Karambit knife is not among the easiest to operate knives. You need to be skilled to perform different tricks with this extraordinary knife, specifically the tricks to grip it. The skilled karambit players tend to grip the knife in several different ways, and watching him doing so leaves you in a surprise. The expert karambit players are no less than talented dancers who stun you with their moves.
Karambits have a unique design which allows the users to change their grip on the blade. However, without proper understanding, knowledge, and expertise, you cannot change the grips and flow freely from a position to the other. In other knives, the blade is often straight, and you can either hold them in reverse or forward position. In case of karambits, there are more than three ways to grip the knife. Each grip of karambit offers different use and degrees of reach, security, effectiveness, power, and maneuverability. Hence, before changing your grip position, determine the purpose of using the karambit knife. We explain the three karambit knife tricks to grip the blade depending upon your needs.
Forward Grip
The forward grip is not as frequently used, but it is pretty useful in some ways. This grip position is useful when it comes to chores, utility tasks and everyday use when there is a requirement for exceptional accuracy and control.
- For best gripping it, position your hand on the knife in a way that it’s flat and palm-up.
- Position the karambit on your palm in such a way that ring is towards your left, the spine is facing your body, and the tip is opposing your body.
- Place your pinky into the ring and then close your fingers on the handle, your karambit is secured in the forward grip.
For enabling a variation to this grip, rather than closing your thumb to make a fist, position it on the back brake for achieving more accuracy and stability for perfect cuts. Shift your hold on the knife in a way you hold the pen for tasks that require careful attention and finest motor control. This grip is also called Sak Sak, standard grip and utility grip. It lacks reach, power and maneuverability, but provides excellent accuracy, leverage, stability and control.
Reverse Grip
The reverse grip is the most widely seen, recognized, and demonstrated grip on the karambits. Most of the users rely on the reverse grip for operating their karambits. Also known as regular grip, tactical grip, Pikal grip and combat grip. This grip is most frequently utilized in combative and tactical applications of karambit knife. There is an easy trick to reverse grip your karambit perfectly.
- Position your hand on the knife in a way that it’s flat and palm-up.
- Position the karambit on your palm in such a way that ring is towards your right, the spine is facing your body, and the tip is opposing your body.
- Then, slide the index finger into the ring and close the finger around the handle, your karambit is secured in a reverse grip.
In order to vary the position, keep your karambit in the similar orientation, but change your finger placed in the ring for getting more reach. The less number of fingers around the handle result in reduced power and stability on the knife. However, the reverse grip offers more control, power, leverage, stability and maneuverability. But, the lack of reach and accuracy are huge concerns with this grip.
Extended Grip
Also known as Upward grip, the extended grip results by a flipping of the karambit knife when held in the reverse grip in vertical position and in anti-clockwise manner, enabling the blade to land across the user’s hand with the index finger still holding the safety ring. Because of several drawbacks of this grip, it is used quite rarely. However, it offers extra reach, making it useful for combat. Amid utility, work, or field applications, it can be helpful in snagging anything which is out of reach. The trick for this grip is probably the easiest.
- Hold your karambit in the reverse grip,
- Rotate the blade over your index finger and towards the body until it is rested against your fingers’ backs
- The tip of the blade must be upwards
To vary, enable the blade protrude through the fingers with a couple of fingers wrapped around the handle for achieving extra stability. This grip is helpful in leverage, maneuverability, and specifically reach, but lacks control, power, stability, and accuracy.
Grip your karambit knife according to you requirement
There are other grips for karambit knife as well. However, these three are the most frequently used. There are benefits and drawbacks of each grip, but before you apply a trick to grip your karambit, make sure to know your requirement.
Read More: How is a Karambit used?
