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Farming Knife Redesigned for EMTs Working in Close Quarters

Knife designer Joe Caswell's Provoke First Responder for CRKT

By Rain Noe - January 17, 2023

in Tools & Craft

A farming implement has been redesigned to assist EMTs working in close quarters.

A karambit is a traditional curved knife from Southeast Asia, originally developed for farming and planting tasks. It is held in the manner of a hammer, but with the blade curving forwards from the bottom, like an elephant's tusk. A finger ring up top keeps the knife securely in hand.

Image: Mod_Michael

In recent years EMTs and other first responders have taken to carrying folding karambits. When working in close quarters—imagine trying to extract a person from the collapsed interior of a crushed car—the configuration of the short, curved blade provides leverage from a cramped position. The knife makes it easier, in these tight situations, to saw through a seatbelt or cut clothing away to reveal a wound.

But in speaking to first responders, veteran knife designer Joe Caswell learned about the pain points of the karambit. Users had two issues: One was that deploying the blade in close quarters was often difficult. Two was that putting the blade away was also difficult, even unsafe; one's fingers are directly in the way of the blade's edge.

Caswell incorporated this feedback to design his Provoke First Responder knife for manufacturer CRKT.

The deployment mechanism is clever, space-saving and elegant. "The blade is designed to be deployed from a clenched fist," Caswell explains. Additionally, "Your fingers are never exposed to the rotational path of the blade." Here's how it works:

The butt end of the knife also features a glassbreaker:

Here's Caswell himself explaining the design:

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Not including the fasteners, the knife is made of five parts. Caswell has trademarked the knife's action as Kinematic™.

The Provoke First Responder runs $225.

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Comments

Chuck Mack

a year ago

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Very clever mechanics, nearly a switchblade. This could adapt for several iterations.
A bit of a novelty as is, but surely many knife collectors will go for one (or more).

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Ryan Dickman

a year ago

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The Karambit is a fighting knife, which is fairly easy to conceal, and operated with a clenched fist..It always cracks me up at how these things are marketed to "not make them seem so dangerous so facebook doesn't ban their sale". Ah, good times.

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Ryan Dickman

a year ago

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I spent nearly a decade designing knives for Benchmade Knife company, and countless hrs researching knives/gear/tools. Never once have I ever heard of EMT's carrying Karambits. They may have had their roots in agricultural, but those blades were quite a bit different than the modern Filipino fighting knives that this one is modeled after. They are quite a bit more effective if the blade is canted forward a bit more..but that's beside the point.

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Anthony Towers

a year ago

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it doesn't appear to have a locking system

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- Brian Howman
  
  Anthony Towers
  
  a year ago
  
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  Look closer, there is a spring loaded part that holds it open coming from around the finger loop. I have one and it works very well
  
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