Always thought they were cheap, goofy knives that carnies sold at the fair until I stumbled upon a youtube video of some guys using them. Now I'm considering getting one. Any suggestions?
Sidearms & Scatterguns any Karambit users here?
- Thread starter Sauce787
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If you are buying one to keep at home then there are lots of choices, however if you want one to carry around, you will need to check your local state laws very carefully first.
Even in a freedom loving state like Texas, there are a bunch of knife types you can't carry.
Depending on your state laws, you may be able to get one custom done to be legal to carry.
Even in a freedom loving state like Texas, there are a bunch of knife types you can't carry.
Depending on your state laws, you may be able to get one custom done to be legal to carry.
more than likely looking into the emerson or fox folders, they have right around 3 inch blades. From what I can interpret from Illinois laws, you can carry almost anything (except autos) as long as you do not unlawfully use it against another person.
I have a few emersons that I carry at work. I carry a fixed blade behind my pistol and a spyderco civilian( with a ziptie in the loop to open it as it leaves my pocket) in my back left pocket. Off duty I carry the folder in my back left pocket with my pistol on my right hip. During my deployment I have been carrying my strider HS on my belt jsut below my body armor. I love them and wouldnt carry anything else for self defense. I would have to tell you that you will never know enough about how to use them without taking a few classes. Classes are well worth your time and money because carrying a knife for protection is just like carrying a pistol. Just remember that if you ever have to use it on someone the aftermath of the incident might be a little tricky just because of the shape and style of the knife. I know that it should have nothing to do with anything but if the gun ban crowd can teach us anything, it is that the uneducated can cause more damage to good people in courtrooms than the criminals cause on the street.
Get an Emerson, get some training, and remember that weapon retention is everything.
Dave
Get an Emerson, get some training, and remember that weapon retention is everything.
Dave
I would equate carrying a karambit as a defensive knife to someone carrying a 1911 as a first CCW. It's a bad idea unless you've received extensive training. In order to effectively use the karambit (and as another user mentioned in an earlier thread), you have to get within "bad breath" range of your attacker, which usually suggest that you may have become the aggressor at some point. Most are also sharpened on both sides, making them exceedingly dangerous in untrained hands, and more of a single-purpose tool for self defense.
Bottom line: get some basic training, and then some advanced training specific to the karambit before deciding to carry one around. Strider ships theirs with an unsharpened aluminum trainer for a reason.
Bottom line: get some basic training, and then some advanced training specific to the karambit before deciding to carry one around. Strider ships theirs with an unsharpened aluminum trainer for a reason.
Training is a must!! If you do not get the propper training then you will find that you will cause just as much, if not more, damage to your arm/hand that is not holding the knife than what you cause to the attacker. Deep slices and high adrenaline are a very bad combo.
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I have owned a few of them and it appears that in the right hands they are a great tool, but I passed.
To me the idea of getting close enough to engage with a knife is bad enough. The idea of then pulling him closer....seems counter intuitive to me.
To me the idea of getting close enough to engage with a knife is bad enough. The idea of then pulling him closer....seems counter intuitive to me.
My best advice is to get training from a source that has nothing to gain from the manufacture, or sale of a karambit. You need a non-biased approach to self-defense, preferably from someone with some real world experience.
Also, question the moves, and tactics that are displayed, if they do give you a preview. I've seen ads for one self defense class that used the loop for a karambit, put the attackers finger through it, and had that listed as a method of control. The whole idea lacked common sense as the control of the weapon was given to the attacker.
Also keep in mind that because of the size of the blade, that the karambit is for defense, not offense, and shouldn't be considered as a replacement for a larger, and better suited, fighting knife, or a pistol, and rifle in the next levels of offensive, and/or, defensive firepower.
Also, question the moves, and tactics that are displayed, if they do give you a preview. I've seen ads for one self defense class that used the loop for a karambit, put the attackers finger through it, and had that listed as a method of control. The whole idea lacked common sense as the control of the weapon was given to the attacker.
Also keep in mind that because of the size of the blade, that the karambit is for defense, not offense, and shouldn't be considered as a replacement for a larger, and better suited, fighting knife, or a pistol, and rifle in the next levels of offensive, and/or, defensive firepower.
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I have said this before, but at bad breath distances the assumption that a handgun is some how vastly superior to or more lethal than a blade is both flawed and one dimensional thinking. Knives don't have to be cocked, unsnapped, loaded, safety'd, or aimed.
Not saying for one second they are better, but they are horrible tools in a fight and demand measured respect.
According to my aikido instructor (he's also big into arnis/escrima), in the Philippines they use karambits like we do a clip point. I've never seen something scarier than him playing with sticks or a knife, so take that information as you will.
Yeah I see your point. I'm just saying that more times than not you are going to go to your carry pistol more so than a knife. Lets face it, most of us (including myself) are not proficient enough with a blade to solely depend on one. I personally believe a carry blade should equally double as a utility knife as well as a personal protection knife, which a karambit knife does not do both well. I know my movie quote was maybe a little over the top but lets face it, the old saying "Don't bring a knife to a gun fight" is more times than not true.
for actual carry and use i stick to strider and emerson, not say their aren't others out there equally nice but i love those and feel no need to go anywhere else
i own a 5.11 cqc karambit, and formerly an Emerson plain that was already heavily used when i got it, but t was still my favorite i miss it alot, but im not sure if i want to pay that much for it again, it was still a great folder,
Yeah, I knew you weren't hollywood posing
I mentioned it because a lot of hard core handgunners have no idea how nasty and downright devastating a knife is....Until you see the damage for yourself it is hard to even put into words.
Disgusting and brutally final come to mind.
I ALWAYS have at least one knife with me....Even when I am surfing or scuba diving...no exceptions.
The karambit is an interesting blade shape. The videos that make them look so very lethal are a bit deceptive. Anyone who spends a decent amount of time practicing under an talented and experienced instructor can make any blade extremely deadly, regardless of blade shape. Just look at the khukuri..another unusual blade shape that is extremely effective.
I'm an Eskrima/Arnis practictioner/instructor and in order to use a Karambit (or any knife for that matter) effectively, you must be proficient with your empty (check) hand. This is so you can parry and set up your attacks as you won't really have any distance to work with. The limiting factor of the Karambit (or lihook as we call it) to me, is the blade length and shape. I've trained with them for years, and I'll tell you that if I had actually use a knife in a fight, I'd use one with a longer and straighter blade. Of course, if you say wanted to use it simply to dispatch an unsuspecting foe, then yeah, they'll definitely do the job. With that said, they are cool looking blades and they've always reminded me of the velociraptor claw from Jurassic park.
A sharpened stick will work on an unsuspecting foe. Training is the key whether it is with a karambit, khukuri, bowie, katana, or even a baseball bat. Realizing that almost anything short of whipped cream can be used as a weapon is a tremendous advantage. A sharpened pencil stuck 4 inches into an adversary's eye will certainly give an advantage in a fight..knowing how to use whatever is available is the key.
Personal opinion: I am generally afraid of the karambit. Meaning although I'm a self-proclaimed expert at wanting / buying more knives, I steer far clear of the karambit. I do know those who carry one, and have had some training with a karambit, but, in my opinion, the training will never compensate for habitual use. I use a tomahawk and one or another kind of fixed blade knife a lot on my property (clearing brush, chopping, cutting, splitting, peeling, prying, digging, occasionally gutting and boning, etc.). At work I'll use a folder pocket knife for occasional tasks. I am certain a karambit would not do half the work, half as well. I really think that in a no-gun defense situation, I'd be able to serve up justice best with the tools I'm next most familiar with (the 'hawk and a field knife), but with a karambit (used and carried only for knife fighting) I'd probably be a fool.
My point is that in knife fighting, like anything in shooting, repetition of actions, using good principles, is far more important - and deadly - than a whiz-bang piece of gear that you took a class or watched a video demonstration of once. In some kind of back-up weapon situation, a knife you use constantly, day in and out, will be more effective than anything else. Plus, why carry a specialized knife when a general purpose one is good for so much more?
Of course, the heart wants what the heart wants, but, in a self-defense situation, the go-to weapons should be drummed into your muscle memory. Would you rather spend time drumming in skills for a single-purpose karambit, or getting your chores done?
There's my 2 cents.
My point is that in knife fighting, like anything in shooting, repetition of actions, using good principles, is far more important - and deadly - than a whiz-bang piece of gear that you took a class or watched a video demonstration of once. In some kind of back-up weapon situation, a knife you use constantly, day in and out, will be more effective than anything else. Plus, why carry a specialized knife when a general purpose one is good for so much more?
Of course, the heart wants what the heart wants, but, in a self-defense situation, the go-to weapons should be drummed into your muscle memory. Would you rather spend time drumming in skills for a single-purpose karambit, or getting your chores done?
There's my 2 cents.
Vetski,
If my cholesterol is any indication, I may on the short list...There is probably more truth to your statement than many people realize. I got a good laugh out of it though. Thanks.
If my cholesterol is any indication, I may on the short list...There is probably more truth to your statement than many people realize. I got a good laugh out of it though. Thanks.
A group called Invictus Alliance Group offers a class dealing with punch blade(karambits nightmare), You will have a hard time finding a pic of due to the reasons its hard to come by unless your part of a sf team, but if your interested in the class which is taught by some beast check out their facebook,
Also its doubled with a powe striking course!!!
Also its doubled with a powe striking course!!!
I just picked up an Emerson (#0269 for those who find it interesting). I practice aikido and one of the instructors has been in escrima/arnis for years, so we get a little of that as well. Id like to try my hand at mixing a karambit in there too.
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