Overview
A curved claw that exits through the nose of the handle: the karambit principle, that arc-shaped blade inherited from South East Asia which cuts as the hand is drawn back, is mounted here on an automatic front-opening mechanism. The MKO12B1 is the dark version of it. Its 80 mm blade in 420 steel is given a black plasma treatment, as is the black aluminium handle paired with carbon fibre, and the whole thing is CNC machined. The handle measures 150 mm, the knife 220 mm with the blade out, for 277 g. A push button, a belt clip, a lanyard hole and a nylon sheath come with the piece.
Two edges on a curved blade
What really separates the MKO12B1 from its silver counterpart is the grind of the blade. Where the grey version carries its edge only on the inside of its curve, this one is ground on both borders: the concave edge, the one that bites as you pull, and the convex edge that follows the outside of the arc. The blade therefore no longer offers a spine to rest a thumb on, and the point ends up framed by two edges meeting each other. The pulling stroke remains the signature of the shape, but the blade becomes active in both directions of hand travel. The black plasma treatment ties it all together: blade, handle and corner return a single matt tone, right down to the carbon fibre scales.
Technical specifications
An 80 mm curved karambit blade in 420 steel, double edge, hardness 57 HRC, black plasma treatment and CNC machining. A 150 mm handle in black aluminium and carbon fibre. Knife open: 220 mm. Weight: 277 g. Opening is automatic, out the front, of the OTF double action type, directed upwards and controlled by a push button. A belt clip and a lanyard hole are fitted to the handle; a nylon sheath is supplied.
Care
With two edges on an arc-shaped blade, cleaning goes border by border, the cloth laid flat on the side and drawn towards the heel, never crossing the blade from one edge to the other. Black plasma is a surface finish: warm soapy water and a soft cloth, with no abrasive to scar the matt tone. Then cycle the blade empty several times to clear whatever the double curve has dragged back into the track, and dry the black handle completely before returning it to the sheath.
Legal notice. Age-restricted item (18+). In France this knife is a Category D item: legal to sell but reserved for adults, with age verification at checkout. Automatic and OTF knives are restricted or prohibited in many countries — the United Kingdom, Germany and several US states among them. It is the buyer's responsibility to check the law that applies where the order is delivered before purchasing.
