What's the most ergonomic and comfortable knife you own ( folder/ fixed ) Worst?

Jestersinthemoon

Jestersinthemoon

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Apr 6, 2008
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252
Ok, so my question for everyone out there is:

What is the most ergonomic and comfortable folder and fixed blade knife that you own? There are so many handle materials and shapes and styles out there, and of course, everyone's hands are different, but some knives just fit in the hand nicely and some don't.

So, what knife that you own doesn't. What knife that you own is the most uncomfortable knife to use, or even hold?

For me, the most comfortable knives that I own:

Best Folder: Lone Wolf Harsey D/A Auto D2 -- This isn't a fancy or frilly looking handle. In fact, I don't really care for the GFN skeletonized Zytel handle scales, BUT, the way that it fits in my hand is perfect. Its got effective and comfortable gimping at the thumb ramp and where the pinky and ring fingers sit in a forward grip. The bottom of the knife is contoured to fit the index and ring fingers, and I really like the 3-step thumbstud, which I actually use more than they Auto button. I don't think I could ask for a folder that fits my hand better

Runner Ups:

Kershaw TiLT -- I hated the way this knife looks for a long time, but I must say that it feels really good in the hand
Zero Tolerance 0777 - I didn't care for how light this knife was at first, but its definitely grown on me, and its very comfortable in the hand
Benchmade 581 Barrage and Benchmade 551 Griptilian


Worst Folder: Benchmade 810 Contego -- Good Lord, the gimping, and that huge half moon cutout. It just makes the entire angle wrong.

Runner Ups:

Kershaw Shallot -- I do like the Shallot, but I hate the plain metal scales. Its too slippery, especially for a knife that doesn't fit in the hand properly. If they would come out with a Shallot with a canvas micarta or g10 scale ( like the G10 Leek, wouldn't hurt to use the s30V steel, either ), and , more importantly, a finger choil, it would be a killer little knife.

Benchmade Mini Skirmish -- Just couldn't find a comfortable way to hold this knife, and I don't have really big hands. The regular Skirmish is a great, and very comfortable knife, though.


Best Fixed: Boker AF-5 or Al Mar SERE Operator -- I ove handles that my hand can really conform to and both of these are super comfortable in any grip.

Runner Ups:

Skookum Bush Tool -- I've actually had a few people tell me that they hate this handle, but I can use it all day without any hand fatigue or hot spots.
Busse NMFSH or NMFBM -- For a large chopper, I love the contours of these handles and the multiple comfortable grips that they allow


Worst Fixed: Benchmade Snody 14100 -- I found this to be one of the most uncomfortable fixed blades I have ever tried to use

CRKT Crawford Kasper Dragon -- I am a fan of small "fighter" blades, but I think that this knife could have some major improvements

Boker RJ Martin Rampage -- Don't get me wrong, I do love this knife, but you've got one grip and one grip only. You can't even adjust or make variations on that one grip. If you aren't holding it in a hammer grip, the contours and huge index finger cutout makes this and exceedingly uncomfortable knife to use.


So, how about you? What are the most comfortable folder and fixed blades that you have? What are the worst?


Jester
 
Best folder: Tied between Benchmade Torrent, Spydie Endura, and Kershaw Skyline.

Worst Folder: SOG Slim Jim. I am not mad about this one based on the concept. They wanted the thinnest assisted knife on the market and they got it, but the handle was not comfortable. Other knives have just one or two thing wrong, but I'd buy them again. The Kershaw Cryo and Buck Vantage give me the same hot spot when using the flipper. On my Spydie Manix 2 lightweight sometimes my pinkie rests on the lanyard hole and it's uncomfortable
 
Best folder would be a tie between my mini onslaught and ZT0200......best fixed blade would be the kershaw antelope hunter...
 
Out of my limited experience the combative edge sr11 i have fits in the hand really well do to the slight curve in the handle, plus its not too thick or too thin.
Worst folder would be pretty much every other $25 knife i purchased before i found this site.
 
I only do folders, so...

Best: Spyderco Persian, and it's not even close.

Worst. CRK Umnumzaan, no I'm not joking or trolling. It honestly felt awkward and blocky in the hand.
 
Best: Southern Grind Bad Monkey - I just got it yesterday but it has already found a permanent home with me. It feels like it was made for my hand.
Worst: CRK Small Sebenza. I've tried to love that knife but it feels awkward in my hands. I have a Benchmade Emissary that fills that role for me and though it's a tad small it fits better than the sebbie.
 
Best folder: A tie between the Benchmade Griptillian and the ZT200.

Worst: Buck Vantage, it has some rather weird and sharp angles.

Runner up for worst: Benchmade 530. It's my favorite EDC blade by far, but the ergos are a little off. That is the nature of the design though.
 
Gotta be the ZT 0200.
That knife feels like it was made for my hand. Soon after I got this knife, I added it to my never sell / trade list.

Not into fixed blades so much, but the one that I have has been with me on every hike for the past 12 years. A Schrade X-timer, very comfortable grip.

The worst for me would be anything small, such as my Sog twitch ii or mini griptillian, although I think they are both outstanding knives aside from that.
 
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Best Folder is a toss-up between my Manix2 and Para2. Even better is the Benchmade Barrage with G10, but I don't own that anymore. Too big to carry. (Will probably get another, to carry in a bag.)

Best Fixed: Gotta be the Fiddleback Forge KE Bushie. Close Runner-up goes to Scrapyard War Dog. With a shout-out to my custom-scaled BK16.
BK7, RMD, and Ryan W. High Uinta are actually all quite awesome in their own way, but those are my top ones.

Worst? Well, folders I try before I buy, and fixed I try or research first. So I (fortunately) don't have anything truly uncomfortable. But my SS Leek is probably near the bottom for me, just because it's a little small and a lot slick.
I do have a small Western fixed blade hunter I got when I was 9. Handle's only about 3.5" long and has a has an oversize pommel, so it's just too darn small. Not actually bad, though.
 
cncpro11 said:
Gotta be the ZT 0200.
That knife feels like it was made for my hand. Soon after I got this knife, I added it to my never sell / trade list.
Click to expand...

You cut anything with it? That sort of changed my mind about my ZT200. It's a tank that fits like a glove, but its cutting performance is a little lacking in some materials.

My Inron MY803 had surprisingly good ergos as well, especially after I ground off a rather pointy bit on the lock bar.
 
Most ergonomic folder for me is the BM 551-101 (Griptilian with carbon fiber handles). The design, texture, and material all combine for crazy comfort~
griptilianupload.jpg


Least ergonomic folder I've handled (but don't own) is probably the CRKT Ripple. At the knife shop I just found it abrasive and uncomfortable, and opted instead for the CRKT Eros, which I'm happy with.

Don't have enough fixed blades to comment on ergonomics.


>(This is kind of a tough query to answer. It's of course pretty subjective, and the answer depends in part on the intended and actual use of the knife.)
 
i'm surprised no one has mentioned the spyderco southward as most ergonomic. maybe it's just me, but it fits really nicely in my medium sized hands.
 
Most comfortable would my Spyderco Dodo follows by the UKPK, Just melts in my hand. I don't think I have any uncomfortable knives in my collection. I'm sure there was some cheap Chinese folders that were horrible.
 
Bugout Bill said:
You cut anything with it? That sort of changed my mind about my ZT200. It's a tank that fits like a glove, but its cutting performance is a little lacking in some materials.

My Inron MY803 had surprisingly good ergos as well, especially after I ground off a rather pointy bit on the lock bar.
Click to expand...

I don't think the 0200 was ever intended for daily cutting tasks.

Glad you like your Inron, I hear they are good.
 
Frustratingly, the knife I carry and use the least is the comfiest - Cold Steel Large Voyager (2011/AUS8 model). Out of the ones I do carry, the Kershaw RAM is the nicest to hold. The weight, the contours... Everything. Beats out my Southard and Gayle Bradley by a wide margin as far as ergos go.

My least ergonomic knives are my Enlans: EL-02 and EL-02B. Not to say they're terribly awkward, but I can definitely feel the lack of concern for comfort in comparison to my other knives. That little ramp in the center of the handle makes no sense at all.
 
I do not have many fixed blades ,but a best folder for me could be a Kabar Dozier or a Boye Folder .For those of traditional , GEC SFO #73 NF Farmer or Altor Casper, and GEC Bullnose followed (a little slippy).
 
Folders only for me.
Best; Emerson Horseman & Benchmade Presidio 520
Worst; Southard flipper (blade tip too close to end of handle when closed) too many cuts when reaching for it.
Cheers
 
Best:
Folders: ZT 0561
Fixed: Tie: Scrapyard War Dog & CS Trailmaster Carbon V bowie. War Dog is the perfect small FB, Trailmaster feels like an extension of my arm.

Worst!
Folder: Voyager XL: I almost amputated the end of my finger a month or two back, cannot control the blade with the thumbstuds. Excellent knife, but it has bitten me 3x now:(
Fixed: An old Collins Machete I bought for $3 from a neighbor. Handle was slicker than Bubba Clinton, once it slipped out of my hand, flew a ways and landed bladefirst between my baby bro's feet!!! X( Not an experience I want to repeat... Now I use lanyards on my big blades for choppin.
 
Best: PM2, Superleaf

Worst: CS Ti-lite 4. I knew this was going to be the case before I picked it up.
 
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