If you can't have a gun (like me), I'd say stay with the pepper spray
first, have it
readily available.
Karambits are harder to use than hawkbills, and generally require more training to be effectively used.
If you decide to go for a bladed option for self defense, I'd give you three recommendations, and while I am no expert by any means, I have some experience and knowledge in which I base them:
A. Up your budget, to get both a
good, quality knife and
training if possible. Your life and well being is
worth more than $75, I am sure. It's a decision you will never regret if it ever comes down to using more than the pepper spray
B. If you want a karambit, go for a
quality one, like the FOX Karambits, Cold Steel Tiger Claw, Brous Karambit, Emerson Karambit or Karahawk for folders, Cold Steel Tiger, SOG Gambit for fixed
C. Consider less specialised blade shapes, for easier, more direct
old school self defense. Spear, drop, clip and tanto points are the typical knife shapes, proven over time. I personally dig wharncliffe/hawkbill/reverse S blades for self defense, as many here and also lots of martial artists/bladed arts trainers and students.
If you want to go folder, you can explore these shapes on a relatitvely low budget with a Spyderco Yojimbo 2, Blackhawk Be-Wharned (
Wharncliffe), Spyderco Tasman Salt, Harpy, Merlin, Spyderhawk for
Hawkbills and Spyderco Civilian, Matriarch, Lil'Matriarch, Matriarch II, Superhawk, and Cold Steel Black Talon II for
Reverse S blades.
Pick your poison, be trained, be aware, and be sensible.
A blade, once deployed in defensive stance, changes the game quite a bit.
Use the spray always first.
