
 
I dont have a problem with them, I tend not to start a cut on the very edge of the grind anyways, so I never catch that notch.
 
I tend to like a choil on a knife. If the choil is large enough to get a finger in to choke up on the blade I really like it. It gives you another hold when doing fine cutting chores. The aid it gives in sharpening is secondary to me actually. I think they look good also, if done right, that is.
 
I like a sharpening choil on small knives, and a choil large enough for a forward grip on large knives. Any knife with more than a six inch blade is still okay for fine work if you can use the choil for extra control.
 
I could never understand how it helps sharpening or the hole edge can be sharpened. You cann't sharpen all the way back if there is no steel there/choil. I don't like them.
 
I prefer them as they are good for fine work (whittling), they allow for a cleaner look to the sharpened edge, make it easier to determine a beginning point for sharpening, and they just look better.

Nitin
 
maybe I'm still a n00b at 100+ knives but what is a sharpening choil and what does it do/purpose? Any pics?
 
db said:
I could never understand how it helps sharpening or the hole edge can be sharpened.
Click to expand...
Some knives are ground differently at the base and have much thicker stock there. Adding a choil there IMO improves the aesthetics since that part isn't going to be sharpened properly anyway.

For other knives (like a Spyderco for example) it makes it easier to sharpen the base of the edge because you're much less likely to hit the ricasso. Especially when using round diamond hones or round ceramics. Even on the Sharpmaker rods, there'd be the last little bit that wouldn't get sharpened properly because of the shape of the rods. Might as well put a choil there.
 
Seems to me it boils down to an eye apeal thing. To me the small sharpening choils give a cheap look. It's also my opinion they harm function, by weakening the blade and previding a place to snag.
 
They do tend to snag if you let the cutting edge drift too far back while cutting material or cardboard. I sometimes use the little "tooth" where the edge begins after the choil to make small slits.

For those who don't know what one is, you can see it in this image.

sng2.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top