Ergonomic tool handle

A broad knife comprising:

• a substantially planar thin-walled blade having a straight working edge for contacting a work surface and a rear blade edge opposite said working edge, said blade lying in a blade plane;
• and
• an elongated handle having a front end, a rear end, a top surface and a bottom surface, said handle being affixed to said blade such that the blade plane passes between said top and bottom surfaces of said handle, said handle further including
• a gripping portion adjacent said rear end of said handle, said gripping portion having upper and lower surfaces and extending generally rearward of said rear blade edge and being adapted for gripping by a user's palm, thumb, ring and little fingers wrapped therearound, said upper surface of said gripping portion being disposed at an angle of between zero and forty five degrees (0.degree. and 45.degree.) with respect to the blade plane as said upper surface extends forward from said rear end of said handle, and
• an arched finger support portion adjacent said front end of said handle for supporting a user's substantially extended fore and middle fingers, said arched finger support portion having a first sloping planar surface and a second sloping planar surface, said first sloping planar surface being adjacent said front end of said handle and said second sloping planar surface being disposed rearwardly of said first sloping planar surface and meeting said upper surface of said gripping portion at an apex.

A broad knife comprising:

• a substantially planar thin-walled blade having a straight working edge for contacting a work surface and a rear blade edge opposite said working edge, said blade lying in a blade plane;
• and
• an elongated handle having a front end a rear end, a top surface and a bottom surface, said handle being affixed to said blade such that the blade plane passes between said top and bottom surfaces of said handle, said handle further including
• a gripping portion adjacent said rear end of said handle, said gripping portion having upper and lower surfaces and extending generally rearward of said rear blade edge and being adapted for gripping by a user's palm, thumb, ring and little fingers wrapped therearound, said upper surface of said gripping portion being disposed at an angle of approximately degrees (10.degree.) with respect to the blade plane as said upper surface extends forward from said rear end of said handle, said bottom surface of said handle having a recess adapted to receive the user's thumb, ring and little fingers, said recess being disposed between zero inches and one half of one inch (0" to 1/2") from and below the blade plane;
• and
• an arched finger support portion adjacent said front end of said handle for supporting the user's substantially extended fore and middle fingers, said arched finger support portion having a first sloping planar surface and a second sloping planar surface, said first sloping planar surface being adjacent said front end of said handle and said second sloping planar surface being disposed rearwardly of said first sloping planar surface and meeting said upper surface of said gripping portion at an apex, said first sloping planar surface of said arched finger support portion being inclined upwardly and away from the blade plane toward said second sloping planar surface of said arched finger support portion at an angle of between fifteen and forty five degrees (15.degree. and 45.degree.) with respect to the blade plane, and said apex lies above the blade plane by a distance of between five-eighths of one inch and one and one-quarter inches (5/8" to 1 1/4").