BM 750 REALLY a poor person's Sebenza?
- Thread starter lc609
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James Mattis posted comparison pics on this forum recently; if you do a search for his name and Pinnacle I'm sure you'll be able to find it. I don't own a Pinnacle, but I have a couple other Benchmades. Both are decent knives, but don't really even compare to my Sebenza.
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For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 6:23
The Sebenza is in a totally different class.
Benchnade builds a good knife at a descent price point but, nowhere near a CRK Sebenza level of quality. Also, how many complaints about quality control have your heard about Benchmade? CRK?
Comparing a Pinnacle and a Sebenza to me, is like comparing your favorite Benchmade to a knockoff at about half the price. You get the general shape and feel without the smoothness and quality. If your budget does not allow you to buy the original, then the copy is your only choice - realize that you won't get the true feeling of the original or its performance either.
For about 2 (retail price) or 3 (street price) Benchmades, you can own the original....
Sid
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CRK dealer
Benchnade builds a good knife at a descent price point but, nowhere near a CRK Sebenza level of quality. Also, how many complaints about quality control have your heard about Benchmade? CRK?
Comparing a Pinnacle and a Sebenza to me, is like comparing your favorite Benchmade to a knockoff at about half the price. You get the general shape and feel without the smoothness and quality. If your budget does not allow you to buy the original, then the copy is your only choice - realize that you won't get the true feeling of the original or its performance either.
For about 2 (retail price) or 3 (street price) Benchmades, you can own the original....
Sid
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CRK dealer
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Try http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/000544.html
I've handled both, but I now own a large and a small Sebenza. The 750 is no Sebenza. The little details of fit and finish make it worth the $$$, to me anyway. My biggest peeve with the 750 is not being able to take it apart for cleaning. Mr DeAsis still thinks we're not bright enough to reassemble little knives for some reason.
I've handled both, but I now own a large and a small Sebenza. The 750 is no Sebenza. The little details of fit and finish make it worth the $$$, to me anyway. My biggest peeve with the 750 is not being able to take it apart for cleaning. Mr DeAsis still thinks we're not bright enough to reassemble little knives for some reason.
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The 750 and the Sebenza are mechanically similar, and use similar materials, but are two quite different knives. If nothing else, the blade shapes are definitely two different visions of what is a good versatile blade for a folding knife. The 750's blade is not a substitute for the Sebenza's blade, and the Sebenza is probably not the first choice for a customer who likes a saber-ground recurve blade.
If you look at the detail pictures I took in the link posted above, you'll see a bunch of little manufacturing details on the Sebenza that are not on the Benchmade. If an operation like Benchmade tried to add all those details, the price would probably double, though economies of scale might bring the street price down to maybe $250 or so, as opposed to $325 with a full size Sebenza.
The various corners on the Sebenza that are rounded or beveled, where the 750 has a 90 degree angle, might make my hands prefer the Sebenza after a few hours of working with it. For a few minutes of usage here and there, it probably doesn't matter much.
If you're looking for a rock-solid integral lock, with good steel and titanium, the 750 will fill the need. And remember, for perspective, that there are a lot of people out there who think that a Spyderco Delica is an expensive knife, beyond their perceived point of diminishing returns.
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- JKM
www.chaicutlery.com
If you look at the detail pictures I took in the link posted above, you'll see a bunch of little manufacturing details on the Sebenza that are not on the Benchmade. If an operation like Benchmade tried to add all those details, the price would probably double, though economies of scale might bring the street price down to maybe $250 or so, as opposed to $325 with a full size Sebenza.
The various corners on the Sebenza that are rounded or beveled, where the 750 has a 90 degree angle, might make my hands prefer the Sebenza after a few hours of working with it. For a few minutes of usage here and there, it probably doesn't matter much.
If you're looking for a rock-solid integral lock, with good steel and titanium, the 750 will fill the need. And remember, for perspective, that there are a lot of people out there who think that a Spyderco Delica is an expensive knife, beyond their perceived point of diminishing returns.
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- JKM
www.chaicutlery.com
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Pat,
I have both the Benchmade Pinnacle's and the Chris Reeve Large Sebenza's as well as the Mission MPF1-Ti.
The Mission MPF1-Ti IMO is the best of all three because of it's overall construction, excluding the Ti blade (the Ti is nice if you like to sharpen more often and don't want to ever worry about rust), if not then it isn't for you unless you get one of the steel blade models which I'm not sure are out yet.
The Sebenza is very well made and uses BG-42 steel (top shelf) but may not be worth paying more for it unless you are a collector. The Benchmade Pinnacle for the money is a better work knife because it is very similar in size and it has a recurve blade which does wonders with cutting.
Now if you really want to go overboard and buy an Integral Locking Folder, go with the Darrel Ralph Apogee! It has a recurve blade, it's BIG, and it utilizes CPM-420V steel. Haven't used this steel before but I have heard it is the best. Just placed my order the other day for it. Big bucks though, but being I have all the above and I LOVE integral locking knives with bigger blades, got to have this under those circumstances
All boils down to what you want to spend and how good of a knife you actually want!
If you are just trying to decide between the BM Pinnacle and the Reeve Sebenza for a working knife, I'll say go with the Pinnacle! JUST MY OPINION !!
Mark
AKTI Member #A000003
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I have both the Benchmade Pinnacle's and the Chris Reeve Large Sebenza's as well as the Mission MPF1-Ti.
The Mission MPF1-Ti IMO is the best of all three because of it's overall construction, excluding the Ti blade (the Ti is nice if you like to sharpen more often and don't want to ever worry about rust), if not then it isn't for you unless you get one of the steel blade models which I'm not sure are out yet.
The Sebenza is very well made and uses BG-42 steel (top shelf) but may not be worth paying more for it unless you are a collector. The Benchmade Pinnacle for the money is a better work knife because it is very similar in size and it has a recurve blade which does wonders with cutting.
Now if you really want to go overboard and buy an Integral Locking Folder, go with the Darrel Ralph Apogee! It has a recurve blade, it's BIG, and it utilizes CPM-420V steel. Haven't used this steel before but I have heard it is the best. Just placed my order the other day for it. Big bucks though, but being I have all the above and I LOVE integral locking knives with bigger blades, got to have this under those circumstances
All boils down to what you want to spend and how good of a knife you actually want!
If you are just trying to decide between the BM Pinnacle and the Reeve Sebenza for a working knife, I'll say go with the Pinnacle! JUST MY OPINION !!
Mark
AKTI Member #A000003
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The Sebenza may be the finest production knife made overall, if you consider fit & finish, performance, reliability, etc.
The Pinnacle certainly lags behind the Sebenza, but at less than half the price of a Sebenza, I think that's okay. I don't think the Sebenza is twice the knife the Pinnacle is, but then once you've spent the money on a Spyderco delica you're always dealing with diminishing returns IMO.
If you could somehow save some extra money, go with the Sebenza. If you can't, definitely go with the Pinnacle. It is an incredible knife at the price point, and performance will be incredible once you slap a good edge on it (see "How to Make the Benchmade Axis Perform" and use that technique). The ergonomics on the Pinnacle actually seem better than the Sebenza's for me.
Joe
The Pinnacle certainly lags behind the Sebenza, but at less than half the price of a Sebenza, I think that's okay. I don't think the Sebenza is twice the knife the Pinnacle is, but then once you've spent the money on a Spyderco delica you're always dealing with diminishing returns IMO.
If you could somehow save some extra money, go with the Sebenza. If you can't, definitely go with the Pinnacle. It is an incredible knife at the price point, and performance will be incredible once you slap a good edge on it (see "How to Make the Benchmade Axis Perform" and use that technique). The ergonomics on the Pinnacle actually seem better than the Sebenza's for me.
Joe
Professor
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I've got both and agree with most of what's here. Fit and finish are sometimes a gamble with Benchmades, but in my experience with them they'll exchange them for a nicer one for perfectionists like you and me. The Pinnacle really is a great knife, and the stainless inserts in even the clip screws was a pleasant surprise to me. This knife is very well built, a little ugly, but very well built. My mid-sized Sebenza, what can be said; perfection. Dakota, why can't you take your Pinnacle apart; the warranty or them dang torx screws? I disassembled mine and found it easier to reassemble than any other Benchmade I've ever dabbled with.
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Professor
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Professor
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Professor,
When I owned Benchmade knives I didn't take them apart because of the warranty issue. I don't see why taking a knife apart should void anything. Chris Reeve stands behind his knives even if you send them to him in pieces! He goes so far as to provide the tool.
A quality folding knife should not be harmed in any way by disassembly. Anything less shows doubt on the part of the manufacturer.
When I owned Benchmade knives I didn't take them apart because of the warranty issue. I don't see why taking a knife apart should void anything. Chris Reeve stands behind his knives even if you send them to him in pieces! He goes so far as to provide the tool.
A quality folding knife should not be harmed in any way by disassembly. Anything less shows doubt on the part of the manufacturer.
As it happens, I was reading this thread this morning when I got the call that my Sebenza was in 
While I was at what seems to be the only knife store in Canada, I took the opportunity of playing with a Pinnacle and a Rekat. I'd say they Seb. and the Pin. are comparable, but the Seb. seems much more refined. I also much prefer the blade (both shape and material) of the CRK.
Someone elsewhere commented that the rolling lock has no blade play but that their Axis had lots. I was curious. My Axis has a little play. The Rekat I looked at had significantly more.
Anyway, the Sebenza looks like the ultimate folder to me I can't imagine a stronger, simpler design. (Still just a little concerned about those springs in the Axis.)
While I was at what seems to be the only knife store in Canada, I took the opportunity of playing with a Pinnacle and a Rekat. I'd say they Seb. and the Pin. are comparable, but the Seb. seems much more refined. I also much prefer the blade (both shape and material) of the CRK.Someone elsewhere commented that the rolling lock has no blade play but that their Axis had lots. I was curious. My Axis has a little play. The Rekat I looked at had significantly more.
Anyway, the Sebenza looks like the ultimate folder to me
I can't imagine a stronger, simpler design. (Still just a little concerned about those springs in the Axis.)
Professor
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Dakota, I understand. It's stupid why especially a knife as easy to disassemble as an integral lock isn't supposed to be taken apart because of its warranty. I think BM is afraid that they start being flooded with take-apart follies if they change this stipulation. I think they should change it; I've mentioned it to them before and added that a side profit margin could be made on selling parts instead of "giving them away" when knives come in for warranteed repair.
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Professor
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Professor