Hands down, rubber or soft-grip ergonomic plastic-you'll thank yourself after 10 minutes of use! Let me tell you, handle material makes a huge difference. I've used every kind, and the ones with rubber or soft-grip handles are the only ones I'll buy now.
First, rubber handles. They're grippy even when your hands are sweaty or covered in mud-super important when you're mid-project. I once used a putty knife with a smooth plastic handle while my hands were covered in drywall mud, and it slipped out of my hand three times. My Warner knife has a rubber handle, and even with muddy hands, it stays put. Rubber also cushions your hand-no more sore fingers after spreading mud for an hour.
Then there's soft-grip ergonomic plastic. These are designed to fit the shape of your hand, with little contours for your fingers and thumb. My Stanley knife has this kind of handle, and it's like it was made for my hand. I can use it for hours without any cramping-something I could never do with a hard plastic handle. Ergonomic handles also distribute pressure evenly, so you don't get that "pinch" feeling between your fingers.
Avoid hard plastic handles at all costs! They're cheap, but they're terrible to use. I had a hard plastic handle knife that I used for 20 minutes, and my thumb was sore for a day. They're also slippery when wet, and they crack easily if you drop them. I dropped a hard plastic handle knife once, and the handle split in two-total waste.
Wooden handles are okay, but they're high-maintenance. They need to be oiled regularly to keep them from drying out and cracking, and they get slippery when wet. I had a wooden handle knife years ago, and it looked nice, but I forgot to oil it, and it cracked after a few months. Not worth the hassle.
At the end of the day, rubber or soft-grip ergonomic plastic is the way to go. They're comfortable, durable, and make every job easier. Once you use one, you'll never want to go back to a hard plastic handle again.
putty knife from hanke tools
