Super Karambit

21 customer reviews

 

Big, bold, and equally effective, the Super Karambit is a larger version of its tough little brother, the Emerson Combat Karambit. It's big, but not too big. It's “just right” for those that protect and serve. A favorite of law enforcement as a backup tool used against aggressive weapon take-away attempts.     

Self Defense – Tactical

Options

Earn 342 Rewards Points When You Order This Item.

Join the waitlist to be emailed when this product becomes available

$324.95

Super Karambit

21 customer reviews

 

Big, bold, and equally effective, the Super Karambit is a larger version of its tough little brother, the Emerson Combat Karambit. It's big, but not too big. It's “just right” for those that protect and serve. A favorite of law enforcement as a backup tool used against aggressive weapon take-away attempts.     

Self Defense – Tactical

PRODUCT OPTIONS:

Options

Earn 342 Rewards Points When You Order This Item.

Join the waitlist to be emailed when this product becomes available

$324.95

The Emerson Super Karambit by Emerson Knives is bigger, badder and better than ever. With a full inch of blade and handle, this knife puts other Karambits to shame. Others will follow, but you will own the first and the best from the world's leader in Tactical Knives. The Emerson Super Karambit carries an overall length of 8.0 inches and a blade that will stop someone dead in their tracks.

*The Karambit is not available with serrations.

KNIFE ANATOMY

Anatomy of an Emerson Knife

HOW TO USE THE WAVE FEATURE

An important part of knowing the anatomy of an Emerson Knife is knowing how to utilize it. Using the  patented Emerson Wave Feature correctly, you can deploy the knife out of pocket rapidly. It takes some practice to master. See how it's done in images below.

BLADE STYLE: KARAMBIT

The Karambit design comes directly from an ancient Indonesian utility knife used for self defense, but Emerson's Combat Karambit is designed as a fighting weapon. You can identify a Karambit knife by its claw-like blade.

Fun Fact: The Emerson Combat Karambit is the original folding karambit. There are many like it, but nothing beats the original!

Standoff Spacers have been standard on all Emerson Knife models since 2014. Any knife ordered from our site from that year will receive one of these models.

Anatomy of an Emerson Knife Lanyard

Lanyard Holes serve one purpose: attaching a paracord lanyard if you choose to get one. We get asked that question quite a lot!

The Thumb Button is there so that you may open the knife single handedly . Specifically with your thumb. Some people are naturals at it and some have to learn. Either way, it's very useful.

WARNING: Cancer and Reproductive Harm – www.P65Warnings.ca.gov

Material & Grind
HandlesG-10
LockTitanium
Finish
GrindRazor Sharp Chisel Grind
Specifications
Overall Length8.0 in.
Blade Length3.0 in.
Blade Thickness.125 in.
Hardness57-59RC
Weight4.5 oz.

21 reviews for Super Karambit

  1. n2xlr8n66

    This is my first Emerson knife- wow. Fantastic craftsmanship, quality of materials, and it was smooth as butter deploying. Thank you for your service and for exceeding my expectations! (now hurry up with the Kwaiken and Knight's dagger production!!) 🙂

  2. Lewis

    I have a Super Karambit, Sheep Dog & the Super Commander. I love them ALL !
    I couldn't ask for a better made knife. To anyone thinking about purchasing a Emerson Knife, let me set your mind at ease. You can't get a better knife! ( In my opinion )
    I ordered the Super Karambit drilled for left hand carry. Even though I am right handed. I have been a CCW licensed 24 years. I found that depending on what holster is made it blocks access to my knife. So I carry it on the left side. Just in case.
    I can't say enough about the Emerson Knife and there company.

  3. ggleck

    I already have 2 combat karambits, 2..6 ” blades and anyone who owns 1 knows they are the hands down badass. I just received the super and man oh man it truly is the sh*t. I have average sized hands and it fits perfect, I don't know how anyone could say it isn't a good fit, it fits my hands the same as the combat version. This is now my edc without a doubt it has so much more reach because the blade shape is not as severely curved and has serious reach. Couldn't be happier to have gotten this and highly recommend it to anyone wanting the best of the best, thanks to all the folks at Emerson again!

  4. shawn

    Acquired my first SuperKarambit 5 years ago and “lost” it to a security guard at a Lakers Game – I stupidly forgot to remove it from my pocket and am used to carrying it everywhere. Immediately ordered the replacement. These knives are astonishingly good. The grip is incredible and will scratch gorilla glass on your mobile phone – don't use the same pocket! The knife is without flaws but MAKE SURE to occasionally ticgten the screws that hold the knife together – my experience is that they will loosen and you'll lose one now and again unless they're loc-tited into place. There's no comparison for these tools. Don;t know if you need another knife if you've got a SuperKarambit

  5. Patrick

    This is a very impressive knife. Make sure to read the dimensions and compare, this thing is large. It is large to the point, it doesn't fit well in some pockets. However that isn't a fault just something to know going in.

  6. Bill M (verified owner)

    Best of the Best is what this is. Purely purpose driven and depending on your daily personal threat level,may or may not be right for you, if it is right for you there’s no better choice than this,is all I can really say. I always have an Emerson Karambit with me, be it a super or combat only depends on my pocket room for that day, trust and believe no matter your choice in size the Emerson Karambit will do it’s job. I do recommend however that you train and get proficient in what this thing can really do. Situational awareness is always key and remember you really never want to be in a knife fight if avoidable, but knowing it’s there going to your car in the dark early morning hours is a really good feeling, I definitely trust and believe that Emerson really does have your back and speaking from experience, their warranty is second to none. No matter the Emerson knife you choose just understand that there’s really no better. Customer for life.

  7. Lawrence Wickert

    A few comments on Vadim's review:

    1. I don't find the width of the ring (OD -ID) at all uncomfortable in forward or reverse grip.

    2. When not using the finger grips, the three “waves” on the grip work fine for me in forward grip with the little finger around the outside of the ring. In reverse grip, use the ring, the way it was designed to be used. My personal grip of choice is the forward grip and not using the ring. Thumb on the jimping of the wave gives remarkable strength and stability, I also find the forward grip allows foy more natural, intuitive moves like the claw of the tiger who inspired this blade. In this grip, the Super Karambit has a much greater thrusting potential than other karambits including the combat. This is due to the slightly less curve of the blade and the blade to handle angle.

    3. Lastly the time honored Emerson rough texture of the G-10 grips. I happen to like it a lot. If you don't just Lightly go over them with very fine sandpaper. I emphasize “lightly” and “very fine”.

    4. Lastly, don't ever assume that “your opponent would be ‘psychologically broken'” by an appearance of a badass looking knife. That's mall ninja mentality and may actually get you killed.

  8. Lawrence Wickert

    I recently got my 2nd one. I've tried too many SD knives in the past decade from quality American makers and this is the best, bar none. Aggressive sharp blade, rock solid grip, fastest deployment in the world, folder, fixed or auto. In the winter just drop it into your jacket pocket and deploy using the wave, much faster than fumbling under layers of clothes. As far as SD knives go, this is the best on the market. I believe that surving a SD situation is primarily situational awareness and mental attitude but why not have the best tool too? American made, American workers, premium American materials. The only thing that could replace would be a Super Karambit XHD (assuming I don't miss out on it and have the cash to get one). One last thing, my daughter has small hands, mine are average and my sons are large; all agree the grip is comfortable and rock solid.

    Stay safe, stay armed, God Bless America.

  9. A Joy

    Just about the perfect self defense carry knife. If I had to try and find a flaw, it would be that the handle is slightly too big to hold in a “hammer grip”, which I believe is the issue that reviewer Vadim had. This knife is designed with a different type of grip in mind, what I think of as more of a “fencer's grip”. Power isn't derived from making a fist, but from speed and a flicking motion with the palm and fingers, aided by the OMG sharpness of the knife. Hooking and wrapping motions with this blade will almost immediately go straight to the bone. Don't think this is one of those karambits where you can control limbs and body parts. You're cutting right through those pressure points.

  10. Kieran Raimey

    Best knife i have ever purchased. Had it for 3-4 years. Pissed I got robbed at gunpoint and they took everything INCLUDING my favorite knife. I'm just glad i wasn't shot and killed like my friend was on friday. Anyway. Very sturdy, once it's locked, the blade stays until you unlock it. The emerson wave feature catches perfect EVERY TIME. I miss my knife…. 🙁

  11. Vadim

    Hello, everyone !

    Today I would like to share my opinion about Emerson Super Karambit purchased on karambit.com.

    Let’s take a look at this knife and its anatomy.

    Finger ring. One of the most important features.

    I would say – there’s no karambit without this, even more, all mid-sized knives which claim to be for fighting or self-defense must have this feature, BUT…even more important is to implement this idea in a right way. Sadly, this is not the case here, and here's why :

    The thickness of the ring is 0.53 inc,( approximately ) the same as the rest of the handle, which is quite bulky, but at least I see some logic behind this decision – this is the way to keep the simplicity of the handle construction. Ok, but what about the width of the ring (the difference between the external and the internal diameter of ring itself)?It’s approximately 0.26 inc !

    It’s huge. And this piece of metal metal is supposed to fit between your index and middle fingers. If you want to feel how uncomfortable this is, (without spending three hundred bucks), buy a nut screw of the same size (inner diameter is 0.51 inc, external diameter is 1.25 inc) put it on your index finger and make a fist.

    In my opinion, this ring must be at least twice as thin, which technically would not be a problem if you use some good material.

    The next problem is the wrong angle between the main body and the ring. I would say it has to be 90 degrees or close to that. Bastinelli Black Cerakote Picoeur is a good visual example of what I am talking about. This position of the ring would allow you to improve the grip and retention by keeping your fingers in one straight line, just like making a fist.

    All in all, the finger ring is not really useful.

    Now, let’s leave aside the issue with the ring, and take a look at the shape of the handle. Can I grip it securely without using the finger ring ? Yes, of course ! It’s a big knife. There’s a lot of space between the ring and the finger guard. Feel free to grip it any way you like – regular or reverse grip. Does this mean we have solved the problem ? Not really…

    Let’s look again. There are three (why always three ???!!! ) waves on the inner side of the handle. I don’t know how it is called in knife-making lingo, so I will call them “the finger waves”. Now, if i am not going to put my index finger in the ring, then I have to put all four (except thumb) fingers on the handle, right ?

    This means I have to distribute my four fingers between three waves. How the hell am I going to make that happen ?

    This topic is so important that I would like to discuss it a little bit more.

    “Finger Waves” are very trendy in the industry. A lot of knife models has this feature , mostly karambits, but straight knives as well. Does this mean they are good and useful ? Definitely not ! The proof is the fact that knife makers have zero understanding of the basic principles of bio-mechanical power distribution of the human body.

    “Finger waves” divide the fingers, which divides the power of your hand instead of concentrating it ! Biggest mistake ever !

    So, the “Finger Waves” are not just useless for my grip, but make it even worse.

    If you want them so desperately just to make your knife look cool, some compromise is possible. Make them more smooth, smaller, not so sharp and big, and…. four waves, please ! By doing that, you at least reduce to a minimum the negative effects of this absolutely useless feature.

    Last but not least . The Patented “Emerson Wave” feature. Super cool idea !

    I believe everyone who is interested in karambits already saw YouTube videos with people demonstrating cool tricks with fast karambit deployment from their pocket using this feature. Even Master Emerson himself did it very well with two ! Two knives simultaneously !

    (the actual model used in Emerson training video is “combat karambit”. It has absolutely the same construction, the only difference is the size)

    Super cool ! It will make you want this knife immediately ! But the truth is painful…

    The handle is made of G10, which is the best material for this purpose, but….

    The way it is finished is just a disappointment. Shortly – it’s like sandpaper. In combination with the super super tough pocket clip (why is this not flexible?) it makes this exercise hard to implement. I wouldn’t say it’s impossible, but it’s definitely not as smooth and easy, as shown in the videos.

    It’s like they have invented something extremely cool and then did everything possible to make it not work.

    Despite the fact that this review is negative, I would like to end it on a positive note. This knife is not hopeless. The blade itself is very well made and looks extremely scary and dangerous. Probably, In a real combat situation your opponent would be “psychologically broken” even before the fight starts. The overall construction is very simple. Simplicity as a way of thinking is a very rare phenomenon nowadays, and i am a big fan of this approach, but attention to small details is critically important as well. The difference between just a knife and the perfect knife is in these small details.

    In conclusion, I would like to stress that a fighting knife is not a toy, and any mistakes in its construction may cost somebody’s life !

  12. Mickel Burgess

    I'm an old Navy guy and I have had 3 Emerson Commanders. Love them. I gave two of them away to guys going on deployment over in the sand box and my wife carries my 3rd. Now I'm Emersonless. Great knives. Saving for a Super Kerambit with the chisel point…someday and no one gets that one. loL

  13. zack p (verified owner)

    This was my first Emerson knife, and i will never carry any other knives again. the design is flawless, its incredibly easy to deploy, i can't find an uncomfortable and stable way to hold it even if i try, and it is the most durable blade i have ever owned. Every knife i get from now on will be an Emerson.

  14. Leon B.

    I carry a Combat Karambit daily and I love it. Finally picked up a Super and am blown away! Feels great in my hand. I really think this tip design is outstanding on a larger Karambit. It's a real workhorse, like all Emersons. Buy one. You won't be disappointed. Now I just have to save up for the orange handled version!

  15. M Hauskins

    This innovative work of art will impress even the most hard to please skeptics. The design is nearly flawless, when it is removed from its clipped location, the blade is deployed with a reassuring snap as it's locks into place notifying you its ready to work. It's also a great conversation piece because of the unique design. All of my friends want one now after trying mine. It's really is an incredible utility/self defense wonder of the modern knife age.

  16. Hensley Garlington

    I've had a few knives, but after going to the Emerson Super Karambit 2013 edition I'm never going back to any other style for my every day carry. As another reviewer, Blakecb has said, once you grip a fine karambit like the Emerson Super, you understand the ergonomics and believe this is what a knife should be.

    Now, if only y'all would gift the world with an Emerson Uber Karambit I will be first in line! Heck, go crazy and offer us a partially serrated Uber Karambit and/or double edged to the top of the thumb ramp!

    Take my money, Mr. Emerson!!!

  17. Hensley Garlington

    I've had a few knives, but after going to the Emerson Super Karambit 2013 I'm never going back to any other style for my every day carry. As another reviewer, Blakecb has said, one you grip a fine karambit like the Emerson Super, you understand the ergonomics and believe this is what a knife should be.

    Now, if only y'all would gift the world with an Emerson Uber Karambit I will be first in line!

    Heck, go crazy and offer us a partially serrated Uber Karambit and/or double edged to the top of the thumb ramp!

    Take my money!!!

  18. Mark p (verified owner)

    This knife has an excellent edge and very easy to deploy. Plus it's easy to work on with either a philips o flat head screwdriver. Like all the other reviews it has a lot of intimidation factor. It has become my EDC knife and any other knife i get from Emerson.

  19. Docbp87

    There are plenty of Karambit knives on the market, but the Emerson Karambits have a few features that make them uniquely well suited for their intended use as a self defense tool. Aside from the things like the blade shape and ring in that handle, which allow for intuitive use in a fight, the Wave feature is, in my opinion, crucial for use in an emergency. If you find yourself suddenly needing to defend yourself from an assailant, you may not have time to draw a knife from your pocket, open, and lock it, all before making your first strike against the aggressor. With the Wave feature, and the ability to orient the clip in multiple directions, you can literally draw the knife from your pocket and have it already open, and locked in place in a single motion (a motion that can be integrated into an upward slash towards anyone or anything that is attempting to do harm to you or your loved ones). To me, this is what makes the Emerson Karambits far superior to others as an emergency tool. Add the reinforced ring (and now with the standoffs instead of solid backspacer) and you never have to worry about the knife failing under the stress of this kind of situation. If you want a last ditch knife that you know will always be ready to use, especially as a weapon for self defense, the Combat and Super Combar Karambits are second to none.

  20. Blakecb (verified owner)

    Got mine yesterday. I used to look at these and think they were merely very cool. But when you grip one in your hand the light bulb comes on…It is a powerful and superbly intuitive device for self defense. My only thought was “Now I understand”.

  21. M Ryan

    With the new 2013 re-design, this is hands down the BEST folding self defence knife I've ever handled. With a functionality that is truly scary ( a wave-able three inch steel claw rock solid in the hand in either forward or reverse grip) , this knife has an intimidation factor that is hard to match in a folding knife. I've had the new re-enforced tip super karambit with the stand offs for a little over a month now, and i am very impressed with the redesign. I own a 2012 super karambit as well, it's one of my favorite knives, but i am always weary of damaging both the tip and the finger hole. Both these issues have been fixed and re-enforced in the new design with no loss of performance in cutting or piercing power, and i don't hesitate to abuse my new super karambit like i do all of my other emerson knives.

Add a review

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


You may also like…