Karambit

What Is a Karambit?

A karambit is one of the most versatile, efficient tactical knives available. It’s a popular knife because it delivers excellent control and has a high degree of blade retention.

Karambits have a reputation for their precise cutting capability. The curved blade, also called a hooked blade, is uniquely designed to utilize the entire blade surface for cutting. Modern karambit designs feature a single or double edge.

The handle is smooth and ergonomic, allowing for a firm, steady grip. The handle’s form is also curved, creating a recognizable half-moon shape. The original design dates back to a thousand years ago, and it was designed to mimic a tiger’s claw in shape and function.

Modern karambit designs feature a safety ring designed to give you full control without fear that the knife could be turned around and used against you.

Overall, a karambit knife is suitable for nearly every task where you need a sharp knife that will cut through almost anything with relative ease.

The Origin of the Karambit

Dating as far back as the eleventh century, the karambit knife has its roots in Indonesia and parts of Southeast Asia. It was initially designed as a farming tool and utility blade. Farmers used it to rake roots, gather threshing, and plant rice. The strong trade industry in Indonesia eventually brought the karambit to Malaysia and the Philippines, where natives also found it useful for many purposes.

The karambit is still the favored pocketknife of choice all around the world.

Depending on the geographic region, the design of the karambit looks slightly different. However, all karambits have an arcing blade that goes the distance for a wider variety of purposes than a straight blade utility knife.

The Evolution of the Modern Karambit

Karambit knives have changed and evolved over the decades. The earliest karambit knife was similar in shape and form to the karambit designs of today.

Older designs lacked the safety ring, which is also known as a retention ring. The safety ring is a useful improvement, and it’s now a staple of modern designs. This ring lies at the end of the handle, allowing you to insert a finger through the ring before closing your hand around the handle.

You may hear the term OTF knife in conjunction with a karambit, which simply means “out the front” knife. This term relates to a karambit knife that conceals the blade within the handle and shoots it out the front when triggered.

Today, modern karambit designs are crafted with safety, precision, and efficiency in mind, and they’re valuable for tackling most tasks under the most demanding circumstances.

Uses of the Karambit Knife

A wide variety of demographics find the karambit knife to be versatile and practical. A karambit knife can cut, hook, tear, slice, and rip a variety of materials, including canvas, ropes, cords, heavy straps, tarps, and other durable fabrics, slicing through them in a single movement. Because you have the advantage of using the entire blade surface, the knife glides through most surfaces with minimal effort or strain. It’s an all-around knife that makes easy work of challenging tasks.

If you’re looking for the best karambit knife for sale, TacKnives offers a fine selection of high-quality karambit knives, including OTF karambit styles.