I've been curious about the blade shape for awhile. So, I bought a Byrd/Spyderco hawkbill on the cheap and carried it for awhile. Seems like an interesting blade, but for me and edc, seemed to be lacking. As I thought about it as a fighter, seemed like it could be nasty, but at the same time, if I looked at "hooking" a wrist with it or my SS4, they both simply looked nasty!

I still look for deals on the discontinued Spyderco Karambit now and again and just watched a youtube video 5 minutes ago on it...thing is bigger than it looks...still take my SS4 over it anyday, but that's me...

OP - this is an insane pic that someone provided. i would LOVE to have one of these made by SR or SY. ANd I would love it in SR101 actually because the kara shouldnt be thick (i cant believe im saying this crap <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> ) it should be relatively smaller, not weak of course, but thinner because it would be carried concealed. Now a dream knife would be a THICK kara made of SR77 or SR101 with a penetrator tip, but i dont see dan making one of these.. but regardless, if there is ever a SR or SY kara, im all over it!

+1 Recon SEED.

I would buy one just because I think it would be neat to own a Karambit.

It is an interesting looking knife. I don't see that I would have much use for something like that either. Mainly due to the fact that in Ohio I don't think you are allowed to carry a knife with the "intent" to use it as a weapon. Ohio knife laws are really stupid and vague though. The law basically says if you are carrying a knife with the intent to use it as a weapon that is illegal. How they determine intent I'm not really sure...

I will check out the book series though for sure.

I live in South Australia and we have similar laws.
It's legal to carry a knife for a lawful purpose.
It's illegal to carry a knife or any other object for use for self defense or for a weapon. Though in a typically dumb legal bit of logic, if you are caught carrying a weapon for defense, the charge is possession of an offensive weapon. Go figure.
Anyway in my jurisdiction (and as I understand it most if not all other Aussie juistictions) you can carry a knife for a lawful purpose (other than self defense, even though self defense is legal - again go figure).

So if they catch you with say a 5 inch fixed blade and you say "I use it to peel fruit" or at least "I plan to use it to peel fruit", Then they will probably not charge you.

If you have one of those itty bitty 1.5inch long swiss army knives and you say you carry it for self defense, you may wel be charged with possession of an offensive weapon.

So basically if you are asked what you use the knife for and you state a lawful purpose that is vaguely credible, and they have no evidence that you've actually done anything else with it, they will probably not try to charge you.
I.e. intent is basically what you say, unless they can show otherwise.

E.g. if they caught you with a knife while wearing a balaklava and hanging around an ATM at night, they might try to charge yu with POOW, whereas if they do a random search and you happen to have a scrapper 5 in your bag and say that you use it to open boxes at work, the they'll probably let you go.

Then we have certain other classes of knives which are simply illegal because their design is (apparently) inherently evil.E.g. double edged blades, bali songs, flick knives.

But this country is almost as bad as the UK for this sort of foolishness.
Some years ago a woman in (I think) a different state was prosecuted for carrying hair spray, as she told a policeman than she carried with the intent to spray it in an attackers face if she were attacked. I believe the prosecutions was successful.

LOL ...agreed. I always think Indiana Jones, you know the scene.

Gambit: I know exactly which scene <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Most likely, they simply ask why you're carrying a knife -- NEVER, under any circumstances say, "To protect myself". If they ask if you're carrying any weapons, and you say that you're carrying a knife without contradicting their assertion that it's a weapon, then you've admitted to carrying a concealed deadly weapon. Knives are tools, don't admit any other motive for carrying them or allow anyone to classify them as weapons -- failure to deny a violation may be twisted into an admission of guilt. Police will act friendly and try to engage you in conversation -- if you've ever watched "Cops", you've probably seen folks make unguarded statements like that just before they're arrested.

"I open and process a many boxes as a part of my job and lifestyle" would be my answer.

The only reason I ever carry a knife is to use it as a tool. I guess the point I should have made was that I would probably stay away from carrying a knife that was specifically designed to be used as a weapon just to avoid any risk of that being used against me. I have other defensive options available to me besides a knife anyway...

That's another silly thing in Ohio... You can get a concealed carry licese to carry a gun but you [censored] sure better not be carrying a knife for self defense. There is some logic for you...

I do not mean to offend but would not any style of knife, sword, head band, knife company made pen, etc. be 'devastating in the hands of someone who has training' is it use?

Given and equal amount of training, I do not believe it to be as effective as a bowie knife, tomahawk, baseball bat, or a broom stick. Then again, since I do not have extensive training in its offensive or defensive use, I guess I am just talking out of my butt. Though I would have to say that the Busse one, with an edge on both sides, seems to be much better then most.