You know what they say about guys with big hands?

Side O'Beef

Side O'Beef

Gold Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2021
Messages
511
Just ignore that title.

I want to publicly thank Matt_WY Matt_WY for his very generous GAW, through which I was the recipient of a very lovely AWS Ettrick.
Well, I received this knife yesterday, and have now carried/used it for about 24 hours, and it is not an exaggeration to call this revelatory.
You see, I have rather large hands (when I buy gloves in XXL, I make them work because of the lack of alternative, but when I get XXXL gloves, I am actually wearing gloves that fit. For ages, I have believed that only a large knife will feel right in my hands. My favorite GEC pattern: 23. Favorite Case: folding hunter. Favorite Opinel: #12. Etc. Etc.
Holding the Ettrick made we suddenly realize that I do not need a large knife, I need a large handle. Behold:

DSC_0396.JPG
In fact, the ettrick strongly reminds me of the Case swayback. And here they are together:
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The ettrick is clearly much bigger! But:
DSC_0401.JPG
They actually have almost identically sized blades!

So, my question/topic of discussion is:
Have other people of the large-handed persuasion come to this conclusion?
If so what are some of our favorite trads that have handles large enough to hold comfortably, with blades small enough to be socially-acceptable to use in public?
 
Your hands are even bigger than mine! My hands really aren't that unusually big, just XL, which is pretty easy to find gloves for, and it makes a lot of traditional knives big enough for my needs. Some of my favorite knives, ergonomically speaking, are moderns, so not appropriate to this forum. But your post got me thinking, with your hands, a lot of knives might look acceptably sized just because of the perspective. Here is a GEC whaler in my hand, it would look downright reasonable in yours.

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I’m the same, big hands, prefer smaller folders and fixed blades
 
Yeah but as with other things it's all about dexterity and grip :cool:

Some watchmakers or others with a job demanding precision may have large hands but only if they have dexterity. Conversely, I came a cross a farrier with very small hands but it didn't limit him in grabbing a horse's hoof and driving nails in when shoeing .

The Ettrick is a Swayback and this type of pattern lends itself to sure grip and accurate use so I'm not too surprised if Yeti sized hands find it a delight too! However, try a Peanut and you could well be fumbling o_O
 
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