How to avoid n-gons while using the knife tool? I keep encountering a problem, I started modeling 3 months ago and I keep reachign dead-ends because of n-gons.
Currently I am working on something that should become a claw, but I am stuck: 



I want to give it another split so I can extrude 3 claws without having to add a whole new loopcut, but when I cut it with the knife tool..



I end up with two ngons, one at the bottom and one up where the cut ends, is there any other way than to make a loopcut for everything?
Tap K to use the knife tool.
Click 2 or more lines, then Enter to complete your cut.  

If you end up w/ unwanted n-gons, do the same operation, but cut across diagonal corners.  

Another method is tap Alt-P to poke faces.  

Alternatively, use the triangulate modifier.