Karambit Knife, D2 Tool Steel with Brown Micarta Handle and Finger Ring

Brown canvas micarta and a 5 inch D2 edge, the plain working one of the two D2 karambits we make. Hawkbill is the blade shape, so the steel sweeps down and back and the point ends up facing your hand. A closed steel ring is forged at the butt for the index finger. Ten inches overall, five of them handle, and it goes to people who cut packaging and cord all day.

Specification

The blade

D2 is a tool steel, not a plain carbon bar like most of this batch. It holds a working edge longer, going through more cord and cardboard before the cut drags, and it shrugs off surface rust better. The trade is that D2 is not stainless. Leave it wet and it will still spot, and the same quality makes it slower to bring back on a stone. The flat is dark gray, the bevel a mirror bright line, and the edge runs 5 inches along the hook.

The finger ring

The ring is what separates this pattern from every other knife. It is a closed circle forged from the same bar as the blade, not fitted afterward. A hook or a half loop can let a finger out; a closed circle cannot. The index finger sits inside it while you cut and carries the weight. Set down, it gives a thumb something to hook on.

The handle

The scales are brown canvas micarta, layers of cloth set in resin and ground back, so the weave shows faintly through a matte face in warm tan and coffee brown. It is left with a fine tooth rather than a polish. Three brass pins run into the steel, and the tang is full, so the steel carries through the whole handle and shows as a bright line round it.

What it is for

Roofing felt scores and parts in one pull. Insulation batts open along the wrapper. Plastic banding, damp proof membrane, the tops of builders bags and the cord round bundled timber all sit in the hook and cut on the pull. The edge bites into a taut wrapper instead of skidding off it. It is no use on a board, and the point is not for levering.

The leather

The pattern is drawn round the hook first, so the sheath comes out bowed. The hide is vegetable tanned, so it takes a stamp and holds it. Two faces are stitched over a welt in cream thread by hand, and a snap strap crosses the mouth. The face carries a basket weave struck one row at a time.

Who it suits

This one goes to people who cut something open every working day and want an edge that lasts between sharpenings. It makes a good gift for someone who already carries a knife.

• 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 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 come out alike. The weave in the micarta and the stamped leather vary a little from the photographs.

Looking after it

Wipe the blade dry after use. D2 resists rust better than plain carbon, but it is not stainless, so never put it away wet or leave it in the sheath. A light coat of oil before it goes away, and never a dishwasher. Go round the curve in short sections with the stone, keeping the bevel as ground. 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, so a name or a date works. We send a proof image before the laser runs, and it adds 3 to 5 business days. See our engraving page.

Questions buyers ask

What is a karambit? It is the ringed hook knife pattern, made for pulling through cord and packaging.

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

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

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 D2 steel rust? It can, since D2 is not stainless. Wipe it dry and oil it lightly.

How do I sharpen a curved blade? Work in short sections round the hook, following the existing bevel.

The other tool steel piece is the D2 karambit in green resin, and the same micarta in Damascus is the Damascus karambit in black micarta. The rest sit in karambit knives, D2 tool steel and everyday carry knives.