A $350 Decision

nothing disassembles / assembles easier than a sebenza, that's for sure.
 
trane fan said:
With any CRK you get top drawer materials, excellent fit/finish, perfect ergonomics and an industry leading warranty/customer service standing behind the product.
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I won't argue about the build quality of a Sebenza, but I can't see how their warranty is industry-leading. From their guarantee card: "This knife is guaranteed for life. It is designed for a specific purpose. Should this knife fail after purchase by original user, due to faulty workmanship or materials, such defects will be made good free of cost ... This guarantee does not cover natural materials, incorrect applications, neglect or abuse. Any modifications that are made to the knife after it has left our workshop will void this guarantee." They even charge $21.00 to polish/resharpen the blade.

I don't doubt that Sebbies are exceptional knives and that they can stand up to hard use, but I'd be nervous about carrying a knife as my EDC for "relatively heavy use" (original post) that wasn't backed by a better warranty. A Strider or a Rick Hinderer Firetac, for example, may be a better choice, since Mick and Rick guarantee their knives unconditionally. If you dull the blade, they'll sharpen it for free (even Spyderco offers free sharpening). If you chip it, they'll regrind it for free. If you break it by using it for too tough of a task, they'll be impressed enough to buy you a beer, and then replace your knife for no charge. IIRC, the Sebenza warranty counts flicking the knife as abuse.

Again, I am not criticizing Sebenzas, as they are superb knives and beautifully crafted. If you are going to take reasonably good care of your knive and not use it for prying or heavy cutting (or flicking :) ), you'll probably love a Sebenza. Just be aware of what their warranty does and does not cover, as it may save some confusion later.

That being said, are there cases where CRK has honoured the warranty for Sebbies that have been damaged due to heavy use? Is their actual customer service better than their written guarantee?

Chris
 
I cant help it but the sebenza's I played with had to much tension on the frame lock and i have strong fingers. I dont like having a hard time closing my knife. :(
 
agree with chris re: the guarantee and resharpening. I think resharpening should always be free. This is, after all, a $300+ knife. As to what equals abuse, I also think that flicking should not be deemed as abuse.

Notwithstanding, I still own a sebbie. I guess I like the ease of assembling / disassembling and the "wide" blade.
 
If you want a good Heavy duty folder with great workmanship, then check out DMKnives.
 
The Sebenza is nice, but wasn't for me. I also don't know if MT has fixed their QC and CS problems, the last I heard there were several people that were unhappy with the job that they (MT) had done on knives sent in for repair. That is, complaints about how long it takes, and some people waiting a long time only to get a knife back that wasn't fixed. As for customs...

I can personally recommend either Mike Obenauf's Model #2, and Charles Marlowe's Bulldog folder. They are both tough as nails and can be had for right at or below your price new from the maker, or even cheaper used. Good luck, though!

Sincerely,
Anthony
 
only problem about customs is that there's a long waiting period....
 
There's no waiting period if you buy one from a dealer who has it in stock. The waiting comes when you buy one made to your specifications from the maker himself. And even some of them have knives on hand that are unique, like the Crawfords.
 
spyken said:
agree with chris re: the guarantee and resharpening. I think resharpening should always be free. This is, after all, a $300+ knife. As to what equals abuse, I also think that flicking should not be deemed as abuse.

Notwithstanding, I still own a sebbie. I guess I like the ease of assembling / disassembling and the "wide" blade.
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I also own a Sebbie, but carry a fixed blade Busse in addition. I'm lucky I can, but if I was just limited to the folder I would probably get a Strider. I have to flick my Sebbie because of old dislocated thumbs so I guess I've allready voided the warranty. I do love the Sebbie BTW, but the tough stuff goes to the Busse.

Rob
 
:) I would recommend a Bob Dozier large folding hunter for a 3.5-inch blade of D2 steel. Bob's workmanship is masterful, and his knives can stand up to rugged use.
 
I can't wait until the Swamp Rat folder comes out. Should be a great little blade, especially if they back it up with the same unconditional warranty as their fixed knives.

Chris
 
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