Crazy about Little Big Knives & related

[thombrogan]

Our household has a black G10-scaled Dodo and red aluminum-scaled Salsa and they are two of the most substantial feeling knives I own. They're also great cutters (the reverse-S curve and flat-ground leaf/Snoopyhead shapes are very effective).



My favorite feature of both is the integral choil/guard. I first experienced that feature on the Native Lightweight and wished every folder had one (the integral choils on the Meerkat and Calypso Jr are good, too, but the ones on the Native, Salsa, and Dodo are my favorites).



It doesn't stop there, of course. The handles are designed to allow a lot of leverage and comfortable, prolonged cutting with those knives (in contrast, my smaller Benchmades and Cold Steels, while excellent in their own rights, aren't designed to be comfortable for a long period of time. The mini-Griptillians, which I don't own, probably are, as the larger Griptillians will nuzzle your hand for over an hour, but me no have mini-Griptillian). Once we get into the realm of larger knives, the other brands' knives start to rise to the occasion, but they (and Spyderco, too, in most cases) lack the integral choil and guard.



The only thing that the little big knives seem to lack is a Dodo and Salsa with M2 or T1 high-speed steel, but that imaginary concern would only be for if you're cutting down lots of cardboard and are worried that the too-hot-to-touch blade's temper may be ruined.

[Jeff/1911]

Good observations Thom, I too very much appreciate folders with an integral choil as part of their design.

Jeff.

[Civilian]

I absolutly agree, It's one of those things that you don't really notice right away. That is one of the reasons why my EDC is the Milie.
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[The Deacon]

Agree with you Thom, the deep intergal choil is one of the factors that make the Kiwi one of my favorite knives.

Paul

[thombrogan]

Civilian,

The Millie's choil/guard arrangement is different enough to put it in a separate category of sweet. The hand is generally more below the pivot than on a Salsa or Native, though it still receives that extra protection. That category of sweet also houses the Chinook family and the ATR/Salbenza.

The Deacon,

The Kiwi is another excellent example and definitely a knife I should get some time. It has the integral choil/guard combo and a wharncliffe blade (my favorite overall blade shape). Very good stuff.