Big Mitt Update
It’s been a little over a year since I reviewed the Big Mitt, a short-blade model that comes in two blade sizes -- a 3-inch and a 4-inch -- and has an extra-long handle. (October 21, 2016 review. The original pics are gone, but I found others and edited the text to fit them.)
The Big Mitt is a big success for me. With a 3 1/3-inch, 3/32 A2 blade, it has become my main utility knife around the house. Though I often carry a Bushcraft Karda, short-blade Patch, or Surls Big Palmer in my pocket, I usually reach for the Big Mitt first, unless one of the smaller blades would work better. Fact is, I like it so much I’m always looking for something to use it for.
The top curve of the Big Mitt’s blade is the same as the Monarch’s and Bushfinger’s, two of my favorite blade shapes. And the blade height and cutting edge make for an excellent utility profile. The model’s 5 3/4-inch handle extends all the way to the edge of my palm, allowing me to bear down in a full-hand grip.
I’ve modified the handle somewhat to get the most out of my gimpy grip. The pinch grip I use depends mainly on squeezing a handle in two places: in front between my thumb and my index finger knuckle (the outer half of my index finger has zero strength), and in back between the base of my palm and my pinky, the only digit with 100 percent strength and sense of touch.
My guiding principles for the reshaping effort were (1) maximize surface area contact with skin, especially at the front and back squeeze points, but also anywhere else I could; and (2) subordinate looks to grip. As I worked, a third principle emerged: Beware of how optimizing one grip can impair another. Several times I upset the tradeoffs, but since Big Mitt scales come with plenty of material, I was able to restore the balance I wanted. The result is a super-comfortable, asymmetrical handle optimized for my right hand. I’ve left some spots rough to add traction, but may smooth them out later.
I re-contoured the right front of the handle to align with the path my index finger follows around the top and right side of a handle. The curve also distributes the knuckle’s squeezing pressure evenly. The photo below also shows how I flattened the back right side to make the knife more stable when my thumb is on top of the spine.
For the thumb pad I made an indentation, which helps keep my hand from sliding forward on the handle.
The Big Mitt lacks a palm swell in the middle section of the handle, so I simulated one by narrowing the left side starting about two-thirds back, creating a slope for the ring finger to press against. I also made an underside hook like a Bushfinger’s which helps both ring and pinky fingers grip better and really locks the pinky in place. (See silhouette photo.) The back left side contours, aft of the simulated palm swell slope, are basically those of my Woodsman and fit the path the ring and little fingers take when gripping the handle tightly. For lighter grips, I made a flat spot on the edge for the pinky to press against, shown below.
I made a swale on the top back of the spine, sort of like the Protagonist, Renegade, and Maverick. This increased the surface area for the heel of the palm when pressing down on the handle. (Visible in silhouette photo.)
Altogether I removed a little more than one-third ounce and shifted the balance point forward about a quarter of an inch. Most important, the Big Mitt now provides the most secure and stable grips of any knife I’ve held.
It’s been a little over a year since I reviewed the Big Mitt, a short-blade model that comes in two blade sizes -- a 3-inch and a 4-inch -- and has an extra-long handle. (October 21, 2016 review. The original pics are gone, but I found others and edited the text to fit them.)
The Big Mitt is a big success for me. With a 3 1/3-inch, 3/32 A2 blade, it has become my main utility knife around the house. Though I often carry a Bushcraft Karda, short-blade Patch, or Surls Big Palmer in my pocket, I usually reach for the Big Mitt first, unless one of the smaller blades would work better. Fact is, I like it so much I’m always looking for something to use it for.
The top curve of the Big Mitt’s blade is the same as the Monarch’s and Bushfinger’s, two of my favorite blade shapes. And the blade height and cutting edge make for an excellent utility profile. The model’s 5 3/4-inch handle extends all the way to the edge of my palm, allowing me to bear down in a full-hand grip.
I’ve modified the handle somewhat to get the most out of my gimpy grip. The pinch grip I use depends mainly on squeezing a handle in two places: in front between my thumb and my index finger knuckle (the outer half of my index finger has zero strength), and in back between the base of my palm and my pinky, the only digit with 100 percent strength and sense of touch.
My guiding principles for the reshaping effort were (1) maximize surface area contact with skin, especially at the front and back squeeze points, but also anywhere else I could; and (2) subordinate looks to grip. As I worked, a third principle emerged: Beware of how optimizing one grip can impair another. Several times I upset the tradeoffs, but since Big Mitt scales come with plenty of material, I was able to restore the balance I wanted. The result is a super-comfortable, asymmetrical handle optimized for my right hand. I’ve left some spots rough to add traction, but may smooth them out later.
I re-contoured the right front of the handle to align with the path my index finger follows around the top and right side of a handle. The curve also distributes the knuckle’s squeezing pressure evenly. The photo below also shows how I flattened the back right side to make the knife more stable when my thumb is on top of the spine.
For the thumb pad I made an indentation, which helps keep my hand from sliding forward on the handle.
The Big Mitt lacks a palm swell in the middle section of the handle, so I simulated one by narrowing the left side starting about two-thirds back, creating a slope for the ring finger to press against. I also made an underside hook like a Bushfinger’s which helps both ring and pinky fingers grip better and really locks the pinky in place. (See silhouette photo.) The back left side contours, aft of the simulated palm swell slope, are basically those of my Woodsman and fit the path the ring and little fingers take when gripping the handle tightly. For lighter grips, I made a flat spot on the edge for the pinky to press against, shown below.
I made a swale on the top back of the spine, sort of like the Protagonist, Renegade, and Maverick. This increased the surface area for the heel of the palm when pressing down on the handle. (Visible in silhouette photo.)
Altogether I removed a little more than one-third ounce and shifted the balance point forward about a quarter of an inch. Most important, the Big Mitt now provides the most secure and stable grips of any knife I’ve held.
Last edited:
