Classic (2006) v 21 (2011)

[FirNaTine]

A couple questions for the CRK veterans...

I just got a Classic Double Stud Micarta from a fellow forumite here with a birth certificate of 2006. I received this with the lock bar side filleted to match the new design of the 21 (no scalloping). When I took this out and opened it for the first time, my jaw hit the floor when I felt how smooth this was. I can't even describe the smoothness of opening and closing this blade. It's almost like the pivot screw is as loose as possible and just glides and flies open (I don't flick!) when in fact the pivot screw is hand tight.

I also have a 21 that was born this year. When comparing the two during breakdown, I notice that my 21 (perforated washers) has a hole on the blade for the detent and the Classic (non-perforated washers) has a dimple. Does this make a difference in the smoothness of the opening?

When I received my 21, I loved how smooth it was opening and closing but when I received the Classic it was out of this world smooth.

My questions are...Is the Classic ridiculously smooth because of its age and the fact we are way beyond the "break-in" period?
Will my 21 ever be as smooth as big brother?
And does the dimple versus the hole for the detent in the blade make a difference?

thanks!

 

[akubra]

I think the new detent hole makes opening the knife a bit harder. I have two 21`s and a few Classics, and to me it feels like the 21`s just need more initial force to open them.....getting the ceramic ball to move out of the detent hole. I dont think that the hole affects the general smoothness of the knife though.

 

[snowreaper1]

The detent "dimple" on my regualr is pretty weak compared to the 21's detent. If I just hold my regular and wrist flick it without using the stud it will come out.
No way that will happen with the 21. As far as the action goes I think a couple years of use will definitely smooth it out even more than it is now.

 

[TyFrameLock]

I think the dimple has something to do with it, but I recently got 2 NIB Small Regular Sebenzas and they were smooth as silk right out the box vs the 3 21's that I had before it NIB. Not sure why, maybe the older ones were made with less lockbar tension? Or they polished up the pivot-washer-ceramic ball paths more in the past?

But I noticed a big difference between the regs and the 21's. The regulars felt just like you described, smooth as in the pivot was loose or something had to be loose, but indeed they were just as tight, if not tighter than the 21's.