Karambit

L

Laredian

Joined
May 27, 2013
Messages
199
So I've made a Karambit. 80CrV2 (ca. 5,5mm thick) blade, black paper micarta handle with red liners and bronze pins. Was the most difficult knife I've designed up until now. I've revised this design about 15times, but now I am sort of happy with it. It is double edged and specifically designed as a self defence tool, which is also why it is so thick. The tip on this is seriously sturdy which was very important to me.

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Comments and critique very welcome.

Now I've got a problem: the knife is a gift for my trainer and I also want to make a leather sheath for it. I've thought about that for some time, but I can't come up with a way where this thing fits into a leather sheath where it can be drawn easily without cutting up the sheath. Since it is a karambit, it is supposed to be drawn from the sheath with a reverse grip and the tip facing downwards.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
 
Laredian said:
So I've made a Karambit. 80CrV2 (ca. 5,5mm thick) blade, black paper micarta handle with red liners and bronze pins. Was the most difficult knife I've designed up until now. I've revised this design about 15times, but now I am sort of happy with it. It is double edged and specifically designed as a self defence tool, which is also why it is so thick. The tip on this is seriously sturdy which was very important to me.

S3wtk6.jpg


Masmfb.jpg


Comments and critique very welcome.

Now I've got a problem: the knife is a gift for my trainer and I also want to make a leather sheath for it. I've thought about that for some time, but I can't come up with a way where this thing fits into a leather sheath where it can be drawn easily without cutting up the sheath. Since it is a karambit, it is supposed to be drawn from the sheath with a reverse grip and the tip facing downwards.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
Kydex?
 
The one I made I used kydex and kept one side open for deployment.
I don’t think I could have done that with leather.
 
I should have specified in my original post that I wanted to avoid kydex in this build. I am sure it would work well with kydex. I was just curious if anyone has a method to make a leather sheath for such a rather unusually shaped knife.
 
I would try amd lay out a holster style sheath with a strap. If you know some leather guys, especially ones who make gun holsters, they could help yo with the design.

I can't speak for him, but Horsewright is a member here who could make a stunning holster for that knife.
 
Little update on the knife. Since I am a clumsy f*** I dropped the karambit while doing the last finishing touches and scratched the Ferric Chloride patina pretty badly. I didn't want do mess around with reetching the blade, because I would have had hold a part of the handle into the etch and I was concerned with decolorizing the red liners. So I made a two tone finish with a hand rubbed satin.

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Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
I would try amd lay out a holster style sheath with a strap. If you know some leather guys, especially ones who make gun holsters, they could help yo with the design.

I can't speak for him, but Horsewright is a member here who could make a stunning holster for that knife.
Click to expand...

I am going to ask him for some advice, thanks.
 
That’s bad ass! I really like it. Something I’m really interested in making myself!
 
Josh Rider said:
I know you said you want to avoid kydex, is it because of how kydex looks?
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I personally prefer leather. I don't think kydex looks bad, leather just looks better in my opinion. However in this case I was asking for advice on leather sheaths because I know that the person I am giving the karambit to prefers leather sheaths.

rodriguez7 said:
That’s bad ass! I really like it. Something I’m really interested in making myself!
Click to expand...

Thanks. If you make one really think about what it is supposed to be used for and how exactly it is going to be held. This karambit is designed to be used in 2 reverse grip styles only:
a completely closed fist where your hand is the closest to the ring:
A9McIo.jpg


And a semi closed fist where your thumb rests on top of the ring, in which case your hand is angled just slightly forward and the bottom of you palm will slide down the back of the handle, which there has to be enough space to accomodate that change in grip:
v110US.jpg


I hope you can see the difference...kinda hard to take a picture of what I mean. Also the ring must not be too large or too small and should not be uncomfortable even when making a tight fist, it also should not be too thin. The way the ring and the tip are designed in relations to the handle is also very important.
 
Awesome! Kudos on going with a double edge. That’s the only way a karambit should be IMO.

I know you said you didn’t like kydex. But functionally, it’s going to work WAY better than leather. It will be MUCH quicker to deploy with kydex. Which if it’s going to defensive weapon, deployment speed is huge.

I’ve made a few karambits in my day. Here’s one of the models I do. I’ve modified it since this model. I’ve moved the ring a lot closer to the main grip and thinned out the ring thickness between the index and middle finger.

sKq1l5b.jpg


rYI6PBX.jpg
 
JG Custom Metal Works said:
Awesome! Kudos on going with a double edge. That’s the only way a karambit should be IMO.

I know you said you didn’t like kydex. But functionally, it’s going to work WAY better than leather. It will be MUCH quicker to deploy with kydex. Which if it’s going to defensive weapon, deployment speed is huge.

I’ve made a few karambits in my day. Here’s one of the models I do. I’ve modified it since this model. I’ve moved the ring a lot closer to the main grip and thinned out the ring thickness between the index and middle finger.

sKq1l5b.jpg


rYI6PBX.jpg
Click to expand...

Cool looking knife. I can't properly tell from the picture, is the edge curved slightly or is it a straight wharncliffe? One thing I am going to change when I make one of these again is to hollow grind the top edge. It'll work with the flat grind it has now, but the angle is very steep and a hollow will cut better and still be plenty strong.

Maybe I'll just go with kydex...still undecided, though I agree with you that for quick deployment kydex works very well.
 
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