Who makes the overall most comfortable handle?

[captaincaed]

The favorite western handle thing got me curious.

What’s your all-time most comfortable handle/handle+choir area knife to use? All comers welcome, no category restricted.

I have a soft spot for Bidinger faceted western, and also love the Gesshin Ginga series. Really well-refined simple idea, executed right. Runner up is Mac Pro. Bloodroot integral felt pretty awesome too, with the western octagonal. Really nice 3-d contouring, grippy and comfy.

 

[BillHanna]

@ian has a handle that looks like it was made to be gripped.

 

[captaincaed]

Oh Bill, you know I love it when you’re first to the punch

 

[Choppin]

Probably my 11” vintage “Canadian”
Sabatier. Super smooth transition from handle to blade and it’s a bit narrower (looking spine up) than usual, which I like.



I agree on Ashi Ginga. Their wa handles are high quality and very comfortable, always sized correctly. Also their western handles are very comfortable for me. I can’t even tell why, I guess it’s just the right shape and size.

 

[Benuser]

A few well known Western handles: Hattori, Misono carbon, Suien VC. Unexpectedly, a cheap carbon gyuto by Kanetsune feels just as good. A lot of others not so much. But with a gyuto I don't care that much, and flaws can easily be addressed. For a petty, where it really matters: I find a blocky NOS Nogent surprising comfortable, and it has a decent size.

 

[coxhaus]

I like the Henckel 4 star knife handles. I may be biased because I have used them for a long time.

 

[Benuser]

I like the Henckel 4 star knife handles. I may be biased because I have used them for a long time.

Sounds familiar.

 

[SwampDonkey]

It doesn't make any damn sense but this Munetoshi chestnut D-handle fits me like a freaking glove. I have a gorgeous Koa wood handle that I'd love to put on there but that cheap D fits me so well. I have the same handle on a Munetoshi nakiri and Wat Pro nakiri, for some reason this gyuto one is just perfect.

Kochi burnt chestnut is an honorable mention, much more put together and prettier.

 

[ian]

Sometimes you have a handle that just feels so good in hand that you have to use it multiple times a day and take it with you when you leave the house. You never wash it, and just let the natural oils on your hand seep into it, and you let friction with your hand burnish it to a glossy sheen.

 

[M1k3]

@ian has a handle that looks like it was made to be gripped.

So..... @RDalman makes a nice handle, is what you're saying?

 

[parbaked]

So..... @RDalman makes a nice handle, is what you're saying?

Yes...Robin makes a comfy handle, even when he's not shaping them like marital aids...

And that Masur Beech feel especially nice....

 

[mc2442]

Xerxes, loved the handles on the primus knives

 

[Rangen]

This thread makes me wish I were picky about handles, but I'm not. I've been happy with pretty much all handles I've had, with one exception, a Shun cleaver handle that was round, and very smooth, and therefore very slippery, even when dry. It would twist in my hand, and, as a bonus, was too small for my hand. It's the best I've ever felt about giving a knife away.

 

[captaincaed]

Xerxes, loved the handles on the primus knives

I was kinda 50/50 on these. I love the grip from the rough bog oak but I wish he’d pushed the handle shape a bit further if he was going that way. But overall pretty good.

Speaking of rader, like it? Too smooth?

 

[Gshep91]

Truthfully, My most comfortable handle so far is by @eddworks and then another @tostadas made for me based off the Eddworks specs

 

[Tekkz]

Will Newham's handles are super comfy and the f&f is unmatched.

 

[Gshep91]

Will Newham's handles are super comfy and the f&f is unmatched.

My Newham is a bit big for my hands, but agreed on the F&F. Absolute perfection

 

[hendrix]

My vote goes to Bryan Raquin’s burnt oak handles - comfortable and grippy.

 

[Nemo]

For me:
1) Dave Martell faux Western.
2) Knives and Stones heart shaped ("Hinoura style") Wa.
3) Knives and Stones "D"

Thinking about this, I could easily reverse this order- they are all pretty special to hold.

 

[Bensbites]

Am I in the minority?? I find most handles fine. I hate heavy handles and rear balance points. Assuming no sharp edges... Weight is more important to me than shape (within reason ).

 

[blokey]

Ryusen Western, D burned chestnut, traditional Chinese barrel, no coating preferred, LaSeur Barrel handle, Sugimoto Chinese handle

 

[brimmergj]

Leszek Sikon has a great shape and size on his "graphite" series, but the most comfortable for me has to be Henry Hyde western

 

[mc2442]

I was kinda 50/50 on these. I love the grip from the rough bog oak but I wish he’d pushed the handle shape a bit further if he was going that way. But overall pretty good.

Speaking of rader, like it? Too smooth?

I shipped my Rader out on Saturday so I could not go back and reassert memory, but they are extremely comfortable.

 

[cwk.v]

Kamon makes a great handle, in the couple of shapes I have for him.

Joel black and Merion Forge (Dominik) also make excellent handles. Hyde and Eddworks also get a mention

 

[Gshep91]

Kamon makes a great handle, in the couple of shapes I have for him.

Joel black and Merion Forge (Dominik) also make excellent handles. Hyde and Eddworks also get a mention

Seconding Merion, bought my first off BST a couple weeks ago. Haven’t used it at all yet but at quick glance the handle is definitely well done

 

[chiffonodd]

Ryusen western

 

[ZeeVee]

Kamon's western handle
Bidinger's full tang faceted
Bloodroot's integral with tapered handle
Nine's semi-integral with tapered handle.

In terms of octagonals: Raquin is at the top of the pack.

Honorable mention for the Milan Hexagonal, although I know that's not everyone's cup of tea.

 

[Campbell]

This one from Tony LaSeur is probably the most comfortable western I've ever used. Very high F&F.

• Yanick consistently makes one of the nicest wa handles out there.
• Bidingers feel really nice.
• The burned chestnut on my Watanabe Pro Nakiri is top shelf.
• I also like Ben Kamon's rokkaku hanmaru alot, but would prefer it with shorter choil. I didn't jive with his western handles even though they look cool.
• Rob Trimarchi makes a great western.
• I hated Milan's hexagon when I first got it, but it really grew on me. Now I absolutely love it. Weird, I know. I cannot say the same of his western style handle. I have used it for a while, and though it is very practical, it is not particularly comfortable. I think it would be better with more sculpting on the underside. Its just bit too blocky.
• Goldeband makes some sweet westerns.
• Takada No Hamono's handles are crisp and perfect
• Xerxes has a variety of shapes and sizes. They sometimes run a little big in my opinion, but otherwise I really like them. Excellent F&F on everything he does. The handles on his old primus's are smaller than much of his newer stuff. The one I have feels really great.
• Jody Hale (Pie Cutlery) makes a great wa.
• I agree that Raquin's handles can be really great too. They have that cool, dark, rustic vibe to them and they are lightweight and practical.

 

[captaincaed]

Kamon makes a great handle, in the couple of shapes I have for him.

Kamon's western handle

I also like Ben Kamon's rokkaku hanmaru alot, but would prefer it with shorter choil. I didn't jive with his western handles even though they look cool.

I wanted to love his western faced handle but found the carved-out pinky area way too small. I couldn't get a confident grip. Love his work, but that one didn't quite work the way I hoped.

For that reason I've been pretty curious to try the one that flairs at the back, the one Besserbissen likes. Is that called Rokkaku hanmaru?

 

[ehhh]

I wear size small gloves and my favorite handles tend to be a little narrower towards the neck fwiw.

Evan Antzenberger D shape handle which is pretty narrow to begin with and tapers towards the neck.

Martin Huber Rokkaku Hanmaru handles, half round half octagonal.

Octagonal handles that taper in at the sides like this birdsfan handle and Dalmans.