KE Bushie & Terrassaur - is the lack of a front guard / choil a problem?

[Mistwalker]

Thanks for your reply!

I am probably doing a poor job describing what I am talking about here. I love the index finger "indent" on the handle of the Fiddleback Kephart. As an inexperienced user, I like how it makes my grip feel secure and helps to guide my hand placement every time I grab the knife. My Kephart fits my hand better than any knife I own, and the contour of the handle at the index finger is a huge part of why I like this handle so much.

I am not a fan of choils when they are giant divots on the blade of a knife. Also, I am NOT trying to criticize Fiddleback's handle design or imply that you need some kind of mall ninja choil on your blades. I guess I am just trying to understand how users like the handle profile of the Fiddlebacks that have less of an indent for the index finger.

I missed the part about those choils or first-finger-notches as they are commonly called. In my view guards and first finger notches are not mutually inclusive. You can have a guard without the first-finger-notch, but if it is actually a "notch" then you have some minimal guard by default. The handle profile on the Kephart is definitely one of the things I love about that model.

I like the indent or notch in general, and have incorporated it into a four or five of my own designs over the years. But in all honesty that part of it isn't done with thrusting or piercing in mind. For that kind of thing, if it will be repeatedly done, I want an actual guard with some width to it to minimize the pounds per square inch of impact on my forefinger or pinkie. In my experiences of testing a LOT of designs that are meant to be used for "tactical" purposes, I have fractured my forefinger twice and my pinkie three times from repeatedly smashing them into the thin steel of an integral guard where the handle scales don't come down onto the guard.

The reason I really like the first finger notch is for the enhanced grip while doing pull cuts with slick hands and then whittling type cuts or pull cuts when weak from fatigue or exhaustion.