Spyderco Forums

I was lucky enough to find a NIB Warren Thomas designed Spyderco Karambit C84P at the gun/knife show today @ the Expo in Portland, OR. Thank you Betty and thank you VashHash for leaving me one (Betty sends her warm regards to a, in her words, "Louisiana gentleman"). What fun buying in person from a terrific and lovely dealer on a quiet winter Sunday.

The plastic overlay is still intact and the original lubricant can also be seen. A real self-defense specialty frame lock. It fits my paw.





I couldn't pass up a few other bargains, retractible saw $10, Bladetech Tim Wegner mouse $10, and a couple of comfy ZT pouches (thx kershawguy) @ $5 each, I regret not buying a NIB $60 Volpe from Betty... next time:


The Karambit started life as a farmer's tool: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karambit

oregon

Im on the hunt for one of those.

I settled in the meantime for 2 SS Lavas. I was pleasantly surprised with the Lava and from a self defence point of view, a very practical tool.

Congrats on the find. Im jealous.

FIMS wrote:Im on the hunt for one of those.

I settled in the meantime for 2 SS Lavas. I was pleasantly surprised with the Lava and from a self defence point of view, a very practical tool.

Congrats on the find. Im jealous.

The Lavas look terrific: Small enough to pocket, looks like ti fits the hand and good lock. Do you have a pic with one in your hand?

Sending PM with a tip.

I have been lucky with Betty for years now. She is irreplaceable.

oregon

PM received. Thanks.

As far as a pic, Im "Pic Retarded" and need my 12 year old to help me when she gets home from seeing "New Moon".

FIMS wrote: As far as a pic, Im "Pic Retarded" and need my 12 year old to help me when she gets home from seeing "New Moon".

I insist that I win the "can't take a pic" prize. If I can do it then, well, you know.

I am happy to be of aid if you have any pic questions.

There is warmth lent to the heart win your child teaches you something. I'm not crying there is something in my eye. I was telling my younger son about a difficult new project I was taking on and that I only saw a sea of unknown issues coming at me. He listened to my moaning and told me this, "sounds like problem solving, you can do it." Sometimes it just takes a gentle touch to put or keep you on track. Getting that from your own kid is rewarding on several fronts.

oregon

A few more pics for your amusement. I'm guessing that most of you have probably never seen a karambit let alone used one in anger.











This pic makes my mitt look like the result of atomic radiation experimentation, everyone should try taking pics of their right hand holding the camera in their left hand...:


oregon

Update: Over 12 hours of ownership and I haven't cut myself! I recall, that when these first came out, reading several reports of self-inflicted damage to the hand that was holding the knife. Those reports stayed with me and kept me from buying a Karambit until now, years later, out of caution.

Closed and in the hand the Karambit could be used as a striking tool since both ends are pointed. And, when opened, you have a sharp steel claw.

Nicely made, handsome looks, easy open, closes with two hands and not as heavy as it looks. Seeing this one, curvy and atypical, close up makes me wonder if there is anything in the knife arena that Spyderco can't do well...

oregon

My bro has a zip tie wave on his and it's one of the few that has been 100% reliable. Still doesn't carry it but food for tihought if interested. It is really a 2hander if not.

Funds were tight this time around oregon but i figure one should be good hopefully i'll get mine sometime this week. Shipped Wednesday i believe on UPS. I'll post pics when i get it. Betty has some good finds though a lot of NOS.

Spyderco has been one of the only companies out there to get the curve of the karambit right (in my opinion). I wish I would have picked up more than one, back when they were still available.

Some people complain of the thin, wide handle but I think it's pretty comfortable. Plus, being as it is much thinner than most other folding karambits on the market, it makes carrying it in the waistband much easier.

As Blerv said, the zip tie method on the karambit works amazingly well. It's the only zip-tied Spyderco I have that has never failed to open on the draw. Just be careful! It's an unforgiving little sucker.

Here's my Spyderco along with my Indonesian karambits.

I've heard of double edged karambits but this is the first time i've seen them. Very nice collection Fuglee. I don't think any hawkbill/claw shaped blades are very forgiving. They hold whatever is in the cutting edge a little too well sometimes. Saw anything else i should ask betty about oregon?

Fuglee wrote:Spyderco has been one of the only companies out there to get the curve of the karambit right (in my opinion). I wish I would have picked up more than one, back when they were still available.

Some people complain of the thin, wide handle but I think it's pretty comfortable. Plus, being as it is much thinner than most other folding karambits on the market, it makes carrying it in the waistband much easier.

As Blerv said, the zip tie method on the karambit works amazingly well. It's the only zip-tied Spyderco I have that has never failed to open on the draw. Just be careful! It's an unforgiving little sucker.

Here's my Spyderco along with my Indonesian karambits.

Terrific collection of exotics there. Are those users or safe queens in the hands of the locals? They look too nice to be users.

Thank you for the pic.

oregon

VashHash wrote:Saw anything else i should ask betty about oregon?

I asked her to photograph her entire Spypderco inventory and ping me. Because Betty's daughter was helping out this might work. If it does then I will shoot you a copy. She had some very nice NIB Police models for sale below her cost. Her H1 inventory isn't moving so she is taking offers. Tough times for a capable retailer.

oregon

Sounds good to me betty is a really nice lady

oregon wrote:Terrific collection of exotics there. Are those users or safe queens in the hands of the locals? They look too nice to be users.

Thank you for the pic.

oregon

Thanks :)

My silat teacher brought those back from Indonesia a few years ago. All of the small karambits that I've seen from there have had similar markings and construction. It's possible that they make plainer ones to be users but I haven't seen any.

nice collection...!

Fuglee wrote:Thanks :)

My silat teacher brought those back from Indonesia a few years ago. All of the small karambits that I've seen from there have had similar markings and construction. It's possible that they make plainer ones to be users but I haven't seen any.

OKCA (the annual spring meet in Eugene, OR), for the last several years, displays a terrific collection of Moro weapons and, as I remember, all of them are quite fancy with inlays and artwork. My Father-In-Law collected, when he was a boy with his father in the Phillipines (Pre-WWII), a healthy set of users from three guys they met in the outback one day. His collection is plain and all business.

I had intended to photograph his collection with my Spyderco Schempp Kris and now my karambit but, unfortunately, like the last two years my family left me behind to work over the holiday. Next time. Schempp has opened quite a door with his ethnic series.

oregon

Fuglee wrote:Spyderco has been one of the only companies out there to get the curve of the karambit right (in my opinion)...

Here's my Spyderco along with my Indonesian karambits.

Dear Fuglee:

Thanks very much for sharing the pics of your karambit collection. It's always interesting to see modern and classical pieces side by side.

What system of silat do you practice? I'm curious, because when I wrote up the Spyderco Karambit for Tactical Knives a few years back, I found it to be much more suited to the Pukulan-style applications--i.e. hold it in your hand in reverse grip, punch and plow. For that, the point angle and curve were perfect. For the flashy spinning stuff, the lack of a middle finger "brake" and that it is a folder/no sharpened back edge made it inappropriate. That's fine for me, since most of the spinning tactics don't actually accomplish much.

Thanks again for sharing.

Stay safe,

Mike

Michael Janich wrote:Dear Fuglee:

Thanks very much for sharing the pics of your karambit collection. It's always interesting to see modern and classical pieces side by side.

What system of silat do you practice? I'm curious, because when I wrote up the Spyderco Karambit for Tactical Knives a few years back, I found it to be much more suited to the Pukulan-style applications--i.e. hold it in your hand in reverse grip, punch and plow. For that, the point angle and curve were perfect. For the flashy spinning stuff, the lack of a middle finger "brake" and that it is a folder/no sharpened back edge made it inappropriate. That's fine for me, since most of the spinning tactics don't actually accomplish much.

Thanks again for sharing.

Stay safe,

Mike

Hi Mike; I'm a fan of your work :)

My teacher (Bobbe Edmonds) has done a few different styles of silat and FMA but I'd say that the biggest influences on what we do are probably Mande Muda silat, Sundanese silat, and Doce Pares.

We only work the karambit in reverse grip and we try to approach it a bit more pragmatically than some seem to. While all the twirling and extended grip techniques are fun to play with sometimes, they are mostly flash (in my opinion). They also work much better with a larger karambit and, as you mentioned, a sharpened back edge. The best thing about not practicing karambit "spinning" though, is the lack of scars on my wrist and forearm :)

Fuglee wrote:Hi Mike; I'm a fan of your work :)

My teacher (Bobbe Edmonds) has done a few different styles of silat and FMA but I'd say that the biggest influences on what we do are probably Mande Muda silat, Sundanese silat, and Doce Pares.

We only work the karambit in reverse grip and we try to approach it a bit more pragmatically than some seem to. While all the twirling and extended grip techniques are fun to play with sometimes, they are mostly flash (in my opinion). They also work much better with a larger karambit and, as you mentioned, a sharpened back edge. The best thing about not practicing karambit "spinning" though, is the lack of scars on my wrist and forearm :)

Dear Fuglee:

Thank you very much for your response. I admire your very reasonable approach to the arts and your commitment to function over flash.

Keep up the great work!

Stay safe,

Mike