The karambit has slashed its way back for another review, and today I will give you my thoughts on the BLACKHAWK! Garra II, a folding pocket knife with a blade measuring about three inches in length.
This knife is a stark contrast to the 5.11 Tactical Karambit we covered last month. Though the blade on the Garra II, is only slightly longer than the 5.11 Karambit which measured 2.7 inches, I have to say, the extra few centimeters really makes a difference.
In my personal opinion this knife is a superior weapon to the 5.11 Karambit in terms of pure ability to inflict damage on an aggressor, but that doesn’t take into consideration the individual application. For example, the 5.11 Karambit can be concealed easier making it available for a wider range of uses.
Anyways, I will save a comparison of these two karambits for another time, back to the Garra II, and it’s a AUS8A stainless steel blade. Well, this is actually another comparison, because the Garra II is using the exact same blade metal employed in the 5.11 Karambit.
In my review of the 5.11 Karambit I explained that AUS8A is a true stainless which helps the blade retain its sharpness. The Garra II also offers a sleek black PVD coat finish and comes with either a plain and partially serrated blade.
Since this is a karambit and primarily used as a defense weapon, I personally recommend the serrated version as it is likely to do more damage quickly and be much more intimidating.
Another thing I like about the BLACKHAWK Garra II is the high strength inner-lock mechanism known for offering excellent weapon security. Since this is a folding pocket knife, when this knife is in locked position in your pocket, you don’t have to worry about it possibly flipping open and stabbing you in the leg.
Though the mechanism is very strong, it also seems to flip open quite easy with just the right technique. It will likely take you a few tries to get the hang of it, but once you do, the Garra II offers quick and easy deployment and a great method of self defense in high pressure situations.
This is a knife that could be concealed in a pocket, but it could also be holstered to your belt and open carried. That said, this likely isn’t a knife which would be used heavily by law enforcement or special forces. Instead, I see this being most valuable for individual self-defense. For example, someone who has to walk home late at night through a bad neighborhood.
In those situations this the BLACKHAWK! Garra II will provide you with a means to promptly defend a potential attack.
Pros
- High strength liner-lock mechanism known for offering excellent weapon security
- Multiple blade options: plain, serrated
Cons
- Substantially more expensive than similar alternatives
I really hope you enjoyed my BLACKHAWK! Garra II folding pocket knife review, please give me a shout in the comments with any questions or feedback!