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KerambitThe kerambit (sometimes karambit) is a knife found among the cultures of Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. In all of these cultures it has been used as both an agricultural tool and as a weapon. The kerambit is characterized by a sharply curved, usually double-edged, blade, which, when the knife is properly held, extends from the bottom of the hand, with the point of the blade facing forward. In Southeast Asia kerambits are encountered with varying blade lengths and both with and without a retention ring for the index finger on the end of the handle opposite the blade. The kerambit has attracted interest in the West recently as a martial arts weapon. Most kerambits produced in the West for use as weapons are based on the small filipino variety, which feature a short blade and index finger ring. Both fixed blade and folding (generally single-edged) kerambits are produced by a number of makers. Generally, the short Filipino kerambit has found favor in the West with some martial artists because it is believed that the biomechanics of the weapon allow for more powerful cutting strokes, particularly against an attacker's limbs, even with a short blade; because the index finger ring makes it very difficult to disarm; and because it allows a finer measure of control as compared with a straight knife.
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