A few notes on small ringed straight knives that are design for stabbing.
I don’t like rings on small blades that are meant to stab. As soon as something is swinging with clothing on and you are stabbing at it with a ring on your finger you will realize why it’s a bad idea with something straight. You can skin off your finger or break it with the movement and twisting. It also negates an easy hand pass if you get entangled with more than one opponent.
There is a reason you don’t see them much in history. Aside from curved versions in the form of a karambit, and these where utilitarian in origin. The later ones got weaponized and still retained the curve. It makes sense for a flesh collector or slasher. Not for stabbing.
I also carry a pistol most places outside of the states for work. And would never risk that trigger finger with something like that. I stay in my lane and leave shooting instruction to the people that specialize in it, but I am a shooter first and blades are a companion to firearms in my past experience and in my training. I won’t risk a trigger finger.
I have carried a few ringed blades but always as a support side blade and the rings on them are wide and rounded. Tracker Dan Survival makes his kbits with a copper rounded out ring on it that doesn’t catch on skin… This is a design element that comes from experience.
Any one wanting to test it out for themselves is free to bring one to an organic mediums class.
EDIT : Don’t get this wrong. It’s not a anti karambit post. I carried a few in my time out in the shit. It’s streight small knives with rings that are stab specific that I have reservations about. Keep rings wide and rounded. If you can’t fit a finger trough it wearing gloves, avoided it. If you feel friction or edges in the ring.. get something else.
Ed
Author – Ed is a security specialist and combatives instructor with over 10 years experience in public safety along the northern border area of Mexico. He runs seminars and private training specific to anti-abduction, escapology, free hand and unconventional edged weapons work. He is also director of Libre Fighting Systems in Mexico.
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