Most folk here would suffer some soreness in the deltoid region if they only pick up (and use) their tools unwillingly and unwittingly and then only during holidays. This is where the balance and feel of the blade come into play...I never felt that my worthwhile lauding of the basic 9 was based on erroneous assumption. What you are searching for is a knife that can cut well, balance perfectly and does not provide ulnar nerve damage in the wake of a chop-off or garden variety chores around the farm. A heavy, cumbersome tool that hurts the hand will be relegated to the glass display cabinet to suffer an upredictable fate.