# "Ergonomic" Designs?



## Don Nguyen (Oct 24, 2011)

Hiya Kitchen Knife Forums!

I've been thinking about some wonky knife designs lately. I'm working on my first knife right now, which is pretty standard, but then I've been looking into strange ideas lately.

Here is one of them. The knife handle is angled downward.






http://www.ergochef.com/ErgoEngineering.asp

It seems like a good idea to me, because my hand normally rests like that at cutting board height. What do you experts say? Would you like a handle like so?

I don't have nearly enough cooking experience to determine how useful it would be.


----------



## jm2hill (Oct 24, 2011)

just my opinion:

this looks comfy if you hold strictly on the handle, but I feel many here (or at least myself) use a pinch grip above or around the heel. At that point your handle would impede the movements of my forearm and actually become a distraction. Having never used something like this my opinion is just from the looks.

I'm sure others will chime in with there thoughts!


----------



## MadMel (Oct 24, 2011)

jm2hill said:


> just my opinion:
> 
> this looks comfy if you hold strictly on the handle, but I feel many here (or at least myself) use a pinch grip above or around the heel. At that point your handle would impede the movements of my forearm and actually become a distraction. Having never used something like this my opinion is just from the looks.
> 
> I'm sure others will chime in with there thoughts!


 
Yeah I think so too. If you are just holding onto the handle it may be ok but I don't think a lot of people here do the 'hammer grip'. Most of use will at some point have our fingers on the blade itself, weather it's pinching or finger pointing etc. That looks like it will kinda put some stress on the wrist and not comfy at IMHO.


----------



## JohnnyChance (Oct 24, 2011)

For me, that is completely backwards. I prefer the handle to be angled away from the cutting board when the knife is in use, not towards it.

I know it kinda sucks from a knife makers standpoint that simpler handle designs work the best, tough to make something that is uniquely yours.


----------



## ecchef (Oct 24, 2011)

:nah: The "Earth Shoes" of cutlery.


----------



## Salty dog (Oct 24, 2011)

Built for rocking.


----------



## Don Nguyen (Oct 24, 2011)

Thanks for all the input everyone!

As I'm learning how to make knives, I'm also learning about cooking technique... :thumbsup:

I heard about the pinch grip, but I finally looked into it and found out the pinch was actually on the blade (and not on, say, the bolster area or something). Good thing to learn, it actually made sense when I tried it.


----------



## WildBoar (Oct 24, 2011)

haha, I checked out the web site for ghits and srins, and it's from the maker of Guy's Knuckle Sandwich knives

:guillotine:


----------



## Salty dog (Oct 24, 2011)

Read further about the carpal tunnel. It's one of the reasons I use wa handles almost exclusively. I've found after suffering from carpal tunnel over the last 10 years that technique plays more a role than anything. Practically everything I do with a knife has been altered due to CT. It may look odd but there is a reason I control and hold a knife differently than most.

Also to be honest I think the rocking motion is hard on the wrist. One of the reasons I keep rocking to a minimum.


----------



## Don Nguyen (Oct 24, 2011)

Can I ask what makes a wa handle so special? I've never been able to try one yet, and I've only been exposed to factory german type handles so far.

What are the big differences when you're using them? I hear that a lot of people don't like blocky type handles, but the octagon shape is so popular.


----------



## Eamon Burke (Oct 24, 2011)

Salty dog said:


> Also to be honest I think the rocking motion is hard on the wrist. One of the reasons I keep rocking to a minimum.


 
lusone:
I cannot figure out how people work all day wanking their wrists like that. A circular push-cutting motion gets me through several hours a day.


----------



## Delbert Ealy (Oct 24, 2011)

In the past 25 years I have seen quite a few knife designs. 
For some reason it is forever a temptation to most to over-complicate the simple. 
Knives, when it comes right down to it should cut and anything that get in the way of that just doesn't belong.
I have seen knives so over-designed to do so many things(supposedly) that actual cutting is no longer the primary focus.
The handle is important because it is the user interface, and it is a common place to over-design as well.
The knife that was originally posted I can see no useful function for, it puts the hand in an awkward position for board cutting.
You want an example of a good useful knife, take a look at the machete, simple clean lines and it does what it is supposed to-cut.
Del


----------



## SpikeC (Oct 24, 2011)

My wrist hurts just looking at that thing!


----------



## Salty dog (Oct 26, 2011)

Don Nguyen said:


> Can I ask what makes a wa handle so special? I've never been able to try one yet, and I've only been exposed to factory german type handles so far.
> 
> What are the big differences when you're using them? I hear that a lot of people don't like blocky type handles, but the octagon shape is so popular.


 
I find the westerns to confining, heavy and cumbersome. I'm all over the handle depending what I'm doing. From barely holding it with two fingers to jamming with the hammer grip. It gives me more freedom to do with the knife I want. I personally prefer D handles because of the extra control I get at my finger tips.


----------



## tk59 (Oct 26, 2011)

Salty dog said:


> I find the westerns to confining, heavy and cumbersome. I'm all over the handle depending what I'm doing. From barely holding it with two fingers to jamming with the hammer grip. It gives me more freedom to do with the knife I want...


+1 As for the "knuckle-sandwich" design, I think that would be okay for people cutting on high countertops. Mine is a little high for me, let alone my wife so we have a part that was built lower that works well with a butcher block on it.


----------

