Karahawk Impressions

[Blerv]

Lately my brother (who is also a coworker and Spyderco afi) and I have "pooled" our knife collection. This has given a new variety of toys to play with and carry :). A recent acquisition of ours is the Spyderco Karahawk.

My quick impressions on the knife are very favorable. The handle is slim making it carry well in the pocket and in the inner waistband. The latter is the preferred method as it hides some of the "bling" from the world. The ring is very comfortable and the Emerson Wave opener works flawlessly. Build quality and the lockback seem very secure and easy to unlock when intended. The blade was exceptionally ground and sharpened as expected.

Overall this is the karambit/kerambit we have always wanted a company to make. No, it doesn't look overly "mall ninja" like some others out there but it simply works on all the levels. It's a classic Spyderco in that it's a high performance tool without all the frills that would have reduced it's effectiveness.

While our collective mindset on personal protection has shifted substantially over the years while carried in the waistband the Karahawk provides a unique solution to a real problem. If your senses are diminished or you find yourself on the ground struggling to make sense of a situation finding an oversized finger ring is simple. Opening a knife is just a quick pull and at that point it's 50% securely gripped. Once in hand it really becomes part of your forearm and even the smallest hands and weakest grips have adopted a natural claw. Sure, kerambit training can be extremely complex with the nuances of flipping and trapping but at the basic/essential level gross motor movements become powerful cuts.

Kudos to Sal & co for making a knife for a sub-genre of knife enthusiasts. IMHO, you made the best one out there. :D :spyder:

[SG89]

You must have some brother! I would never trust my brother with one of my Spyderco's lol. Glad to hear the finger ring is comfortable. I was wondering about that

[ChrisinHove]

How would you rate it against the Matriarch 2 (with or without Emerson wave) for your average amateur "slasher"? It's certainly cool, but it's twice the ££.

[Blerv]

I think Spyderco makes a bunch of great knives, for utility or even defensive roles. The Reverse S and hawkbills in general are very aggressive cutters; they are more specialized than something like a Yojimbo2 but my rudimentary knowledge of high school geometry knows they trap material better.

Ringed kerambits/karambits typically have a shorter blade and more curvature than a standard hawkbill. The Karahawk has a pretty mild arch compared to the older Warren Thomas one which makes it more well-rounded. It's also a bit longer which is nice. Incorporating the index ring into the design makes for a bulkier tool but it's the ultimate in ergonomics. You essentially have provided an unbreakable anchor point.

I think there are plenty of designs that in a cutting demo could out-cut the Karahawk. Very few in practice though are as easy to find and hang onto. You could be trembling and disoriented but that thing isn't leaving your hand.

[demoncase]

As a proud owner of the C84 original Karambit, I've inducted myself into the following dubious club....Hope you don't :D

[spyderwolf]

I think any karambit is a knife with a single destination:fighting.O.K.,and maybe a collectible knife.
Lets be honest,in real life 99% of us will never need a karambit-wanting is a completely other story