People with average to large hands: handle size?

peripatew

peripatew

Joined
Jul 31, 2007
Messages
1,421
What is your prefered handle thickness and width? I'm about to order a new custom, and I'm trying to decide on a minimum handle thickness and width. I'm wanting a bushcraft/general purpose knife. I'm aiming for 4.5"ish blade, with a long enough handle, I'm just not sure how to determine a minimal handle, so as not to bring fatigue from extended periods of use.

What are the knives that fit your hand best, why? And what is the thickness and width?

Thanks, and I appreciate any thoughts on finding my idea size.
 
For my large , size9 ,hand I find the max size should be 1" high, 3/4" wide.Larger than that will not be comfortable.It should be at least 4.5" long. I also want a straight handle, fatter in the middle and tapering a bit front and back.
A good factory knife for me is the Fallkniven S-1.
 
Some may know, I'm a tad picky about handles. :p Seriously, I hate boxy and/or anemic handles!!! Exact measurements are really hard though, because the overall 'design' and profile and the handle are huge factors too. 'Egg' shape is more important to me, I think, than anything at this point.

But in general, probably an inch wide (maybe a shade under) and no more than 9/10 of an inch wide. My BGA is visiting a friend right now or I'd measure it for you.
 
I've found 4.5" to be good, nothing shorter than 4 1/4" though for sure. I think the handle on the RC6 is a little over 4.5", that is great for me.
 
My hands are only average but I find the handle on knives such as the RC4 to be too small ! I'm definitely in the bigger is better camp !!!!!
 
I have large hands (gernerally, gloves that are size "L" are too small; "XL" are roomy).

My Koster bushcraft knife has a handle that is about 5/8" x 1 1/8" and feels too small.
My Busse SAR5 has a handle that is about 7/8" x 1 3/8" and feels just a tad too big.
My Joel Bolden custom utility's handle is about 13/16" x 1 1/8" and feels large but good.
My Busse Active Duty is around 3/4" x 1 1/8" and feels great.

I would guess that a bit too large is better than a bit too small when it comes to bushcraft use. (And a handle that is too large could probably be reduced to fit you just right.)

Stay sharp,
desmobob
 
Size Large gloves - the handle needs to measure almost 1 inch when looking down on the spine. The 3rd generation Koster is about right - a little bigger would be nice - the Aurora is just about right - the Koyote was right - and the Walt knife I just reviewed was about right.

I have measurements of all those handles on my reviews if you do a search.

TF
 
Hi Friends,

This is a subject that fascinates me, as it probably does all knife makers and aspirants. I've been trying to extrapolate (know more than the info I have tells me) from what feels good in my hand and my hand size, to making the best guess I can for what will feel good in someone else's hand and for their hand size.

Measuring hand sizes is standardized in the glove making arena. They are measured around the widest part (pretty much where the fingers meet the palm). A search on hand sizes brings up a whole bunch of glove company hand size charts.

http://www.glovesonhand.co.uk/wa/1/43/1286-Sizes.html
http://www.foxcreekleather.com/size_charts/glovesizechart.pdf
http://www.totes-isotoner.com/text/content/custserv/right_hand_sizing.pdf

I've been thinking, kind of like the glove folks, that any given knife design could be worked up in something like small, medium and large versions. Of course, even if I figure out some rough "formula" for establishing handle size relative to hand size, that would only be part of the issue. There's still other aspects to consider such as handle shape, intended knife use, materials, overall knife size, etc.

Anyway, have any of you seen this book, Bodyspace: Anthropometry, Ergonomics and the Design of Work, or others like it? I'd love to read through its coverage of the hand. Unfortunately it isn't in any library throughout our state. You also might want to search the knife makers forum area too. There have been several threads over the years on this very topic. It's good to see it being kicked around here. I still haven't figured the sucker out. Good luck!

All the best, Phil
 
I try to make my knives hand filling, and have been lengthening them for guys with bigger hands too. The swell on the handle would approach, or even exceed 1" in some cases. The length of the hanlde for my Bushcrafter is now 4.5". The Woodsman gets up to 5" long. I'd say thats a good 'work knife' range. The width of the handle spine to edge is going to highly depend on the thickness, and vice versa. IMO, whats important is that you can get a comfortable grip in several positions, and that the knife index itself in your hand, so that you know where the edge is without having to constantly check your grip position.

Wruhn61-vi.jpg


Wruhn64-vi.jpg


Wruhn65-vi.jpg
 
Though I am not a large guy I am a large handle guy.

I prefer 4.5" handle, with handle slabs a minimum of 3/8" thick on each side of the handle, on a knife that is at least one and one quarter inches wide.

Here is the massive thick handle on my JK Custom Knife. It is my favorite thusfar.

 
The handle on one of my most confortable knives (Mora Triflex) is about 7/8" thick. It fills my hand nicely and doesn't dictate how I hold it. My Koster Bushcraft is wider at the palm swell and narrower on either side. It's comfortable, but the depth (spine to bottom of the grip) could be a bit deeper to really fit my hand. I find that my RAT-3 is pretty darn thin, but it has a generous depth to it and works pretty darn well even though it's the narrowest handled knife I own.

I'm looking forward to my JK Tank knife and I supplied handle slabs that were just about 3/8" thick. With the 3/16" thickness of the steel the overall width should be right around 7/8" like my Mora. It appears to have a generous depth to it and should fit my L/XL hands well.
 
I find that there is a large variation in what is acceptable to me in handle size. I can readily get away with 4" and even 3.75" when I want to go compact, but prefer 4.25" and up. As somebody mentioned the depth and width of the handle play almost as important a role. I can get away with a shorter handle when it is wider and thicker.

One little trick is to grab a hold of a standard ruler. They are usually 1" wide which is pretty common on most knifes. Measure the length covered by your hand and give yourself another 0.25".

All that said, you almost never can tell whether a handle will be comfortable by looking at its specs. You pretty much have to grab a hold of it see how it feels. Personally, I find that a lot of different variations work for me. Knifemakers are also pretty ingenious at making the ergo's work for them under different design styles.
 
kgd said:
I find that there is a large variation in what is acceptable to me in handle size. I can readily get away with 4" and even 3.75" when I want to go compact, but prefer 4.25" and up. As somebody mentioned the depth and width of the handle play almost as important a role. I can get away with a shorter handle when it is wider and thicker.

One little trick is to grab a hold of a standard ruler. They are usually 1" wide which is pretty common on most knifes. Measure the length covered by your hand and give yourself another 0.25".

All that said, you almost never can tell whether a handle will be comfortable by looking at its specs. You pretty much have to grab a hold of it see how it feels. Personally, I find that a lot of different variations work for me. Knifemakers are also pretty ingenious at making the ergo's work for them under different design styles.
Click to expand...

I think this is really true.

For me the design plays a big role.

About 1" or so by 7/8 to 3/4 usually works well. Also you can get away with a shorter handle if the handle does not box your palm in.

I like the handle to taper a bit toward the blade for finer work but at the same time I have to be careful because for me the widest part on the spine should be against the area right between thumb and forefinger because that is the are you get the most pushback in cutting tough stuff.
koster4kj3.jpg


Also the part along the spine can be a bit thinner if your handle is a bit fatter in the pommel area because when you grip it the pinkie and ring finger then squeeze on that part and if you look at the blade like a see saw they take some of the pressure off of the area between your thumb and forefinger.
tipupez4.jpg

grain1bh5.jpg


I like contoured handles but for me even a straight handle works well if it is contoured top to bottom like rounded and wider at the spine, and then tapering to where your fingers curl around.
mm2ah8.jpg

mm1xv8.jpg


bga4.jpg

bga5.jpg

contour1.jpg

shing2ap5.jpg

inhandks7.jpg
 
Stomper ( JK knives ) makes knives with awesome handle slabs, these are real work horse knives......

P3250011.jpg


P1120003.jpg


P1100003.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top