Page 54 - Blade (January 2019)
P. 54
COOL KARAMBITS |
Emerson’s exclusive wave-opening
feature allows the Super Karambit
to be opened simultaneously as it is
withdrawn from the pocket.
The Cold Steel Double Agent is designed
to be carried as a necker. To unsheathe the
knife, depress the locking tab that secures
around the fi rst fi nger hole of the handle,
then pull it out the rest of the way. The
Double Agent’s light weight (2.5 ounces)
makes it easy to carry in this mode.
building knives that are purpose-driven
designs using top-notch materials. Th e
Burung karambit is such a knife.
As a designer, Medford describes him-
self as having a flair for rugged and prag-
matic minimalism. “Fancy overwrought
things fail and simple elegant things seem
to stand the test of time,” he says. In de-
signing the Burung, Medford began with over 4.5 inches, the Burung is a handful. to accommodate deployment in a forward
an integrated backspacer/finger ring and It just flat-out feels tough! or reverse grip. I found it carries best in the
a straight-edge blade, which is rather un- A blade thumb hole enables easy reverse grip mode due to the pocket clip’s
usual for karambits as their blades gen- opening with either hand, with or with- placement on the handle. It feels more se-
erally are hawkbill/curve shaped. “I went out gloves. There’s also a notch in the cure in my pocket in the reverse mode.
with a straight edge versus hawkbill for blade spine that can grab onto the seam
ease of sharpening and non-combative of your pocket to open the knife as you DOUBLE-RING SECURE
applications,” he explains. He says the pull it out. The Double Agent from Cold Steel is
vast majority of knives never see combat The Burung is heavy duty all the way the only fixed-blade karambit tested.
action. “I figured the straight edge was a around. It boasts a very high quality It packs many key features into an eco-
minor combative compromise for all the build and feels secure in either the for- nomically priced knife.
utilitarian practicality,” he notes. ward or reverse grip. Of the karambits The 3-inch curved blade is AUS-8
The 2.5-inch wharncliff e-style blade tested, the Burung is perhaps the most stainless steel. “The talon-shaped point
is D2 tool steel. The blade is extra thick “utility looking” with its straight-edge cuts pretty well without being so extreme
at 0.19 inch for lateral strength. Th e ti- blade. However, I tend to think the that the knife can’t be used in a forward
tanium handle houses an integral fra- wharncliffe blade throws off some of the grip for slashing and thrusting,” says
melock. One of the more interesting overall visual lines, as karambits typi- Cold Steel President Lynn Th ompson.
features is an integral fi nger ring/handle cally are curvy in fashion, with nary a His reasoning stems from some karam-
spacer. Its one-piece construction not straight line anywhere. bit blades being so curved that they’re
only provides overall strength but also The framelock is very secure. Another ineffective as thrusting tools.
ease of manufacture and assembly. With nice touch is the pocket clip’s ability to be Karambits historically have one fi nger
an approximate closed length of a little switched to the opposite side of the handle ring at the rear of the handle to allow for
54 BLADE JANUARY 2019
