Finger choil on a bk2

Bobby3326 · Aug 8, 2015

I've seen a few bk2 pictures where there owner has added a finger choil, some done very slightly while others a very pronounced choil. I've been thinking about adding one to my bk2 that I've been tinkering with lately, to allow me to choke up on it more for finer tasks. (Which since reprofiling the blade it really excels at now).

My question is for those of you who have done this have you found it to be worth it? If so Should I go full Finger choil or just a slight indent? Also what did you find to be the easiest method for doing it? I was considering just using a dremel with grinding wheel.

Thanks.

knifejunkie1928 · Aug 8, 2015

I've used a belt sander and a worksharp to add choils. Worksharp worked best. I did a full choil on a bk10. And I loved the results but in the end I wish I would have just made a slight indent.

knifejunkie1928 · Aug 8, 2015

Here is a photo. it might be a little harder for you, the BK2 is much thicker then the BK10.

Bobby3326 · Aug 8, 2015

knifejunkie1928 said:
Here is a photo. it might be a little harder for you, the BK2 is much thicker then the BK10.

I've thinned the knife out a lil bit working toward a full convex, haven't reached it entirely yet thou. How long did it take you to grind away that much steel using the work sharp? I have the Ken onion and hadn't thought about using it for a choil.

knifejunkie1928 · Aug 8, 2015

Not long at all! I was very impressed by the worksharp. I was only using the regular, not the ken onion. but I used the heavy grit and it worked wonderful. smoothed it out with the finer grits.

Bobby3326 · Aug 8, 2015

knifejunkie1928 said:
Not long at all! I was very impressed by the worksharp. I was only using the regular, not the ken onion. but I used the heavy grit and it worked wonderful. smoothed it out with the finer grits.

Hmmm..May try that then before going to the dremel. Guess I'll start out with a slight choil first and see how it feels, can always make it a full choil later if I don't like it...Thanks

knifejunkie1928 · Aug 8, 2015

just keep the blade cool if it ever gets too hot to touch then cool it off in some water and keep going.

DOC-CANADA · Aug 9, 2015

I'm not trying to start any kind of flame war, but why would anybody want a choil on their knife? BTW,I believe Ethan agrees with this, but he can correct me if I'm wrong.

Some time ago, I bought a Ratmandu, but can't bring myself to use it because of the stupid choil. I should have known better after buying an ESEE RC-3 but didn't.

If you want to do fine work, do it closer to the handle. It is possible, however, that I'm missing something. If so, please tell me.

(Opinion based on 55+ years of using a knife outdoors.)

Doc

Bobby3326 · Aug 9, 2015

For me some knives a choil isn't necessary and I can choke up on em enough. Likely bc those knives were designed with finer work in mind thus creating the proper grip. The bk2 has a massive handle compared to that of my tops bob, mora, or knives of the such. I've been modifying it from its original configuration and found it to be excellent at finer tasks now, thou would do them more comfortably with the ability to really choke up on it. Therefore a choil would be a nice feature I'd like to add rather than slipping and slicing open my finger.

JWheel · Aug 9, 2015

DOC-CANADA said:
I'm not trying to start any kind of flame war, but why would anybody want a choil on their knife? BTW,I believe Ethan agrees with this, but he can correct me if I'm wrong.

Some time ago, I bought a Ratmandu, but can't bring myself to use it because of the stupid choil. I should have known better after buying an ESEE RC-3 but didn't.

If you want to do fine work, do it closer to the handle. It is possible, however, that I'm missing something. If so, please tell me.

(Opinion based on 55+ years of using a knife outdoors.)

Doc

I think it depends a lot on the knife. I haven't used big knives enough to comment, but my smaller knives that have finger choils really gain a significant amount of control when choking up and cutting into something tough. However, I have other knives that, because of weight distribution and design, would probably not gain much benefit at all. I tend to think that knife makers figure out during the design process if a knife could use a choil or not.

Bobby3326 · Aug 9, 2015

JWheel said:
I think it depends a lot on the knife. I haven't used big knives enough to comment, but my smaller knives that have finger choils really gain a significant amount of control when choking up and cutting into something tough. However, I have other knives that, because of weight distribution and design, would probably not gain much benefit at all. I tend to think that knife makers figure out during the design process if a knife could use a choil or not.

That pretty much sums it up, I feel that by adding a choil I'll gain allot more control and comfort doing certain tasks.

ocnLogan · Aug 9, 2015

DOC-CANADA said:
I'm not trying to start any kind of flame war, but why would anybody want a choil on their knife? BTW,I believe Ethan agrees with this, but he can correct me if I'm wrong.

Some time ago, I bought a Ratmandu, but can't bring myself to use it because of the stupid choil. I should have known better after buying an ESEE RC-3 but didn't.

If you want to do fine work, do it closer to the handle. It is possible, however, that I'm missing something. If so, please tell me.

(Opinion based on 55+ years of using a knife outdoors.)

Doc

I'm with you on this one doc.

The BK15 is the first knife I bought that has a choil, and honestly, it's my least favorite part of the knife. I personally feel that they give the illusion of control, without actually giving you any more control. Anything you might gain by being closer I feel is easily negated by the fact that your grip has been compromised by spreading the fingers apart, and putting your finger closer to harms way.

And if the knife needs a choil to get a 4 finger grip, I personally feel that I'd rather they just made the handle larger, even if that means making the blade shorter, or overall length longer.

And no disrespect to those that do like them, but now even though I have I knife with one, it feels so much clunkier to use it like that that I've given up on using it entirely. But, to be honest there are lots of things like that in life, where people love things that I just can't understand, or vice versa.

Good luck with the mod

. I think it's a smart idea to start small and see if you like it before you go for broke on the thing.

Gassy · Aug 9, 2015

ocnLogan said:
I'm with you on this one doc.

The BK15 is the first knife I bought that has a choil, and honestly, it's my least favorite part of the knife. I personally feel that they give the illusion of control, without actually giving you any more control. Anything you might gain by being closer I feel is easily negated by the fact that your grip has been compromised by spreading the fingers apart, and putting your finger closer to harms way.

And if the knife needs a choil to get a 4 finger grip, I personally feel that I'd rather they just made the handle larger, even if that means making the blade shorter, or overall length longer.

And no disrespect to those that do like them, but now even though I have I knife with one, it feels so much clunkier to use it like that that I've given up on using it entirely. But, to be honest there are lots of things like that in life, where people love things that I just can't understand, or vice versa.

Good luck with the mod . I think it's a smart idea to start small and see if you like it before you go for broke on the thing.

I'm in agreeance. Personally I'd rather more blade edge than less as well.

Cody4x4 · Aug 9, 2015

For me personally I would rather have the extra blade space. While a choil has its place on certain knives, the bk2 handle has always let me choke up plenty to do fine work. but to each his own - if you decide to cut one in make sure to POST PICTURES!!! haha

Semper Praesidio · Aug 9, 2015

Personally, I probably wouldn't. I'm going to carry a blade like the BK2 for long, tough use, so I'd rather have as much cutting edge as possible. I'll have something smaller for detail work.

Plus I find the size of the very small, existing choil works great for throwing sparks off a ferro rod.

Bobby3326 · Aug 9, 2015

Semper Praesidio said:
Personally, I probably wouldn't. I'm going to carry a blade like the BK2 for long, tough use, so I'd rather have as much cutting edge as possible. I'll have something smaller for detail work.

Plus I find the size of the very small, existing choil works great for throwing sparks off a ferro rod.

I have 2 bk2's one is pretty much factory other than being stripped. The other one I've been tweaking the blade, and if you compare the 2 in the picture you can see I've removed a good bit of steel from it. Making it noticeably lighter and performs way different the normal bk2. Im going to eventually fully convex it, but as I'm doing it by hand this is its current configuration until I'm motivated for more sanding.

It's still a robust heavy duty blade, but now it also performs like a Bushcraft knife and glides thru wood with ease. I was just thinking that adding the choil would give me more control when doing finer tasks while also adding a bit of comfort as well. It seems like it would feel good when I choke all the way up, but due to the cutting edge I can't truly tell. Which is why I wanted to hear from those who have done it.

Ps. Blade length isn't really a factor as I also have the 9 for items requiring blade length.

jius · Aug 10, 2015

I'm not a choil fan, but think a choil on a BK2 is a bit much waste of 'blade real estate' - you're better off just getting a smaller knife than shorten a blade on an already short knife. Just my 2p (1¢) contribution