Favorite Ergonomics

sabre cat

sabre cat

Joined
Jul 4, 2014
Messages
6,158
As I have gotten older, I have begun to find that a knife’s ergonomics are becoming more important in how I choose a new knife than blade steel or fancy materials. Ergonomics also plays a role in how I carry a knife.

Out of all the knives that you own, or normally carry/use, what three have the best ergonomics? What features make those the best?

Do you reach for those three because of how they feel or because of the type of steel offered?
 
Mora Companion ends up in my hands a lot, as well as a neutral Old Hickory of some type.

I also seem to favor knives that allow me to grip close to it’s edge.
 
For fixed blades, it's gotta go to my Carothers pieces...especially the HDFK that you've checked out a couple times. Nathan and Lorien really do an amazing job coming up with handles that seem to feel great in almost any grip.
 
I find, out of all the folders I own, the Yojimbo 2 has the best feel in my hand. If it had a choil, I think it would almost become a precision cutting instrument. Now, it's not a user, but that handle, mixed with the blade profile that really allows one to choke up on the knife, makes for a very comfortable feel in the hand.
 
I really like the contours of the Manix 2. Molds to my hand well.

The Recon 1 surprised me as well. At first I thought I would hate the two finger choils with my fairly large mitts. Glad to know that wasn’t the case. Fits like a glove.

Finally, there’s also the Mora Kansbol. Simple, no-nonsense rubbery grip. It works and it’s comfortable.
 
Ever since I crashed on my Harley, front tire blew at 70+, my right hand index finger is permanently foogayzi! That was in 07 as my company was.doing the new Yankees stadium!
Lost mucho O T for a few.months because surgery was necessary! Anyway ergosIMG_20200212_125138_kindlephoto-63271345.jpg became hihger.priority! So. Fallkniven volcano, Benchmade bedlam and Al Mar sere 2k are probably my top 3! Pinky don't work neither!!
 
I had to warm up to Spyderco, but my Native 5 and Chaparral are two of the most comfortable modern folders I own. They just become a part of my hand. My Helle Dokka is also very comfortable in hand. When it comes to fixed blades, I have a Kellam Puukko that is rather amazing to handle. In a big knife, I have to mention the Skrama 240 for its comfortable, two position handle and excellent balance.

Edit: More than three... Oh well.
 
Native, Manix, PM2. I use them at work so I use them the most, and they are all comfortable. The PM2 is perhaps the least so. I'm a sucker for the extra finger grooves on the Manix for sure.
 
WValtakis said:
For fixed blades, it's gotta go to my Carothers pieces...especially the HDFK that you've checked out a couple times. Nathan and Lorien really do an amazing job coming up with handles that seem to feel great in almost any grip.
Click to expand...
I'll second that. Fk2, fk, and hdfk. That order.

kMZVrxe.jpg
 
bBiH4tJ.jpg

Good topic, some of you might have seen something similar in another thread talking about hard use knives, so pardon me for duplicates.

Just off top my head, I favor CRK, BM Osborne and Svord, since they all have long comfortable handles for all 4 fingers and different grips. Their balances are all great, and these knives feel nimble in hand. Also, there are ample material on handle and no sharp edges, so they are comfortable to use even for longer time. Honorable mention for the Mora Survival, again, great balance, good handle, no hot spot, all the important ingredients for a great ergo.
 
For folders: Manix is hard to beat. That one just locks in the hand with amazing comfort. The small Sebenza is probably my second favorite.
Fixed blade: I haven’t found one better than the LionSteel M4.
 
Ergonomically speaking , the Spyderco Military and Manix2 are at the top of my list.
 
Last edited:
The ZT 0801 is the most ergonomic in my hand, by a longshot.



The the 0850 takes position 2. Things start to get closer at position 3, but I’ll give the spot to the PM2.

Honorable mention goes to the Umnumzaan, which somehow works better than expected for a straight slab looking knife. And for a small knife, the Reinhold Rhino is very, very good.

 
Last edited:
Spydercos, at least the three models I own, fit me well. They all seem to be made to be used.
DSC00296-X4.jpg

IMG_0850-X4.jpg

IMG_0687-X4.jpg
 
I prefer the feel of folders that have handles that curve down, though to the detriment of my wallet I love the way straight handled knives look. Some examples of what I mean:

VnxDkGH.jpg


ETzcv2Y.jpg


I also prefer rounded to flat, to the point that I find the the 0454 feels radically better in hand to me than any of my 0452 series knives. The 0454 sort of puts together a lot of things I like in one handle, downward curve, round handle, something to catch you just a little at the ends to lock it in:

J3deYQj.jpg


For fixed blades I really like the way knives that have sort of a double hourglass shape, where they flare and the ends and the middle, but have a thick swell in the middle, both from a side view and a top view (like the Carothers craytab craytab posted above).
 
Human hands are flexible. As long as the handle is neither too big nor too small/short and the edges are chamferred, ergonomics should be fine. We can see that from the pictures posted in this thread with all sorts of handle profiles. Also, ergo of a given knife could be great for one grip but not so for other grips, Spyderco Manix 2 comes to mind.
 
Jaakkaripuukko, Kansbol are comfortable in a variety of grips. Anza Dune Field is great with the thumb on the smooth thumb ramp, not so good in a hammer grip.
 
Visually I never liked down sloping handles but ergonomically they are starting to grow on me. Especially since I got some stag handles.
 
I gots a big paw. I prefer a neutral handle shape. I prefer no finger grooves unless I've handled the knife before and I know how it feels. Because of my big hand, I like a thick handle so I tend to avoid framelocks. I like G10, micarta, and FRN type stuff. Metal and CF just seem slick to me. I want comfort and grip in a handle.

Favorite fixed ...
Mora
ESEE 6 with TKC G10 handles - Huge improvement over the original ESEE handles.

Favorite folders ...
CS Ultimate Hunter - I much prefer this handle over the Lawman and it's finger grooves. The UH is also much thicker.
Gerber Gator 154cm - Yep. A Gerber. About the only Gerber I'd recommend. The gator grips handles are thick and comfy.
Maserin Sodbuster from Collectorknives. Neutral and thick handles of micarta with D2 steel.
MAPLOWM-1-300x225.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top