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Spartan Blades Ronin Shoto
The Spartan Blades Ronin Shoto is a folding karambit built with Tu Lam of Ronin Tactics, a former Special Forces teammate of the Spartan Blades founders. Both Lam and Spartan's founders worked throughout Asia, including Indonesia, and came away with real respect for the karambit. They designed the Shoto to work within several martial arts systems. The name is the samurai's short sword, the companion to the long katana.
Spartan Ronin Shoto Specs
The Ronin Shoto carries a 2.5 inch tanto on 0.130 inch stock, set in a curved karambit-style handle. It runs 7.75 inches open and 5.25 inches closed at about 6.25 ounces. A liner lock holds the blade open, and the clip reverses for right or left hand tip up carry.
Emerson Wave and OIBBS Action
The Shoto has an Emerson Wave, the hook on the blade spine that catches the pocket edge and opens the knife as you draw. That matters on a karambit, where you want the blade out and your grip set in one motion. Like every Spartan Field Grade folder, it pivots on the Oil Infused Bronze Bushing System, which stays smooth without a loose pivot.
CTS-XHP Blade and G-10 Handle
The blade is Carpenter CTS-XHP with a satin nitride finish. XHP is a powder steel that takes a fine edge and holds it well, and our knife steel guide shows how it compares. The textured black G-10 scales grip securely through the fast changes of grip karambit work demands. It is part of Spartan's Field Grade line, produced in Asia through Pineland Cutlery.
More Tu Lam and Spartan Folders
Lam's fixed blade partner piece is the Ronin Shinto, a 5.625 inch MagnaCut recurve he designed with Curtis Iovito. For a conventional folding knife in the same CTS-XHP and OIBBS setup, see Les George's Astor or Bill Harsey's compact Talos.