Ergonomically Speaking...

As a design major I have had the opportunity to use many different tools to create many different projects. I have used everything from electric power tools like chop saws to computer software like photoshop to aid in my creation. After using certain tools for any time at all you begin to notice the ergonomics of the tool in hand. When considering the ergonomics of a tool or product we first look at safety or how safe the thing is to use followed by comfort, then ease of use, after that the performance, and finally the aesthetics.
One tool I use as often as any other and comes to mind immediately when considering ergonomics is the razor knife or Exacto knife. I think of this tool more for reasons of bad ergonomic design more so than good. There are many different versions of the knife but the most common one and the one I have in mind in the most basic round-handled knife with an exposed blade and a small grip that twists to loosen or tighten the blade in the handle shown here.

Right out of the gate there is some concern over safety considering the blade of the knife is actually exposed. Most knifes like this come with some sort of hard plastic covering cap but your lucky to not lose or break it leaving your knife blade permanently exposed. This is not a good idea since the blades on these knives are so sharp you usually won't even know when you cut yourself until you see the blood. Even the cheapest smallest upgraded knives all have retractable blades, probably because they looked at or used this one and realized the issues of safety involved.

Everyone knows how uncomfortable a straight pen or pencil can become after only a few sentences of writing. Often the utensil will even leave indentations in sides of the user's fingers where they come into contact with each other. This is why there are so many different options for pens and pencils with custom grips and shapes designed for comfort. After all if you're going to be holding something in your hand, you want it to feel good and be comfortable. Well apparently this company decided to ignore all that and leaves us with a hard, cold, straight metal handle with tiny grip that feels like metal sandpaper. Using this design is like writing a 10 page paper nonstop with a straight pen, painful.

When it comes to actually using the tool there's not much to it although the uncomfortably small handle does make it more difficult to control than need be. When using this knife in comparison to knives with larger handles and blades with more surface area, its more likely for this one to turn in your hand and move away from any guides or cause inaccuracies. This makes the chances for mistakes and injuries much higher. For lacking in all other layers of functionality, changing and replacing blades on this knife is easier than most others requiring only the loosening and tightening of the handle. Overall the knife does what it is designed to do and does it very well. It can cut long straight lines with a perfect edge in softer thinner materials like paper, wood, and some plastics. To maintain the sharp edge the blades must be replaced often but they are cheap and easy to replace and will last a decent amount of time depending on the material being cut. 

There's little to this simple tool. There are three separate parts that make up the object and they are all more or less the same color and material. The handle and grip are the same shape and only differ in texture while the thin triangular blade stands on the end. It is very sleek and compact making it easy to carry and doesn't take up much space in a tool box/bag. Overall the knife's simple design does fulfill it's simpler function, but minimally. The knife lacks in comfort and in turn affects the ease of use and performance and makes this tool a dread to use. Simple upgrades and changes can be found in many other cheap variations making this knife a last resort in my tool box.