How does Cutting Hand affect grappling?

Question

Cutting Hand (SC, p.57) changes your hand so that it does more damage and has a +2 enhancement bonus, but he enhancement bonus does not apply to touch attacks.

My question is this: When grappling, would a successful grapple check for damage result in doing the standard unarmed damage for a creature of your size, or would you do damage based on Cutting Hand's new amount? I believe that it does not alter your unarmed damage, but instead you could choose to attack with the hand per the rules in grappling regarding light and natural weapons instead of choosing to do damage from the grapple.

Answer 1

It doesn't usually affect "damage your opponent" option of grappling.

I think your assumption is correct. While Cutting Hand's description lacks some information, it looks like it has nothing to do with your unarmed strike or unarmed damage. In order to do so it must say so specifically and it doesn't.

I should also note, there are numerous effects changing your hands (fingers, nails) in a way for it to become some sort of weapon or natural weapon. So the fact spell affects your hands doesn't neccessarily mean bare hands.