The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details:
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is $300 $250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
They are production, but they ARE hand-fitted. This is why they are more expensive, because more hand finishing goes into the Sebenza than many other productions. CRK is not the only manufacturer to do this. Spyderco also does some hand-fitting on knives for lockup and Sal has recommended that IF a user is to swap blades between knives of the same model to also swap the lockbar as well to ensure proper match up.They are production knives, they aren't hand fitted, the bronze washers are the same, and so are the blades. I wouldn't mix regular and classic blades, as they are different shapes.
You can adjust the pivot tension if it's too tight or loose as well.
I have measured the thickness of the bushing and compared it to the blade and washers and they are within .5 one thousandths of an inch (.0005"). So if you swap blades and the replacement blade is just .001 or .002 off you are going to have fit problems. Plus, as I stated above if you can fit the other blade to the knife I feel you would have handle/lockbar and hardware problems.
That being said. If you can get a regular blade (small or large) fitted to a classic handle post some pictures!:thumbup:
I have measured the thickness of the bushing... and they are within .5 one thousandths of an inch (.0005")
5/1,000th's is written this way as a decimal: .005"
5/10,000th's is written the way you did: .0005"
Which did you really mean ?
.
Given how tight the tolerances are with CRK's CNC machining, I wouldn't be at all surprised if the blades are interchangeable.
However, I would not put a Regular Sebenza blade into a Classic because it's slightly wider and would run the risk of getting cut when closed, which has happened to a few people with the Classic by itself.
I don't know if the fitting is in relation with the thickness of the blade but the face of the lock-bar to the surface of the blade. I thick the only difference in fit with the blade would be the washers. Basically, one would machine all the blades, handles and bushings measure and screw it all together. Then figure out how much space needs to be taken up with the washers. Polish washers, test for fit, polish, test for fit, etc. Then fit/file/polish lock surface on blade.
Just a guess.
If it's just the thickness that's an issue, then tightening or loosening the blade pivot will take care of the fit. Only issue I see is wear and tear effecting fit, but that would have nothing to do with how they knives are produced.
Tightening or loosening the pivot on a Sebenza is NOT the way to adjust tension. The Sebenza is designed to have the pivot snugged down at all times. The bushing in the blade is waht sets the Sebenza apart from all other folders - YOU NEVER HAVE TO ADJUST PIVOT TENSION, EVER.
I bought a small sebenza handle(complete with screws,etc..no blade) and bought a damascus blade from another forumite(made by CRK) and fits perfectly !I think the only problem might be how much blade lockup would be, 50% or more. CRK states 75 % lockup is fine!!