Cutlery Grips

Hi Everyones,

My names Alec James and I am currently studying a product design degree. A focus I had for a project was looking at specialist kitchen cutlery for people with weaker grips.

The idea I have had is to create a specialised handle that would hold peoples existing cutlery like a sleeve, rather than them having to buy a completely new set of cutlery specially for themselves.

I know a few products like this exist but they are generally just in simple shapes or foam tubing, rather than a handle that is ergonomically designed for the hand. If this grip was acheivable to be in the same price bracket as the specialised cutlery, do you think this would be a product that generates interest?

Thank you for any responses that I receive on this.

Regards

Alec

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Permalink Reply by Jane Black on December 4, 2011 at 20:44

Hi Alec. I am an occupational therapist and I think your idea is a good one. I have also had an idea which may enhance your idea for people with visual impairment. I currently in talks with an inventor company called Davidson who are based in America (you may have heard of them and I would be interested in your views about them), however they want $745 dollars to take the design further, I am not sure that I would generate that much interest from my idea to make lots of money back from it. At the end of the day my job is to try and make people more independent in every day living activities. I would be happy to discuss your design further.

Regards

Jane

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Permalink Reply by Jamie Robertson Smith on January 27, 2012 at 20:50

Hi Alec, I suffer from very mild Cerebral Palsy and have been given a set of adjusted cutlery with easy grips but I think this idea is really good. The reason being that you can change it between cutlery and it also allows you to take them with you when going out somewhere.

If I can be of any assistance or useful for testing let me know.

Jamie

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Permalink Reply by Alec James on January 30, 2012 at 9:31

Hi Jamie,

Thank you for showing your interest in the grip and your approval of it, it is much appriciated. I am glad you said your points on why you liked it as these were so of the points I thought would draw appeal. Also thank you for your offer in the assistance, if I need it I may call upon you.

Kind Regards

Alec

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Permalink Reply by Alec James on January 30, 2012 at 9:28

Hi Jane,

I am very sorry for being so late with my reply, I have been busy with my work and was meant to get back to you but it slipped my mind. I am sorry but I have not heard of Davdison before, I will try to look at them when I can. My design is currently going pretty well thank you. I am making my own mixtures of cork now as a main material for the actual grip and I have a set shape from talks with hand therapists.

Kind Regars

Alec

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Permalink Reply by Angela Cavill-burch on November 8, 2013 at 14:30

Good idea.

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Permalink Reply by Bob Howie on July 2, 2015 at 20:08

I was burned many years ago in a gas explosion and for a time lost the grip in both hands, the most I could grip was half a pound of force. The hospital had fitted bicycle handlebar grips to the cutlery to make it large enough to grip and with the finger recesses it made it easier to balance and manoeuvre. Perhaps you could try silicon as it is flexible enough to allow any shape to be pressed into a preformed hole and as it is also an insulator, the handles would remain cool.