US20020170224A1

US20020170224A1 - Ergonomic finger grip enhancers for mounting on firearms, sporting implements or hand tools

Info

Publication number: US20020170224A1
Application number: US10/151,073
Authority: US
Inventors: Albert Lawless
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-05-17
Filing date: 2002-05-17
Publication date: 2002-11-21
Also published as: AU2002305599A1; WO2002093100A2; WO2002093100A3

Abstract

A finger grip enhancer for mounting on a selected location on firearms, hand tools and other items having handles or grips for providing an improved finger gripping surface. The grip enhancer can comprise flexible or rigid materials having a high coefficient of friction for an improved gripping surface. The grip enhancer includes a finger grip body, having a top, a bottom and a back surface. The back surface is preferably adapted for receiving an adhesive thereon and attaching the grip enhancer on the selected location on the firearm or the hand tool The finger grip body also includes an ergonomic shaped front finger surface having a top portion tapered downwardly and outwardly into a lower knob portion. The lower knob portion is adapted for receiving a portion of the bottom of a finger and the top of an adjacent finger of the user and preventing slippage thereon.

Description

REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based on a provisional patent application filed on May 17, 2001 having Serial No. 60/291,693 by the subject inventor and having a title of “GRIP ENHANCEMENT FOR TOOLS OR FIREARMS”. A related application by the same inventor, AJL-2, based upon a provisional application also filed on May 17, 2001, U.S. Ser. No. 60/292,274, is directed to “LIGHT GUIDES FOR TOOLS OR FIREARMS”.[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(A) Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an improved finger grip used with all types of firearms, sporting implements, hand tools and the like and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to an ergonomically designed finger grip enhancer for mounting on a firearm or a hand tool for improved grip and for helping prevent slippage on the item.

(B) Discussion of Relevant Art

It is well known to provide hand grips on the handles of various types of tools and implements to obtain a comfortable feel as well as to reduce or eliminate the torsional movement between the handle and the hand of the user. Hand grips such as the types used on power tools or bicycle handle bars are often contoured according to the finger surfaces to aid the user or rider in maintaining a firm grip.

In the United States, there are a number of manufacturers making handgun extensions, grip enhancers, rubber grips and like accessories for firearms. Also the prior art grip enhancers can include one or more finger swells between gripping fingers. Further, gunsmiths can improve a gun owner's grip by roughening the gripping surface, along with adding bulky stocks or by providing finger swells by expensive welding with refinishing.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,181 discloses “auxiliary tool handles” for removable, adjustable attachment to cylindrical tool handles such as used for garden rakes, hoes and the like. The auxiliary handles comprise at least one curvilinear handle segment, which can be attached to the tool handle by slidable sleeves. The auxiliary handles can be installed substantially perpendicular to the straight tool handle. This patent also discusses the forces and fatigue factors involved in using various types of hand tools.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,785,495 and 5,155,878 to Dellis disclose moldable hand grips for use with cycle handlebars, tools, guns and the like which can be custom molded to fit the contours of a particular user's hand. The grips can include special surface properties for comfort and adhesive and resilient inner layers for enhanced function.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,599,920 discloses a “power grip insert” which is attachable to either a handled instrument or a user's hand, with one side contoured to accommodate the handle shank to be gripped and an opposing side contoured in accordance with the musculature of the palm of the user's hand. The insert can be permanently attached to a glove for use with golf clubs. This patent provides an extensive discussion of the anatomy of the hand and the need to adapt the grips of various handled instruments to minimize stress and fatigue in use.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,073,381 discloses a “universal thin walled finger groove adapter” for handguns, comprising a thin ductile metal reinforcing plate encapsulated with thin front and back layers of elastomeric material. At least one finger groove projection is provided on the front surface of the adapter. The adapter is molded in a flat condition, may be trimmed in that configuration to a variety of shapes for mounting on various different handgun handles, and is deformed into the appropriate shape for mounting to the handgun by the user. The adapters are said to be well suited for handgun users with small hands. This patent discusses grip factors important to the effective use of firearms.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,279 discloses an ergonomically deformable grip for firearms, which is made of elastomeric material to obtain a basic contour at the front of the grip through a series of flexible projections formed from the material. The projections can be similar to thin ribs separated from each other by narrow spaces, over which the fingers of the user's hands support themselves. This patent discusses prior art handgun grips and their shortcomings. The deformable grips disclosed therein seem suitable for accommodating hands with fingers of various sizes. However, it would appear to do this without providing the benefit of a stronger grasp, since the ribs would have to be too flexible to provide adequate support from the upper and lower surfaces of the fingers. Thus, resistance in a vertical plane, as during gun recoil or hitting the holster during the draw, would probably not be substantially improved.

Despite the numerous patents in this field, there remains a need for simple, inexpensive devices which can be used to improve the user's grasp upon the grips of hand tools in general, and firearms in particular. For example, the rubberized sleeves fitted with finger grooves for handgun grips have a detrimental effect on the esthetics of the firearm, since they cover parts of the grip which are normally made of wood. Such sleeves thicken the handgrip area, making it harden to conceal when holstered. Such sleeves can also make repositioning of the grip hand difficult during the draw, if a less than ideal position was obtained in the holster. In contrast, the devices of the present invention have the benefit of properly positioning the fingers as the gun is grasped in the holster. Since the rotation of the gun upward during the draw before the barrel has cleared the holster can result in the weapon falling to the ground, the present invention reduces this risk by providing a stronger grasp, especially in the plane of such a force as hitting the holster. Many prior art devices such as the sleeves described above are model specific, thus requiring gun stores and manufacturers to maintain large inventories of devices to fit numerous gun models.

None of the above mentioned prior art firearm grip enhancers provide the unique structure, function, objects and advantages of the present invention as described herein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, it is a primary object of the invention to provide a finger grip enhancer made of flexible or resilient high friction material or rigid high friction material, which conforms easily to the grasping fingers to improve control of a firearm, hand tool or the like. The high friction material may be plastic, metal or other suitable materials.

Another object of the invention is to provide a finger grip enhancer that is inexpensive and can be quickly and easily attached using adhesive or other suitable attachment means to a selected location on various handguns, firearms, tools and the like for increased grip.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a plurality of finger grip enhancers for receiving two or more fingers thereon for improved gripping on a handgun grip or tool handle.

The present invention provides finger grip enhancers of various configurations which can be installed singly or in combination upon the handles or handgrips of various tools, sporting implements, mobility aids and firearms to provide ergonomically enhanced grips. The finger grip enhancer includes a finger grip body having a top, a bottom and a flat or curved (concave) back surface. The back surface is preferably adapted for receiving an adhesive and attaching the grip enhancer onto a selected location on the firearm or a grip of a hand tool. The grip enhancer is made of or comprises a flexible, resilient or rigid material, preferably having a high coefficient of friction for an improved gripping surface. The finger grip body also includes an ergonomic shaped front finger surface. The front finger surface includes a top portion tapered downwardly and outwardly into a lower knob portion. The lower knob portion is designed to rest against the bottom of a finger and prevent slippage thereon.

The grip enhancers of the present invention provide nearly universal means for improving the physical interface between the human hand and the grips, handles and the like for most hand-held tools, weapons and the like. The improvements are provided by a more secure grasp of the handles or grips through an increase in hand-grip contact area, together with reduction in the stress and fatigue caused by the exertion required to maintain the grasp through hand strength only. Most common grip designs for tools and the like provide a secure grasp only through friction with the hand, which increases with grip force. Thus, extended use or adverse conditions such as dampness or cold tend to induce fatigue, tremor or loss of grip in the user. The grip enhancers of the present invention function by nearly matching the grip surface of the tool or firearm to the shape and size of the user's hand.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those familiar with various types of handgrip accessories for firearms, tools and the like when reviewing the following detailed description, showing the contemplated novel construction, combination, and elements as herein described, and more particularly defined by the appended claims and drawings, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiments to the disclosed invention are meant to be included as coming within the scope of the claims, except insofar as they may be precluded by the prior art. Numerals are employed to identify corresponding or similar components in the figures and the description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings illustrate the preferred embodiments of the present invention according to the best modes presently devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which: [0020]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a handgun having the subject finger grip enhancers mounted on the front of a trigger guard and on the front of the handgun's grip. [0021]
FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of a finger grip enhancer having a flat back surface used for securing the enhancer to a portion of the handgun or hand tool. [0022]
FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the finger grip enhancer shown in FIG. 2. [0023]
FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of another finger grip enhancer having a concavely curved back surface contoured for securing the grip enhancer to the handgun or hand tool. [0024]
FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of the finger grip enhancer shown in FIG. 4.[0025]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following description concerns finger grip enhancers designed for handgun grips, which are exemplary rather than limiting of the invention. The finger grip enhancers of the invention can be designed and installed on the handles, grips or stocks of a wide variety of hand tools (e.g., garden tools such as rakes, hoes and shovels and carpentry tools such as hammers, saws and axes), power tools with pistol grips such as hand drills and saws, sporting implements (e.g., baseball bats, hockey or lacrosse sticks and the like), firearms such as pistols (revolvers and “automatics” containing a magazine within the handle), various long-barreled guns such as rifles and shotguns, and other projector devices such as crossbows, archery bows, paintball guns, squirt guns, underwater spearguns and the like. The long-barreled guns can have conventional stocks or pistol grips comparable to those used on pistols. The grip enhancers can also be used on the grips of various mobility aids such as canes, walking sticks, crutches and the handlegrips of wheelchairs pushed by attendants. When pulling a loaded wheelchair backwards up an incline or stairway, it is imperative that the attendant maintain a secure grip. The grip enhancers can have various suitable sizes, shapes and configurations, depending upon the shape and size of the grips which are to be enhanced, the type of tool or firearm involved, and the size of the user's hands, to mention some principal factors. The grip enhancers will all generally have the features or components disclosed and claimed below, however. The grip enhancers can be produced in assortments of shapes and sizes which can be selected for use on a variety of tools, weapons and the like. Although described and illustrated herein primarily as “finger” grip enhancers, the devices of the invention can be designed or modified to support or enhance the grip of other portions of the hand as well. Thus, the devices can be attached to the grip, handle, frame (including trigger guards and the like), gripping surfaces or stock of a firearm, for example. [0026]
Although these devices are generally symmetric and are illustrated and described for use with the right hand, finger grip enhancers which may be asymmetric can also be constructed for use with left hand grips, generally by producing mirror images of the embodiments shown herein. Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience in reference only and should not be considered limiting. The words “up”, “down”, “right” and “left” will designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words “front” and “rear” will refer, respectively, to the muzzle end of a firearm and the opposite end therefrom. The words “top” and “bottom” will refer to the portions of the components of the invention and the implements upon which they are employed which are shown as uppermost or lower in the drawings, and which are normally uppermost or lower when used in the normal terrestrial frame of reference in which the “top” or upper surface is the side opposite the gravitational force. [0027]
The grip enhancers of the present invention, whether used singly or in combination, are designed and installed to have ergonomic effects upon the tool grips. “Ergonomic” devices are generally expected to be safer and/or more efficient when operated by humans. In particular, the present grip enhancers are expected to make the user's grip upon the tool or firearm to which they are applied more stable and secure, without allowing the hand(s) to tire excessively. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,181, which is incorporated herein by reference, for descriptions of two ways in which the human hand can grasp a tool grip and the effects of fatigue when non-ergonomic grips are used. [0028]
The grip enhancers of the present invention can be installed and modified to fit not only the fingers, which provides support from the finger structure of bones and flesh in the areas between the fingers, but can also be useful in providing a more comfortable, stronger and less strenuous grasp for the other areas of the hand. The web of the hand can be protected from the impact of the handgun slide or hammer by placing a grip enhancer below the hammer or slide on the back strap. The devices can also be useful when affixed to the bottom rear surface of the grip safety of military-style Colt M1911A1 semiautomatic pistols. Many users have difficulty actuating this safety because their hands are not sufficiently bulky to depress the lever; the devices of the present invention can add sufficient bulk, as is done with custom grip safeties which add a bump of metal to this location. [0029]
The grip enhancers of the present invention can also be installed or modified for use in improving contact with the shooter's palm when applied to the side grip panel areas of a handgun. Such effects are currently accomplished by using custom oversized grips, which often have to be fitted to the hand using woodworking tools. The grip enhancers of the invention, particularly when molded of soft plastic materials, can be easily trimmed and shaped using commonly available implements such as knives and files. The grip enhancers of the invention can also be used as finger rests by installation with the knob portion in a substantially horizontal position to provide both positioning and support for the trigger finger or thumb. Such use can be especially useful on revolvers to prevent the cylinder release from striking the thumb in recoil. Also with revolvers, modified versions of the grip enhancers can be used to provide more positive actuation of the hammer to a single action position by thumb cocking; slippage of the thumb off the hammer during thumb cocking can cause an accidental discharge of the gun. [0030]
Turning now to the drawings, in FIG. 1, a perspective view of a plurality of the subject finger grip enhancers is shown, the grip enhancers having [0031] general reference numeral 10. One of the grip enhancers 10 is mounted on the front of a trigger guard 12 of a handgun 14. Also, a pair of grip enhancers 10 are shown mounted on the front and along the length of a grip 16 of the handgun 14. Clearly, any number of grip enhancers 10 can be used on the grip of a firearm or tool depending on the size of the user's hand, the length of the grip, the type of grip application and the other types of gripping surfaces.
In FIGS. 2 and 3, both rear and front perspective views of the [0032] finger grip enhancer 10 are illustrated. The grip enhancer 10 includes a finger grip body 18 having a top 20, a bottom 22 and a flat back surface 24. The flat back surface 24 is generally used for receiving an adhesive and attaching the grip enhancer to a selected location on the firearm or a grip of a hand tool. However, threaded connectors such as setscrews, pressure-fitted pins and other mechanical connection means, including fabric hook-and-loop fasteners, can also be used (not shown here). When the grip enhancers are to be installed on metallic magazine-type handgrips or other metallic surfaces, the grip enhancers can be made of ferromagnetic materials which provide sufficient magnetic attraction to hold the grip enhancers in place. The grip enhancer 10 can be made of a flexible or rigid plastic, metal material or the like, preferably having a high coefficient of friction for an improved gripping surface. Magnetic grip enhancers can be formed of magnetized ferromagnetic metals or polymeric composites filled with sufficient ferromagnetic particles to produce the same effect. Many suitable types of polymeric materials are available, with properties ranging from rigid and brittle to flexible or resilient. Natural materials comprising wood, ivory and mother-of-pearl can also be used. It is convenient for the grip enhancers to be molded or otherwise formed of material which is soft enough to be trimmed to the optimum size and shape. Materials can be used which absorb perspiration, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,495, which is incorporated herein by reference.
The [0033] finger grip body 18 also includes an ergonomic shaped front finger surface 26 having a top portion 28 tapered downwardly and outwardly into a lower knob portion 30. The lower knob portion 30 is designed to rest against the bottom of a finger and prevent slippage thereon. The finger or fingers of the user of the finger grip enhancer 10 are not shown in the drawings.
In FIGS. 4 and 5, both front and rear perspective views of another [0034] finger grip enhancer 10 are illustrated. In this embodiment, the grip enhancer 10 has a curved (concave) back surface 32 contoured for securing the grip enhancer 10 to a curved (convex) portion of the handgun or hand tool. Obviously, when a rigid material is used for the grip enhancer, the curved back surface 32 provides for ease in mounting to a curved portion of the trigger guard 12, as shown in FIG. 1, and other curved surfaces on a firearm or hand tool. The backs of the grip enhancers will generally be curved in a concave manner to fit convex portions of the grips or other portions of the tools, but can also be designed with convex curved portions to fit into concavely-curved portions of a tool if necessary.
The method of installation of one or more grip enhancers on a tool or firearm grip will generally encompass trial positioning upon the tool, followed by gluing or attachment by other suitable means when the appropriate positions have been confirmed. For example, the grip enhancers can be installed upon a magazine-handled pistol as illustrated in FIG. 1 using the following steps: [0035]
1) Decide on how permanent the installation is intended to be. Generally, the stronger the adhesive used, the more likely the surface (especially polished or blued metal surfaces) is to be damaged by removal of the grip enhancers and adhesive. For example, LocTite(R) Black Max(R) is very permanent, and reports are mixed on whether removal of such adhesive will damage the blueing on firearms. Epoxy cements will generally damage most finishes. An adhesive which has been successfully tested for removal without damage to metal finishes such as anodizing is SuperGlue Corp.(R) Future Glue(R), but any adhesive should be tested on an inconspicuous area of the surface before actual use. When installing the grip enhancers on various polymeric surfaces, most commercial “instant” glues should be effective. [0036]
2) By trial and error, determine the exact location and feel desired for each grip enhancer and mark location. Trim the narrow upper portion of the grip enhancer to a suitable length and width if necessary. [0037]
3) Apply adhesive to the grip enhancer(s), position carefully at location for installation and press into position until adhesive sets, using clamps, rubber bands or the like if necessary. [0038]
4) Inspect final installation to ensure that the resulting grip is comfortable and effective, and that none of the installed components block any moving parts of the weapon. [0039]
Installation and testing of the grip enhancers of the present invention on various handguns including both “automatics” and revolvers and long-barreled guns including rifles and shotguns have revealed various advantages. The grip can be custom fitted for an individual user's hand, providing a firmer grip with less fatigue in use. When used with pistols, for example, use of the grip enhancers can make the gun point better, recover faster after firing and provide a comfortable grip even when used for prolonged periods. A non-slip grip is provided for all sorts of weather and atmospheric conditions, whether using one or both hands. (The non-trigger hand is often used to grasp a handgun, with at least one finger resting on the grip enhancer which is placed on the trigger guard.) When used on certain automatic pisols, the grip enhancers of the invention can prevent “hammer bite,” i.e. the impact of the slide or back of the hammer upon the web of the hand between the index finger and thumb. This painful effect not only degrades marksmanship but can lead to irritation and even serious infections of the hand. To alleviate this, the grip enhancers of the invention can installed with the lower and knob portions of the devices serving as a top knob when positioned under the tang of the pistol below the hammer. In such applications, the knob of the device forces the flesh of the shooter's hand to the side and rearward, thus keeping it out of the impact area of the slide and/or hammer. [0040]
Prior art literature acknowledges the need to accommodate various hand sizes in firearm grips. The grip enhancers of the present invention not only accommodate different sizes of grips, but allow the owner to optimize the grip of the firearm or other tool to his particular hand. In preferred embodiments, single “finger swells” can be trimmed to length to allow, for example, the bottom surface of a firearm trigger guard, to provide an upper snug contact surface with the shooter's middle finger by installation of the device below the middle finger and as close as comfortable to the guard. Additional devices can be installed to provide similar support to the bottom of the shooter's ring finger for an optimum grip. If the pistol grip is sufficiently long, a third grip enhancer can be installed below the first two to provide support to the bottom side of the shooter's little finger. [0041]

EXAMPLE

The invention will be further illustrated by the following non-limiting example. One of the grip enhancers were installed on the grip of a 16 oz. Kel-Tec 9 mm semiautomatic pistol as illustrated in FIG. 1. Normally, when firing a powerful or very small handgun, the recoil forces cause an upward movement of the gun and a rotational torque on the hand. Actual test firing of this weapon before and after modification according to the invention resulted in substantially faster recovery times for second shots with precise sight alignment for the modified version. The shooter also found the modifications improved the natural pointability of the gun. Firearms trainers agree that the fit or feel of a pistol in the hand has a substantial impact upon the shooter's ability to perform rapid point shooting, such as firing from the hip. A substantial number of firearms experts and trainers have reported that the feel and pointability of this modified pistol were notably improved when a single grip enhancer was installed in an “average” user position. They agreed that when the devices were installed to optimize the grip for a particular shooter's hand, the benefits would be increased. [0042]
From reviewing the above-mentioned drawings and specifications, it is apparent that the [0043] finger grip enhancer 10 may have various geometric shapes and sizes for mounting on firearms, tool grips and the like without departing from the spirit and scope of the subject invention.
While the invention has been particularly shown, described and illustrated in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other modifications are exemplary only, and that equivalent changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as claimed except as precluded by the prior art. The terms and expressions employed are used as terms of description, not of limitation, and there is no intention to exclude any equivalents of the features shown and described, or portions thereof, by using these terms and expressions. [0044]

Claims

The embodiments of the invention for which an exclusive privilege and property right is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An ergonomic finger grip enhancer for mounting on a selected location on a grip or handle to be grasped with the user's hand, for providing an improved gripping surface thereon, the grip enhancer comprising:

a finger grip body, said finger grip body having a top, a bottom and a back surface, the back surface adapted for attaching the grip enhancer to the selected location on the grip or handle using attachment means; and

an ergonomic shaped front finger surface in said grip body, the front finger surface having a top portion tapered downwardly and outwardly into a lower knob portion, the lower knob portion adapted for receiving a portion of the bottom of a finger and the top of an adjacent finger of the user and preventing slippage thereon.

2. The grip enhancer as described in claim 1 wherein said finger grip body comprises a flexible or resilient material having a high coefficient of friction for providing an improved gripping surface thereon.

3. The grip enhancer as described in claim 1 wherein said finger grip body comprises a rigid material having a high coefficient of friction for providing an improved gripping surface thereon.

4. The grip enhancer as described in claim 1 wherein the back surface is adapted for receiving adhesive thereon and securing the grip enhancer onto the grip or handle.

5. The grip enhancer as described in claim 4 wherein the back surface is substantially flat for receiving the adhesive thereon and for securing the grip enhancer onto flat surfaces on said grip or handle.

6. The grip enhancer as described in claim 4 wherein the back surface is curved to provide a concave surface to receive the adhesive thereon and for securing the grip onto curved surfaces on said grip or handle.

7. The grip enhancer as described in claim 1 which is adapted to fit onto at least one location on the grip, handle, frame, gripping surface or stock of a firearm.

8. The grip enhancer as described in claim 1 which is adapted to fit onto at least one location on the grip or handle of a hand tool.

9. The grip enhancer as described in claim 1 which is adapted to fit onto at least one location on the grip or handle of a power tool.

10. The grip enhancer as described in claim 1 which is adapted to fit onto at least one location on the grip or handle of a sporting implement.

11. The grip enhancer as described in claim 1 which is adapted to fit onto at least one location on the grip or handle of mobility equipment.

12. An ergonomic finger grip enhancer for mounting on a selected location on a grip, handle, frame, gripping surface or stock of a firearm for providing an improved ergonomic gripping surface, the grip enhancer comprising:

a finger grip body, said finger grip body optionally comprising a high coefficient of friction material for providing an improved gripping surface thereon, said grip body having a top, a bottom and a back surface, the back surface adapted for receiving an adhesive thereon and attaching the grip enhancer to the selected location on said firearm; and

13. The grip enhancer as described in claim 12 wherein said finger grip body comprises a rigid material.

14. The grip enhancer as described in claim 12 wherein said finger grip body comprises a flexible or resilient material for conforming to a contour of a curved portion on a grip or handle of said firearm.

15. The grip enhancer as described in claim 12 wherein the back surface of said grip body is flat for receiving the adhesive thereon and securing the grip enhancer onto said firearm.

16. The grip enhancer as described in claim 12 wherein the back surface of said grip body is curved concavely for receiving the adhesive thereon and contoured for securing the grip enhancer onto curved surfaces on said firearm.

17. An ergonomic finger grip enhancer kit for mounting grip enhancers on a selected location on a firearm, sporting implement, mobility aid or hand tool for providing an improved gripping surface, said kit comprising:

a plurality of finger grip bodies, said finger grip bodies optionally comprising a high coefficient of friction material for providing an improved gripping surface thereon, with each of said grip bodies having a top, a bottom and a back surface, the back surface adapted for receiving an adhesive thereon and attaching the grip enhancer onto the selected locations on the item to which it is to be attached; and

an ergonomic shaped front finger surface in each of said grip bodies, the front finger surface having a top portion tapered downwardly and outwardly into a lower knob portion, the lower knob portion adapted for receiving a portion of the bottom of a finger and the top of an adjacent finger of the user and preventing slippage thereon.

18. The grip enhancer kit as described in claim 17 wherein said finger grip bodies comprise a rigid material.

19. The grip enhancer kit as described in claim 17 wherein said finger grip bodies comprise a flexible or resilient material for conforming to a contour of a curved portion on a firearm or grip of a hand tool.

20. The grip enhancer kit as described in claim 17 wherein the back surface of said grip bodies is flat for receiving the adhesive thereon and securing the grip enhancer onto the firearm or hand tool.

21. The grip enhancer kit as described in claim 17 wherein the back surface of said grip bodies is curved concavely for receiving the adhesive thereon and contoured for securing the grip enhancer on curved surfaces on the firearm or hand tool.