Karambit for SD? If so, which one?

I think anyone with average motor skills can handle a karambit. It doesn't take long to learn some basic slashing moves. Just spend some time practising in private. I also think a karambit's blade looks more wicked that other straight blades.

About that 20 guys wanting to attack you, forget about running. Emerson's website has a testimonials section where a guy was threatened by a gang. He whipped out his combat karambit and they quickly dispersed. I guess while the gang had the advantage in numbers, individually they must have thought they would be the one to get gutted by that wicked blade.
 
I carry a folding karambit almost everyday. I recently purchased the 5.11 Masters and Journeyman karambits. The Masters version is a little more heavy duty but I carry the Journeyman model most of the time because it is lightweight with a sturdy lock. You can purchase the Journeyman model for around $70-$75 from some on-line dealers. (To me it is the best model to purchase for your first time better quality karambit)

I work in a hospital and carry a karambit in my scrubs. My scrubs have cargo type pockets with sewn in loops in one of the thigh level pockets. I clip a cheaper Mantis MK-1 karambit on one of the loops. Yes, we see alot of hype about Mantis and their advertising but for the money it is tough to beat their karambits. I like the little framelock MK-1.

Outside of the hospital I carry the 5.11 Journeyman karambit and sometimes rotate between an Emerson Combat karambit (which I am going to have modified to a framelock soon) and a Spyderco karambit. The Spyderco is a great folding karambit that has been discontinued by Spyderco. The only thing I don't like about it is the all steel construction. It's a little heavier feeling in the pocket than I want but it is a superb folding karambit.
 
Last edited:
If you're being chased by 20 people, you've made a series of bad choices a long time ago. http://www.nononsenseselfdefense.com has some of the best 'fighting advice' i've seen on the internet.

Know that 'knife fights' are mostly fantasy. If somebody pulls a knife they are: 1) hoping to be threatening enough that the enemy will back down, or 2) commiting to the act of killing somebody.
Even a trained individual can be seriously maimed or killed by any other idiot with a blade.

relaxing a bit: I'm pretty happy with my SW extreme ops Karambit. I got it for $7 on amazon.com It's held its edge well, and can sink into wood pretty deeply if you know how to swing properly. Also, stabbing is one of the basic moves of the karambit. Even so, i've moved on to curved slashing type blades for SD.
 
skyd171 said:
i might add that the main reason im getting this is because about 15-20 kids were about to jump me and 2 friends of mine the other day, and i know its not the last i'll be seeing of them. Because losing a blade would make a quick end to a fight where im outnumbered by at least 5, i think the ring on the karambit will be essential to keeping it on me. the only problem is the reduced range and inability to thrust, which is kind of essential when fighting a group and trying to keep your distance.
Click to expand...

I take it that YOU are a "kid" as well, in which case you are likely NOT thinking clearly after an attempted jumping.
Chill out and THINK for a second.
Do you WANT to end up in jail? Because that's the likely end result of the situation you are describing.
Hit the gym, examine your behaviour and verbal actions to see if there is a REASON(no matter how stupid) that this situation developed.
Hit the gym(very important, for health, strength, and CONFIDENCE) and look into IMPACT DEVICES if the situation CANNOT be avoided; but, in my experience, MOST situations can be avoided with a bit of THINKING before acting or running one's mouth.
I think you need to take a long HARD look at the situation and the possible outcomes of your actions, WHATEVER you choose to do about it.
P.S.- the Emerson Super Karambit is AWESOME!:)
 
Great advice, but the OP was asking about karambits 5 months ago. :| Still, it was worth reviving this thread to get the karambit talk going again. :)
 
Save yourself potentially a lot of money and order one of the Cold Steel Nightshade versions first. http://www.coldsteel.com/nise.html

This way you can check one out and see if its right for you before laying down a chunk of money on something you may or may not end up liking. Decent letter opener in any case.

Personally I cant say I care for them. I am not 'highly trained' in their usage and they frankly do not make much sense to me. I would much rather have the spine or outside of the curve sharpened then the inside which would give a larger contact area for slashing attacks. With the edge on the inside you can get devastating ripping attacks if you get the tip in the right way but, then again, you are probably more likely to get it caught on something also and break a finger.

As the Cold Steal tactical handkerchief videos show, with training anything can be used to devastating effect. With training... Does anyone have one of those Ubre self defense pens???
 
I know a successful example of SD with Kbit. My friend encountered a bunch of junkies and they tried to rob him. One of them got a knife. The said friend yanked his Emerson kbit and slashed jacket on offender in half (no blood was shed and he nicked blade on metal zipper). Robbers was obviously not determined enough, so they fled.
He wasnt trained in FMA and who knows how things'd go if they got firearms (not likely in our anti-gun country)…anyway, the true story.
 
Interesting Video, of course that guy would probably kick the butt of 99% of us with a wet noodle and 5" of duct tape...
 
iamtoast said:
Does anyone have one of those Ubre self defense pens???
Click to expand...

I've got the Rick Hinderer TI modular Pen with removable / replaceable tips...

I spend much of my idle time spinning it between my fingers, using it, carrying it in my pocket and have become ultra familiar with it.

This is the key in a scenario of SD... peeps need to realise that in a real SD moment, you're going to act irational, and default to the lowest common mental state.
Very few people going to be cool, calm and collected if their life is genuinley in the balance. There are no John Rambo moments in real life.

Having a Karambit IWB or in a fake pocket in your inner thigh, or some ninja cape like thing may not be any more beneficial, as you're going to do the most common thing when the pressure is on.

In my case, i'm confident enough that i'd go for the pen, I reckon 2 maybe 3 whacks to the rib / forearm / kneck of a would be assailant should be enough to make them consider their next move.

If I used my knife, i'd be in a whole heap of trouble, to the cops If i use my pen, I've got a lot less to answer to.
 
dennis75 said:
forget karambits. they're a passing fad. properly handling a straight blade is hard enough, don't make it any more difficult

better yet, don't carry a knife for sd. it's a surefire recipe for misery

if you're in a gun-country, like the US. carry a gun for sd

if you're in a anti-weapon country. carry nothing but a pair of running shoes

if you 'must', carry something sheeple-friendly with a 3" blade. don't carry a 4.5" Dork Ops 'mega-killer' with extra blood-container

common sense is the key

ymmv

d75
Click to expand...

One of the wisest posts I've seen in a long time. :thumbup:
 
My $0.02...freely offered....

1. Don't carry a knife that is only marketed for SD. Carry something that can be considered a "tool" or "utility" knife...something you can do more with than cut goblin flesh. That way, when a LEO looks at it, they don't see a weapon...they see a tool. My choice is a CRKT Crawford-Kaspar folder...looks like every other locked-blade folder...not like a ninja/commando killing instrument (to a LEO, of course).

2. Have something else for your first line of SD....pepper spray, walking stick, kubotan-style object, even a water bottle....anything but the knife first. I can even employ my CRKT as a kubotan without unfolding it. The knife should be the absolute LAST resort in a SD situation.....
 
stabman said:
I take it that YOU are a "kid" as well, in which case you are likely NOT thinking clearly after an attempted jumping.
Chill out and THINK for a second.
Do you WANT to end up in jail? Because that's the likely end result of the situation you are describing.
Hit the gym, examine your behaviour and verbal actions to see if there is a REASON(no matter how stupid) that this situation developed.
Hit the gym(very important, for health, strength, and CONFIDENCE) and look into IMPACT DEVICES if the situation CANNOT be avoided; but, in my experience, MOST situations can be avoided with a bit of THINKING before acting or running one's mouth.
I think you need to take a long HARD look at the situation and the possible outcomes of your actions, WHATEVER you choose to do about it.
P.S.- the Emerson Super Karambit is AWESOME!:)
Click to expand...

word, pull out a kerambit against twenty kids and they are gonna slice you up and probably leave you for dead

now, if you break the nose of the first one that comes near you and then break an arm or two before they get around you, they will be a lot less motivated to do you harm

also, the main reason I avoid carrying a kerambit, and i have a wicked model 8 fromhttp://www.derespinaknives.com is the concern it will get caught in the clothes of the knifee when I cut, which is the last thing I want, so in my opinion a stabber is the best way to defend yourself with a blade if absolutely necessary( you or your family are about to die), cause that mfer is going down if you get him in the right spot.
 
I have a mantis karambit and it's a well made piece, but the handle feels pretty sharp in the hand, not very comfortable. If you're gonna buy any of the four you mentioned, get the Mantis, but don't do that, get an Emerson, they're the best.
 
skyd171 said:
im aware of the life/death situation, i was nearly jumped by about 15-20 thugs at my college cafeteria the other weekend, and i had no defense except plastic silverware.
Click to expand...

Pulling a knife against 20 people sounds like a good way to get killed. If you're up against that many people keep your mouth shut and run like hell.

Seriously, the mall ninja fantasies posted in this thread are beyond ridiculous. A better choice would be to examine what decisions got you to the place where so many people have an issue with you and work on correcting that.
 
seeker_two said:
My $0.02...freely offered....

1. Don't carry a knife that is only marketed for SD. Carry something that can be considered a "tool" or "utility" knife...something you can do more with than cut goblin flesh. That way, when a LEO looks at it, they don't see a weapon...they see a tool. My choice is a CRKT Crawford-Kaspar folder...looks like every other locked-blade folder...not like a ninja/commando killing instrument (to a LEO, of course).

2. Have something else for your first line of SD....pepper spray, walking stick, kubotan-style object, even a water bottle....anything but the knife first. I can even employ my CRKT as a kubotan without unfolding it. The knife should be the absolute LAST resort in a SD situation.....
Click to expand...

Excellent points! While I teach stick/baton/improvised weapons mainly in the FMA, there is knifework as well. I did a review of the Derespina Mod 10 karambit and applications on youtube but it was mainly to show a "brother" in Germany how the tool could be useful for his polizei officers in the area of sidearm retention. The series is set on private.

I think the FMA community has a responsibility to limit what they're showing to the public on mediums like youtube. Sure it's an art, but the knife clips I'm seeing lately, even if they're just demos, can give an outside observer a false sense of security and attract the wrong people (ie. mall ninja, rambo rejects, etc.) to your club door. The knife should definitely be the last resort in a self defense situation.
 
dennis75 said:
forget karambits. They're a passing fad. Properly handling a straight blade is hard enough, don't make it any more difficult

better yet, don't carry a knife for sd. It's a surefire recipe for misery

if you're in a gun-country, like the us. Carry a gun for sd

if you're in a anti-weapon country. Carry nothing but a pair of running shoes

if you 'must', carry something sheeple-friendly with a 3" blade. Don't carry a 4.5" dork ops 'mega-killer' with extra blood-container

common sense is the key

ymmv



d75
Click to expand...




+1000000000000000
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top