How do you pinch grip your knife?

[fortheloveofmoar]

I feel like I’m going crazy, possibly from lack of sleep, but I’m in the midst of doing a custom handle and trying to figure out the my preferred handle shape. I’m finding that how you grip drastically alters comfort and now I’m questioning how I hold my knife.

So I’m curious how everyone hold their knife.
Disclaimer: I know there is no one right way to hold it and grips may even vary by individual and tasks.

1. Do you choke up all the way to the choil? Aka your middle finger between choil and handle.

2 do you have your index finger closer to the neck of the handle where there is a little space between your ring finger and the choil? Aka index finger in between choil and handle

 

[Dave]

Middle finger between the choil and handle, index finger on the right side of the blade, pinch with thumb, and wrap the rest of your fingers around the handle. Should be a comfortable, but firm, grip. Ideally, your index finger rests on the balance point or slightly behind it.

 

[Barmoley]

I feel like I’m going crazy, possibly from lack of sleep, but I’m in the midst of doing a custom handle and trying to figure out the my preferred handle shape. I’m finding that how you grip drastically alters comfort and now I’m questioning how I hold my knife.

So I’m curious how everyone hold their knife.
Disclaimer: I know there is no one right way to hold it and grips may even vary by individual and tasks.

1. Do you choke up all the way to the choil? Aka your middle finger between choil and handle.

2 do you have your index finger closer to the neck of the handle where there is a little space between your ring finger and the choil? Aka index finger in between choil and handle

I protest your disclaimer, of course there is the right way to hold the knife…..

Having said that…..middle finger against the choil. Unless the knife is short or balance closer to the handle, then index finger between choil and handle to extend the length of the knife and to make it more blade heavy.

 

[simona]

....depends on the task: chopping - pinch grip, slicing - finger on the spine

 

[Dan-]

Switch between Japanese-style pinch and what Dave does. His fingers are wrapped differently, however. As you can see, even if this 58ish nakiri were only 30mm, my knuckles wouldn’t hit the board. Size large gloves. Knife is currently in a rest period of interval polishing.

 

[stringer]

Here's my take on it.

 

[Nemo]

Here's my take on it.

I was just about to post this video. Exactly how I pinch grip.

I use this video and it's companion (claw grip) to show knife newbies how to hold a knife correctly.

 

[Dull_Apex]

I recently had to consciously modify my pinch on a knife with a a protruding spine, which made me realise that I am applying pressure with the first knuckle of my pointer finger.

What's the spit here of pressure on mostly knuckle vs mostly finger tip?

 

[zizirex]

usually on the bolster of the Western Handle or the neck part of the Wa-handle.
or index in the spine.

 

[aporigine]

I tickle it under the chin until it grunts pleasure. Then, when it is completely relaxed, I quickly and firmly grasp it from behind, my grip just ahead of the collar. If I get it right, it stops fighting at once.

Keeping the dart rifle handy helps me do it with confidence.

 

[fortheloveofmoar]

I tickle it under the chin until it grunts pleasure. Then, when it is completely relaxed, I quickly and firmly grasp it from behind, my grip just ahead of the collar. If I get it right, it stops fighting at once.

Keeping the dart rifle handy helps me do it with confidence.

Is there any caressing? If so, do you find hard or soft caressing works better? Or is it a mix of both depending on the mood.

Do you think a higher HRC needs a firmer grip or softer?

 

[aporigine]

Is there any caressing? If so, do you find hard or soft caressing works better? Or is it a mix of both depending on the mood

Sometimes I stroke the spine a little.

 

[sumis]

it depends.

.

 

[Simply]

Big time depends on the knife/task. Mostly a normal pinch, on longer knives choke up like crazy sometimes for finer work, sometimes hold them like a hammer.

 

[deltaplex]

It depends for me on what knife and what I'm doing, but it (mostly) falls into one of three grips:

Gripping around the front of the handle "half pinch": This is the one I use the most often, and on the most number of blade shapes/sizes:

Grip point fully on the blade, above and forward of the heel "full pinch": I use this one less often in general, but most often on bigger blades (240+, 250g+), and for bulk prep.

Gripping only the blade 80+mm forward of the heel, "chinese cleaver" pinch: I use this for tall and long blades, I have to remind myself to not do it on very big gyutos:

 

[aporigine]

It depends for me on what knife and what I'm doing, but it (mostly) falls into one of three grips:

Gripping around the front of the handle "half pinch": This is the one I use the most often, and on the most number of blade shapes/sizes:
View attachment 361204

Grip point fully on the blade, above and forward of the heel "full pinch": I use this one less often in general, but most often on bigger blades (240+, 250g+), and for bulk prep.
View attachment 361205

Gripping only the blade 80+mm forward of the heel, "chinese cleaver" pinch: I use this for tall and long blades, I have to remind myself to not do it on very big gyutos:
View attachment 361206View attachment 361207

love the Tactical Trainer!

 

[Delat]

I typically pinch the way @Dave describes. But when the task requires more force, e.g. yams and squash, I shift my grip backwards to put my middle finger on the handle and pinch at the neck.

 

[fortheloveofmoar]

I’m mostly asking this because I’m trying to figure out optimal handle shapes. I find that the wa is most comfortable where you have your hand position just a bit back so your middle finger has a full grip on the handle. When I go middle finger flush against the choil my crazy tactile brain sometimes feels weird with the handle bulge.

 

[Simply]

Short wa (eddworks) is the best I’ve found. Hate long handles that feel like they’re hitting your elbow. All personal preference

 

[Just a DK]

Short wa (eddworks) is the best I’ve found. Hate long handles that feel like they’re hitting your elbow. All personal preference

Elbow?? I told you not to use your odachi for dicing onions!

 

[Jovidah]

I do a bit of everything, depending on what I'm trying to achieve. Grabbing it further forward makes it more accurate for tip work, grabbing further back gives you more blade length. It's a bit situational for me.

 

[Vertigo]

I do a bit of everything, depending on what I'm trying to achieve. Grabbing it further forward makes it more accurate for tip work, grabbing further back gives you more blade length. It's a bit situational for me.

Yaaa. If I'm mincing shallots with a long knife I'm choked just above the balance point, the handle under my wrist, and steering with my index finger along the spine. If I'm hacking through hard root veggies, I'm hammer gripping the thing and flailing wildly. It's all situational.

 

[panda]

from the back, between her legs. wait, what?

 

[NotAddictedYet]

from the back, between her legs. wait, what?

panda we need you in the count to one million thread more of this there please

 

[Benuser]

Here's my take on it.

Is there a need for such a firm grip, especially with the three fingers wrapping the handle? With the knife resting on the end of two or three fingers — depending on its balance point — it's perfectly stable, with the knife hold between index and a part of the hand. The thumb has no real role in it: could lift it without any consequence. Realised this in a discussion with a fellow member about knuckle clearance, where my question was: how knuckles should be involved? But more basically, why insisting on a firm, supposedly safer grip?
I'm well aware in a professional setting the requirements might be different from mine, as I'm a humble home user, basically using only forward slicing.

 

[stringer]

Is there a need for such a firm grip, especially with the three fingers wrapping the handle? With the knife resting on the end of two or three fingers — depending on its balance point — it's perfectly stable, with the knife hold between index and a part of the hand. The thumb has no real role in it: could lift it without any consequence. Realised this in a discussion with a fellow member about knuckle clearance, where my question was: how knuckles should be involved? But more basically, why insisting on a firm, supposedly safer grip?
I'm well aware in a professional setting the requirements might be different from mine, as I'm a humble home user, basically using only forward slicing.

I don't consider my grip to be firm at all. Gripping firmly leads to fatigue. On the contrary, this grip allows me to hold the knife as loosely as possible. Only hanging on as tight as I need to from each anchor point (pinch/handle), balancing the stress. Fatigue is the second biggest enemy to a professional chef (especially one fighting mobility disabilities). This grip is mostly about reducing repetitive stress injury. If your grip is looser and more relaxed then you will have a more relaxed posture. Reducing fatigue on your back, neck, shoulders, knees, and ankles.

The first biggest enemy is always the clock. And being able to work for longer and faster without fatigue helps a lot there too.

As a home user, of course the demands are different. But as a pro you have to figure out how to be fast and efficient, but also kind to your body. The fact that the knife is more securely held and resistant to slippage is a happy accident really. But safety is not really why I hold the knife that way. It's more of something I have learned as a method to help reduce pain and agony. Improve my posture, reduce stress points on my body. Move faster, move smarter, stay more relaxed. But that's hard to describe in a YouTube short.

 

[Delat]

Is there a need for such a firm grip, especially with the three fingers wrapping the handle? With the knife resting on the end of two or three fingers — depending on its balance point — it's perfectly stable, with the knife hold between index and a part of the hand. The thumb has no real role in it: could lift it without any consequence. Realised this in a discussion with a fellow member about knuckle clearance, where my question was: how knuckles should be involved? But more basically, why insisting on a firm, supposedly safer grip?
I'm well aware in a professional setting the requirements might be different from mine, as I'm a humble home user, basically using only forward slicing.

We probably also shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that different cultures have different grips. I don’t think the Japanese even have a “standard” grip the way Western culture seems to have settled on the pinch grip. So I think what’s “right” for some isn’t necessarily a universal or objective truth.

Anyway, even as a home user I kinda echo what @stringer said. That grip he showed is my “standard” grip which gives a lot of control and precision without needing grip very hard. But I agree with you that my fingers on the handle are usually pretty loose to the point that I really don’t notice much difference between yo and wa handles in practice.

When I need to exert more force my hand migrates back more onto the handle, with the pinch shifting from above the choil to the neck. When I need to do that, it’s also a cue for me to assess the actual sharpness of the edge and a paper towel gets sacrificed post-cooking.

 

[Benuser]

Thanks both for clarifying, @stringer and @Delat . Much appreciated.

 

[stringer]

Here's a pretty typical session for me. A couple times per week I'll rough julienne and brunoise 15-20 pounds of onions and peppers for various projects.

My knife callous

 

[fortheloveofmoar]

I have weak hands