Damascus Karambit Knife with Olive Wood Handle and Finger Ring

Olive wood in honey and dark brown carries the handle, and the blade is Damascus etched in a twist of long swirls. The shape is a hawkbill, hooking back so the tip points rearward and the edge bites on a pull. The butt ends in a closed ring the index finger drops through, so the knife hangs off one finger. Four inches along the curve, 8.5 overall, for people cutting cord and packaging.

Specification

The blade

The steel is Damascus, layers forge welded over a high carbon core and etched so the light and dark bands show. The pattern is a twist, long spiralling swirls running down the blade. The etch went on after the grinding, so it carries across the whole blade including the bevel instead of stopping at the flat. The edge runs 4 inches along the curve. Carbon sits under those layers, so it darkens with use and rusts if left wet.

The finger ring

Where the wood ends the steel keeps going and turns a full circle. That ring comes out of the same bar as the blade and closes with no gap. Your index finger sits inside it while you cut, so the weight rides on the finger and you are not clamping the wood. Set the knife down and the ring is a loop to hook a thumb on.

The handle

The scales are olive wood with strong wavy grain, honey colored with dark brown streaks running across. It is oiled rather than lacquered, so you feel the wood instead of a coat of gloss. Two brass pins run through into the steel. The tang is full, so the steel runs the whole length of the handle and shows as a bright line round the wood.

What it is for

Most of its work happens outdoors. Plant ties come off in one pull, garden twine cuts to length, netting over fruit opens without tearing, and a compost or seed sack splits along the top. Vine and soft growth cut back cleanly, because the hook catches the stem and draws it onto the edge where a straight blade skates. It will not slice on a board, and the point is not for levering.

The leather

A hooked blade needs a sheath cut to its own shape, so this one follows the curve of the steel. The hide is vegetable tanned, which is why it takes a stamp. A welt keeps the stitching clear of the edge, the sewing is cream thread by hand down the outer edge, and a snap strap crosses the mouth. Over the face goes a basket weave, the square stamp struck one row at a time.

Who it suits

This is a working shape first, and the olive wood gives it enough presence for a collection or a gift.

• People who cut cord and packaging every day
• Gardeners and growers
• Farm and yard work
• Collectors of the shape
• Gift buyers

What comes in the box

• The karambit
• The tooled leather sheath
• A care card

Every piece is different

Every blade is forged, ground, heat treated and sharpened by hand, so runs stay small and no two finish alike. The twist pattern never repeats, the grain in the olive wood is its own, and the stamped leather varies.

Looking after it

Wipe the blade dry after use and never put it away wet. Damascus darkens with use, and that gray patina is normal and protects the steel. A light coat of oil before it goes away, and never a dishwasher. A hooked edge is sharpened piece by piece, moving along the curve on the existing bevel. Oil the wood now and then. More in our knife care page.

Put a name on it

Laser engraving is 20 dollars per piece, added on this page. Around 30 characters fits on the blade. We send a proof image before the laser runs, and it adds 3 to 5 business days. See the engraving page.

Questions buyers ask

What is a karambit? A small hook bladed knife that came out of Southeast Asian farm work.

What Damascus pattern is this? A twist, long spiralling swirls running down the blade.

What does full tang mean? The steel runs the whole length of the handle in one piece, and on into the ring.

Is it legal to carry? Knife carry laws differ by state, city and country, so check the rules where you live before you carry it. We cannot advise on that.

Will Damascus rust? It can, there is carbon steel under the layers. Wipe it dry and oil it lightly.

How do I sharpen a curved blade? Work in short sections round the curve, following the bevel already there.

In the same steel there is the Damascus karambit in stag antler, and in plain carbon the hand forged karambit in rosewood. The rest sit in karambit knives, Damascus steel and olive wood handle knives.