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Chris Reeve Sebenza vs. Darrel Ralph Apogee

J

JoHnYKwSt

Joined
Mar 1, 1999
Messages
1,904
Well what do u guys think? I can't decide. They are both awsome knives. I dont know much about the apogee though. The apogee is 375 dollars...comes decorated. Sebenza 325 425 decorated. I dont care much about the decorations or how limited it is or anything of that sort. Im more interested in functionality. I dont think the Apogee has a clip.
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But it's made out of 420v, awsome steel. I know Sebenzas cut wonderfully, wondering how this might cut. Lock up is EXTREMELY important. Also i really dont plan on using any of my knives for defensive purposes so only utility. (Joe Talmadge: can u please respond to my thread about ur thoughts on the Apogee, I heard u ordered 2 of them
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) For anyone who hasn't seen the Apogee: http://www.knifeart.com/knifeart/approt.html
Thanks

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Johnny
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JoHn -- when you're in a bind, "eenee, meenee, minee, mow"?
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[This message has been edited by Titan (edited 23 April 1999).]
 
Only ordered one of 'em, as far as I can recall
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Maybe it was buy one get one free day!

I should have the Apogee by Monday, the 3" version. It's a prototype, so mine will be a little rougher than yours. I'll let you know what I think when I get it.

Joe
 
The Apogee will have a clip, the prototype doesn't that's all. I got that from Darrel himself. I'm getting one of his large Apogee's for myself. Darrel said that he intends the Apogee to be his "workhorse" knife. So if your talking a semi-production Sebenza or a custom Apogee, from that I would go towards the Apogee. Don't get me wrong I like the Sebenza, but with the price factored in, it just seems to make more sense to me to get the Apogee. Besides I like the recurve in the blade a lot!

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JerryO
 
Should be a great piece at a reasonable price.

If the small is 3", what length is the big one? Cost more?

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Regards,
Ron Knight

Yeah I'm crazy, but what do you want me to do about it
 
Darrel sent me an email that he has serial #1 ready for me! I sent off final payment, will post pics and comments when it arrives!


--Doug
 
Looks to have a lota handle, slender narrow blade. Does anyone know blade thickness and weight(very lite I bet)? Has a fighter look to it...Yea how big is the big?
VERY NICE!!!!
 
With the Reeve knife being semi-production and costing more money, I'd rather have a hand made Darrel Ralph knife ANY day.

I like the Reeves, and I think Sebenzas are great knives, but I can never figure out how they carry custom pricing.

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***********************
Be sure to visit my web page:

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BrianTurner@worldnet.att.net
 
Darrel is making me a folder similar to the Apogee. The main difference is that the blade has slightly more belly, and is made of Talonite (r). I will be glad to report on its' virtues after I receive it. Walt
 
This is exactly my point - Call Darrel and have him personally hand make precisely the knife you want. Nothing beats the feeling!
 
From talking with Darrel my understanding is .120 blade thickness, 4.25" for the long, 3.17" for the small, handle slabs are 1/8 (.125) thk each. So all told a very flat knife, with a thin blade. Darrel mentioned the stellite possibilty, (Walt I want to know what you think of it) although 420v is a great steel. Also in the future there's a chance Darrel might make differing grooves in the Ti slabs. So it's going to be a standard Darrel Ralph feature this "Apogee", but like the Krait after his first basic run I believe Darrel will start taking custom orders based on the apogee. Price wise you've got to talk to Darrel.


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JerryO
 
Dooh! Double post, bloody reflexes, I tell ya!

[This message has been edited by JerryO (edited 27 April 1999).]
 
I don't know about an Apogee. I think it's opposite of a perigee.
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What I do know is this:

I just received my first and only Large Sebanza by US mail. I declare it an only child.
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My 3 BM are now demoted to stepchildren status.
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"Walk softly and carry a big stick"...TR

 
I got my small Apogee prototype. It's an incredible piece. I also found a few things to point out to Darrel, but it turns out Darrel had already noticed all the problems in the prototype already, and fixed 'em. If they're truly fixed, this knife is incredible. Beautiful, strong, ergonomic, classy.

Overall, the knife is very beautiful. It's even more beautiful than on the pictures you've seen of it. Usually, knives seem to look better in pics, it's nice to have one that looks even better when in-hand.

The knife feels rock solid, very nice in the hand. The ergonomics are outstanding. The small is a little too small, consider it a little gent's knife. The larger versions will have excellent ergonomics, I predict. Darrel got the handle shape just right for a using knife -- index finger indent, followed by a palm swell, followed by a pinkie indent.
Enough contour to make it secure, but not so much that it becomes uncomfortable in use.

The action was smooth, but varied in stiffness throughout the opening motion in the prototype. Darrel assured me he found and fixed this in the production models.

The prototype wasn't that sharp, but the production models (according to Darrel) are going out *very* sharp. I asked Darrel to make sure the bevels were at Spyderco-Sharpmaker angles and no more, since that's what most people will use to sharpen 'em. Don't wanna have to re-bevel 420V!

The lock was rock-solid. Another folder in my short list of folders I actually trust!

Recurved edge always provides great performance. My prototype was a little thick-edged, it whittled nicely but wouldn't compare favorably versus a sebenza in cutting rope or cardboard. The production versions should have better edges, so we'll have to wait for a proper performance review from someone who actually has a production Apogee.

Joe
jat@cup.hp.com
 
Should have mine sometime next week ( a large)
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. Will let you know what I think.

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JerryO
 
Walt, I've become very interested in talonite and would like to know if it's possible for Darrel to make me a Apogee out of talonite. Did you supply him with the talonite? Also how much does the talonite Apogee cost? Thanks

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Johnny
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[This message has been edited by JoHnYKwSt (edited 29 April 1999).]
 
great.. you guy's are something,now i won't be at peace until i get my hands on an APOGEE.
now where is the secret fund for special emergency i put a side?
 
Sebenza is probably a benchmade, not a semi-production. Wouldn't a semi-production be more like something from a custom maker that has 3rd party components? ie. laser cut blades and handles etc. How far from being a hand made does a knife get once you start laser cutting etc? Does the "production model" Apogee have laser cut or 3rd party components?

All in all none of that should matter as long as you get a knife you are happy with, but some think it blurs the definition of "custom" and "hand made".

[This message has been edited by imp (edited 01 May 1999).]
 
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