I also agree that the choil is excessive, and combined with the hugeness of the guard, it's putting your hand veeeeery far away from the cutting surface. If I could change one thing about this knife, that would be it.

I'm still buying it, though

The mudders are really nice! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I have also wondered if it is too much knife for the handle. It looks close, but I will have to hold it in my hands to know for sure.

Oh yeah, also I have the opposite reaction to mudder handles as the person Bruce quoted. I love them!

I have to agree with the choil comments, One of my most used knives is my Swamprat Bandicoot but due to the choil it's a 4" blade with a 3" cutting edge !!! The actual cutting edge is virtually the same as my Swampwarden !!!!

I would say you pretty much nailed my reasons for disliking large choils. There's also the simple issue of wasted blade - it's a decent sized knife, but if the choil wasn't that drawn out square thing, I could squeeze a bit more usable cutting edge out of it. Same thing goes for the guard. I also don't like grabbing my knives with a vulcan nerve pinch for detail work, so the big split between index and middle fingers is a pain. I've got a knife with a big guard between the choil and the handle, and it chafes the crap out of my hand if I try to choke up on it.

Naturally, I won't REALLY know anything about the ergonomics of this thing until I've held it in my hand (and oh yes, I will hold it in my hand... my... precious...)

wait, what was I saying? Oh yeah, I won't know the feel of it until I feel it, but from the pictures I can say I would be slightly happier if the choil and guard were tweaked a bit. The choil/guard combination does certainly make for a nice LOOKING knife, but I'm not a big fan of form over function.

A choil on a blade smaller than 6" does nothing for me, personally. Bigger blades yes, but even then it's not a must have. More importantly, if the ricasso is short enough and the edge comes up to the handle, fine cutting is easy. However, in knives with big guards like my ASH-1, the choil does facilitate in getting a closer grip to the edge.

Here are 2 pics, ASH-1 and BRKT Canadian Camp. Both work well, but I prefer no choil.





Having said that, the blade shape of this Scrapper is gorgeous. I will have one, thank you very much...

I to am not a fan of a choil on a less than 6" blade. I will pass on the S5. If the S5 had no choil it would be one bad [censored] blade.

Yes it does. I just acquired some money for SY--I say that cause I sold some stuff and plan on giving that to SY!

OK, we should delay it for you <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif" alt="" /> You are the man <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

Be safe on your "transit" back.