I can't say I've ever thought to and I don't even know why I would.

Well on coated knives which I don't want to put a swedge bowie style clip on like my NMSFNO I often remove a little of the coating just where the choil meets the beginning of the edge so that I can use that area for a ferro rod for spark creation. It works very well so long as you are careful not to neglect what is on the ground regarding your edge when lighting the tinder...you don't want to put the tinder on a large stone to light it and then keep dinging the edge when striking the rod...but tinder placed on a split log is fine.

I do also use the choked up grip if I want to do some fine notching using the back inch or so of the edge...mainly for things like a billy can holder for over the fire to wedge the handle in...or sometimes for a "figure of 4" trigger on a snare trap or on a perimeter device...when doing these I use the same choked grip to cut open a 12g shell and use a deadfall device to trigger the shell if tripped...it is a good way to watch your back...removing the pellets just saves "innocents" from getting hurt...the noise is all you need for a warning and when bugging out you know they will be taking it steady looking for traps whilst you move or go to ground...a "gamekeeper" or "ghillie" in Scotland showed me this trick...he used it to let him know about poachers...shotgun shells work very well for this as the wad still keeps the powder in...

I guess a choked grip is something desgined for larger knives when carrying multiple knives is not so easy....I started using this type of grip with a Khukri and now it is pretty much second nature...works well on machetes as well...or a NMFBM which I now carry instead...it's a very useful option if your smaller knife is something you want to keep clean for food prep.

It works well on these size knives...



But I would rather have an edge close to a proper handle on a smaller blade...
like the end four knives in this picture....

The choil on a knife is used to make the owner realize that they wish they had a cutting edge that ran all the way to the scales on a futire knife.

Or to put your finger in on "finer" work. I never really do though.

Going further up the blade on a larger knife does balance it better for some work....it just depends on whether you use a large knife or carry a smaller one as well....but they do have a use on a larger knife....and improve that type of blade...taking the edge to the hanle would still have a very blade heavy feel to the user if doing delicate cutting on these type of knives with a straight handle grip.

I really don't think that a lot of folks do much "delicate cutting" with a large knife. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Wow I am suprised how many dogs are not down with the choil action, I couldn't dissagree more more with you anit-choilers.
My Gen 2 Howling Rat a fantastic knife and the thing I love most about it aside from its strenght and duribility is is the Choil. The handel is a little on the small side for larger hands, thus the choil is perfect. The Scrapper 6 is not much different the choil is such a natural point to choke up on, the blade is so balanced when my index finger is in the choil. My Mud Puppy is a great blade I love it but every now and then I think it would be great with a choil, like the Street Scrapper 4.

Choils are good.

LOVE KNIVES WITH CHOILS!

I'm also suprised how many dogs don't care for choils.

I sure AM one of them.
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

maybe on a DF or SOD they are useful to get a better balance.
but other than that I want the edge as close the the handle as I can have it.

You tell em' emf!!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

haha.
looks like I don't have to.
everyone (or most) seem to have the same opinion.

I don't HATE choils, and I have knives where they are pretty handy. But for most tasks, I dislike them most of the time.

For example, if I'm trying to whittle a point or peel bark off a stick, I want the leverage I get by working with the part of the blade right next to the handle. If there's a choil, I have to use a section an inch or more from the handle, and I lose leverage. A royal PITA most of the time.

LOVE THE CHOIL AND THE CHOIL WILL LOVE YOU!