A comparison of Karambits, Spyderco, Emerson, Fox

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  • Tomahawkman

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    Aug 7, 2014
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    Before I start you should know I am not an expert on this topic I just simply do a lot of research before spending my money (in most situations).

    I was in search of a Karambit for left side carry and a weapon retention blade. The following Karambits are the ones I have bought and carried and what I think about each and how they compare to each other, whatever that is worth to you.

    Ill apologize in advance for the pictures, I was taking them with an Iphone and it wouldn't focus on some of the pictures, so I did the best I could.

    Here we go,


    The Spyderco Karahawk

    I’m fond of the Spyderco brand and own several, so after seeing they offered a Karambit I decided I’d start there. I went ahead and placed my order; after it arrived I was pleased with what I had. The Karahawk is very thin but sturdy and well built. It’s very sharp as are most Spyderco knives. It’s a lock back design which I really like, and the overall action of the blade is very smooth. The G10 grips are nice but not too aggressive.
    While it is nice that the knife is so thin allowing it sits in the pocket in a way that you forget it is there, it is also one of my complaints about the knife. Holding the knife in the reverse grip has a few hot spots on the edges of the handle. Next we come to the ring, very important in the Karambit Design and the Karahawks biggest draw back and let down. The ring is just as thin as the handle and twice as sharp, Spyderco has attempted to fix the issue by adding a spacer in between the ring that was not present to the original version but it is clearly an afterthought (because it was) and I hope they fix this with any future versions of this knife.
    The Spyderco Karahawk has the Emerson Wave feature; it works excellent and catches the pocket very well. The blade comes out very fast and with authority and locks securely into place every time thanks to the lock back design. Overall I’m very impressed with the wave feature. This was the first time I ever had a knife with the Emerson Wave feature.

    The Fox 599 Karambit & Trainer

    Next I tried the Fox 599 Karambit and Trainer; I decided I needed a Karambit with a lower profile finish opposed to the satin finish of the Karahawk. I saw they had a trainer version of the 599 Karambit available and I liked the Idea of having an identical training tool. When it arrived I was pleased with the sturdiness of the knife and the fact that both the live blade and the trainer came with a second pocket clip and an extra set of clip screws, the 599 is also a lock back design with a very positive lock. The action was stiff and Gritty and I could not after several attempts get the knife to deploy via the Wave as I had done many times before with the Spyderco. This was fixed after opening and closing the blade several times and breaking it in. The Trainer was very smooth and worked excellent out of the box and I believe it to be a result of the finish on the blade and locking mechanism.
    The Wave Feature on this knife is more aggressive than the Spyderco and is more of a hook. Once the blade was broken in it worked excellent and works every time now. The G10 grips were extremely aggressive and in my opinion way too coarse, I noticed some wear on my pants immediately. However this will wear in overtime like G10 does so well on many other knives, so I am not too concerned about it. The Karambit ring is where this knife really shines; it is a very smooth and feels much better than the Karahawk. It allows you to control the knife with ease and comfort. One other feature of this knife that I did not read about was on the end opposite the ring is a glass breaker that would work well as an impact weapon in addition to its intended purpose. Not necessary but it’s a nice touch that you can appreciate. Overall I like this knife more than the Karahawk as it seems to have been more thought out and better assembled, it’s just important that it be broken in before it’s carried.

    The Emerson Combat Karambit

    The next Karambit I tried was the famous Emerson Combat Karambit, well liked and highly recommended by many I thought it was worth a try. Once it arrived I was impressed at how sturdy it felt, comparable to the Fox 599. The Emerson Comes with the Pocket clip installed on the left hand side, the clips seems very durable. This Karambit was different in the way that it was a Liner lock rather than the Lock Back design which I’m ok with, but I prefer the Lock Back. The Emerson Karambit has a very sharp chisel grind and a nice black finish to the blade also the newer reinforced tip that is now being used on the Emerson’s rather than the regular point found on the older variants. The G10, again, I think is way too aggressive but will wear with time. The grip is ergonomic and comfortable and fills the hand well.
    The ring is much wider than the others and not as comfortable and the Fox 599, but it does seem more controllable. The end opposite the ring has a rounded “point” when in the closed position that could be used as an impact weapon. The Emerson Wave on the Emerson is less pronounced than the Fox 599 and even the Karahawk but done correctly it still deploys the knife just fine. Overall I am happy with the Combat Karambit and think it will find a place in my pocket just fine.

    Conclusion
    In the end after having all 3 of these and carrying each, my opinion is for the value the Fox 599 Karambit and trainer is the best value. You get an incredibly well built blade and an identical trainer for only slightly more than a new Emerson or you can buy it by it’s self. I think the Fox 599 is very ergonomic and comfortable to carry; it comes sharp and paired with Emerson’s opening feature it’s a great off hand weapon retention tool, that being said I am keeping all three for now. I love the Emerson and will carry it often, but for the value I think it is beat by the Fox 599. As for the Spyderco I like it enough to not get rid of it just yet and will keep it around. Perhaps it will get sold in an urgent need for cash to fund another project down the road.

    Here are Pictures of each blade and they key features that either make or break the knife.
    If you have any questions about these just let me know I’d be happy to answer any that I can. But hopefully this review will help some of you make a more educated choice if you’re looking for a Karambit.






    Here is the Wave on the Karahawk.



    The ring on the Karahawk.



    Here is the Wave on the Fox 599 sorry its a bit out of focus



    The ring on the Fox 599



    The convenient glass breaker/impact weapon



    Here is the Trainer next to the live blade for comparison



    The back of the blade can be used as an impact weapon on the Emerson.



    Here is the ring on the Emerson

     
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    KokomoDave

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    Nice review! I have a couple nice scars on my forearm from my Emerson (old school original point). After all those stitches I kinda gave up on spinning one due to my craptastic arthritis.
     

    rhino

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    Nice review!

    A really good contender at a lower price point was the original Tarani CUB Master from 5.11. The blade was even CMP S30V (the current version is AUS8A). The downside was that it did not have the Emerson Wave feature (although you could grind one into it). They are an effective flesh cutting tool. Don't ask me know I know (you already know).
     

    Tomahawkman

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    Thank you Sir!

    I read about those and was unable to locate an original. The asthetics of the original were much better. I would do just that and cut a wave into the blade or maybe a zip tie mod or something but with the options I have right now seems pointless to buy one. But if I come across one cheap I might pick one up just to check it out.
     

    rhino

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    Thank you Sir!

    I read about those and was unable to locate an original. The asthetics of the original were much better. I would do just that and cut a wave into the blade or maybe a zip tie mod or something but with the options I have right now seems pointless to buy one. But if I come across one cheap I might pick one up just to check it out.

    I got mine when KnifeCenter.com was doing a close-out at $55. They were too cheap to pass.

    Then of course if I add my medical bills, time lost, and the endless mockery and ridicule, it cost a lot more than $55. Mine is very, very sharp. I do not know where it is.
     

    BehindBlueI's

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    the endless mockery and ridicule

    latest
     

    cce1302

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    Thanks for the review.

    I had considered a karambit, but in the end went with the Ka-bar TDI with the short blade.


    I like having a fixed blade and didn't think the ring on the end was necessary for any use I might have for the knife.
     

    BehindBlueI's

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    Thanks for the review.

    I had considered a karambit, but in the end went with the Ka-bar TDI with the short blade.


    I like having a fixed blade and didn't think the ring on the end was necessary for any use I might have for the knife.

    What sheath are you using? The one it comes with seems to be crap.
     

    cce1302

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    What sheath are you using? The one it comes with seems to be crap.

    The one that came with it. It's plastic with a steel clip. It's a pretty low stress part though. The knife doesn't weigh much and it holds close to my body, so there's no real danger of it getting hung up on anything and breaking off.
     

    Blackhawk2001

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    I don't remember at this point if the folding Karambit I bought some years ago at FDIC was a Surefire or a 5.11, but it seems to me it looks more like the Emerson than either of the other two shown, except without a "wave." I don't carry it much because I DON'T particularly like the lock-back; I prefer liner locks. Lacking a sheath and not being in the habit of pocket carry at the time, I fashioned a blade-clamp out of a piece of kydex with a piece of paracord attached so the blade would open on drawing it out. Every now and then I find it where I have it stashed and carry it for a bit, but really I have other easier-to-deploy EDC knives that are more utilitarian.
     

    rhino

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    I think it's interesting that the karambit is almost universally used as a defensive weapon now, with another knife carried for utility. It was originally a tool adapted for use as a specialized weapon, much like many others throughout history.

    Hawkbills make great utility knives. The inside cutting edge excels for cutting rope, cord, webbing, hoses, tubing, etc. Tyoum hey're also good for anything where you need to use the tip with a lot of pressure like you might with a wharncliff or a sheepsfoot.
     

    Tomahawkman

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    I agree, it's interesting.

    I think for me id rather have a "straight" blade for utility for ease of sharpening. But I definitely see where the karambit excels at those kinds of tasks.
     

    rhino

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    I agree, it's interesting.

    I think for me id rather have a "straight" blade for utility for ease of sharpening. But I definitely see where the karambit excels at those kinds of tasks.

    Good point! It's tough to sharpen inside curves (including recurves) with stones and similar sharpening tools.
     
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