An apology to CRK and their fans.

While I've carried some very fine folders for EDC over the years, the one I loved the most was a large Classic Sebbie. Never found one to beat it.
Happiness to you and your missus...
 
Thanks for your coming out man..... it takes courage to admit you've been wrong
And it seems you are truly courageous, since you are getting married...... all the best to you pal


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
bhyde said:
Sorry that you have that experience..It happens as it's hard to please everyone all of the time.
Being from a very similar background, I specifically chose CRK because of the attention to detail, the simplistic design as well as the history behind the Reeve's relocating from South Africa to follow their dreams. To me, the CRK line was the embodiment of what I would strive for if I was going to make something for myself.. Keep it simple and functional.
The price? Well, that depends- As a tool and die maker, tolerance has it's price as you well know.. The same might be said for the people that perform those tasks.. The good ones don't work cheap and the cheap ones don't do good work or something of that nature anyway.

There is a positive.. The CRK products tend to hold a fair amount of their value and there is always the exchange to trade, buy and sell with the proper membership levels on Bladeforums anyway. Hope that one day, you can come back to your Sebenza with a little different view. Some come back after years..many never come back. Personally, I bought into the story many many years ago and never really looked back.. Each person is different and that is OK :)
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First off I would like to thank you for your intelligent respectful response. I wasn't exactly sure how my post would be be accepted but I still wanted to share my feelings. Secondly I would like to clarify that I wasn't dissapointed with my experience at all, in fact it seems it was a necessary step in my evolution as a collector. Purchasing my Sebenza allowed me to see what I was or wasn't missing and it also allowed me to experience first hand what a quality production folder felt like. I also agree that good work /workers doesn't come cheap as I was making $30.00 hr ten years ago when I left the trade and if I were making a one-off of this knife I could easily see ten hours of labour in it alone. I still have my 21 but wouldn't hesitate to sell or trade it as it never finds it's way into my pocket. I have some nice ZT's that always seem to find their way into my rotation though, and these days I am looking for a nice fixed blade custom EDC as my next knife, and for the price of one Sebenza, I could have both. So although I can fully appreciate the Sebenza for what it is... a great knife...I haven't bought into the hype and believe the Sebenza's true success is masterful marketing.
 
No worries :)

Have had my fair share of knives throughout my life..KAI products included, so my experience was just the opposite of yours. Most were sold off..some I keep such as a Beer Scout..Love that little knife. Recently got a SAK..Cool little knife, but not sure it's my speed just yet. Have thought many times about getting a Shirogorov..Pointy pointy shiv right there..Looks like a nice design, but I can't understand the price quite yet. Used to want a Hinderer really bad..came very close to buying one. Then a friend/coworker and even a forumite here let me pocket one of his for a few days. I was cured of that obsession after a few hours of playing with it. Blade too thick,..cut nothing like any of my CRK's for the style in which I use my knives. Just a bit too cumbersome for me. Well made knife- Just not for me.
I guess my point is, we all evolve one way or another and know exactly what we like. It may happen to have a high price tag, or it can even be, dare I say it...A knife out of a jar at a convenience store?
If it makes you happy and you are satisfied with it, then that is all anyone can hope for. Life is too short to dwell on the little things that bring even a little misery.
 
I went from wondering if CRKs (or any other $300+ blades) were worth it to having 6 Reeve knives in a little over a year, so I've got a pretty good sense of how the OP feels. I also have several now that I paid more for or have as much into as well as a few dozen less expensive but very fine knives. My CRKs are among my favorites and my KnifeArt large 21 is my most frequent companion and in the top 2 or 3 I own. There is a purity of design and a minimalist beauty to Reeve knives that makes them unique, but there is also something to love, enjoy, and use in the many other blades I have, both less and more expensive, and I couldn't imagine giving them up to enjoy only my CRKs.

Do what you will with your knife collections--I've found my tastes and interests meander with time, but I don't let go of things that are truly beautiful, functional, and well made. You need save your exclusivity only for your loving, soon-to-be wife and the family you may build together, Benzy. All the best to you both as you embark on your new life together!
 
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Thanks for sharing your journey and congrats on the nuptials! I've gradually merged into the CRK fan club too. I've amassed a collection of around 400 knives and most of the time find myself carrying one of my two small 21s...except for those days, like today, that I'm carrying my new Mnandi. I'm up to 4 total CRKs with full intentions to buy more as I'm able. I think it's time for the new blonde micarta small Inkosi...
 
benzy2 said:
For the longest time I proclaimed that CRK was all just over priced and unnecessary for the cost. That the knives weren't close to worth the price and while built well, they simply were just the fan boys dream and made up hype.

Then I started to look for a knife that made me happy. I tried cheap ones, one that were on bearings, ones with titanium scales and S35vn blades that should have been similar enough, ones with flippers, ones with spiders on them and ones with butterflies. Ones from over seas but of original design and (embarrassingly) ones from overseas of copied designs. While I wont say much positive about those clone knives, the one thing they told me was that I liked the small Sebenza size. They also told me cheap is cheap for a reason.

So back to the hunt, this time looking for a smaller size, something in the 2.5"-3" blade length but with a thinner blade and thinner handle. Not too thin, but not some of the common beefy options either. Really like(d) the ZT 0450 but it was a bit large and always felt a little soulless. Something about the bearings just wasn't the feel I wanted. Great opening speed and always came open fully, but just not the feel. Then there were others, again from overseas brands that make their own designs but either they had a flipper, which I like, but was never the right detent weight or they weren't the size that appealed to me. Back to the spiders and butterflies. The Delica is the right blade length but a little goofy shape and not the lock of choice, certainly everything I'd need but not everything I wanted. The smaller options for BM like the Valet and Megumi were interesting, but the small axis had too many drawbacks (i.e. Too tight on the pivot to be enjoyable yet remove blade play) and the Nak-lok was ok but again didn't feel special.

Then I held one, a real one, not a clone, not a fake, not an SRM, an actual small 21. And after all that work to find the perfect knife, it was the knife I trashed from the beginning. The knife I thought was over priced and not worth the cost. The knife that didn't use the elite steel and couldn't be justified. Once I figured out I wanted a specific feel that couldn't be found in a well made budget knife like the Delica it was clear that everything else was a compromise. The small 21 is honestly the cheapest knife that ticks all the boxes of what I'm looking for.

The best news is that in May I'm getting married. My fiancé has asked me not to buy any knives until then (that's not the good news). Said I've spent a bit of money on too many I don't touch, which is fair and true considering I only consistently use 2-3 of the ones I've picked. The good news is that she's buying me a small 21 insigno as a wedding gift. She amazes me every day.

So long story short, I was wrong about what makes The Sebenza and other CRK knives great. I was wrong that a spec sheet mattered nearly as much as the knife in hand. If that were true, the Kizer Gemini I bought would have been the perfect knife. And while I still do like that knife, it like all the others had just enough not ideal to keep me on the hunt. The Sebenza, especially the small 21, is the one that I knew from the minute I tried it was everything I wanted in a small, office environment EDC knife. I'm chalking everything else I bought up as a learning experience to tell me what I wanted in hand rather than what I thought looked good on paper. I do apologize for any past negativity I had towards CRK and their fans, both online and in person.
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That took huevos... glad you found what you dig in a knife, and a lady ;)
 
CRK knives dont fancy bells and whistles just great design, great materials, great execution... Congrats on your engagement
 
Ta2ude said:
........I haven't bought into the hype and believe the Sebenza's true success is masterful marketing.
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masterful marketing??? what marketing is that - word of mouth? That is how i found out and all the CRK owners that i personally know
 
Been lurking for years, finally decided to sign up.

CRK is a knife every blade afficinado should experience atleast once in their life. Atleast that always seems to be the concensus. I understand the idea of such an expensive production knife offends the uninitiated's sensibilities. I believe this is why so many are opposed to Chris Reeve's at first. I started with a small 21 and most recently got the natural micarta large Inkosi, couldn't be happier. It's hard not to baby these titanium gems but whether safe queen or work horse they are sure to put a little sunshine in even the blackest heart.
 
Lapedog said:
Been lurking for years, finally decided to sign up.

CRK is a knife every blade afficinado should experience atleast once in their life. Atleast that always seems to be the concensus. I understand the idea of such an expensive production knife offends the uninitiated's sensibilities. I believe this is why so many are opposed to Chris Reeve's at first. I started with a small 21 and most recently got the natural micarta large Inkosi, couldn't be happier. It's hard not to baby these titanium gems but whether safe queen or work horse they are sure to put a little sunshine in even the blackest heart.
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Great input :)

Welcome to Bladeforums!
 
ti lock said:
masterful marketing??? what marketing is that - word of mouth? That is how i found out and all the CRK owners that i personally know
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I was thinking this same thing when I read this post.

I've never actually seen an advertisement for Chris Reeve Knives. I imagine most people are introduced to the brand by family and friends. I don't think somebody who's a non knife person could read a magical ad and figure they'd better run out and buy one. And I don't think marketing has much of anything to do with the decades of success and awards for quality. It's the product they sell.
 
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Now a new hunt for a perfect CRK knife starts!

Good story. And congratulations for the engagement and the prospective great gift.


Miso
 
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