Elevating safety and productivity for professional roofers
When AJC, a trusted name in professional roofing tools, set out to improve the roofing knife, they knew safety and productivity were paramount. Their goal was to design a tool that resolved common frustrations roofers face, including hand fatigue, cumbersome blade changes, and insufficient blade storage. The El Jefe roofing knife is a prime example of how innovative design can elevate a product from ordinary to indispensable – setting the professional standard. By addressing core pain points and delivering practical, user-focused solutions, Design Central and AJC have created a tool that meets professional roofers' demands.
Client
- AJC Roofing Products
Industry
- Consumer
Capabilities
- Product Design
- Engineering
- Prototyping
Objective: Design the ideal professional roofing knife product experience.
Ergonomic handle for comfort and safety
Roofers spend long hours gripping their tools, yet traditional knife designs don't effectively prevent hand fatigue, leading to a greater likelihood of possible abrasions. To solve this, we refined the handle's curvature to better fit the hand's natural contours and increased its circumference to prevent finger overlap. Additionally, we incorporated a critical extension at the knife's rear, elevating the user’s knuckles above the abrasive shingle surface. This thoughtfully designed ergonomic handle protects hands from painful scrapes, increasing safety and sustained productivity throughout the day.
Tool-free blade replacement
Blade changes are notoriously frustrating with traditional roofing knives, often requiring fumbling with screwdrivers and keeping track of small elements of the knife. The pivoting handle of El Jefe opens seamlessly with the push of a locking button, eliminating the need for additional tools. This design keeps all components intact, allowing users to access and replace blades without the hassle of loose screws/falling parts. The intuitive mechanism simplifies the process, enabling roofers to stay focused on the job rather than fumbling with tools and hindering their safety.
Maximizing blade storage
Many roofing knives typically sotre only 3–5 spare blades—adequate for small tasks but insufficient for the demands of professional roofers tackling large-scale projects. Increasing the handle's circumference to improve ergonomics created additional internal space, doubling the storage capacity to hold up to 10 blades. This enhancement means roofers can work longer without interruptions to retrieve new blades, translating to greater efficiency and productivity on the job. The improved capacity ensures that El Jefe is not just a tool but a reliable partner for professionals.