Damascus Karambit Knife with Stag Antler Handle and Finger Ring

Stag antler makes this the top piece of the batch, and the one people buy to keep. Ladder pattern Damascus under cream and tan bark, 4.5 inches of edge along the curve, 9.5 overall. The hawkbill hooks backward so the tip points at the handle, a farm shape out of Southeast Asia that cuts on the pull. A closed steel ring at the butt takes the index finger. Buyers are growers and people who open packaging.

Specification

The blade

The steel is Damascus, pattern welded over a high carbon core and etched so the light and dark layers stand apart. The pattern here is ladder, straight bands running across the blade like rungs, and the etch runs the whole blade including the bevel, which is what an etch done after the grinding looks like. The edge measures 4.5 inches along the curve, so the cut happens as you pull. There is carbon under the pattern, so it darkens with use and rusts if left wet.

The finger ring

That ring was never a separate part. It is drawn from the same bar as the blade, so there is no braze line, no collar and nothing there to work loose. The circle closes fully. Your index finger threads it while you cut, so the knife rests on that finger and does not need squeezing. Set it down and the ring gives a thumb something to hook.

The handle

The scales are natural stag antler in pale cream and tan, with the rough knobbly bark texture left on rather than sanded flat, so it keeps the ridges and pits the antler grew with. 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 antler.

What it is for

Think barn and smallholding. Hay string on a bale, the top of a feed sack, a fencing tie, the cord on bundled kindling, net wrap. Cable ties, tape, shrink wrap, strapping and garden twine go the same way. The hook bites and drags the material into the belly of the blade, where a flat edge would skate over it. It is wrong for board work and kitchen prep, and the point is no lever.

The leather

Vegetable tanned leather, wet formed over the blade so the pocket takes the same hook. A welt sewn into the seam keeps the stitch line clear of the edge, the stitching is cream thread sewn by hand down the outer edge, and a snap strap crosses the mouth. The face is carved, not stamped: oak leaves and acorns cut and shaded with a swivel knife.

Who it suits

This is a working shape dressed up, so it suits people who cut things open all day and anyone buying a gift that will get used.

• 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 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 ladder bands sit differently on each blade, the antler has its own shade, and the carving is freehand.

Looking after it

Wipe the blade dry after use and never put it away wet or leave it in the sheath. 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. Work a stone along the curve in short sections and follow the bevel it came with. 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 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? It is the hooked pattern from Southeast Asia, made to cut on the pull.

What is a hawkbill blade? It curves down and back so the point aims toward the handle and cuts on the pull.

What is the ladder pattern? Straight bands of light and dark steel running across the blade like rungs.

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 if left wet. Wipe it dry and oil it lightly.

Will it look exactly like the photo? No, the pattern and the antler vary on every piece.

The buffalo horn karambit takes another natural handle, and the ram horn karambit sits beside it. The rest are in karambit knives, Damascus steel and stag horn knives.