Karambit Neck Knife

A karambit neck knife is a type of knife with an inwardly curved blade that is traditionally believed to have originated in Indonesia. It's unique for its 'flick', or circumferential blade pull, which enables it to close in on prey easily and quickly yet leave wounds without tearing the flesh. This design lends itself well to combat applications, where it can be thrown by either hand and will stick in an opponent's body if it misses the target's neck.

These knives are still often used today in street fights, law enforcement, self-defense classes, martial artists' practice blades or stage performer weapons during sword-fighting scenes for their versatility and efficiency. It is also famous for its butterfly-style opening mechanism.

Evolution Of Karambit Neck Knife

The karambit neck knife is believed to have evolved from the Indian parang or "machete" developed by the Malays, who settled what is now Indonesia. The term karambit comes from the Malay word 'kerambit' which means 'to clip', in reference to the knife's unique handle shape, which loops around the thumb and turns 360 degrees when closed.

It is an Indonesian martial art weapon made for the purpose of stabbing, punching, and slashing. It was supposedly invented by a fighter named Abu Bakar (sometimes spelled Al-Bakr) during the 19th century. His karambit is on display in an Indonesian museum that also has weapons from other traditional martial arts like silat.

The Karambit neck knife is made of a thrusting blade enclosed by two handles forming a "V" shape with the apex nearest to the thumb side of the blade pointing towards the wielder's index finger. Karambit is a folding weapon and a tool for the jungle people of Indonesia. 

Its origin is in Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and other southeast Asian countries. The Karambit is designed for the purpose of stabbing, slashing, cutting or slashing/punching. It can be used in close or long-range combat.

Karambit Is Popular With Filipino Martial Arts

The karambit is popular with Filipino martial artists, especially those who practice Kali and Escrima. They use it primarily as a hooking weapon; although due to its small blade it can be used for slashing, punching or stabbing attacks. 

The karambit neck knife may be held in either the standard orientation (point towards the ground) or 90 degrees rotated (blade pointing up). The former allows for strong stabs to be delivered with the sharp end of the blade; while the latter allows faster slashes and cuts to be made with a larger portion of its curve.

Make Sure You Grip Your Karambit Correctly

The word "karambit" is the word for claw and may represent an ancient weapon pattern with roots in India. While there are many different designs of karambit neck knives, they all feature a blade that opens out with one or more finger rings on its bottom side which can be used as a claw when extended. 

It is traditionally meant to be held with the index finger through the hole in the handle or on the ring while using the ring to control where the blade is pointing. This makes the Karambit knife an ideal weapon for close-range combat.  

Karambit is also known as Monkey Knife, karambits are double-edge blades about 8 centimeters (3.1 in) in length with a curved portion at one end of the blade. The curved portion is usually ground on both faces of the blade to form a hook or "monkey tail" effect. 

The curved part may be used for self-defense while the straight portion is usually used for slashing strokes. However, some people prefer to use the blade on its side, which is considered more effective when slicing.

Also Read: How to Perform Tricks with the Karambit Knife?


Typical Karambit Knives Include:

In a typical karambit design, a blade is held in place in a fixed position by a back-spring so that when pressure is applied to a thumb ramp, a release mechanism causes it to pivot into an open position much like that of butterfly knives. However, unlike butterfly knives, the karambit neck knife is designed so that it can be held and operated by either hand.

The back-spring allows the blade to close on its own and hold it in a curl position, where it can be securely grasped such that the blade will not accidentally open. This feature allows the karambit to be used as a throwing knife or "utility knife" that can actually lock into place when closed. The back-spring also allows for the blade to quickly spring into an open position when used for cutting actions by applying force to a thumb ramp at the top of the handle.

The karambit's inward curve and long blade allow it to be used for considerable cutting and slashing action while retaining a very tight grip on the handle even through thick gloves.

Applications Of Karambit Neck Knife

All knives have their own specific uses, and the karambit is no exception. This post will explore three of the most popular uses: self-defense, utility, and offense.

Karambit Self-Defense

The Karambit neck knife makes a dangerous alternative to a tactical fixed blade knife for those who aren't as comfortable with the larger size and weight of such a knife. The Karambit can be used offensively or as a self-defense weapon that can be concealed. It's so well hidden, in fact, that you might not even know it's there until it's too late! 

The curved blade allows you to hook onto and cut an attacker without even looking at them and without giving them an inch to escape. Even if they take control of your weapon, they can't get far because the hooked blade cuts easily through clothing and flesh.

With the curved blade and point, the karambit can also be used as a pen gun (pen knife concealed as a pen.) If you don't like the idea of carrying around a fully-functional knife disguised as a pen, you can buy one with an attached thumb stud. One way or another, the karambit neck knife is most definitely an effective self-defense tool.

Karambit’s Utility

The utility of the karambit is not limited to self-defense situations. This flexible knife can be useful in many situations where other tools are necessary. For example, it can easily deal with everyday tasks such as cutting rope or cutting open boxes to extract items inside.

It is a quick-strike weapon with the blade held close to the body and folded into a pocket on the handle. This allows for more control as well as better concealment of this versatile tool due to its small size. 

While the karambit neck knife is not for everyone, it is an ideal tool for many people with the right personality. Individuals who are used to carrying concealed weapons often find this knife to be more comfortable than other smaller knives that are more difficult to conceal.

Karambit Knife Is An Offensive Tool

The karambit is a beautiful-looking knife. This traditional Indonesian-made weapon has a curved blade designed to slash and stab. The blade is sharp on both edges, thus creating a stabbing knife with the cutting blade of a machete. This unique design ensures that one can slash from any direction and still be lethal. 

The most common and probably most well-known use for a karambit neck knife is as an offensive fighting tool, especially by those who practice Indonesian martial arts such as Silat. There are many different techniques for using a karambit as a weapon which can be used to stab or slash at an opponent, block/parry incoming attacks, or even throw the knife to disarm/stab your attacker.

In addition to the main edge, the karambit neck knife also has two protruding points that would make this a devastating close-quarters weapon or an effective arm-defender for those who do not want to carry a firearm. So, your knife can be used as both an offensive and defensive tool. 

So, karambit knives are incredibly versatile knives that can be used in many different ways as you can read above. However, if you're looking for a powerful knife with lots of functionality, the karambit might be your best bet.