Are ergonomics that important for a EDC...?

[steve itm]

Don't get me wrong i think ergonomics are important for certain situations but for most people who carry a folding knife that's pulled to open a few packages here and there or some odds and ends . i just don't think it matters for EDC use....The only reason i bring it up is because ive seen so many reviews that puts alot of emphasis on ergo's. I've gotten blisters when carving for 6 hours straight but i never had an issue with any EDC folding knife because it just sits in my pocket more then in my hand !! I don't think theirs anything wrong with a knife that feels good in hand ...I just don't think it should be a deal breaker when buying a knife for EDC use....Am i completely wrong thinking this way ???

 

[fetzer85]

With so many thousands of knives available, why settle on any that don't feel good in your hand - regardless of how often I use them?

 

[Ace Krampus]

With so many thousands of knives available, why settle on any that don't feel good in your hand - regardless of how often I use them?

Aesthetics, I wager. Although there's a difference between "doesn't feel good" and "feels unpleasant."

 

[NeilB]

Ergos are nice, but no more necessary than super steels or carbon fiber scales. Get what you like. Life is too short to worry about someone else's requirements for your every day knife.

 

[fetzer85]

Well if you're collecting then who cares if it's covered in spikes, but if you're using it I would imagine it's not that difficult to find knives that are both ergonomic and aesthetically pleasing.

 

[Bastid]

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

Ergos are nice, but no more necessary than super steels or carbon fiber scales. Get what you like. Life is too short to worry about someone else's requirements for your every day knife.

 

[Hawk45]

If it's a working knife and you use it a lot during the day, then yes. Nothing worse than sore wrists, hands or blisters. If you are opening 1 package every few days, no not a big deal.

 

[Surfingringo]

You've got a point...though you will probably find few to agree with you here. I like good ergos in my users, but in a string cutter/letter opener edc, one could make a case that things like aesthetics or carry comfort could trump user ergos.

 

[Franciscomv]

I guess it depends on how much you use the knife everyday.

When I worked as a hunting guide, I used my knife for very long periods of time. The same happens at my ranch. So I tend to carry knives with comfortable full size handles in situations like those.

In the city, where it is rare that I'll need to have the knife in my hand for more than a few minutes, I sometimes put ease of carry over ergonomics.

 

[Shrub]

YES! Ergos are extremely important for edc.
Just my opinion/observation, but, a real survival knife
is the one you have on you. The one you have one you
will almost certainly be your edc. No, you won't use it that
way every day. Most days you might never notice the difference.
But, when you really do need it, sores and blisters will
not be good for moral or motivation. Maybe I'm thinking a
few steps ahead.(?) But I'd rather have it and not need it.
Besides, as someone else said, with so many great knives out there
to choose from, why settle for one that doesn't have it all?

 

[BladeCommander]

Ergos are nice, but no more necessary than super steels or carbon fiber scales. Get what you like. Life is too short to worry about someone else's requirements for your every day knife.

I agree with this. Ergos are good, but I know my edc knives wont be in my hand more than 30seconds at a time, so long term hotspots arent really a factor. I get knives that I think look nice. Most knives are designed to fit in an average hand, and my hand is about average. So most knives fit my hand well enough anyway.

 

[Ace Krampus]

Well if you're collecting then who cares if it's covered in spikes, but if you're using it I would imagine it's not that difficult to find knives that are both ergonomic and aesthetically pleasing.

Well it stands to reason that one of my knives is ergonomically superior to the others, but that's not necessarily the knife I carry on a given day and I always get by fine. Sometimes in the morning the way a knife looks just grabs me and that's my knife for the day.

 

[spydercobenchmadekai]

It's your EVERY DAY CARRY, for crying out loud. If there is one knife that should have good ergos, it should be the one you use every day.

 

[aquaman67]

If I doesn't feel good in your hand, you're less likely to use it.

 

[bdmicarta]

Ergonomics are somewhat important, just like aesthetics, blade steel, quality, etc. If you have a choice, then why not select a knife that has the most things that you like.

 

[Franciscomv]

It's your EVERY DAY CARRY, for crying out loud. If there is one knife that should have good ergos, it should be the one you use every day.

Come on, how many of us are in a monogamous relationship with our pocket knife? I'd wager that most of the folks on this forum EDC a knife but not the same one everyday.

I look for comfortable handles 95% of the time, but sometimes there's something else about the knife that grabs my attention.

 

[Bo T]

I edc a SAK so no. Pretty much every other pocket knife I have has better ergonomics than my SAK. They also have better steel. They carry better in my pocket. I edc my SAK because of its usefulness.

 

[whp]

Is any particular favorable attribute necessary in an edc that one uses only a few minutes a day? Not really. But for people who appreciate the difference in a well made knife from a poorly made one, ergonomics are as important as any other feature.

 

[alucard0822]

For most small mundane tasks, the blade shape and ease of carrying matter more than comfort in the hand, although in many cases there isn't a reason a knife can't feel good too. I like a knife that is secure, I cut a lot of fiberglass bands and bulky material, and many things that I like in a knife are also comfortable, deep choil/large guard, deep grip area, thumb ramp, maybe a hooked rear guard. Lots of jimping and a grippy texture also help keep it in place at some expense to comfort, a thinner knife is more comfortable to carry at some expense to comfort in use. A versatile grip setup like a Manix 2 or PM2 is also great, lets me choke up to pick splinters out, or strip wires, then hold the rear choil to cut bulky material, or reverse the grip to cut large boxes open, even though I love my more expensive ZTs, they aren't as versatile.

 

[dynamicmoves]

Extremely important. I carry a GEC 66 and find it comfortable. I do whittle with it, so yes I do use it for extended periods of time. Not hard, but hard enough that if it was uncomfortable I wouldn't carry it.

All my other EDC blades I make sure are comfortable before carrying them, with the exception of the knife that was given to me by my family for my birthday.