NedFoss Claw Knife

Seriously, this thing came up when I searched for the Reate Exo-K on Amazon. I’ve always found it interesting how Amazon allows a bunch of cheap clones of knives that “might not be legal” in all states but not the pricey originals. Well, this knife is definitely not an Exo-K clone but is very similar “in spirit”. I’m guessing that it must be a clone of an older model expensive folding karambit. I can see this version sold by at least one other “cheap knife” brand on Amazon. How is it? Well, the build quality is solid. Everything is machined and milled rather well. The scales are held in place by T6 screws, while the pivots and some other moving part junctions are T8. The pocket clip is reversible for left side or reverse grip ready carry. Overall, the fit and finish are solid, and everything is put together well. Can’t really pick on anything specific, especially considering the price. The hawksbill blade is made from Chinese 7Cr17MoV stainless steel. It is definitely a budget steel but is perfectly fine for a knife like this. Honestly, people get too hung up on fancy knife steels. I have a “gas station” karambit that I’ve been using to cut up cardboard for half a year straight and it’s still sharp. That one only has the supposedly lowly 3Cr17MoV! Unfortunately, this NedFoss knife came as the dullest karambit I’ve ever bought, which is disappointing. It definitely doesn’t slice paper like the one in the product listing video! I mean, it will still do “the job” but I like my karambits to also be able to do the regular everyday cutting stuff well. I think that I will keep this blade dull while I get used to handling and deployment and then will try to sharpen it using a ceramic rod. Speaking of deployment, the best feature of this knife is obviously it’s unique action which provides for rapid deployment, as well as some fun fidgeting. It is undeniably fun and “cool” and works rather well. The pinky in the ring, blade edge down deployment is pretty much seamless – press the button, do a little wrist flick, close remaining fingers around the handle and you’re ready to go. On the other hand, the “reverse grip” (index finger in the ring, edge up) deployment, which is how you’re supposed to use a karambit for defensive purposes, took some tweaking and practice to get right for me. When I first started, I tended to leave the button pressed when flicking my wrist, which caused the locking lug to bounce back. I had to train myself to let go of the button and then flick. It became easier after I smoothed things out via oiling and break in, as well as adjusted both pivots to have an equal amount of tension. At this point, I can quick deploy and lock in reverse grip nearly every time and even when it fails, a second wrist flick always completes it. So, if you’re not having too much luck quick deploying this blade smoothly at first, don’t get discouraged. Also, the plunger lock button is positioned and designed well. I never had it pushe and release the lug without intent. I do wish that there was a way to lock the blade folded one-handed, but you always need the other hand to rotate the spring-tensioned locking lug towards the plunge lock. That’s the only disappointing thing about the action on this knife. I do wonder about how this knife will hold up over time with so many moving parts. The product listing doesn’t mention anything about the good ole Ned providing any warranty. 😊 Other than the distinct hawksbill blade, the main attribute of any karambit knife is the finger ring. It is crucial that it’s implemented correctly and many cheap karambits get it wrong. Unfortunately, this brings me to my biggest issues with this knife. First, the ring diameter is narrower than it needs to be. It fits my fingers but not in the most comfortable way. Plus, I have well-proportioned fingers. If you suffer from “fat fingers”, this karambit is probably not for you. Also, while the inside edges of the ring are not “sharp” per se, they are sharp enough to bite into your finger when doing quick-deployment drills and karambit tricks. It’s not slicing through my skin or anything like that but is causing noticeable discomfort. It definitely needs to come more knocked down/rounded. Luckily, it’s not anything that a dremel with a metal polish bit won’t fix but this should’ve been done at the factory! Overall, despite some rough edges with the design and implementation, this is a heck of a fun knife for the money! In fact, the price is so good that I’m not even going to take a star off for the flaws.

I have repurchased this style of knife several times over the years. While this seller is new to me, it’s excellent quality for the price and I use it just about it everyday at work to cut open boxes. It’s just the right size and it’s fun to use as well. I hope they never stop making it because I love this knife!

If you use left handed clip will not reverse, great knife but made to carry it on your right side.

From the description of what a karambit is designed for, I'm hoping that I'll never have need for one. That being said, it is still entertaining to open and close for a while. As you are opening the knife, it feels very loose, but when fully open, it locks up very tight. I don't see myself carrying it every day, but it IS an interesting piece to add to my collection.

Not a bad knife for the price. Opens easily, very sharp out of the box, comfortable grip and built very solid. The only thing I could complain about is there is a little bit of a raised edge towards the tip of the blade which does sometime snag the material while cutting, but doesn't affect the function of the knife. Not bad overall, I very tempted to buy another one for myself. Included a picture of the raised edge.

This is an interesting knife. Very sharp. A bit unusual opening and closing, but a well made knife my opinion. Be careful until you understand, don’t want to get accidentally bit” worth it to me. Unoqo

This knife has a special place in my heart. I have never seen a knife quite like this one. From the dope blade to the interesting locking mechanism, it has it all. I don't know my materials but this knife is sturdy and looks sleek. I would say though that it you're used to longer butterfly knife handles, this one comes in short at about 9.3 inches. Perfect for everyday carry but not so much for tricks, you could still do them tho! I also wish there was a way to tighten the connection between the blade and handle. After some play, the connection will feel loose and that's just a shame. I hope there's a way to solve this in the future. Other than that, the knife comes razor sharp and ready to handle. This is seriously worth picking up!

If you're buying this as a looks cool/fun to flip around, go for it. It makes no real-life sense to carry this as EDC. It would be classified as a balisong which is illegal in most states to carry. I bought this out of curiosity to see and handle because it's a copy of the Mantis Vuja De. The build is stiff enough to play around with and it's an interesting design. G10 handles, cheap steel. Here are the cons: - There's a button that locks the knife when closed. When depressed, it releases a spring loaded clip on the other handle which is used to catch and lock when flipped around. However, it does NOT lock in the open position, just enough tension to "stay in place". You can see the catch is for a one-sided locking mechanism. If deployed rapidly, the balisong will swing into the open position and bounce out. It makes it harder to handle. The Mantis Vuja De locks in both positions. - There was play in the handles. Would require a little loctite and lubrication to find the sweet spot for the action. I returned because it would not lock in open, it bothered me too much. Otherwise, it's fun to play with. Also, I got a returned item, there was hair all over it. Someone probably shaved arm hair with it as a test.