Long Term CRK Lockbar Durability

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For those of you that have had and used your sebenzas for years now, how is the lockup looking?

My question is coming about after getting bitten by the Inkosi bug, and the subsequent research. My experiences with sebenzas is a series of them, rarely more than one at a time, thus prohibiting a side-by-side comparison. However, I did land on a '99 small annual that I carried for a while and a small classic from '08.

The '99 annual's lockup is deep ... >75%, and does require a bit of force to open. The small classic was much better, but nowhere near as smooth or easy as an Inkosi. I'd stopped by a brick and mortar to check out the inkosi, and while looking at the classic and inkosi side-by-side, the employees commented that the sebenza's design, and lack of the ceramic bearing, will lead to a tighter lockup over time.

So back to the original question - for those of you that have used your sebenzas over the years, have you noticed the lockup shifting deeper and deeper? Is it simply the nature of the lockup that it gradually moves that way? Was that the reason to move to the ceramic ball in the lock bar for the 25 and inkosi?
 
I have had tons of sebenzas and have had no lockup issues with them. I have always been one of those 50% lockup guys but have had sebenzas up to 80%. The lockup never changes much over the years and with heavy use. I have used and gripped them so tightly that the lockbar will go to the other side and it takes more force to disengage it, but this is normal. The next time it locks up, it will be back at 50-75% range it was before. This was a concern of mine at one time and I asked Chris Reeve himself and he gave me a 20 minute education on the framelock and it's design. It was 20 minutes that will last a lifetime and I learned a lot, a hell of a lot. So you have NO Worries........... I personally prefer the older sebenza design over the newer inkosi. I am not a fan of the ceramic ball detent and much prefer the older design that defined the Sebenza.
 
Oh, wow - 20 minute seminar with CRK on framelocks? That would've been awesome! Any chance of a cliff's notes version? Why is it that some are at 80% while others are at 50%, and why doesn't it change over time?
 
I've had a few Sebenza's with never a lock up issue. I like at least a 50% lock up for hard use makes me feel safe. My large Reg. from 97 gets used all the time and the lock up has stayed at 70% for years. I wonder how much the employee knows about the design of the Sebenza and how much he has used them and for how long.I doubt you will ever have a problem.
 
Birdhunter1220 said:
I've had a few Sebenza's with never a lock up issue. I like at least a 50% lock up for hard use makes me feel safe. My large Reg. from 97 gets used all the time and the lock up has stayed at 70% for years. I wonder how much the employee knows about the design of the Sebenza and how much he has used them and for how long.I doubt you will ever have a problem.
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That was my first thought after reading nyfemaker's reply....... I think somebody was trying to sell me a new knife.
 
ganagati said:
That was my first thought after reading nyfemaker's reply....... I think somebody was trying to sell me a new knife.
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I guess we will never know for sure until we find a guy who has used a dozen different Sebenzas over a 20 year + period.
Seriously i doubt the lonjevity of your average Sebenza will ever be a real problem for anyone.

Sent from my SM-G360G using Tapatalk
 
Corey79 said:
I guess we will never know for sure until we find a guy who has used a dozen different Sebenzas over a 20 year + period.
Seriously i doubt the lonjevity of your average Sebenza will ever be a real problem for anyone.

Sent from my SM-G360G using Tapatalk
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I have carried various sebenzas for 10+ years and the lockup has never changed. They are all regulars because I always preferred them over the 21. Now I carry 21's more than anything and the result is the same. Lockup never moves for me. I will add that I DONT Flick my sebenzas, never have, never will. I like the hydraulic feel, so why open it any other way.
 
I've posted this before. I do have one old (1996?) small Regular user that needed attention as the lockbar eventually reached 100% engagement and then developed some lock rock. I don't recall exactly when - I want to say maybe four or five years ago, so the knife was +15 years old. It went back to CRK and came back with a new lease on life for no charge. I should add that I use all of my tools, including my knives, carefully - there was no flicking or other abusive use. To me, this experience was more of a testament to the Sebenza and its maker than a weakness.
 
I have a large 21 that I've carried almost every day since 2008. It has been opened literally thousands of times, and the lock is still going strong. I'll snap a pic when I can.

There are things that bug/worry me about CRK knives, but lockup isn't one of them.
 
JNewell said:
I've posted this before. I do have one old (1996?) small Regular user that needed attention as the lockbar eventually reached 100% engagement and then developed some lock rock. I don't recall exactly when - I want to say maybe four or five years ago, so the knife was +15 years old. It went back to CRK and came back with a new lease on life for no charge. I should add that I use all of my tools, including my knives, carefully - there was no flicking or other abusive use. To me, this experience was more of a testament to the Sebenza and its maker than a weakness.
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Do you know what they did to fix the issue? Just curious how they would fix it and whether those options are still available for someone who owns a regular.
 
I have a large 21 that's a few years old now and very well broken in. It was exceptionally early lock up for a Sebenza. About 20%. It remains at 20% and I've carried and used it a lot. I know that's probably not as long of a period of use that you were inquiring about but after seeing mine not change a bit from how I've carried and used it, I'm satisfied.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk
 
blanco112 said:
Do you know what they did to fix the issue? Just curious how they would fix it and whether those options are still available for someone who owns a regular.
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They can install a slightly larger stop pin, but they can only do it once. It's rare that they have to though. I have never had to have it done and I have had dozens and dozens of sebenzas both new and users.
 
blanco112 said:
Do you know what they did to fix the issue? Just curious how they would fix it and whether those options are still available for someone who owns a regular.
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They fitted a new (presumably slightly larger diameter) stop pin.
 
My large Insingo is from Oct'2011 and has been carried and used a lot. It's the one knife that I always gravitate back to and sees all kinds of use including things like cutting through copper wire when needed and chopping through roots in the back yard. I don't baby this knife at all and I really can't see any change in the lock-up. It still sits at ~60% and does not move.
 
nyefmaker said:
They can install a slightly larger stop pin, but they can only do it once. It's rare that they have to though. I have never had to have it done and I have had dozens and dozens of sebenzas both new and users.
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JNewell said:
They fitted a new (presumably slightly larger diameter) stop pin.
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Ah OK, that makes sense. I was thinking a new blade or lockbar, but neither option would be available for regulars now, not to mention very expensive. It's cool the solution is much simpler. Gotta love sebenzas.
 
I have a large Reg that I have used for at least 15 years--old S30V blade. I honestly don't notice any lock bar creep to the inside of the frame in that length of time
 
nyefmaker said:
They can install a slightly larger stop pin, but they can only do it once. It's rare that they have to though. I have never had to have it done and I have had dozens and dozens of sebenzas both new and users.
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Why can they only install a new stop pin once? I would assume they could do it as many times as they wanted to. Unless of course you are implying that they only have one size larger stop pin. I would think that any time the lock wore over installing a slightly larger diameter stop pin would make the lock reset.
 
Lapedog said:
Why can they only install a new stop pin once? I would assume they could do it as many times as they wanted to. Unless of course you are implying that they only have one size larger stop pin. I would think that any time the lock wore over installing a slightly larger diameter stop pin would make the lock reset.
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It makes sense in the respect that the blade would start to creep towards the lock too much and would not look right despite functionality.
 
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