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[h=1]The Ultimate Knife: FOX 599 Karambit[/h] By Beth Alcazar // 12/12/2017


I am going to be upfront here: Bladed weapons are not a strong point for me (pun intended). In fact, I am a little wary with knives and sharp objects, in part due to some mishandling and accidents in my youth and also because of a need for more training. But I am always interested in helping women find, understand and use tools for protecting themselves, so along with carrying a trusted firearm and a dependable flashlight, I have both a personal interest and a professional interest in a quality, EDC defensive knife.
Not knowing where to even begin, however, I have to admit that the innovative look of the FOX 599 Karambit immediately grabbed my attention. Originating in the South Pacific as an agricultural tool used for raking and threshing, the karambit blade is very noticeably curved — hooked like a claw or a talon (think raptor claw!). And as this farming implement was weaponized, this unique blade became more curved to inflict maximum damage and to increase cutting potential. It’s definitely not a “typical” knife … or an image that would have come to my mind when I thought of something for everyday carry. But it is one of the most incredible knives I have ever seen. The way it looks, the way it feels, the way it’s constructed … it’s just overall incredible.


When I opened up the box for a first inspection, I was highly impressed with the look — and the sharpness — of the blade. As a utility knife, it might be a bit super-hero-ish (or perhaps super-villain-ish), but as a combat or defensive weapon, the Karambit is quite fierce and intimidating … and quite able to cause some damage to an attacker (via laceration, pressure point and/or puncture, to name a few).


Designed by Lad Mandiola (with ReNu Tech Solutions) and crafted in Italy by FOX Knives, this titanium and carbon fiber frame-lock knife features a short, 2.25-inch stainless-steel talon blade and finger ring (for added stability, retention and control), along with Ernest Emerson’s patented “Wave Shaped Opening Feature” (essentially, an added notch on the back of the blade) that enables the user to open the knife with one hand as it’s drawn from a pocket (which is especially beneficial in an emergency or injury situation). Just grab the ring with your index finger and pull the knife up and out of your pocket and the blade is open and ready. (This feature alone makes this knife worth checking out!)


After watching and reading through a few tutorials — and after a little trial and error to see what’s comfortable and natural and what works best for me — I found the knife to be comfortable and secure to use in multiple motions and to hold in several positions (such as a modern, overhand “hammer” or thrusting grip, with the pinky finger wrapped around or through the finger ring, or, more traditionally, an underhand or “icepick” grip, with the blade pointing downward from the bottom of the fist and the index finger through the finger ring).
Of course, not being a ninja, a member of a military SWAT team or a martial arts expert, I can report back that the FOX 599 Karambit was sharp (it cut through apples for the kids with ease and sliced open the dog’s bag of food like it was slicing through air); it was lightweight (it was completely unnoticeable in my purse, and it didn’t pull at my jeans, even without a belt); and — with very careful practice (theultimateknife.com does offer a trainer knife, by the way) — it was simple and quick to deploy and to manipulate.
As with any self-defense tool, I believe using the Karambit requires some consistent and repetitive training with a professional. But with more training, since knife fighting is still a bit foreign to me, I know I will be more capable and confident to defend myself in a life-threatening encounter, and I know I can depend on this sturdy, high-quality tool to do the job.