Recommendation? Brands that Can Be Repeatedly Maintenanced

[T.K.C.]

Chris Reeve Knives are meant to be taken apart.

 

[115Italian]

Emerson knives. Zero tolerance knives.

 

[mmmotorcycle]

Hinderer is one I was looking at. They seem very sturdy. The Halftrack and MP1 are both attractive, to me. My only issue is the obnoxious price hike for full Ti scales. This may be the direction I go.

I want a TiLock, for sure, but I may be too late. As for the Inkosi, the handle still has that flair at the rear that digs my hand. Umnumzaan is too large.

I've handled many Hinderers and CRK's and I only went with an MP-1 recently because the handle fit me better. Bottom line is: CRK's might be better slicers but Hinderer's are better in the hand I have found.

 

[SavageSick]

Not familiar with the whole management thing but I own a few sebenza 21s and a Mnandi from 2015 - 2017 the earliest I believe was made this last may - april so fairly recently, knives are perfect.

My only complaint has nothing to do with management in the sense I can't stand the damascus mnandi's because of the visible polish on the blade but I'm going off track and as far as I understand it that's been ongoing for awhile.

I've been eyeballing a damascus mnandi for weeks now.
Care to share any pictures on the visible polish?

 

[Dullknivescut]

I've been eyeballing a damascus mnandi for weeks now.
Care to share any pictures on the visible polish?

To be honest I couldn't stand it so I replaced it with a regular Mnandi... but the machined hole isn't champhered like they used to be.. along with the fact the new Mnandi I received has a scale a few mm short of the titanium inlay, so it exposes some titanium underneath.

My point being I'm 0 for 2 in the Mnandi department. Sebenzas I've only been happy with.

 

[SavageSick]

To be honest I couldn't stand it so I replaced it with a regular Mnandi... but the machined hole isn't champhered like they used to be.. along with the fact the new Mnandi I received has a scale a few mm short of the titanium inlay, so it exposes some titanium underneath.

My point being I'm 0 for 2 in the Mnandi department. Sebenzas I've only been happy with.

Oh my! That really does affect the overall aesthetic... I will now think twice before pulling the trigger on a Damascus Mnandi.

Do you have extensive experience with Devin Thomas Damascus? Any first-hand lore you'd be willing to share?

 

[Dullknivescut]

Oh my! That really does affect the overall aesthetic... I will now think twice before pulling the trigger on a Damascus Mnandi.

Do you have extensive experience with Devin Thomas Damascus? Any first-hand lore you'd be willing to share?

No I'm not anymore keen than you on the specifics of the Devin Thomas Damascus other than I've heard it holds up very similarly to CPM-S35Vn. Also I know that the older Mnandis didn't have this polish, this polish was done in the name of increasing " smoothness. "

It was apparently done to combat arguments that the knife was too gritty to open, but there are different degrees ( for example some people can only see the polish halfway during opening, ) or some people can see it when fully locked open like mine, I've seen quite a bit like mine so I've just steered clear away from them.

Make sure if you do purchase one get an image of the back of it like I posted, many will avoid posting the back image as the default picture and I've seen plenty " half opened. " Make sure you see it locked open.

I'm not sure exactly when they started doing this, all I know is the older models ( possibly 2013 and prior ? ) didnt have this polish and people claim they functioned just fine.

 

[Dullknivescut]

Oh my! That really does affect the overall aesthetic... I will now think twice before pulling the trigger on a Damascus Mnandi.

Do you have extensive experience with Devin Thomas Damascus? Any first-hand lore you'd be willing to share?

They use the same damascus on their sebenzas and the polish is hidden correctly.

 

[SavageSick]

They use the same damascus on their sebenzas and the polish is hidden correctly.

I see that you're purely driven by aesthetics (like myself).

This (former) knife of mine had horrendous smoothness during deployment. The pivot entry was not polished, so you could feel/hear the grit. In retrospect, it was actually a bit satisfying.

In terms of high-end damascus steels, which other makes do you recommend? I'm dying to try Rietveld damascus, but they seem to only be available in the four-figure customs

 

[Dullknivescut]

I see that you're purely driven by aesthetics (like myself).

This (former) knife of mine had horrendous smoothness during deployment. The pivot entry was not polished, so you could feel/hear the grit. In retrospect, it was actually a bit satisfying.

In terms of high-end damascus steels, which other makes do you recommend? I'm dying to try Rietveld damascus, but they seem to only be available in the four-figure customs

Ah yes aesthetics are very important to me, unfortunately I cannot help you much in regards to other high end damascus steels, as I've only had experience with Devin Thomas Damascus.

I'm sure there are some here far more experienced with damascus. I've recently come back into serious knife collecting / using after a hiatus. I only own Chris Reeve Knives and some buck knives ( sold off my spyderco collection years ago. ) I have no complaints with DT Damascus, only complaint is with how CRK varies their polishing radius from Mnandi to Mnandi.

I'm even debating returning my polished blade Mnandi for a sebenza 21.. and my next purchase is definitely going to be a DT damascus inlayed sebenza again. I've just had such bad luck all things Mnandi.. which is a shame because they are beautiful little knives when done correctly. Edit: As of late I've been trying to learn all things CRK, as their style does suit me ( even if I can't seem to find a Mnandi I like, I'm sure I will eventually. )