Arthritis Friendly Handle Suggestions

[scott kozub]

I have a colleague who's wife if looking for a meat slicer.

He says she has arthritis so they want the handle made to be easy to use for her.

I curious what people here would suggest. I normally thin the handles out a lot at the blade to facilitate a pinch grip this won't be necessary given the use or the arthritis concern.

I'm thinking of a western style with a decent palm swell or a simple rounded handle with a belly and palm swell.

Any advice? Whatever I decide on, i'll whip up a few handles out of old 2x4's that she can try to see what comfortable. Not sure if it'll be hidden tang or full tang yet.

 

[Horsewright]

If she is close by have her handle your mockups to see what is most comfortable for her. I too have the same problem with my hands and don't find a pinch grip uncomfortable. In fact I find I do that more and more.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Grip will be as ... or more ... important than shape. Canvas Micarta or even neoprene would make for a comfortable and grippy handle. A basic wa or "D" shape works well because it allows the fingers to be placed wherever they fall. It works well in a pinch grip, or a full grasp (baseball grip).

Let her try a wooden mock-up and see if she likes the grip.

 

[tltt]

A lot of orthopedic designs for arthritis sufferers are very close to the OXO Good Grips utensil designs (semi soft and bulky) -

.


The D and angled offset designs are popular too, as Stacy mentioned. They seem to have started in the Nordic countries, and become popular everywhere else -

.

.

 

[scott kozub]

A lot of orthopedic designs for arthritis sufferers are very close to the OXO Good Grips utensil designs (semi soft and bulky) - wow I've never seen those. She also may be interested in an ulu. Thx for the suggestions all.

.


The D and angled offset designs are popular too, as Stacy mentioned. They seem to have started in the Nordic countries, and become popular everywhere else -

.

.