Handle thickness to height ratio?

[Brian.Evans]

Something I've been thinking about. You guys that make a lot of knives know what I mean. When you start out, all knives are boxy. Then it seems like everything is too round. Handles are too short spine to bottom for how thick they are. Was it Andy Roy who said he had gotten advice on his early knives to make the handles taller to make them more ergonomic? Think about scalpel handles, how thin compared to how tall. Easy to hold and use, right?

What say you?

 

[Adam Buttry]

I have to admit, that I was guilty of having my handles a tiny bit thicker than they needed to be on my early knives. Especially near the ricasso. They felt fine to me at the time and I didn't think much of it. I sold one of my early knives to a collector in Texas. He was very pleased with the knife and wanted to see what another maker, whose knives he also collected, thought of the knife. So he shipped it to this maker and my work was "critiqued". Turns out this knife maker was one that I admire quite a bit. Mr. John Doyle. On the whole, John was impressed with the knife (considering it was only the 12th knife I had made at the time), but one of the things that he mentioned was the handles. John contacted me and told me his thoughts and that I shouldn't be scared to thin the handles out a bit more. Long story short, having a master maker critique my work was the greatest thing that could have happened, as I may have just continued doing things the way I did without his input. So yeah, to all those newer makers out there.....don't get hung up on those fat handles.

 

[james terrio]

It's difficult to put a "rule" on handle ratios, even if you narrow it down to a very specific knife. (A handle for a kitchen knife is totally different from one for a 9" camp/chopper) Ask 20 people and you'll get at least 10 answers I certainly agree that you should avoid "broomstickitis" and blocky square edges. Trying to contour a handle too specifically is very often a mistake. And it should definitely be taller than it is thick, or it will just feel weird. The classic "egg" type cross-section (narrower end down) is always a good place to start.

When in doubt, look at a basic framing hammer's handle. They're not very exciting, but you can drive nails with it all day long, and your arm will tire out long before your hand does. That's good ergonomics. On the other hand, some people love handles that I find not only painful to look at, but painful to even hold.

People seem to like my handles, and a few have asked me how I do them. Honestly, I just make them a little longer than I think they need to be (no one likes a cramped-feeling handle) and grind away everything that hurts.

If I can whittle/cut through a 2x4, and dig a hole through it (depending on the blade, I wouldn't bother "drilling" with a really thin knife of course), without getting annoyed/hot-spots/blisters, I figure it's a good handle. It usually doesn't take long at all to find any problems. It sounds silly at first to take apart a 2x4 with a 4" hunter or 8" chef's knife, but this is actually a better test for smaller and/or lighter knives than it is for big heavy ones, because you have to work at it more.

 

[rustyrazor]

I've never measured with calipers or anything... all by feel. Honestly i've developed my handle shapes by playing with the knives in use and fondling them while i'm watching TV or whatnot and noticing where they could be improved. I find, if it feels good to me, it should feel good to most people. No complaints in a while, so it seems to work fine.

 

[Brian.Evans]

Good stuff so far guys. This is going to be a good discussion I think.

JT, I agree about knives being hard to hold if they aren't shaped correctly.

This was my second knife. No one laugh.

Nice looking knife, as long as you don't look too hard. Decent on the hand too, until I tried to make a feather stick with it. It kept rolling. Why?........

I told you not to look to close........

Very much hard to hold on to. It's not boxy, no sharp edges, but it just isn't ergonomic. Even the butt curving up makes it hard to use. My hands are big and my pinky don't bend like that.

I've actually thought about making a second version of that knife, correctly this time. I may do that soon....

 

[mete]

I found that on a typical hunter a handle 1" high and 3/4" thick was about max [I have a large hand ] A Scandinavian barrel type then tapers down front and back. That gives a safe shape that indexes well .And it's a fine straight handle !

 

[LeaderofthePack]

Interesting thread. I'm in the end stages of profiling a knife for myself but while doing the handle and comparing it to the mock up am hesitant on where and how much I should take off. As of now it is almost identical to the wood mockup in shape and dimensions but feels a lot wider. How do you guys determine when the handle is the right size without scales on it?

 

[Brian.Evans]

Interesting thread. I'm in the end stages of profiling a knife for myself but while doing the handle and comparing it to the mock up am hesitant on where and how much I should take off. As of now it is almost identical to the wood mockup in shape and dimensions but feels a lot wider. How do you guys determine when the handle is the right size without scales on it?

Make wood scales. Attach with short screws. Shape.

 

[jdm61]

I know that some bushcraft people actually prefer the 'broom handle" shaped knife handle whereas other folks would say that is the sign of a cheap knife made by a beginner. I am more inclined to agree with the latter up to a point, but I also think that the thin, squarish scales on some tactical fixed blades made from thick steel can be just as kludgy. Any handle that requires the use of "combat gloves" is not quite right IMO. After using them for a few knives, I am also not too keen on fasteners like the chain bolts.

 

[Perrin]

This is a great thread. One thing that I would find very helpful would be pictures of handles from the side and the top and/or bottom and maybe even from the rear. These could be examples of both good or bad handles. Thanks in advance to anyone that may indulge this request.

 

[Rhinoknives1]

Brian, great topic instead of another , Whats the best steel thread?:roll eyes:
T
his site don't like when I post pictures so you folks that want to can click on my rhino site for a look & see.

Our hands or should I say mine & most of my customers hands holds an slightly elongated Egg shape handle the best. Not a dowel and not a square or rectangle. My height of the handle can be up to 1 1/2" to 1 3/4" depending on if it a culinary or camp knife.

 

[Rick Marchand]

I go by feel on every handle. Sure, you can get used to making a handle shape that works... but in the end, you have to just HOLD it to know for sure. I think Nick Wheeler said something similar in one of his videos. I think there are popular "ol'standards" for handle shapes but no set formulas.

I would have NEVER thought a coffin handle would be comfortable... until I held a well made one.

 

[jdm61]

Same with an octagonal wa handle on a Japanese kitchen knife, right?

I go by feel on every handle. Sure, you can get used to making a handle shape that works... but in the end, you have to just HOLD it to know for sure. I think Nick Wheeler said something similar in one of his videos. I think there are popular "ol'standards" for handle shapes but no set formulas.

I would have NEVER thought a coffin handle would be comfortable... until I held a well made one.

 

[rustyrazor]

Make wood scales. Attach with short screws. Shape.

this... with a couple drops of crazy glue vice screws

 

[Matt Rochester]

I just finished a knife that I think has the best feeling handle yet. Blade is 8 1/2" OAL. Handle is 1.125" at the butt and .825" at the front. .75" thick at the butt and .625" at the front. I like it to go from tall and thick at the butt and thin down towards the front.