# Knife handle Desing



## tomgizmo (Oct 1, 2013)

Hello, i'm a student, and im studying design.
I have a project to make the perfect knife handle so its comfortable to use and looks good for this type of blade
http://www.bladehq.com/imgs/knives/rh-forschner-santoku-chef-kitchen-41525-large.jpg

i would like you to tell me, what is this knife for? if you use this tipe of knife then why?

how to chose a good knife with a good handle ? how long do you usually work with a knife 
and how much is long ? for example if you work at a restaurant how long you have to use a knife.
what are the main problems in knife handles?

thx for your time.


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## chrisbelgium (Oct 2, 2010)

Hello Tom, and welcome to ChefTalk. I have a few things I would change on that Forschner. They are personal changes, so others may have a very different opinion. Oh, a santoku is known to be an all-round kind of short kitchen knife. It's a love or hate kind of thing with santoku knives.

Here's what I would do to that thing (click on the image to enlarge);





  








ForschnerDesign.jpg




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chrisbelgium


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Oct 1, 2013








1 and 2; the cutting curve (2) is much too flat. Lift the tip (1) a little and give it more curve will allow a smoother cutting motion.

3 ; lift the spine at the tip a little is purely esthetic, makes it look a bit sexier.

4. the hump on the handle will make the handle fit better in the hand

5. curved mainly for esthetic reason but it also allows to hold the knife closer to the blade

6. simply feels better

8. it's about time they got that logo a bit more discrete


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## dillbert (Jul 2, 2008)

I use a 7 inch / 18 cm santuko "design" daily.  it is my "go to" knife for vegetable prep.

the solution to making a perfect handle is incredibly simple:

whack off the hands of all the human users and replace those hands with a standardized size&design robotic "human hand"

that way the handle need not fit different hand sizes, finger lengths, "fleshy" fingers, bony fingers, short fingers, long fingers, etc.

yeah yeah yeah.  it's a bit of an acid tone but do face up to the facts - human hands differ and no one shape/size/design will fit them all.

hopefully you realize this is about the 150th time a "design student" has come here soliciting solutions to this "problem"


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## chrisbelgium (Oct 2, 2010)

Dillbert said:


> ...
> 
> hopefully you realize this is about the 150th time a "design student" has come here soliciting solutions to this "problem"


It's also the _n_-th time I read people ask how to cook a steak, cook a chicken breast, make mayo... I believe this is what this forum is all about; asking questions concerning food.

I presume you been a student yourself, Dillbert, maybe you went for the appropriate sources -like this one- too? Or not? (Just in case; it's a rhetorical question)


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## dillbert (Jul 2, 2008)

I suspect a professor somewhere has a list of "resources" . . . .

it wasn't meant as a put down, it was meant to alert the OP there may not be a landslide of answers.

>>been a student yourself

yeah. we used whale oil lamps . . . (g)


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## tomgizmo (Oct 1, 2013)

Thank you for the ideas and sugjestions. i mabey didnt mean ''perfect'' knife handle, but i wanted to know what do you need to make a knife handle fit good in your hand. 
investigating knife handles found that women often complain about the grip size 
is it a big problem for women useing big knifes,and are they not comfortable enough?


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## pahi53 (Jul 13, 2013)

Tomgizmo said:


> Thank you for the ideas and sugjestions. i mabey didnt mean ''perfect'' knife handle, but i wanted to know what do you need to make a knife handle fit good in your hand.
> investigating knife handles found that women often complain about the grip size
> is it a big problem for women useing big knifes,and are they not comfortable enough?


A Perfect knife is only when the user says it's Perfect. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/peace.gif


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## petemccracken (Sep 18, 2008)

Keep in mind, those that use the "pinch grip" have less of a concern for the handle, that includes most professionals and a multitude of non-professionals.

To a majority of those, comfort is defined more by the profile and degree of sharpness and the handle is a far, distant, second consideration.


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## pahi53 (Jul 13, 2013)

PeteMcCracken said:


> Keep in mind, those that use the "pinch grip" have less of a concern for the handle, that includes most professionals and a multitude of non-professionals.
> 
> To a majority of those, comfort is defined more by the profile and degree of sharpness and the handle is a far, distant, second consideration.


Pinch grip, grab grip, no grip, handle grip, bolster grip, grip-grip. It boils down to: different grips for different folks, aka,

"A Perfect knife is only when the user says it's Perfect."


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## dhmcardoso (Apr 29, 2013)

Tom,

As everyone said, this is an all around knife. Oh almost forgot it is a JAPANESE design, basicali a crossover of a GYUTO and a NAKIRI (Check too).

What I believe is the real deal here is "*How to make this Japanese knive being trustfull to its roots and at the same time please the western taste?*"

A traditional japanese Santoku would have a handle such as this one:





  








kohetsu-aogami-super-santoku-180mm-1.gif




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dhmcardoso


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Oct 9, 2013








It's an octagonal wood handle with horn ferrule. there are some variations such as a rounded D shape.

The problem is that some people do not like this kind os handles, some because believes they are unconfortable others because its looks.

I have no problem with it as most os my knives as Wa (octagonal handle).

As an engineer I am always imagining how can I reach the most of people. In other words, how to maximize your target market, or even, how to minimize those who wouldn't buy your product.

I hope I have helped you.

Daniel.


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## scott livesey (Jan 25, 2013)

hi,
knife handles are the reason i became a knife maker. most commercially available knives have a one size fits none handle. as mentioned in a different reply, if we all had identical hands, you could design a handle that would fit everyone. BUT
1) how do you design a knife handle for a man with large hands, thin fingers, and arthritis that will also work for a woman whose hand isnt much bigger than the palm of the man.
2) each person has their own way of holding a knife.
that said, a handle about 4 1/2" to 5" long. 3/4" to 1" width. 1/2" to 1" height. rounded edges. enough exposed tang to find the sweet spot when using a thumb and forefinger grip. i like to use wood, especially pretty wood, figured maple or oak burl or koa or dogwood. finish the handle with polyurethane.
just the thoughts of an old sailor


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## food truck (Sep 25, 2013)

I didn't know there's so much more to knives. when i cook i just grab whatever knife is clean.


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