Another Umnumzaan joins the fray

[Ante Vukorepa]

After sh***ing on Sebenzas for years, falling for the 25/Inkosi looks, getting sorely disappointed by the way it fit (or didn't) my hands, i finally pulled the trigger and bought a CRK i like:

It's turning out to be my favourite knife i hate the most. It's also the most uncomfortable right hand knife with the best left hand fit i've ever used. If this keeps up, i'll end up with a split personality by the end of the day.

Breaking in took about 5-6 hours and a teardown / relube. It came extremely stiff out of the box (painful-to-open-with-two-hands stiff) and very gritty. The factory lube was dirty and someone went overboard with the loctite on the pivot. But all settled now, although i have a theory on what causes the knife-to-knife differences in smoothness and action out of the box... More on that a bit later...

(DISCLAIMER: I know none of this is new to people in this forum, but it might help someone on the ledge like i was a week ago.)

PS: Lock rocks as much as i'd expected based on the lockbar width, length, thickness, and diameter and radius of the cut. Looking at it, i don't get what the fuss with 31 is, if it's any similar. In fact, you'll notice the lockbar rocks side to side slightly when the detent catches the blade too - because that's precisely how it works.

 

[Ante Vukorepa]

Has anyone tried mixing fluorinated grease with oil?

I know it’s technically already an emulsion, but way way back (10+ years or so ago), while i was still in the flashlight side of the EDC world, the most popular lubricant there was Krytox 50/50, basically a 1:1 mix of krytox oil and krytox grease. I normally lubricate my knives with oil (nano-oil works well, as long as it’s dense enough) but CRK recommends grease, so i’ve tried grease earlier today and the action was too “sticky”.

The kicker is - CRK’s “fluorinated grease” looks and behaves exactly like Krytox grease.
So i thought hey, why not mix some oil with the grease. It takes A LOT of mixing to get it into a semi-emulsion (it will depend on the oil used - nano-oil tends to not mix well with anything), but i like the results so far. Can’t be the only person to try this. Any other experiences?

 

[Dcdavis]

Years ago I’d try different combinations on my CRKs. I tried nano-oil 10weight mixed with the nano-oil 85weight. I also tried nano grease mixed with the 85. I’ve used only CRK grease by itself for quite some time now. Seems to work the best for me. At some point I may try the nano grease again just to use it up since I bought it

Has anyone tried mixing fluorinated grease with oil?

I know it’s technically already an emulsion, but way way back (10+ years or so ago), while i was still in the flashlight side of the EDC world, the most popular lubricant there was Krytox 50/50, basically a 1:1 mix of krytox oil and krytox grease. I normally lubricate my knives with oil (nano-oil works well, as long as it’s dense enough) but CRK recommends grease, so i’ve tried grease earlier today and the action was too “sticky”.

The kicker is - CRK’s “fluorinated grease” looks and behaves exactly like Krytox grease.
So i thought hey, why not mix some oil with the grease. It takes A LOT of mixing to get it into a semi-emulsion (it will depend on the oil used - nano-oil tends to not mix well with anything), but i like the results so far. Can’t be the only person to try this. Any other experiences?

 

[Ante Vukorepa]

A few questions for the knowledgable CRK folk...

The washers on my sample came a bit rough around the edges:

I think that's the side where the "tag" was when they were CNC'd.
Should i attempt to clean the edge up a bit?
It doesn't seem to have any effect, at least post cleaning and relubing.

Second, there's a tiny bit of wear on the blade (also came that way out of the box) but i can't see what could've made it.
I thought it might've been the lockbar edge, but no, it doesn't come into contact with that bit.

It's very tiny and i'm nitpicking here, but just wanted to check if anyone's seen wear like this and/or knows where it came from.

And finally, third, the clip and the scale beneath it already had wear marks after an hour of (very casually) using the knife out of the box:

I've since removed the clip anyways since i can't stand the thing.
But wanted to ask if anyone knows if Millit clips cause similar wear and tear (at similar speed), cause that's what i'll probably buy and install.

 

[Ante Vukorepa]

PS: bought new, at an official dealer (Mesenzo, Netherlands), birth cert says July 2020.

PPS: the crud on the left of the clip in this photo:

is what came off the washers and pivot out of the box.
No wonder it was gritty.
Whoever put my 'zaan together wasn't very loving nor caring

Edit: Oh, and before i forget - how's the factory edge on Umnumzaans typically? Mine's super dull. It's barely sharper than the sharpened swedge at the top of the blade.

 

[BD_01]

The washers aren’t perfect. Here’s a brand new never used Umnumzaan washer. It has a flat spot. Personally I wouldn’t worry about it unless it had a raised edge.



I’ve been known to gently dress washers on a loaded strop from time to time. I’ve even fixed a pinched washer by judiciously lapping it on wet #2000 sandpaper. (I also destroyed a washer on sandpaper once....don’t work on knives after midnight or if your judgement is impaired—hahahaha!).

The wear spot under the clip is expected.

The ding near the blade tang is probably a small manufacturing defect.

It took me over a weak to break in my first ‘Zaan and I still have memory of my thumb aching. Now it’s as smooth and free as my bearing knives.

The ergos are good for me but if I were to use it all day, the thumb tab on the lockbar would probably be a bit tiring.

All my CRK’s have ranged between acceptably sharp to really stinkin’ sharp, but some people have shared opposite experiences.

 

[Ante Vukorepa]

The washers aren’t perfect. Here’s a brand new never used Umnumzaan washer...

Thanks for the tips, much appreciated!
Figured out (hey, i know, i'm pig-headed, but i really do like to figure things out on my own) why CRK doesn't recommend oil:

It wicks into the sand-blasted titanium (clearly visible above as a darker surface).
Which makes mixing oil and grease completely pointless as after a day or so, you're pretty much left with just the grease, except chunkier.

 

[JJ_Colt45]

Unless the washer was causing issues I wouldn't worry about it cosmetically. Some polish the washer very gently and get good results. But some ruin washers too.

My Umnumzaan took some break in to be nice and smooth ... a couple of my 21s did also ... but after that they are like glass. I've had a couple Umnumzaans that needed a bit of break in to lock up solid but it didn't take long to fix that either.

After trying a few different lubes I think the CRK grease performs best for me on my CRK knives.

 

[Ante Vukorepa]

Unless the washer was causing issues I wouldn't worry about it cosmetically. Some polish the washer very gently and get good results. But some ruin washers too.

Yeah, i'm not going to lap those, too many ways things can go wrong.
I've tried dragging them across a piece of paper on a flat surface to check if the flats on the edges are raised - looks like they're fine, so leaving it like that.

My Umnumzaan took some break in to be nice and smooth ... a couple of my 21s did also ... but after that they are like glass. I've had a couple Umnumzaans that needed a bit of break in to lock up solid but it didn't take long to fix that either.

Lockup is one thing i had absolutely 0 problems with on mine out of the box.
It locks up to about 50% every time, no matter what i do.
Even if i open it stupidly slow, pause before the lock engages, and just tap it lightly until it locks - 50%.
Tried tapping the spine against my wrist and knuckles, no give, it locks up solidly and consistenly, every time.

It's funny how after all the c**p i've read about umnumzaan's locking that's quite literally a complete non-issue.

After trying a few different lubes I think the CRK grease performs best for me on my CRK knives.

There's got to be a reason they're sticking with it, so i fully expect it to end up the same for me.
I do like experimenting a bit, though, so i'll try a few more things...
I've got a low stiction grease used for high gearing ratio high speed end of wind turbines that i use for various mechanics (3D printers, mini CNCs etc.) that i want to give a try. Kinda curious how that will feel.
Too bad i've been long out of Krytox 50/50.

For what its worth, nano oil + grease does work and feels pretty nice, but as described above, lasts for a day before the oil drains away into the texture of the titanium.

 

[Ante Vukorepa]

God dammit, now i want another Umnumzaan.
I wish there were inlaid versions. Maybe even a small one.

 

[Evany]

I'm not an Umnumzan owner (yet!), but I can tell you from owning a number of other CRK folders that the Ti scales get marked and and polished by wear incredibly easily. Either you learn to love the look of work worn and pocket polished scales, or you can send it in for a free re-blast from time to time. If you remove the pocket clip on a brand now one it will reveal a mark like the one on your 'Zan. I know because I swap out all my OEM clips for Hawk clips which are slightly smaller. I think it's caused by friction from the lock bar as it moves to lock the blade.

 

[Ante Vukorepa]

I think it's caused by friction from the lock bar as it moves to lock the blade.

Yup, that was my take on it too, except i think it happens on the opposite end.
The lockbar flexes sideway slightly when the detent catches the blade closed, at least on mine.
My theory is that the ceramic ball is not 100% perfectly centered on the detent hole in the blade, so when the ball drops in, it pulls the lockbar slightly sideways (it's free to flex that way thanks to the ample relief hole at the end of the lockbar cut).

 

[Ante Vukorepa]

Reprofiled the blade.

It's not the prettiest work (all i had was Lansky, and the Umnumzaan's rhino-like spine is pretty hard to fix in the jaws at the right distance) but i got it to 20 degrees flat all the way to the tip.

Out of the box it had a convex bevel that wasn't even close to 25, and the apex part of the convex profile was so obtuse i couldn't get at it at max angle on the Lansky. It was also almost as dull as the "fake" edge on the swedge. I could effortlessly and painlessly drag my finger across the blade without even starting to penetrate the skin. Kinda weird, but oh well, blades are there to be sharpened anyways...

Tip's a bit on the thin side now.
If i get worried enough, i'll microbevel it to 30ish degrees.

 

[Steely_Gunz]

I handled one at Spark's shop a few months ago and it didn't like me. I went with the Inkosi.

Now I am wondering if I should maybe look at getting a Zaan over the 31. My Inkosi has been a constant companion for about 10 months. I have grown to love it.

I may have to shoot Spark a PM before the week's out and see if I can snag one. Love the look of them for sure.

 

[Ante Vukorepa]

Now I am wondering if I should maybe look at getting a Zaan over the 31. My Inkosi has been a constant companion for about 10 months. I have grown to love it.

For what it's worth, the Inkosi didn't sit well with me at all, but i love the 'zaan.
Which is bizarre, because i thought it'd be the exact opposite - been looking at an Inkosi for a while now, played with it at a local knife store a few weeks ago, and left without buying. They didn't have an Umnumzaan, so i couldn't try it out, then got bitten by the stupid bug and just ordered one online a week later, and ended up liking it much more than Inkosi.

Now i'm starting to think that maybe 'zaan might end up being my gateway drug - up until now none of the CRK's sat well with me
Starting to get drawn back to the Inkosi again...

 

[Steely_Gunz]

The Inkosi spoke to me. I'm a contractor by trade and the slightly more robust build and angled pocket clip won me over compared to the 21.

I couldn't really vibe with the Zaan, but I had in my mind that I wanted a 21 when I walked into Spark's shop, but I still left with the Inkosi.

The CRK knives has spoiled me. I might not always carry one every day, but i won't carry anything lesser.

 

[Evany]

The Inkosi spoke to me. I'm a contractor by trade and the slightly more robust build and angled pocket clip won me over compared to the 21.

I've never handled a 'Zaan, no brick and mortar stores that carry CRK in my area, but I hope to check one out sometime. The Inkosi seemed overbuilt and visually too busy to my eye, as compared to the 21, but I decided to take a chance on one anyway. I still prefer the simplicity of the 21, but in terms of the way it fits my hand and it's performance in heavy duty tasks, the Inkosi is the finest folder I've encountered. I think Chris Reeve's knives have to be experienced in hand to get the full sense of the design, photos just don't do justice to the subtleties of engineering and function.

 

[mag1]

God dammit, now i want another Umnumzaan.
I wish there were inlaid versions. Maybe even a small one.

Wilson combat is the best looking one

 

[Dcdavis]

I had one Zaan for a while then sold it. It never fully agreed with my hand. I do at some point down the road want to give a Tanto Zaan a try tho, just to make sure.

For me personally the Inkosi is hands down my favorite work knife. I know the 21 is just as fully capable but the robust and stout feeling of the Inkosi just draws me in. I’ve got a 21 with me today at work. It’s 8am here, I started at 530am and I already miss my Inkosi. Years ago I preferred the 21. The Inkosi really just grew on me and took over in the work rotation tho. I think the Inkosi is easier to maintain and take down as well. The Zaan is even more simple.

As Steely_Gunz said CRKs have spoiled me as well. It’s the only folder I carry anymore. And as E Evany stated CRKs really do need to be experienced in hand to get the full appreciation. I also think they need to have some time spent with them as well in consecutive days to really get a good appreciation.

 

[Ante Vukorepa]

I had one Zaan for a while then sold it. It never fully agreed with my hand. I do at some pony down the road want to give a Tanto Zaan a try tho, just to make sure.

When you do, remove the clip and hold your hand closer to the blade. The position is slightly different than an Inkosi because of the weird lockbar tab, and that in turn makes the clip dig into the palm/fingers even more than on an Inkosi/Sebenza.

CRK really should’ve designed a separate clip for the ‘zaan.

The lockbar tab is a problem only if you hold the knife so your index finger rests/curls over it - it should actually go slightly more forward, in front of it. The thumb goes all the way up on the blade jimping.

When you shift your grip like that, it suddenly melts into your hand. The only remaining ergonomic issue i have with it is the lack of “meat” along the spine of the scales - it leaves an empty gap between your palm along the middle, causing all the force from the leverage to dig the pommel end into your hand in one spot.

Hinderer was really onto something re: ergonomics when he started adding “humps” to handles (Eklipse, Jurassic). It really does make a difference, but i realize it makes handles overall larger and uglier to some. It wouldn’t really fit in on a ‘zaan. A jimped backspacer like the ones i’ve seen floating around here might help that.