Just before the NRA Annual Meeting, we were sent the Bone Karambit from Bone Tactical and my immediate first impression was “Man, that's a pretty sick looking blade. Must have.” With a tiger stripe style finish, a mirror polished blade and paracord wrapping, this thing just screamed at me to slice something.

Once I got over my third-grade level excitement of seeing a shiny new stabby thing, I carried it throughout the show, trying to get used to the size, feel, concealment and placement of the knife. Since training out at Gunsite a few months back with Steve Tarani, I typically carry a folding karambit with a pocket clip and Emerson Wave feature, so this fixed version added a sheath with which I needed to get familiar amidst all my other EDC components.

Let's start with the tech specs before we get into the day-to-day aspects of the Bone. Designed to be a tool unlike other karambits on the market, the styling is akin to traditional Indonesian blades – shorter in length at 6.25″ from ring to tip with a 2″ blade. The ring is generous in size without being too large. I have perfectly average sized hands and there is plenty of play in the ring for guys with sausage fingers. This size ties in perfectly to the Silat training that the designers at Bone Tactical  practice. The D2 steel of the blade is hardened to 60+ Rockwell, and there is even video on YouTube showing their test process. On the top of the knife is a bottle opener – potentially unnecessary in the overall design, but believe it or not, very handy.

In the blade down position with the handle in the palm of the hand and the thumb on the ring of the karambit, the knife felt relatively comfortable as my hand wrapped around the paracord that enclosed the handle. As compared to some other larger karambits I have carried, the Bone feels small, but not the least bit incapable. As I flipped it to the outside or the “over the knuckles” grip that I like to call the taint-ripper, it worked well but left me wanting a bit more thickness in the blade to better control it with my thumb. That's not necessarily a downfall of the design, as I would most likely chalk it up to my continued need for practice and training with it.

In the blade up position with my pinky in the ring and thumb on the aggressive gimping at the neck of the knife, it felt like an extension of my arm, and the vicious little blade transformed my hand into a razor sharp eagle talon. Exactly what you want out of a karambit.

In the manner the blade was given to us, the kydex sheath is the weak link, although it is serviceable as-is. With so much attention to the rest of the design, I was let down by the sheath. The singular MALICE clip connected by a solitary screw to the sheath caused the blade to move around quite a bit when carried IWB. We'd like to see a better sheath design or retention system in future versions. Also, the melted ends of the paracord wrapping on the knife's handle were secure but left a little unfinished. It did not affect the deployment of the blade, but for a knife that is north of $300, we'd like to see a bit more attention to remedying that detail.

Bone Tactical says that due to the finishing process, all of their blades are unique, so you don't have to worry about carrying the same exact blade as your buddy. The knife really is a good looking piece of weaponry and absolutely disappears under clothing when carrying. With its light weight and slim design, I often forget I am carrying it.

For a fixed karambit amidst a sea of tactical folders, the offering from Bone Tactical delivers style and traditional severity in a small package. The next few months will give us more time to figure out if it's a keeper.

Bone Tactical can be found on the web here, or on Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube.

NEXT STEP: Download Your Free Target Pack from RECOIL

For years, RECOIL magazine has treated its readers to a full-size (sometimes full color!) shooting target tucked into each big issue. Now we've compiled over 50 of our most popular targets into this one digital PDF download. From handgun drills to AR-15 practice, these 50+ targets have you covered. Print off as many as you like (ammo not included).

Get your pack of 50 Print-at-Home targets when you subscribe to the RECOIL email newsletter. We'll send you weekly updates on guns, gear, industry news, and special offers from leading manufacturers - your guide to the firearms lifestyle.

You want this. Trust Us.