Off Topic No such thing as a bad/ "evil" knife , if it works !

[David Mary]

Karambit with a blunted tip. Perfect rescue knife. A wharncliffe with a blunt tip might be close.

A wharncliffe blade about 2-3" long, with enough of a negative blade angle to be an aggressive cutter and slasher but not enough to stop it from being useful on a cutting board would be perfect for general EDC I think. Here is a prototype I have started working on, from a big ol' 1/8" thick sawmill blade:

Okay, so the edge length will be 3.5". I like my EDC blades on the larger side. Still needs to be heat treated and ground. I think I'm going to like this model very much, and will probably make some out of thinner AEB-L stock once I restock on materials and supplies.

 

[David Mary]

I'm not offended . But some others on this forum will possibly dump on you for religious talk . Be warned .

I didn't push anything on anyone, and I don't believe in pushing anything on anyone. Besides, I do believe Bladeforums is populated largely by men, not snowflakes. The thread gravitated towards discussion of the supernatural and I stated what I believe about it. I don't expect anyone to be triggered by the fact that a knife maker on a forum they go to said he's Catholic. If they do, it's on them, not me, but thanks for the warning.

 

[DocJD]

I didn't push anything on anyone, and I don't believe in pushing anything on anyone. Besides, I do believe Bladeforums is populated largely by men, not snowflakes. The thread gravitated towards discussion of the supernatural and I stated what I believe about it. I don't expect anyone to be triggered by the fact that a knife maker on a forum they go to said he's Catholic. If they do, it's on them, not me, but thanks for the warning.

There is some justification for generally discouraging religious and political "discussion" because it usually turns ugly real fast . Plus it doesn't directly pertain to blades .

 

[David Mary]

Wharncliffe. Pointy. Sharp. Ergo...

 

[James Y]

I'll bet that my Spyderco Harpy, Tasman Salt, and Spyderhawk Salt could appear as scary as any karambit to most people. It's cool that I can use them at my workplace and nobody bats an eye. One time someone at work asked me why my Tasman had a hooked blade, as I was using it. I simply explained that it's easier to use for many pull cuts, like this...and hooked the blade under some strapping and easily pulled. She said, "Hmm...that's pretty cool."

Jim

 

[BenchCo Spydermade]

A karambit is a weapon first. To deny so is ignorant. I carry weapons all the time. I don't deploy said weapons unless they need to be used as such (never, thankfully). To cut things I use a knife designed as a cutting tool.

I'd much rather cut a seatbelt with a SAK than a Karambit, but I'm no trained ninja. Perhaps those folks are better at that sort of thing. I've got dedicated seatbelt cutters for seatbelt cutting.

First, a karambit would be much better to cut a seatbelt with than the sak. So i dont understand why youd insist on the sak other than to prove a point.

Second, i can only imagine if you had been first to the scene: "Well, all i got is a karambit kid. We both know it cant do anything but kill, not to mention the bad publicity for knives if I save you. Your gunna have to tough it out till someone gets here with an sak."

Also, you say you often carry weapons, but you're no trained ninja who could use an karambit to save someone. How can you use those weapons you carry without ninja training?

 

[BenchCo Spydermade]

I'll bet that my Spyderco Harpy, Tasman Salt, and Spyderhawk Salt could appear as scary as any karambit to most people.

Jim

Torally agree with this. One of the things ive heard people say makes knives look scary is "teeth"(serrations). Heck, a serrated endura is like a jackolantern smiling.

 

[craytab]

First, a karambit would be much better to cut a seatbelt with than the sak. So i dont understand why youd insist on the sak other than to prove a point.

Well, I disagree, for me. You'll notice how I qualified my statement to my own preference. Please don't tell me what I prefer.

Second, i can only imagine if you had been first to the scene: "Well, all i got is a karambit kid. We both know it cant do anything but kill, not to mention the bad publicity for knives if I save you. Your gunna have to tough it out till someone gets here with an sak."

Again, you're talking about me rather than the topic. Putting that aside, I carry a more proper cutting tool, based on my experience. See above for reference.

Also, you say you often carry weapons, but you're no trained ninja who could use an karambit to save someone. How can you use those weapons you carry without ninja training?

I carry a small pistol as a self defense weapon. No ninja skills needed.

 

[craytab]

First, a karambit would be much better to cut a seatbelt with than the sak. So i dont understand why youd insist on the sak other than to prove a point.

I do believe I said that above. Please read the thread.

 

[David Mary]

I'm no lover of the SAK, but as craytab suggested, during a rescue attempt, it is surely less likely than a pointy and aggressive hawkbill blade to jab into a person trapped in a vehicle who may or may not be thrashing about in agony or panic.

Something like this is close to ideal:

 

[craytab]

I'll bet that my Spyderco Harpy, Tasman Salt, and Spyderhawk Salt could appear as scary as any karambit to most people. It's cool that I can use them at my workplace and nobody bats an eye. One time someone at work asked me why my Tasman had a hooked blade, as I was using it. I simply explained that it's easier to use for many pull cuts, like this...and hooked the blade under some strapping and easily pulled. She said, "Hmm...that's pretty cool."

Jim

Absolutely. People will often fear what they don't understand. An explanation of why a hawk bill or recurve or a fully serrated blade works is very important and helps dispel stereotypes. That said, let's not ignore what the explanation of what a Karambit is.

 

[craytab]

I'm no lover of the SAK, but as craytab suggested, during a rescue attempt, it is surely less likely than a pointy and aggressive hawkbill blade to jab into a person trapped in a vehicle who may or may not be thrashing about in agony or panic.

Something like this is close to ideal:

And it's just me personally, a sak isn't exactly ideal either, more so for me than a Karambit. Like I posted earlier, I like the BM rescue hooks.

 

[BenchCo Spydermade]

I do believe I said that above. Please read the thread.

I dont believe you did. I think you said...

I'd much rather cut a seatbelt with a SAK than a Karambit, but I'm no trained ninja.

 

[craytab]

Better at cutting a seatbelt for sure, I'd worry about cutting into what the seatbelt is holding, I'm no ninja though.

For an edc tool that can function as an emergency rescue tool, I prefer a Pacific salt or a rescue hook from benchmade (of which I have a few).

I dont believe you did. I think you said...

Pay special attention to the first sentence. If you care, go back and read the context, or the thread even.

 

[Peter Hartwig]

I'm no lover of the SAK, but as craytab suggested, during a rescue attempt, it is surely less likely than a pointy and aggressive hawkbill blade to jab into a person trapped in a vehicle who may or may not be thrashing about in agony or panic.

Something like this is close to ideal:

Care must be used when cutting someone out with a pointed sharp knife, but I am not sure he had to cut directly on the person or just cut and relieve the tension. Regardless you have to use the knife you have, not the one you would prefer for the task-in this case. Of course in your own vehicle you can supply the tool you want.

Also we can not automatically assume that is the only knife this kid owns, just the one he had on him that day. By that age I had a variety of knives(nothing too expensive) ranging from SAKs to throwing knives and switch blades. At that age I can't think of a knife I didn't like. My tastes have narrowed substantially.

 

[James Y]

Yes. As long as the knife you have helps you accomplish the task safely and effectively, it's all good. Of course, some knives are more ideally suited to certain tasks (such as cutting someone out of a stuck seatbelt) than others. But if it works to help somebody in a life-saving situation like that, then it's good, because it did what was asked of it. Otherwise, it's the same as when a fighter KOs his opponent, or when a martial artist defends him/herself effectively, and an observer says, "Yeah, but his rear heel was off the ground."

Jim

 

[stabman]

A karambit is a weapon first. To deny so is ignorant.

Yeah, I'm not gonna agree with that.
Developed as an agricultural tool initially, and still makes a decent tool:

Bought from this thread...maker from Bladeforums:

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/kuku-kerambit.711850/

I redid the handle, putting leather epoxied underneath to add width for better control, then rewrapped it with epoxy soaked jute.

Tool, not weapon.

 

[DocJD]

Yeah, I'm not gonna agree with that.
Developed as an agricultural tool initially, and still makes a decent tool:

Bought from this thread...maker from Bladeforums:

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/kuku-kerambit.711850/

I redid the handle, putting leather epoxied underneath to add width for better control, then rewrapped it with epoxy soaked jute.

Tool, not weapon.

Thank you , most honorable Stabman !

 

[craytab]

Yeah, I'm not gonna agree with that.
Developed as an agricultural tool initially, and still makes a decent tool:

Bought from this thread...maker from Bladeforums:

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/kuku-kerambit.711850/

I redid the handle, putting leather epoxied underneath to add width for better control, then rewrapped it with epoxy soaked jute.

Tool, not weapon.

Then we won't agree, which is fine.

Development and what something turns out to be sometimes are different.

 

[stabman]

Then we won't agree, which is fine.

Development and what something turns out to be sometimes are different.

Some karambits sure developed into decent weapons; double edged helps with that.
The single edge ones aren't really super great as weapons, which includes all the folders (Sorry Emerson fans...hey, I carry an Emerson Karambit every day...as a tool ).

As to why the fast food guy might have had one, a lot of people buy their knives at the gas station.
On the way back from Chicago in May, I picked up a gas station knife in my quest for the perfect gas station knife.
I got a Z-Hunter fixed blade, which other than the blood spatter and "zombie green" paracord wrap is simply a regular drop point knife.
You know what the next best knife they had at the gas station was? An assisted opening karambit.

If I'd been buying a folding knife as a tool at that gas station, I would have had to get a cheap karambit.

Oh yeah, and this for no good reason:

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/ultimate-gas-station-knife.1591391/