Haller Karambit, a cheap folding karambit

thejamppa

thejamppa

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Aug 20, 2009
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Haller Karambit linerlock folder.

Hi All!

I got this folder extremely cheap from native version of eBay. It costs me 4,60€'s including shipping and Handeling. Making it effectively sub $10 knife. But what does such price get you? Not much I think but let's go on first.

Manufacturer Haller Messer was unknwon to me and googling did not help much. Just a lot german sites listing Haller knives. My suspect is that Haller manufactures their knives in China. But its definately not a big name and is probably pretty limited in Europe.

First when I opened its bright yellow box my first thought was: Man, that's huge. I opened the blade and action is suriprisingly smooth. Blade did not wiggled at any point and linerlock did locked blade very well. Ergonomics of knife is well dependable on your hand. On right hand blade up (regular way ) it was good. Belt clip could be slight against my palm. Tip down: Excellent, my fingers went perfectly with the belt clip. Left hand tip up: Belt clip went perfectly for my fingers, just like right hand tip down. Left hand tip down was good, but belt clip could be felt against the palm.

Blade has only marking: Haller 420 Rostfrei. Ok, 420 is not the best blade steels but hey with this price what can you expect? Blade was razor sharp out of box. It easily shaved hair back my hand without troubles. After cutting paper, heavy cardboard and wood ( it cut them well and even wood as long it wasn't hardest woods ) and it still could shave hair back of my arms.

Sharpening wasn't hard although curve on the blade might make sharpening slightly more challenging if you're using honing stones.

Finishing of the blade at the best was average. There were some points in blade which left really desired for slightly better finishing. But those surfaces usually were inside of the handles away from sight. Still you can't expect Spyderco-like finish under $10 knife. The price has to be remembered.

Haller's Karambit is big, cheap knife. But its also very sharp and has reliable lock. It retains blade quite well and is not hard to sharp. The big round hole in the end makes blade easy to hang on a lanyard (or in my case swinging blade around my finger when playing with it, its good knife to play around).

Overall this is nice cheap folder. Its quite fun to play, its showy, sharp accompanied very good linerlock. The weak points are finishing of some part of the knife and inability to change belt clips position. Ergonomics range from good to excellent but that is dependable on your hand. To mine its good to use. But I seriously doubt this would make any decent option for harder work and its bit larger for EDC.


Pictures:

Haller folded. It ain't your traditional pocket knife, Its quite huge actually. Victorinox Soldier is in there to help you give estimation in size.


Clipside


Haller Karambit is quite larger when opened.


Only markings in the knife are Manufacturer Haller and 420 Rostfrei. 420 is considered inferior blade steel compeared other like 440 and such. But for such knife its quite understandeable.


It looks quite good


Finishing looks bit desired in few places.

'
Linerlock locks firmly and securely unlike some Mtech's liner locks there's no change that blade could unlock accidently.
 
if it works for you, then good, but it is a copy of the Emerson Karambit by design and with the "wave" feature.
 
Karambit looks a lot like each others but I think you're right. Blade design looks copy of Emerson's. Handle is like Emerson's without scales of Emerson and different hole pattern. But it looks very a like with Emerson's... Except Emerson's Karambit costs 249€ + S&H vs. 4,60€ I paid including S&H...
 
When the knife is designed for use as a weapon, the steel needs to be tough alot more than it needs edge retention. The 420 should be just fine.
 
Yep. After delivering one or two good cuts, you should already be running for safety.

Edge retention is pretty much the last priority in an SD knife, after lock strength, grip security, ergonomics, blade toughness and edge geometry (in that order IMO).

I'm assuming of course, that this knife will not be used in a utility role, since karambits are terrible for that.
 
DocNightfall said:
Yep. After delivering one or two good cuts, you should already be running for safety.

Edge retention is pretty much the last priority in an SD knife, after lock strength, grip security, ergonomics, blade toughness and edge geometry (in that order IMO).

I'm assuming of course, that this knife will not be used in a utility role, since karambits are terrible for that.[/QUOTE]

actually karambits excell for utility work. box opening, carpet cutting, meat flensing, vegetable harvesting, pruning.......
Click to expand...
 
I was speaking in relative terms, of course. While the karambit CAN be made to work in a general utility role, other more conventional profiles like the drop point or wharncliffe will do so more readily and with greater versatility.

You make a good point with pruning and harvesting, though. In the same way that a deep belly angles the wrist optimally for cutting down low to the ground (as when dressing game), the reverse curvature of sickle-like blades works well for cutting overhead.
 
they look more like fox karambit knockoffs imo. fox's also have a wave.

and i agree with bushman about their utility.
 
I also agree with bushman. They are very old indonesian knife design and during then knives needed to be more than just for combat. Most likely pre-karambit designs where modern karambits evolved were mostly used as utility knives.
 
I was going to say that it does look like a Fox rip-off to me since the European marketed Fox folding karambit does have the "wave" type opener. The U.S. versions do not.
 
Dammit, I was going to bid on that very same knife. ;) Had it bookmarked and everything, but then wasn't home on the day the auction closed... You made a good deal, and thanks for the review!

Haller is a pretty big wholesaler. They stock Muela, Maserin, S&W, Fox, Timberline, Chris Reeve, Moki etc - and of course their own brand, most of which seem to be made in the far east, but some in Europe. Their website is http://www.haller-stahlwaren.de
 
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