Traditional weaning

WE ARE NOT DOING BLW SO PLEASE DON’T TELL ME TO LOOK INTO IT…

For those who did the traditional weaning, when did you start introducing finger foods to baby? My son is 8 1/2 months old. He does great with puffs and the teething stick. I’ve tried scrambled eggs, shredded cheese, cooked peas, cooked diced carrots, mandarin oranges and he wanted nothing to do with any of it. He gagged which I know is normal. I stopped and gave it a break, I didn’t want to push him if he wasn’t ready and risk choking. Yesterday I did small pieces of watermelon and it was the first food he actually seemed to enjoy and put in his mouth himself. He still gagged. It seemed like it was a little tough for him to chew still. Maybe not ripe enough yet.. anyways, my question is when did you start, how would you cut everything for his age and what did you give? I’m sooo scared of him choking that I feel like I’m holding him back. I have avocado I’m going to try when it’s ripe next.