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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
New Here! Want to buy my first knife!
- Thread starter hanlee97
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I do not own any Karambits but from what I have read, the karambit is suited specifically for Self Defense.
I do own 2 Bali-Songs, these are great for playing with and I enjoy everday carrying (EDC'ing) one of them but I would not recommend them for self defense...Simply on the fact that in a high stress Self Defense situation the motor skills required to deploy one would likely cause injury to yourself, and even it you were successful at defending yourself the rulers of our nation would likely throw the book at you with extreme prejudice for using such an evil knife.
A fixed blade, pistol, baton, stun gun, or pepper spray are way better options for self defense.
If you want both a karambit and Bali-Song Mantis knives (not a well recieved or well liked company by most here) offers a model that is both a Karambit and Bali-Song.
Best of luck and welcome to the forums.
I do own 2 Bali-Songs, these are great for playing with and I enjoy everday carrying (EDC'ing) one of them but I would not recommend them for self defense...Simply on the fact that in a high stress Self Defense situation the motor skills required to deploy one would likely cause injury to yourself, and even it you were successful at defending yourself the rulers of our nation would likely throw the book at you with extreme prejudice for using such an evil knife.
A fixed blade, pistol, baton, stun gun, or pepper spray are way better options for self defense.
If you want both a karambit and Bali-Song Mantis knives (not a well recieved or well liked company by most here) offers a model that is both a Karambit and Bali-Song.
Best of luck and welcome to the forums.
I don't have a specific recommendation, however I do recommend listening to what everyone has to say. There are VERY knowledgeable people on this forum and they will steer you in the right direction. Keep an open mind and when someone starts to hit on your preferences, keep asking questions and you will get to where you need to go....
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For your first knife imo I would say neither.start off with your basic folder learn the basics of edc carry tip up /tip down easiest deployment learn to respect your steel your carrying.it may have to bite ya a couple times to learn to respect it's power.in a self defense situation either u have the upper hand because u have a knife and the threat doesn't or your knife is not enough defense because the threat has a gun . basically any knife is better than no knife and just because it's a "self defense "knife doesn't give u the more advantage.this is strictly IMO
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For self defense eh?
What have you been trained to used? Balisong is a straight blade usually held with a hammer grip and and the Karambit is held with a reverse grip. These are two completely different grips and require different approach in defense. So ask your instructor which he recommends and to go over basics with you.
Now the Balisong is more flash then defense, so between the two I would suggest a Karambit. You could get a training Balisong (blunt blade) for tricks and playing around. With that being said, a Karambit is design for quick glancing slices to soft tissue and can get hung up on loose clothing, not good in a fight. They take lots of training to be effective. You should seek training before choosing to use a knife, if for nothing else but weapon retention. Last thing you want in a fight is a struggle over a sharp knife tossing around wildly, sticking and slashing both parties.
On a legal standpoint, if used in self defense you could have to defend your knife choice in court. In which case having a strictly combat knife is frown on and could wind up getting you in trouble with plaintiff accusing you of obsessive force and intent to kill over simple defense.
For these reason and the fact I am train with hammer grip in multiple weapons, I chose to carry a simple, plain edge 3" knife which can handle edc but can be used in self defense.
What have you been trained to used? Balisong is a straight blade usually held with a hammer grip and and the Karambit is held with a reverse grip. These are two completely different grips and require different approach in defense. So ask your instructor which he recommends and to go over basics with you.
Now the Balisong is more flash then defense, so between the two I would suggest a Karambit. You could get a training Balisong (blunt blade) for tricks and playing around. With that being said, a Karambit is design for quick glancing slices to soft tissue and can get hung up on loose clothing, not good in a fight. They take lots of training to be effective. You should seek training before choosing to use a knife, if for nothing else but weapon retention. Last thing you want in a fight is a struggle over a sharp knife tossing around wildly, sticking and slashing both parties.
On a legal standpoint, if used in self defense you could have to defend your knife choice in court. In which case having a strictly combat knife is frown on and could wind up getting you in trouble with plaintiff accusing you of obsessive force and intent to kill over simple defense.
For these reason and the fact I am train with hammer grip in multiple weapons, I chose to carry a simple, plain edge 3" knife which can handle edc but can be used in self defense.
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If you have $500 laying around... Coogler Nemesis
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Both bad choices, get a Benchmade Barrage
Claws are not for cutting
Claws are not for cutting
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It should be re-waved to draw properly though.
[video=youtube;Nvf4WZs3wJ4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nvf4WZs3wJ4[/video]
Hah, that's a typical CM move, waving a knife that already has a wave. Do you draw it with a lanyard for a better grip? I wasn't even thinking of the wave when I recommended it, I was just thinking Emerson makes a decent karambit for the money.
I know it isn't quite what you asked for, but I recommend easy to use weapons for self defense. When your adrenaline is pumping, the last thing you want to do is try and deploy a balisong only to have shaky hands cause you to fumble with it. With a good flipper, all you have to do is press down on that flipper and the knife should fly right out. I'd recommend a nice Zero Tolerance knife, or a Kershaw if you don't want to spend the money on a ZT.
While the Spyderco Civilian is a mean lookin, very capable blade, I'm more interested in ease of deployment than I am scary factor in a self defense knife. Not to knock the Civilian though, I do own one of those as well!
While the Spyderco Civilian is a mean lookin, very capable blade, I'm more interested in ease of deployment than I am scary factor in a self defense knife. Not to knock the Civilian though, I do own one of those as well!
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Balisong is fun to play with.
Karambit isn't.
Neither is great for EDC.
Do you really feel you need a designated knife specially for the purpose of self defense? I'd recommend a self defense course and a good EDC blade. But maybe you're beyond that.
A good cheap maker for some butterfly knives is Bear and Sons. A good karambit is a little more expensive.
A good beginner knife for just edcing on the cheap is an Ontario Rat 1 or 2. $20 and you can use it however you see fit.
Karambit isn't.
Neither is great for EDC.
Do you really feel you need a designated knife specially for the purpose of self defense? I'd recommend a self defense course and a good EDC blade. But maybe you're beyond that.
A good cheap maker for some butterfly knives is Bear and Sons. A good karambit is a little more expensive.
A good beginner knife for just edcing on the cheap is an Ontario Rat 1 or 2. $20 and you can use it however you see fit.
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Where is the consensus coming from that a Bali is bad for EDC?
Someone tell that to my Benchmade 51 and 62, cause I edc a Bali everyday. Even make my sandwiches and slice up meats with it.
I am guessing you guys either cannot leagally carry a Bali or do not/have not owned or edc'd one.
For the record the Morpho is more pleasant to flip, the 62 is sturdier for work, however my Bali's are far better slicers than almost every single other folder I have ever handled and they work great on cleaning fish.
Now a Karambit on the other hand would be at a considerable disadvantage for EDC.
Someone tell that to my Benchmade 51 and 62, cause I edc a Bali everyday. Even make my sandwiches and slice up meats with it.
I am guessing you guys either cannot leagally carry a Bali or do not/have not owned or edc'd one.
For the record the Morpho is more pleasant to flip, the 62 is sturdier for work, however my Bali's are far better slicers than almost every single other folder I have ever handled and they work great on cleaning fish.
Now a Karambit on the other hand would be at a considerable disadvantage for EDC.
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Bali is better for EDC in my experience. None of them is great as an EDC, though, and none of them is a great self defense knife, IMO, there are much better options out there.
However, if I had to chose one of the two as a self defense tool I'd pick the Karambit.
It needs more skill and training to use properly, but doesn't have the deployment problems of a bali under stress (ezpecvially if it's a fixed blade) and its curve is excellent for incapacitating slashes, deep cuts and trapping the attacker's weapons/arms/legs. It is also a very specialised fighting tool, more so than the Bali.
I used quite a few Balis and Karambits (fixed and folders) and would recommend:
On the cheaper side: Mantis, Fox, 5.11,
On the expensive side: Emerson, Cold Steel Tiger Claw, Cold Steel Tiger (fixed), and a Waved Spyderco Civilian/Matriarch/Spyderhawk or CS Black Talon II in reverse grip, even though they are not strictly speaking a karambit
However, if I had to chose one of the two as a self defense tool I'd pick the Karambit.
It needs more skill and training to use properly, but doesn't have the deployment problems of a bali under stress (ezpecvially if it's a fixed blade) and its curve is excellent for incapacitating slashes, deep cuts and trapping the attacker's weapons/arms/legs. It is also a very specialised fighting tool, more so than the Bali.
I used quite a few Balis and Karambits (fixed and folders) and would recommend:
On the cheaper side: Mantis, Fox, 5.11,
On the expensive side: Emerson, Cold Steel Tiger Claw, Cold Steel Tiger (fixed), and a Waved Spyderco Civilian/Matriarch/Spyderhawk or CS Black Talon II in reverse grip, even though they are not strictly speaking a karambit