Knife Ergonomics: How Comfortable Can a Folding Knife Be? - Between Two Knives

Ergonomics: often cited, rarely understood. Check out some of the most comfortable knives here:

A pocket knife’s handle has to do more than just stow the blade when not in use. Whether you subscribe to the notion that ergonomics follow comfort or function, some knives rise to the top when it comes to interfacing with the hand. Follow along as we get a grip on what makes a great handle.

Featured Knives
0:00 Ergonomics in Folding Knives

#KnifeCenter #BetweenTwoKnives

Social Links:

Sign up for our newsletter:

Browse our full catalog:

[charlesdudek]

I think if you are going to use the word ergonomics regarding a folding knife I think you have to not only include the comfort of the grip but also things like can you open the blade with out repositioning your hand too much and how much you have to reposition your hand to operate the lock and how easy the pocket clip works going in and out of the pocket. It's more about not just comfort but also convenience and efficiency. So I think I would agree more with Seth on this one.

[MountainFisher]

Working in a butcher shop or slaughterhouse knives typically have hand filling handles. One slaughterhouse I went to was a chicken factory and they had two different size handles for men and women. Cattle slaughterhouse had a big selection of sizes of cutting tools and bigger handles depending on the cutting station.
What messes me up on most of my folders is the doggone pocket clip.

[benbanters]

Such a good conversation. Interesting to hear the definitions of ergos and see you all apply it to such a range. Good stuff!

[kvernesdotten]

The word "ergo" means something along the lines of "because of", and most subjects that has this word in it focuses on the logistics of things. The qoute “amateurs talk about tactics, but professionals study logistics” comes to mind, not because im saying anyone is an amateur, but it highlights the difference between tactics (how to do something at all) and logistics (how to do a thing most efficiently).

So I had an accident that required me to learn to walk again, and part of that was doing physical therapy and ergo therapy. The ergo therapy part focuses alot on functionality and logistics, and thats kinda stuck with me as the definition of ergonomics as well. You already know how to get a cup out of the cupboard, but what is the most efficient, easiest and/or least discomforting way to do so when you lost a body part?

So in this context, a knife that is designed in way that is clunky to use, is not ergonomic. A knife that is uncomfortable to use is not ergonomic. A knife with a sharp pocket clip that prevents you squeezing as hard as you need to, is not ergonomic. Even a knife that is dull could be considered not ergonomic, because ergonomics focus so much on functionality and efficiency. It is also very much determined by the task you are trying to achieve. If a knife is super comfortable for 10 minutes and thats enough to get what you need done, then it is ergonomic. If the same knife is comfortable at first, but causes your hand to cramp after 2 hours, and your job is to use it for 6 hours, then it is not ergonomic. The task changed the tool in this case.

In a way both of you are correct about the definition of ergonomics, you are just talking about different aspects under the same umbrella term. Kinda like if one of you thinks the engine is the most important piece of a car, and the other thinks the tires are most important, you are both still talking about a car.

[bernard]

One key distinction: SPECIALIST vs GENERALIST

(EDC knives, especially if you only carry one, lean heavily toward generalist applications — they work reasonably well at, and are reasonably comfortable in, a wide variety of common tasks, but rarely ever as well as the specialized tool for a specific task.)

[nathanbardaji]

Finally some griptilian love, my first premium pocket knife and I don’t know if I have a reason to swap it’s so perfect

[cwest]

●Buck Vantage (US)
●Cold Steel Ultimate Hunter (Tiawan)
●Cold Steel AD-10 (Tiawan)
●Benchmade Griptilian (US)
●SOG Aegis (Tiawan)
ANOTHER great topic. Thank you very much. Your knife videos are the BEST!

[senoB]

After owning many of the knives mentioned, I've found the CS Ultimate Hunter to be one of the best compromises for a general use folder, it's one weakness possibly is the large amount of belly and slightly blunter tip. Another heavier duty option would be the CS Bush Ranger but slicing geometry is worse and the handle pushes your hand away from the edge making some bushcraft work harder.

Thankfully, since both handles are just G-10 you can sand them to your liking with minimal equipment.

[blueeyeswhitedragon]

One aspect of an ergonomic design is the feel of the knife grip in the hand, BUT...
Equally important is the feeling of the knife in the pocket.
One factor that determines comfort is :- can you slide your hand into your knife pocket with the knife clipped to the pocket? Does the pocket knife take up too much room in your pocket and can you still grab loose change or whatever from your pocket.
The most comfortable handle on a knife would be determined by squeezing some clay in your hand and then using that mold to fashion the knife handle, but this design would not be functional for a pocket knife (though it might work for a fixed blade) and would only be comfortable in one grip position.
So the moral of the story is...ergonomics depends on use...there is no "one size fits all".

[fierce]

As somebody whose job often deals with semantics and pushing back on people with miniscule- yet important- perception differences, I thought this was an excellent video. Well done, gents!

[jonhughes]

I think the Spyderco tenacious is built perfectly for my hand, IMO it's one of those "beat the icon" knives. It's been around for a while and still going strong. Even the newer lightweight versions are even better. Also the pocket clip feels like the buck vantage, non obtrusive in my hand. There you go DCA, tenacious episode for "beat the icon". Thanks

[kylearmstrong]

That Kizer always baffled me. Kind of a chunky folding Mora. Thanks for another great video guys!

[ramonvelasquez]

To my understanding, an "ergonomic" handle or design comes from the idea that it adapts to the human body. Ex: an ergonomic pillow, an ergonomic chair, an ergonomic handle. When it comes to knife scales for instance, you can have scales that are comfortable for some people, but not necessarily ergonomic, versus, you can have "ergonomically" thought out handle scales that are perhaps not comfortable for everybody, but were thought out to be "ergonomic" in principle at least.

[mcsquirgle]

I agree with Seth when it comes to Spyderco knives in the sense that they do seem to be made to fit the human hand. maybe not as hand filling as the griptilian, but definitely intentionally designed for comfortable use in many grips

[davidpopen]

I enjoyed the discussion on ergonomics. Mostly, I applaud both of you for not saying "ergos' once.

[patrickomalley]

Gentlemen…another excellent video. As a long-in-the-tooth KCI customer, spending countless hours in the outdoors hunting, fishing and camping, most often using the same knife in the process…well, y’all overlooked one important, iconic knife - the Buck 110.

[Kilt_Camera_and_Carry]

Love the discussion… I have 2 that feel great in hand … For the large it is my Micarta Shaman … For the small it is my Ti We Banter … Zero hot spots that don’t beat up the hand no matter how much I use them.

[emoryogglethorp]

Okay that orange handled SOG is absolutely jaw-dropping, I love it.

[Woodzy-]

For what I use a folding knife for, and the shape of my hand, subjectively the CJRB large Swaggs Maileah is one of the most comfortable folder I own.

[Marcobuck]

I think the Cold Steel tuff lite is very ergonomic, confortable, very easy to carry and to deploy, very budget friendly and cuts very good.