Can you flick a sebenza 21 large easily ?

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Chapp

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I'm looking to buy one and unfortunately - living in Europe - I can't try it before I buy one and get the actual thing in my hand.

I'm your typical compulsive flicker, I need to flick my knives. I've heard conflicted report on the large Seb 21. Some say it's hard to flick out of the box, some say it will get easier with time, some say it will always be a hard thing to do because of the position of the thumbstud... Where lies the truth ? I know you can do it with some wrist movement, but I'm not interested, I like my flicking to be just from my thumb and the balance of the blade.

I dig everything on this knife, by the way. It looks perfect.
 
I have a small Sebenza which I would say is maybe harder to flick open than the large. I can flick it(without much wrist) 85 percent of the time. It will break it over time. Use grease or oil to slick it up. I also found myself using the top part of the nail especially in the flick(if it matters to you).
 
They aren't flippers and not made to flick open ... yes some do it ... but if that's your criteria for your knife purchase I would recommend you look at something different.
 
nick800 said:
These are not flickers
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Some people manage to flick them though. Is it oil or just tension break-in ?

JJ_Colt45 said:
They aren't flippers and not made to flick open ... yes some do it ... but if that's your criteria for your knife purchase I would recommend you look at something different.
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So, you can't make them flick whatever you do to them ? It's just impossible, even with wear and time ?
 
I picked one here a few weeks ago . . . a small sebenza. I too didn't do my home work and found they claim the opening movement as more hydraulic rather than a free swinging gravity type of blade that you can easily flick open. Maybe the larger blade will open faster due to its weight, but do your homework and watch some video reviews on youtube before you buy one. The one I have opens more like an old Buck folder, in my opinion . . . so I sent it back to the CR service center to see if they can loosen it up more. 4-6 week turn around to get it back after only owing it for a few days. The CR rep told me they don't even want you to flick them open as it causes undue pressure on some part. I'm just passing along what she told me last week. She did sound pretty knowledgeable. This one was my first, I'm sure others will chime in that she was incorrect and theirs flick open fine.
 
expidia1 said:
I picked one here a few weeks ago . . . a small sebenza. I too didn't do my home work and found they claim the opening movement as more hydraulic rather than a free swinging gravity type of blade that you can easily flick open. Maybe the larger blade will open faster due to its weight, but do your homework and watch some video reviews on youtube before you buy one. The one I have opens more like an old Buck folder, in my opinion . . . so I sent it back to the CR service center to see if they can loosen it up more. 4-6 week turn around to get it back after only owing it for a few days. The CR rep told me they don't even want you to flick them open as it causes undue pressure on some part. I'm just passing along what she told me last week. She did sound pretty knowledgeable. This one was my first, I'm sure others will chime in that she was incorrect and theirs flick open fine.
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I tried to my homework, but like I said, way too much conflincting report. I've seen youtube video where the guy just flick it open like nothing and some other where the guy had a hard time open it with the thumbstud "gently".

I'm lost.
 
Chapp said:
I'm looking to buy one and unfortunately - living in Europe - I can't try it before I buy one and get the actual thing in my hand.

I'm your typical compulsive flicker, I need to flick my knives. I've heard conflicted report on the large Seb 21. Some say it's hard to flick out of the box, some say it will get easier with time, some say it will always be a hard thing to do because of the position of the thumbstud... Where lies the truth ? I know you can do it with some wrist movement, but I'm not interested, I like my flicking to be just from my thumb and the balance of the blade.

I dig everything on this knife, by the way. It looks perfect.
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If you are talking about sitting in your chair flicking your knife open all night-That is going to void your warranty on a CRK and is not recommended.
If you are referring to flicking it open when needed for use, I have seen that some do that, though it may not be the best knife for it.

Do a search on flicking Sebenza and you should come up with some reading.
 
You ever try an slyz bowie. Great flicker, at least mine is. While I love my large sebenza and my particular one is easy to flick open, they are not all like that.

If your a flicker I'd get a slyz instead. On top of that I love spydie flicking other spyderco knives, unfortunately the slyz cannot spydie flick easily.
 
Are there any knife stores in your area or any gun type shows where you could handle a CR. Even in NY where guns are hated, they still hold gun shows. Watching one being taken apart on youtube they appear to only have a flat copper looking washer on each side of the blade. This gives them their hydraulic action. Some easily flicked blades use bearings instead of washers. I'm partial to assisted opening models myself. Check out some of the Benchmade assisted opening models, but they may be illegal where you live as some view them as automatic opening. But I know exactly what you mean on the ease of opening. One of my favorite easiest manual opening models is the Benchmade Osborne 940.
But you can flick to your hearts content with any assisted opening models. I just received the Benchmark (assisted) Emissary $195. Check out a video on that model on youtube, so you can see the difference how that one opens as compared to a CR model.
 
Mo2 said:
You ever try an slyz bowie. Great flicker, at least mine is. While I love my large sebenza and my particular one is easy to flick open, they are not all like that.

If your a flicker I'd get a slyz instead. On top of that I love spydie flicking other spyderco knives, unfortunately the slyz cannot spydie flick easily.
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Nah, the slyz bowie is too shubby for my taste. The sebenza is perfect, look and ergo-wise.
 
expidia1 said:
Are there any knife stores in your area or any gun type shows where you could handle a CR. Even in NY where guns are hated, they still hold gun shows. Watching one being taken apart on youtube they appear to only have a flat copper looking washer on each side of the blade. This gives them their hydraulic action. Some easily flicked blades use bearings instead of washers. I'm partial to assisted opening models myself. Check out some of the Benchmade assisted opening models, but they may be illegal where you live as some view them as automatic opening. But I know exactly what you mean on the ease of opening. One of my favorite easiest manual opening models is the Benchmade Osborne 940.
But you can flick to your hearts content with any assisted opening models. I just received the Benchmark (assisted) Emissary $195. Check out a video on that model on youtube, so you can see the difference how that one opens as compared to a CR model.
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I live in France, we have no gun shows here =D It's really hard to get your hand on a sebenza 21 here.

I already have a lot of "flicker" knife, like the 0452cf, Spyderco Nirvana and a Para2. Next purchase is a Sebenza 21, it looks fantastic and seems built like a tank, but if I can't flick it, that's a shame.
 
I'm going to eventually sell my small Sebenza for the larger one as that one has better reviews from what I saw. Like I said above, the larger ones probably open easier due to the heavier blade. The only thing that bothers me is why if they are custom made with such high tolerances . . . why do some of them open easier than others? Seems to me they should have the same action when comparing the exact same models.
I bet some of the CR collectors that have 5 of the same models find not all of them open and close the same. I'm sure the purists will say thats the beauty of custom made.
You could also call the source you would buy one from and ask them to send you one that opens easier. Maybe even call CR direct.
 
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expidia1 said:
I'm going to eventually sell my small Sebenza for the larger one as that one has nbetter reviews from what I saw. Like I said above, the larger ones probably open easier due to the heavier blade. The only thing that bothers me is why if they are custom made with such high tolerances . . . why do some of them open easier than others? Seems to me they should have the same action when comparing the exact same models.
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Yes, that's exactly why I'm making this thread. We have to sort it out, why some seems to flick like dream while others seems so stiff to open ? What makes some flick easily ?
 
Yes, I can flip it easily. No issues and do it all the time. As a matter of fact, any knife I can’t is gone. I love to open slowly and flick and reverse Spydie flick,etc. opening and closing a really nice folder is one of my favorite past times.

Oh, and I have fidget spinners too.
 
Mrgauth said:
Yes, I can flip it easily. No issues and do it all the time. As a matter of fact, any knife I can’t is gone. I love to open slowly and flick and reverse Spydie flick,etc. opening and closing a really nice folder is one of my favorite past times.

Oh, and I have fidget spinners too.
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Can you make a small video of you flicking it ? have you done something particular to the knife or was it easy to flick right out of the box ?
 
Why fork over the money for something that isn’t meant for your intended use ?
I’d much rather buy something like a Hinderer or a Shirogorov to fill that need to have a flipper/flicker, have you looked at the new ZT releases ?
I just picked up a ZT0462 and it is a slim knife that is a great flipper. Haven’t tried the other two new releases.
Sure, you can tweek a Sebenza to make it flick easily, it really depends on the model. I find the CCG/Unique graphic’s are smoother and would probably make better flickers than the plain or inlays. But then again, I wouldn’t spend the money to make a CRK what it’s not.
 
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