Karambit knives: tactical knives with a rich past

How do you choose a karambit?

You can recognise a karambit by its curved blade and the ring at the end of the handle. The blade cuts as you pull it towards you, while putting your index finger through the ring keeps the knife in your hand, even when your hands are wet.

• Blade length. Most are around 6 cm. That is short, but the curve gives you more cutting edge than you might think.
• How it opens. Flippers and wave openers are the most common here: on a wave opener, a small hook catches the edge of your pocket, opening the knife as you draw it. The CRKT Provoke series works differently: its Kinematic mechanism swings the blade forward with a push.
• Handle and weight. Aluminium is the most popular choice, titanium is lighter and more expensive, and G10 offers the most grip.
• Steel. Böhler N690 and D2 sit in the middle of the range. If you want an edge that stays sharp longer and are willing to pay more, look at Böhler M390 and CPM MagnaCut.

Fox, CRKT and LionSteel together account for more than half this range. Ruike and Kershaw are good places to start; Fox and WE Knife make the more expensive versions.

How to hold a karambit

You can hold a karambit in different ways. Put your thumb through the thumb hole and your fingers in the finger grooves for a "reverse grip". Put your little finger through the thumb hole and your thumb on the spine of the handle for a "conventional grip". Whichever hold you choose, this knife gives you excellent grip!

How to open a karambit

There are different ways to open it, too. Most Emerson and Fox karambits have a hook on the spine of the blade. This opens the karambit automatically as you draw it from your trouser pocket. Opening it with a flipper or thumb hole is also possible.