Video: How ergonomics affect knife handle comfort and safety

Ordering a knife over the internet can be a real challenge. Ever wonder why some knife handles feel great, and others are just not comfortable?

It’s all a matter of ergonomics and the law of averages, and here is how to figure out if a handle will work for you.

by Leon Pantenburg

No knife handle is going to work for everyone. We can’t all wear the same size shoes, clothes, hats or gloves either.

So before you buy a knife you can’t physically hold, here are a couple of things to consider about the handle:

The Bark River UP Bravo handle allows a full four-finger grip for me, even with gloves on.

Length: What is the most common complaint of knife users? In a haphazard, unscientific, random survey I did of first responders, butchers, outdoorspeople, bushcrafters, and knife users in general, I found that the biggest complaint is that knife handles are too short.

Knife makers must design their products to suit the largest possible audience and that means the average user. According to a comprehensive study of proportions of the human body by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), here are the average adult hand sizes:

There are three key measurements of adult hand size, according to NASA.

• Length: measured from the tip of the longest finger to the crease under the palm
• Breadth: measured across the widest area where the fingers join the palm
• Circumference: measured around the palm of your dominant hand, just below the knuckles, excluding the thumb

The Bark River Petty Z is a well-designed knife for most people. The handle is too slender for me.