The Karambit knife was actually used as a farming tool in the 11th century. Overtime it developed uses for every day carry and defense as a weapon that was affordable and easy to use and conceal. Healing from locations in the world such as Sumatra and Malaysia, the Karambit knife has long lived in deep, seeded roots. There are different sizes, as well as different specific shapes of these knives found throughout history and across the world. There are larger versions for battle reasons and smaller versions for personal use, and concealment reasons. Nowadays this knife is used in martial arts, teaching, as well as self-defense training in many forms. In this article, you will learn several different types of Karambit knives, as well as what they are best used for and where they come from. You will also find some specific techniques and key points on how to us the Karambit and how not to use it.

Karambit knives are generally smaller and sized and have curved blades. This design makes for better control and hand to hand combat situation’s of both your weapon and the opponent. Usually this knife has a loop on the end of the handle portion in which you can insert your finger for better stability and control. This also allows the user to have a striking and for blunt force trauma. Some Karambits add another point, or another full blade to the other side as well for further slashing and piercing opportunity. This knife is incredibly versatile, and in modern days has been upgraded with new technological advances.

In the history of this knife, the average Karambit has been a fixed blade knife. However, nowadays these knives have seen the inclusion of a folding mechanism. This makes for a safer, more compact, and concealable knife. The loop on the end of the handle lens, its self well, two times of high stress and real life situations for self-defense. This is due to the propensity for adrenaline output in the human body, presenting the possibility for attacking hands opening and dropping the weapon. Not only this, but the hands of the wielder may be sweaty or the grip may be loose. In any situation like this, the wielder of the knife may drop the weapon that they are defending themselves with or, even worse, cut themselves with their own blade. The loop seemingly fixes this issue.

Uses & Techniques with the Karambit Knife

The history of this knife is interesting and good to learn if you are going to purchase one and use it, but what do we do once we have it? This is one of the oldest martial arts practices that there is, being that the weapon itself is actually hundreds of years old itself. There are a few main aspects that this knife is most useful for in self-defense and protection.

Control

The curve of the blade provides a superior style for controlling limbs and any attacking weapons that your opponent may have in their possession. While this blade’s curved inside is a sharp edge, it can still certainly be used for control reasons against a violent attacker. It is important to understand that this knife is small and should only be used as either a last resort of self-defense or as a secondary weapon in order to get back to your primary weapon. If you lose control of your pistol or AR, you can use your Karambit knife in order to retrieve your primary and continue defending yourself in a better manner.

Use it with Other Techniques

For the best outcomes and results in defending yourself if you ever have to use a knife like the Karambit, you should be using other hand to hand combat techniques in order to be more successful. Knowing at least some jiu-jitsu, kickboxing, or another martial art will help your chances at staying alive in a situation in which you find yourself using the knife. Knowing how to control your bodyweight, and your attackers as well, will help you in your attempt at fending them off with the small, curved blade of the karambit.

Conclusion

There are a number of great uses for the Karambit knife, and it has hundreds of years backing it as one of the best tools that humanity has to offer. While it is simple and small in size, it still proves to be incredibly useful and dangerous when it needs to be. Compact and easy to conceal, it is a legal way for you to protect yourself, or even a tool for hunting and fishing. Whatever you choose to do with this knife, be sure to stay safe and have fun!

Thank you for taking time out of your day to read this article! : )