Toor Knives recently unveiled the Karsumba S, a refined evolution of its popular Karambit-style platform. This new iteration features a standard drop point blade, offering enhanced versatility and everyday practicality. It’s available in the brand’s signature SOF Series colorways—SOCOM Black and Phantom Grey—and is also part of Toor Knives’ ‘65 Collection. I chose the Karsumba S in Phantom Grey.
The Toor Knives Karsumba S Drop-Point Karambit
Toor Knives was founded in 2014 by Connor Toor, a Marine Corps combat veteran who saw service in Afghanistan. His journey into bladesmithing began with a backyard forge, where he experimented with knife designs tailored for military applications.
Over time, his craftsmanship evolved, leading to the development of highly-regarded, battle-proven knives and tools. They are proudly handcrafted in Toor Knives’ state-of-the-art facility in San Diego, California.
Advertisement — Continue Reading Below
Origins of the Karambit
The Karambit (also spelled Karambit) traces its origins back to the Indonesian archipelago as early as the 11th century AD. It was initially crafted as a farming and utility tool. Over time, its use spread across Southeast Asia, facilitated by trade and cultural exchanges. The blade underwent a transformation among the Minangkabau people of West Sumatra, evolving into a weapon with a more pronounced curve.
According to tradition, the Karambit’s design was inspired by the tiger’s claw, mimicking its slashing and hooking motions in battle. Today’s modern Karambit has diverged significantly from its agricultural predecessor, with changes in design, materials, and intended use. It remains one of the most iconic weapons associated with Pencak Silat, a martial art deeply rooted in Indonesian heritage.
Advertisement — Continue Reading Below
Pencak Silat originated as a self-defense system practiced by various Indonesian ethnic groups over the centuries, including the Javanese, Sundanese, and Minangkabau. It evolved into a comprehensive martial art that incorporates strikes, grappling, joint locks, throws, and weaponry.
The earliest records suggest that Pencak Silat began developing around the 4th century AD, during the era of the Kutai Kingdom in South Kalimantan. Influenced by local traditions, spiritual beliefs, and foreign martial arts introduced by traders and travelers, it evolved into a system used not only for combat but also for cultural expression and spiritual growth.
Advertisement — Continue Reading Below
UNESCO has recognized it as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Indonesia.
The Karsumba S
The Karsumba S combines the combat-oriented legacy of the Karambit with the practical utility of a drop point design. Drop-point blade profiles provide better straight-line cutting and greater versatility, while still maintaining the combat effectiveness of a traditional Karambit. It’s also more instinctive to use with minimal training, especially in high-stress scenarios.
Advertisement — Continue Reading Below
The knife retains the iconic Karambit retention ring, enabling rapid deployment and allowing full use of the hand. It facilitates seamless transitions from hand to knife and from knife to firearm. The ring also serves as an effective impact weapon.
The Karsumba S is designed for ease of concealment. It has an overall length of 6.625 inches, featuring a 2.5-inch full-tang blade and weighing 5.5 ounces. The handle measures 4.125 inches, providing a secure grip for optimal control. The blade has a thickness of 0.1875 inches.
Blade Details
The blade features a full flat grind, providing a strong, thick spine while allowing the edge to be extremely thin and sharp—ideal for slicing tasks. It’s a popular grind due to its balance of strength, precision, and ease of sharpening. Additionally, jimping on the spine enhances grip and control.
Advertisement — Continue Reading Below
The knife is crafted from high-performance CPM M4 steel. This is a high-speed tool steel engineered through Crucible Particle Metallurgy (CPM) for exceptional uniformity, toughness, and wear resistance. With only 4% chromium, it is far from stainless and requires proper maintenance to prevent corrosion. However, its high carbon content (1.35–1.42%), combined with vanadium, tungsten, and molybdenum, offers outstanding durability and wear resistance.
When properly heat-treated, CPM M4 ranks among the top-performing steels in edge retention, according to Cutlery and Allied Trades Research Association (CATRA) testing. CPM M4 can be heat-treated up to 64–66 HRC. However, many knife makers, including Toor Knives, temper it to around 59–61 HRC to improve toughness and reduce brittleness. This trade-off is common in high-performance knives where real-world durability matters more than maximum hardness.
Advertisement — Continue Reading Below
The knife came razor-sharp out of the box. It easily passed the paper cut test, with a clean cut, gliding through a single sheet of paper without hesitation. I have used the knife to cut a variety of materials that quickly dull most knives, and the edge has held up well.
The blade features a KG GunKote® coating, which provides exceptional corrosion resistance. KG GunKote is renowned for its durability and wear resistance. However, like all coatings, it will gradually show signs of wear with repeated use.
For those who prefer a classic Karambit, Toor also offers a traditional hawkbill blade version called the Karsumba R.
Handling the Karsumba S
The handle scales are crafted from G10 and feature Toor Knives’ signature tread-like grip, providing a secure grip even in wet conditions. G10 is a high-pressure fiberglass laminate. It’s an exceptionally strong yet lightweight material. G10 is known for its durability, impact resistance, and chemical resistance, as well as its non-porous nature, making it ideal for hard-use knives. The scales are attached with stainless steel Torx® screws.
The handle is very ergonomic and works well with both forward and reverse grips. Likewise, the contoured, curved handle profile and finger groove provide a secure grip, whether or not the pommel ring is used. Correspondingly, the large retention ring accommodates duty gloves. The edges of the scales are rounded for comfort, and the knife is well-balanced in the hand.
Carrying the Karambit Adaptation
The Karsumba S comes with a black Toor Knives FlexTech fold-over style KYDEX® sheath. It is designed for secure retention and smooth deployment. The custom-molded friction-fit sheath has a retention adjustment screw to fine-tune tension to individual preference. It also incorporates friction offset technology to eliminate blade rattle.
Mounts must be purchased separately. Toor Knives offers a variety of mount options from which to choose. The sheath is compatible with a wide range of aftermarket belt clips, loops, and mounting accessories. Static line carry is also an option.
I went with UltiClip® Slim 3.3 clip. The Slim 3.3 is designed for beltless carry, very concealable, tuckable, and secure. It’s also adjustable for ride height.
Final Thoughts on the Toor Knives Karsumba S
Toor knives has earned a well-deserved reputation for attention to detail. The Karsumba S exhibits exceptional craftsmanship and a well-thought-out design. Fit and finish on the knife I received are outstanding. It’s an exceptional knife that serves its intended purpose very well.
The Karsumba S has an MSRP of $295.00 and is covered by a limited lifetime warranty.
Toor Knives Karsumba S Specs
| Overall Length | 6.625 inches |
| Blade Length | 2.5 inches |
| Handle Length | 4.125 inches |
| Steel | CPM M4 |
| Blade Thickness | 0.1875 inches |
| Blade Hardness | 59-61 Rockwell |
| Blade Finish | KG Gunkote |
| Handle Material | G10 |
| Weight | 5.5 ounces |
| Origin | USA |
| Warranty | Limited Lifetime |
| MSRP | $295.00 |
