Would YOU Add A Choil To A ZT 0562???

Ares1307

Ares1307

Joined
Jun 14, 2012
Messages
545
I recently got my hands on a ZT 561 with a choil mod, which is my first EDC with a choil and I love it. I think it actually makes the knife look much sexier and it is very functional. I know the choil takes away from the cutting edge, but I think its a nice trade off, it even makes it easier for ME to sharpen (because I have a bad habit of cutting into the plunge line on ZTs). I talked to a guy on the forum who does some really nice choil mods and he cuts into the flipper a little to take as little cutting edge away as possible, so I don't think there is a huge sacrifice there.
So, what do you guys think about choil mods in general? Would you add one to a ZT 0562? Do you think the 0562 would look better or worse with a choil added? I have a 0562 on preorder, and I think I'll have that forum member I mentioned add a choil to it when it comes in. I even came up with a little rendering I made quickly in Paint. I used a screen shot taken off of a very good video by sticktodrum on youtube.

 
I wouldnt. I think itll look unbalanced that way.

And it hardly matters anyway. By the time the 0562 is released, you will have forgotten that you ever had the idea:p
 
If I wanted to I would totally do it. Its your knife, do the stuff you want to it :thumbup:
 
Thanks for the replies everyone. When mine comes in I will decide for sure if I will add it or not, if I remember what I wanted to add. LOL. I think I would like the look, I'm just unsure if I would like the look better than the 561 I have right now. I have to admit, I never really cared for the 560 or 550 until recently, and I think the choil makes the knife look amazing. I especially love how it makes the blade look like its leaning forward even more, it looks very aggressive. I'm hoping that I will love the 562 with a choil just as much if not more, but I know I have a while before I find that out.

I just wanted to know if anybody else had put any thought into it or had planned to do the same. I think it will make it look a little more like an actual Hinderer. I've had a thing for nice knives with choils ever since I fell in love with the TAD Dauntless knives, but I do think that choils look better on flippers.
 
I wouldn't do it, but that's just me. I have no use for choils. I actually think Hinderers would look better with more cutting edge. I think the blade looks fine the way it is.

That being said, it's your knife and you can do as you please with it. Oh and post a couple of pics of that modded 0561!
 
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Obviously, by ZT's placement of the jimping on the flip trigger, that choil was meant to be there originally. :p

If they jimp the 562 the same way, do it. Might do mine too.

EDIT: Oh wait...he took the jimping didn't he...?
 
Nope. Why would anybody want to shorten the cutting edge if the knife has got sufficient handle length?
Choil on Native: good idea.
Choil on ZT0562: not so much.

But as it was said earlier: it's your knife now, you can do whatever and never look back (as long as you do not try to sell it or trade).
 
Thanks again for sharing your thoughts fellas. I'm happy to hear both sides, because I am felling both sides. I don't think I'll know for sure until its in my hands and I black out the area I would have cut away... But until then its nice to contemplate. I do agree that its less of a need and more of a 'it would look cool' thing for me, however, since getting my 561 I have been using that choil quite a bit. I mostly cut cardboard, letters, small bits of string or plastic tie that holds my kids toys in their boxes, and food for my kids. And with the food especially, the choil gets used a lot, and I love how it feels. See my 562 will be my user, so it will cut everything, my Emerson CQC 13 just sits pretty in my pocket and stays sharp for emergencies... So that being said, what little edge that will be lost won't be sorely missed, and I don't intend to have as big of a choil added to the 562. In some of the photos and vids it looks like the knife has more than 3.5 inches of CUTTING EDGE, so I'm hoping that when I have the 562 in hand and black out the choil I will still have enough cutting edge to satisfy me.

Right now my 561 only has 3.5 inches of Cutting Edge, so the choil took .25 inches off, but this choil is much bigger than what I need and was started further forward than the choil will be on the 562, so I don't expect to lose as much cutting edge on the 562.

Anyways... Here are some pix of my ZT 561.

 
If I wanted the blade of a 0562 modified, I would send it to Maprik and tell him to have fun doing whatever he wanted with the blade. Dude does some sick blade mods.
 
I for one wouldn't. I use the heel of my blades very often and prefer the extra cutting length. But of course it's your knife and do whatever works for you!
 
Thanks for the advice bpeezer. I've seen some of his work on his page and it is amazing. BUT if I send it to him them I'll want him to anodize all the titanium blue... then I'd need a blue titanium clip to match (which I'd have a very hard time finding until people start making them and other awesome accessories for the 562 like they're making for the 550 and 560)... then I'd want to have a scale made for me to better suit the new modifications and my wallet wouldn't be able to take the rapid weight loss, that and my Wife would shoot me. LOL. If I do get the choil mod done I'll have him and Solo at the top of my list. There's also a maker here in my town, but I don't know if he would be willing to do it or what he would charge. I have been wanting to meet him in person though, he's the first and only knife maker I've ever met. He told me to call if I ever need work done (customizations), I guess I'm just nervous because I've seen Maprik's and Solo's custom work and they do a lot of customs, and this guy is a maker but doesn't customize finished knives (or at least not usually, I'm not sure). I guess I just feel like this is more Maprik and Solo's area.
 
Ares1307 said:
Thanks for the advice bpeezer. I've seen some of his work on his page and it is amazing. BUT if I send it to him them I'll want him to anodize all the titanium blue... then I'd need a blue titanium clip to match (which I'd have a very hard time finding until people start making them and other awesome accessories for the 562 like they're making for the 550 and 560)... then I'd want to have a scale made for me to better suit the new modifications and my wallet wouldn't be able to take the rapid weight loss, that and my Wife would shoot me. LOL. If I do get the choil mod done I'll have him and Solo at the top of my list. There's also a maker here in my town, but I don't know if he would be willing to do it or what he would charge. I have been wanting to meet him in person though, he's the first and only knife maker I've ever met. He told me to call if I ever need work done (customizations), I guess I'm just nervous because I've seen Maprik's and Solo's custom work and they do a lot of customs, and this guy is a maker but doesn't customize finished knives (or at least not usually, I'm not sure). I guess I just feel like this is more Maprik and Solo's area.
Click to expand...

It wouldn't hurt to ask him, maybe he'll even show you around the shop and help you customize it yourself. You never know!
 
here's what I did to mine, i like it more this way.

IMG_20130803_171216_661_zps91c18fd1.jpg
 
Gooeytek and Ares, I really like both of your results. I just received my 562 today, and I've been seriously considering adding a choil. IMHO, it simply makes the knife simpler and safer to close one-handed, and I really like that aspect of the slicer grind on my XM. Thanks for posting the pics, and I'll probably use them as a guide if I decide to choil up my 562. Ooh, ooh. Hard to decide.
 
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