Böker Morphs an Iconic Tactical Blade into a Refined EDC Flipper

Filipino martial arts meets Italian design in this unique folding knife.

Two Böker Hel Karambits sitting on tactical pack

Published December 5, 2024

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Updated December 5, 2024

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Originally inspired by and modified from Southeast Asian rice harvesting tools, karambit knives have been a favorite in the martial arts, tactical and military communities for years. But the aggressive, purpose-driven style has found difficulty in translating to everyday usage.

That could be about to change, however, courtesy of Böker’s Hel Karambit, which takes the typically combat-focused knife style and translates it into something much more EDC-friendly.

Böker Hel Karambit on blue background — All the hallmarks of a traditional karambit remain, but the styling and materials usher this particular blade into the realm of EDC.

True to its roots

A cursory glance at this Böker folding blade would ensure even the most critical of knife fanatics that it is, in fact, a true karambit.

The curve of its 154CM steel hawkbill blade leads right into its equally-curved G-10 handle, culminating in the style’s signature finger ring at the butt—all hallmarks of the combat-inspired style.

Even its deployment — a flipper with a spring-assisted mechanism — harkens to the speed and tactical nature of more traditional karambit knives.

In fact, the thumb stud (which is actually removable, should you want to delete it entirely) actually serves as a wave opener — similar to the Emerson Wave — allowing you to deploy and open the knife in a single, fluid motion.

Closed Böker Hel Karambit on blue background — The removable thumb stud doubles as a wave opener, making deploying the Hel Karambit lightning-quick.

More than meets the eye

Penned by Italian knifemaker Alessandra De Santis of Hydra Design, Böker’s Hel sports plenty of traditional karambit features that are sure to instill confidence in the knife. However, it’s the differences that really help elevate and refine it.

The blade, for instance, has the signature Hawkbill curve to it, but not so much that it becomes unusable for daily tasks. In fact, the blade’s gentle belly arc is ideal for things like opening packages and cutting loose strings from apparel.

Furthermore, the handle’s G10 material has a textured finish to it, almost like a canvas Micarta, that gives the Hel a much more modern, urbane appearance, unlike its more aggressive, tactical siblings.

The Hel even comes with a removable wire pocket clip, which can be attached to either side for ambidextrous carry (the flipper and thumb stud also work ambidextrously).

Pricing and availability

You can get the Böker Hel Karambit at the brand’s site right now in all black or blue and gray for $137.95. Or you can preorder it from Blade HQ with a $5 down payment and a total cost of just $118. Either way, this is an exciting opportunity to add a novel knife to your EDC collection.