Damascus Karambit Knife with Ram Horn Handle and Finger Ring

Ram horn in gray and black, ridged with its own banding, and a sheath hand carved with a rose rather than stamped. Between them a twist pattern Damascus blade, 5 inches along the curve, 10 inches overall. The hawkbill curve carries the tip round to face the handle end, and the forged ring at the butt takes the index finger while the edge cuts on the pull. Bought by people who cut packaging daily.

Specification

The blade

The steel is Damascus, pattern welded over a high carbon core and etched so the layers stand apart. The pattern is twist, long swirls turning down the blade. The etch went on after the grinding, so it runs the whole blade including the bevel rather than stopping at the shoulder. The edge runs 5 inches along the curve, so the cut happens as you pull. There is carbon underneath, so it darkens with use and rusts if left wet.

The finger ring

That circle was drawn from the same bar as the blade, closed in the fire rather than welded, and it comes round with no gap. Your index finger sits inside it while you work, so the ring carries the knife and your hand need not clamp on it all day. When the cutting stops, a thumb through the ring lifts it off the bench.

The handle

The scales are ram horn in dark gray and black, with natural ridged banding running across them. The ridges are left standing rather than sanded flat, so no two sets read alike. 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 all round the horn.

What it is for

This shape earns its keep in a workshop. Webbing and cord, hessian, tape, cable ties, leather lace off the hank, and the string round rolled carpet and foam. Hook the edge under the strand and pull: the curve draws it deeper into the belly of the blade, where a straight edge rides over and slips. It will not slice on a board, and the tip is no lever.

The leather

A carved cut goes deeper into the hide than a stamp. The swivel knife opens the line in damp leather, then its walls are beveled and shaded until the rose stands off the ground in a rope border. A stamped face is struck row by row; a carved one is drawn, cut and worked over by hand, so fewer get made. Vegetable tanned, shaped round the hook of the blade, welted seam, cream stitching, snap strap over the mouth.

Who it suits

A working shape for anyone who opens packaging all day, and one people buy as a gift.

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

What comes in the box

• The Damascus karambit
• The hand carved 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 banding in the ram horn is whatever that horn grew, and the carved leather varies from the photographs.

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. Because the edge curves, sharpen it in short runs rather than one long stroke. More in our knife care page.

Put a name on it

Laser engraving is 20 dollars per piece and you add it on this page. Around 30 characters fits on a blade, so a name or date works. 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 curved blade knife, the point facing back, with a finger ring forged at the butt.

What is the Damascus pattern on this one called? Twist, long swirls turning down the blade.

What does full tang mean? The steel runs the whole length of the handle in one piece.

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? Yes, there is carbon steel under the pattern. Wipe it dry and oil it lightly.

Will my knife look exactly like the photo? No. Every etch and every set of horn scales is different.

In the same steel there is the Damascus karambit in stag antler and the Damascus karambit in buffalo horn. The rest sit in karambit knives, Damascus steel and everyday carry knives.