Are Older Sebenzas smoother?

J

jimmer_5

Joined
Jan 25, 2007
Messages
1,275
Hey all - I had the chance to handle an older BG-42 large regular sebbie today at a local shop, and it felt super smooth. Has anyone noticed that older Sebenzas are smoother, or is it just this particular one? My classic woody is very nice, but this one was even nicer.... If it was a lefty, it would have been mine today!

I am planning on buying a Lefty large Regular soon, but I will have to get a newer one since I want a lefty (I wish I could find a BG-42 one!)

Thanks - Jim
 
its probably just been opened 1000s of times in the shop and been smoothed right out :p
 
I think that, like with most knives, several factors come into play: the blade's finish, tightness of the pivot, the amount/type of lubricant, and amount of wear (read "break in").

I've handled S30V Sebenzas that opened smoother than BG-42 ones and vice versa. I know that this is an extreme comparison but a regular BG-42 version that I briefly owned was very stiff and "gritty" feeling while my 12+ year old polished ATS-34 bladed one is buttery smoooooth :D (I also briefly owned a small classic micarta with S30V that was somewhere between the two;)). Of course this is an unfair comparison because the knife in question has been opened/closed thousands of times, been lubed countless times, and has seen just a little bit of use :p.

All this being said, I seem to remember the older models being at least a little smoother out of the box but I don't see any reason to think that, with adequate lubrication and break in, a newer model can't end up being just as smooth.
 
tsiloics said:
Lightly polishing the washers will make the pivot action smooth in a new knife.
Click to expand...
One of my S30V sebenzas is now really smooth.


I have a few Bg-42 sebs, and most are still pretty stiff that I don't carry much. The EDC BG-42 is like butter.
 
The older ATS-34 and some of the BG-42 Sebenzas had nylatron washers instead of the copper-bronze ? they have now.
 
Just run the washers on a strop with rouge under light finger pressure... maybe 5 or 6 revolutions each side. Then put the knife back together and try it. You will definitely be able to feel a difference, and get a sense of how far to go. Stopping a little short of the goal is probably better than overshooting it. Basically just an accelerated break-in.
 
jimmer_5 said:
Hey all - I had the chance to handle an older BG-42 large regular sebbie today at a local shop, and it felt super smooth. Has anyone noticed that older Sebenzas are smoother, or is it just this particular one? My classic woody is very nice, but this one was even nicer.... If it was a lefty, it would have been mine today!

I am planning on buying a Lefty large Regular soon, but I will have to get a newer one since I want a lefty (I wish I could find a BG-42 one!)

Thanks - Jim
Click to expand...

I've got a Large BG-42 lefty and it's very smooth. I've had it for about 5 years now and the only thing I need to change is getting a new stop pin sleeve.
 
The more use you put into it, the better it gets. I can easily flick out my small reg's blade - had it for about a year now. :thumbup:
 
MedOpsPogue said:
I've got a Large BG-42 lefty and it's very smooth. I've had it for about 5 years now and the only thing I need to change is getting a new stop pin sleeve.
Click to expand...

I'm envious!! I saw one of these on eBay a little while ago, but I didn't have the money at the time! :(
 
Okay, I got my brand new Large Lefty Regular Sebenza in the mail today, and it is definitely harder to open and grittier than my Lg Classic Wood Inlay Sebbie.

Also, if I have the blade about half open and I push the lockbar to relieve the pressure on the blade, my Woody Classic will fall the rest of the way open even though there is virtually no blade play. My new regular won't fall open no matter what - it's much tighter. Which of these conditions is normal? I like the fact that the Woddy will fall open even though it's nice and tight. (in these scenarios I am holding the knife so that when it is fully open, the cutting edge is facing up)

I am tempted to buy another Lg Regular, compare the two, and re-sell the spare, but would that be a worthwhile move? I had thought that all Sebbies were supposed to be tight but so smooth that the blade would swing feely when the lockbar pressure was released.

Thanks - Jim
 
I don't think all older Sebenzas are smoother, just the ones that have been used. Although Sebenzas are well-made, and the quality control amazing, they benefit from a break-in period. They are like any other fine instrument, they get better after they've been used for a while.
 
jimmer_5 said:
Which of these conditions is normal?
Click to expand...

As with any closely-fit friction mechanism, there is a range of conditions that are considered normal. These are production parts that are hand-fit and tuned to fall within the range that the manufacturer establishes.

They bang 'em out and tune them enough to get to spec. Nothing's stopping you from continuing that process. CRK does not have hours and hours to spend dinking around with every knife that comes off the line. Even if they did, there would still be subtle variations. I have four knives from this pattern, and every one of them is slightly different.

So, as has been said, take the knife apart and clean it thoroughly. What I would do at that point would be to put it back together sans lube and cycle it a few times to establish a subjective baseline. Then try lubing it. If that doesn't get you to where you want to be on the pivot friction, then lightly polish the washers. Assuming all the other mating surfaces are true and clean, that's where the adjustment is.

You might have a little high point somewhere. Even if not, just providing a tiny bit more volume for the lube to occupy will change the feel of the pivot. I'm talking TINY - like three revolutions on a 10K strop under light finger pressure tiny. Baby steps in the direction you want to go.

Like compression-testing a block, P&P'ing a head, adjusting gear lash... it's tuning. It's fun. It's part of what you paid $400 for.

On a cheaper knife with coarser tolerances, much of this would be unnoticeable.
 
Haze said:
its probably just been opened 1000s of times in the shop and been smoothed right out :p
Click to expand...

I'd go with this suggestion :thumbup: if you're going to buy a Seb....it's best to get the display :p it's already been broken in from people checking it out and will more than likely be smoother than the untouched ones :D.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top