Outcomes

The final design features a ring for the middle finger and two resting places on the blade for stability.  The circular resting place is for the thumb, while the oblong resting place on the other side of the blade is for guiding the index finger into place.  A small point on the bottom side of the handle allows for a framing of the end of the pinky finger.  The handle has squared-off edges at the end and more rounded edges near the blade for comfort of the user.  This final design was in part inspired by specialty hunting knives with finger rings in place to improve grip and reduce slippage.  Although I'm happy with the end result, the skeleton of this clay project would have been more sturdy and less prone to breaking if it were to be made with wood rather than 3mm acrylic.  Due to the acrylic skeleton breaking in the middle of clay modeling, the original design had to be altered to incorporate a "bridge" in the center hollow.