The audio file for this article was produced by the Ceramic Arts Network staff and not read by the author.
There are many possible designs for handles, and some will be far more comfortable and practical than others. While this isn’t the only factor to take into account when deciding on a handle design, it can be useful to think about the factors that affect the way a handle feels. This is particularly important when designing handles for those with limited grip strength and/or those who experience joint pain when gripping.
Choosing the Right Handle Shape
There are a few basic shapes that make up the majority of handle options (1):
Lugs: A solid lump handle that is held by pinching
C-Shape: A continuous curve
?-Shape: A loop at the top that curves back and attaches at an acute angle at the base
D-Shape: A handle with two distinct bends
O-Shape: A complete circle
Handles can be designed to allow a certain number of fingers into the loop, from small one-finger loop handles up to D-shaped handles big enough for all fingers (2). The shape choice will affect the options for comfortable sizes, as some shapes scale up better than others.
Handles can be made with a wide range of processes, such as handbuilding, pulling, and slip casting. This can affect the shape options, as certain processes lend themselves to certain shapes. For example, a pulled handle will typically have a smooth curve (a C- or ?-shape), a slip-cast or extruded handle might have much sharper bends (a D-shape), and wheel-thrown handles tend to be a perfectly rounded C-shape.
Comfort and Support
To examine why certain handles are more comfortable than others, first, we need to think about what is actually happening when holding a handle. At the most basic level, we’re stopping the mug dropping, and we’re stopping the mug tipping.
Stopping the mug dropping is straightforward. A single point of support inside the handle will allow the mug to hang underneath it. This point of support would only need to apply enough force to counteract the mug’s weight against gravity. But a mug hanging from a single point will tip until its center of gravity is directly underneath that point, and it would spill some of the contents (3).
To stop a mug from rotating around that single point of support, a second force must be applied to it. This one is applied laterally, pushing inward to counteract that rotation. Typically, this is done with one of the lower fingers on the outside of the handle, pushing into the handle, but it can be done by the palm on large enough handles or through friction on a pinched lug-type handle.
The amount of force required to stop the mug rotating around the handle is determined by the relative distance between the center of gravity (somewhere near the middle of the mug body), the top finger position in the handle, and the point of pressure inward. Unlike the vertical supporting force (which is simply the weight of the mug and contents), the horizontal force can vary greatly depending on those relative distances and the leverage that results from them. It’s common for the distance between the fingers to be less than the distance from the center of the mug to the handle, which produces a horizontal force that’s a multiple of the weight of the mug. It might seem counterintuitive, but on most handles the majority of the force is applied horizontally to stop the mug tipping rather than vertically to hold the mug up. The shape and size of the handle, along with the relative width of the mug, can greatly increase or decrease the amount of additional pressure the handle will apply (4).
The Application of Friction
Another consideration for handles is the extent to which they rely on friction to prevent the mug from tipping. A handle based on a perfect circle (the C- and O-handle types) requires a much more active grip, as friction is the only thing stopping them from rotating through your fingers. A ?-shaped handle, where the fingers naturally fall into place, can’t slide much even with a loose grip (5).
When you tip a mug to drink, the handle is no longer aligned with gravity, and some of the force now acts to rotate the mug around the handle. One of the main factors for how easily you can resist this rotation is the cross-section of the handle. A wider, flatter handle gives more leverage and is easier to hold, whereas a handle with a round cross-section gives none and relies entirely on friction.
The handle’s cross-section also affects the surface area over which all forces are applied (6). A wider handle will spread the pressure over a wider area, whereas a thinner handle will focus the pressure on a smaller point.
Impact of Design Choices
All of these factors interact with each other, and the combination of the choices you make when producing a mug will result in a handle that requires more or less force to use. If you attach a small, thin, C-shaped handle to a large mug body, there will be a lot of pressure on a small area of the fingers, and it will require a strong grip to stop it tipping. Contrast that to a wide, ?-shaped handle, which would spread the pressure over a much greater area and would rely less on friction to grip, and you can see how the design choices have a far greater impact than just aesthetics.
If you are making a mug for someone with a weaker grip, limited mobility, or joint pain, these considerations are even more important. From a leverage perspective, the best possible design is one with a handle on both sides. Not only do you get the increased stability of using both hands at once, but you also entirely remove the rotational tipping forces, and this reduces the pressure on either hand by a huge amount.
Another effective modification is to scale a D-shape handle up. Having a thicker and wider handle that allows four fingers will significantly reduce the mobility and strength requirements. This is also useful if you use a mug in a setting where you’ll be wearing thick gloves.
the author Joe Thompson is a graphic designer turned self-taught ceramic artist. For the last couple of years he has been making unique handmade ceramics out of a tiny studio in the UK and sharing about his process online. To learn more, visit www.oldforgecreations.co.ukor follow him on Instagram @oldforgecreations.
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The audio file for this article was produced by the Ceramic Arts Network staff and not read by the author.
There are many possible designs for handles, and some will be far more comfortable and practical than others. While this isn’t the only factor to take into account when deciding on a handle design, it can be useful to think about the factors that affect the way a handle feels. This is particularly important when designing handles for those with limited grip strength and/or those who experience joint pain when gripping.
Choosing the Right Handle Shape
There are a few basic shapes that make up the majority of handle options (1):
Handles can be designed to allow a certain number of fingers into the loop, from small one-finger loop handles up to D-shaped handles big enough for all fingers (2). The shape choice will affect the options for comfortable sizes, as some shapes scale up better than others.
Handles can be made with a wide range of processes, such as handbuilding, pulling, and slip casting. This can affect the shape options, as certain processes lend themselves to certain shapes. For example, a pulled handle will typically have a smooth curve (a C- or ?-shape), a slip-cast or extruded handle might have much sharper bends (a D-shape), and wheel-thrown handles tend to be a perfectly rounded C-shape.
Comfort and Support
To examine why certain handles are more comfortable than others, first, we need to think about what is actually happening when holding a handle. At the most basic level, we’re stopping the mug dropping, and we’re stopping the mug tipping.
Stopping the mug dropping is straightforward. A single point of support inside the handle will allow the mug to hang underneath it. This point of support would only need to apply enough force to counteract the mug’s weight against gravity. But a mug hanging from a single point will tip until its center of gravity is directly underneath that point, and it would spill some of the contents (3).
To stop a mug from rotating around that single point of support, a second force must be applied to it. This one is applied laterally, pushing inward to counteract that rotation. Typically, this is done with one of the lower fingers on the outside of the handle, pushing into the handle, but it can be done by the palm on large enough handles or through friction on a pinched lug-type handle.
The amount of force required to stop the mug rotating around the handle is determined by the relative distance between the center of gravity (somewhere near the middle of the mug body), the top finger position in the handle, and the point of pressure inward. Unlike the vertical supporting force (which is simply the weight of the mug and contents), the horizontal force can vary greatly depending on those relative distances and the leverage that results from them. It’s common for the distance between the fingers to be less than the distance from the center of the mug to the handle, which produces a horizontal force that’s a multiple of the weight of the mug. It might seem counterintuitive, but on most handles the majority of the force is applied horizontally to stop the mug tipping rather than vertically to hold the mug up. The shape and size of the handle, along with the relative width of the mug, can greatly increase or decrease the amount of additional pressure the handle will apply (4).
The Application of Friction
Another consideration for handles is the extent to which they rely on friction to prevent the mug from tipping. A handle based on a perfect circle (the C- and O-handle types) requires a much more active grip, as friction is the only thing stopping them from rotating through your fingers. A ?-shaped handle, where the fingers naturally fall into place, can’t slide much even with a loose grip (5).
When you tip a mug to drink, the handle is no longer aligned with gravity, and some of the force now acts to rotate the mug around the handle. One of the main factors for how easily you can resist this rotation is the cross-section of the handle. A wider, flatter handle gives more leverage and is easier to hold, whereas a handle with a round cross-section gives none and relies entirely on friction.
The handle’s cross-section also affects the surface area over which all forces are applied (6). A wider handle will spread the pressure over a wider area, whereas a thinner handle will focus the pressure on a smaller point.
Impact of Design Choices
All of these factors interact with each other, and the combination of the choices you make when producing a mug will result in a handle that requires more or less force to use. If you attach a small, thin, C-shaped handle to a large mug body, there will be a lot of pressure on a small area of the fingers, and it will require a strong grip to stop it tipping. Contrast that to a wide, ?-shaped handle, which would spread the pressure over a much greater area and would rely less on friction to grip, and you can see how the design choices have a far greater impact than just aesthetics.
If you are making a mug for someone with a weaker grip, limited mobility, or joint pain, these considerations are even more important. From a leverage perspective, the best possible design is one with a handle on both sides. Not only do you get the increased stability of using both hands at once, but you also entirely remove the rotational tipping forces, and this reduces the pressure on either hand by a huge amount.
Another effective modification is to scale a D-shape handle up. Having a thicker and wider handle that allows four fingers will significantly reduce the mobility and strength requirements. This is also useful if you use a mug in a setting where you’ll be wearing thick gloves.
the author Joe Thompson is a graphic designer turned self-taught ceramic artist. For the last couple of years he has been making unique handmade ceramics out of a tiny studio in the UK and sharing about his process online. To learn more, visit www.oldforgecreations.co.uk or follow him on Instagram @oldforgecreations.
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