Review CRK Large Sebenza 21 Glamour Knife?

Aquaholicc said:
So my question to you guys is what makes a CRK double the price from my 1 of 1800 PM2? After all they are both "production folders" correct?
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There are opinions on both sides of this (search function, lots of threads). You will have to find out for yourself. The Seb will hold its value very well so you are not out much at all if you find it is not for you.
 
Yesh

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It's different strokes for different folks. If you get the same satisfaction of use from a sprint PM2 than from a Large 21, by all means save some money and go with the Spydie. That's really the difference you get from the extra $, a fairly intangible sense of satisfaction. It's why some people buy a Lexus instead of a Toyota.

But...there are some tangible comparisons that can go either way:
Can the Sebenza cut twice as well as the PM2? NO.
Is the Sebenza twice as ergonomic as the PM2? NO.
Is the Sebenza as fun to fondle as the addictive PM2 with Compression Lock? NO.
Will the Sebenza last twice as long as the PM2? Well...maybe. In fact, likely.
Which knife can be disassembled 100 times and fit together as if new? I'll let you answer that for yourself, but the correct answer won't begin with "P" ;)

To see the value of the Sebenza over the PM2 takes less of a conventional approach. You have to think out of the box a bit and consider "satisfaction of use". Once you leave the comparison of the mundane, you see the sprint PM2 as a dressed up $100 knife and the Sebenza as a tool that'll be around to pass along to your children.

Now, you asked for personal experience. I only have one Large Sebenza and I used to carry it a lot for work in an industrial environment. The knife took everything I threw at it. Nowadays I carry a small 21 or small Inkosi in an office environment. Large or small, I'm confident that the CRK will deliver. I have several PM2s and they only make it into my pocket if I'm feeling a little nostalgic, lol.

Don't get me wrong. I love the PM2. It's one of the best, all-around knives you can buy for a little over $100...but, it's still a ~$100 knife regardless of G10 color or exotic blade steel.
 
Oh...and by the way...people actually watch Gray's Anatomy?
 
I'm not sure that you should get one instead of a Glock. I actually had these same thoughts as I was debating between a Smith & Wesson and a CRK. Maybe I should have gone with the gun, I don't know. However, if you ask me if I'd rather have one Sebenza or two sprint PM2s I'd take the Sebenza every time. For clarification, I carry the Inkosi, but everything I'm about to type is equally true of the Sebenza that I sold to purchase the Inkosi.

The last two knife purchases I've made are the Inkosi and the lefty PM2. I received them within a week of each other, Inkosi on Saturday and PM2 6 days later on Friday. The Inkosi has been in my pocket every day since it arrived. The PM2 has not left the house once. The PM2 is a fine knife, but it's really not in contention for pocket time because of the Inkosi. The PM2 is a great knife, and if you love yours I don't think that there's any good reason to go looking for something better. At the same time, the PM2 feels like a toy to me, when compared directly to the Inkosi.

The ergonomics on the PM2 are very good. The ergonomics on the Inkosi are better, and the same was true of the Sebenza. In pictures it looks like holding a Sebenza would be akin to holding a ruler. It's just a rectangular slab of metal. When you get one in hand you realize that a lot of thought went into the design. It's simplicity isn't something that should be held against it. CRK knows what they're doing in the design department. It might not be a sexy design, but you asked about function and it's design functions phenomenally well.

As for slicing, the PM2 might slice better than the Sebenza. I honestly couldn't tell you. If your number one criteria is slicing ability I don't think that either one should be your first option, but that's just my opinion. There are knives with much thinner blade stock and FFGs that should slice better than either of these knives, and cost a fair bit less to boot. Heck, you can get a Stanley razor utility knife. Those are very good slicers and you'll never have to sharpen your blade or worry about damaging it. $180 will buy all the replacement blades you could ever hope to use. There's a reason that you chose the Spydie over the Stanley. Those same reasons hold true when comparing the Spydie to the CRK.

As for exclusivity, I think that what you are looking for might be a "glamour knife". Being a limited run doesn't help that knife perform better in any way, shape, or form. It merely makes it more satisfying for you to own. I got the lefty version because I'm a lefty. I don't know that it's easier for me to operate than a regular version would be. It's pretty easy to operate this one with my right hand. But, I do get some enjoyment out of knowing that it's a special knife that was made just for us lefties. I believe that this falls in line with your term "glamour knife". It's an emotional enjoyment that there's no rational explanation for.

Ultimately, I don't think that you should get a Sebenza. You seem to enjoy your PM2, so why mess with that? It's a great knife and will likely last decades. If it's good enough to satisfy your desire for quality then there's really no need to search any further. There's nothing wrong with that. However, don't mistake that for the Sebenza being a "glamour knife". There are plenty of people that are using their Chris Reeve Knife. There is nothing about the knife that's glamorous, except for the respect that it's earned in the knife community. That respect wasn't earned by looking good or being exclusive. It was earned by being a hell of a work knife.
 
Aquaholicc said:
Lol what I'm getting at is you could buy a sprint of let's say a PM2 (I own the M390 one) and to me personal opinion seems to be just as good of a knife with a much much better steel. Sure the PM2 isn't as buttery smooth. But I can guarantee the ergonomics are better the traction is better and the FFG is a much better slicer all for only 180 bucks? Not to mention their are only 1800 of them out there. So my question to you guys is what makes a CRK double the price from my 1 of 1800 PM2? After all they are both "production folders" correct?
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If you have never owned a Sebenza, I don't know how you are doing your comparison. If you are happy with your PM or any other knife fine, but that doesn't mean Sebenza's aren't good knives and worth the money. There is a diminishing return factor involved here. After all in the end they are all still just knives. Personally I have not found a knife at a lower price range that I can substitute. Regardless it is what they cost. If you want a Sebenza it is what you have to pay. The Sebenza was my 1st higher end knife. I moved on to try others, but kept notes of what I liked and didn't like in knives. One day it dawned on me that my notes were screaming Sebenza and I have not left since, though I still have other knives also, but none I would put above the Sebenza including customs. They are not bells and whistles knives. Their design is based on simplicity. They function well, maintain well and have great customer service.
Buy what you want, but the Sebenza does have much to offer. For me paying $400 for a knife that will give me a lifetime of use & satisfaction is not a bad deal
If you do decide to try one, I suggest you buy off the exchange. If it isn't for you, you should be able to get most if not all your money back.
 
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91bravo said:
If you have to question the validity of purchasing a $400 knife, then you probably should not buy one.
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Best advice ever!

I bought my first CRK off the Exchange last year sorta on a whim. It was nearly new, at a great price, and I thought "Heck, I may as well find out what all the hype is about." I am now a believer with four different models and am actively seeking a few more. Perhaps even at retail.

While I own a PM2, appreciate it for what it is, and use it frequently, I really have little desire for another (but I'll admit the XHP orange/black is pretty cool!). That being said, some people collect and lust for various PM models and I respect that. It's a great knife. To each is own. It's all good!

There are lots of posts in the CRK forum about hard use of these knives. One that comes to mind is a guy using the crap out of his new Inkosi and chronicling it along the way. While I'm mostly a light-moderate EDC sort of guy myself, I'm pretty sure my 'Zaan would out "hard live" my PM2 and all my "overbuilt" folders too (not bashing--I love them all!). If you got ahold of one, you might see what I'm talking about...But yeah, I'll never realisticly test it to it's limit, so I guess I'm another back-seat web ninja in that regard--lol!

In my eyes, the Sebenza/Inkosi/Umnumzaan are more than the sum of their parts. It's a complete package of refinement that brings me joy, so for me personally it's worth it. Others may not feel the same, however. Which brings me full circle to the post by 91bravo 91bravo
 
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I own one and carry i have edc'ed it the past year and put it through hell. It's done everything from make a sandwich and open packages to some outdoor stuff like process game. Also it has done a lot of wood work like cut down a bunch of branches and a lot of whittling

Also did you know that the word sebenza is the Zulu word for work so when Chris reeve designed the sebenza he had a simple working knife in mind.
 
Aquaholicc said:
Guys I need answers..please prove me wrong about the Sebenza being just something to ogle at when your laying in bed watching Grays Anatomy with your wife..[/QUOTE]

Maybe you'd be better off, passing on the idea of buying a Sebenza. Do something special with your wife instead; something that will leave an everlasting memory for the both of you to cherish.

With that stated, please let me offer you a small bit of valuable advice/wisdom:

1. Remove your TV from your bedroom.
2. Don't "ogle" over inanimate objects, as your wife is laying in the bed next to you.

^ Follow this simple advice, and you can send me a "thank you" card 20 years from now. :)
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Peter Hartwig said:
Sebenza is Zulu ( believe) for work. They are intended to be used, though some collect them also(especially older and rarer ones). I carry and use my small micarta inlay almost every day. I have others I also use, but I do have some collectables also. I find them to be a very user friendly knife. They haven't gained this great following all on hype-there is substance behind it. Hype may bring people to try them, but they stay because they are good knives. There are however alternatives also. Choice is yours. They work for me-figuratively and literally:)
They are also the easiest knife I have come across to break down, put together again and maintain.
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^ This. :thumbsup:
 
Since 2006, no other folder has been in my pocket anywhere near as often as a Sebenza. In fact, I carried a CRK in my pocket for nearly 6 years straight during one period of time. I've used one for everything from cutting fire hose at work to cutting through cable on my roof while removing our old satellite dish without any issues. I've pried open stubborn windows with my Small on more than one occasion and cut more cardboard than I can recall. And managed to keep it clean enough to cut a sandwich or two along the way.

I've owned several knives in and around the same price as a Sebenza, with several being full on custom knives costing a fair bit more. In my opinion and experience, none of them were better than my CRKs and none of them are still with me as result.

I see the OP is still fairly new to the Forum, but these threads have been around since I was new here and the answers remain pretty much unchanged. There are a lot more satisfied CRK users than not.

At the end of the day, the OP will have to experience one for him/herself to know for sure.
 
Hackenslash said:
It's different strokes for different folks. If you get the same satisfaction of use from a sprint PM2 than from a Large 21, by all means save some money and go with the Spydie. That's really the difference you get from the extra $, a fairly intangible sense of satisfaction. It's why some people buy a Lexus instead of a Toyota.

But...there are some tangible comparisons that can go either way:
Can the Sebenza cut twice as well as the PM2? NO.
Is the Sebenza twice as ergonomic as the PM2? NO.
Is the Sebenza as fun to fondle as the addictive PM2 with Compression Lock? NO.
Will the Sebenza last twice as long as the PM2? Well...maybe. In fact, likely.
Which knife can be disassembled 100 times and fit together as if new? I'll let you answer that for yourself, but the correct answer won't begin with "P" ;)

To see the value of the Sebenza over the PM2 takes less of a conventional approach. You have to think out of the box a bit and consider "satisfaction of use". Once you leave the comparison of the mundane, you see the sprint PM2 as a dressed up $100 knife and the Sebenza as a tool that'll be around to pass along to your children.

Now, you asked for personal experience. I only have one Large Sebenza and I used to carry it a lot for work in an industrial environment. The knife took everything I threw at it. Nowadays I carry a small 21 or small Inkosi in an office environment. Large or small, I'm confident that the CRK will deliver. I have several PM2s and they only make it into my pocket if I'm feeling a little nostalgic, lol.

Don't get me wrong. I love the PM2. It's one of the best, all-around knives you can buy for a little over $100...but, it's still a ~$100 knife regardless of G10 color or exotic blade steel.
Click to expand...
:thumbsup:

Tank n toy. I could destroy a PM2 right now barehanded, no gloves no tools. Furthermore, the PM2 is "produced" in USA and not Japan, correct? With that in mind, that tiny, skinny tip will break off in a plastic cap from a soda bottle with the smallest amount of torque, I'm not kidding.

And remember, folks, the next time you need to cut something don't reach for your PM2 OR your CRK - bust out your Glock and obliterate that piece of cardboard or wood! I'm sure your coworkers, wives and neighbors won't mind! :rolleyes: :D
 
Phixt said:
:thumbsup:

Tank n toy. I could destroy a PM2 right now barehanded, no gloves no tools. Furthermore, the PM2 is "produced" in USA and not Japan, correct? With that in mind, that tiny, skinny tip will break off in a plastic cap from a soda bottle with the smallest amount of torque, I'm not kidding.

And remember, folks, the next time you need to cut something don't reach for your PM2 OR your CRK - bust out your Glock and obliterate that piece of cardboard or wood! I'm sure your coworkers, wives and neighbors won't mind! :rolleyes: :D
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...but Glocks have nice, tight groupings...
 
The knife hobby, viewpoints, etc. are so diverse... it's great :)

Threads like this tend to "calibrate" me as to how crazy I actually am! haha

Why do I say that? Because, because next to my Manix 2 lightweight, I consider my large 21 to the the LEAST GLAMOROUS knife I own... My Manix is my take along running and cycling knife as well as my being my hard use around the house knife, and the Sebenza is my EDC the rest of the time and it gets used as needed (but not abused, there is a difference IMO).

Now my other 30 or so knifes are a part of my "knife collection" and many (if not most of those) are what I would possibly call "glamour knifes". Stuff like Thorburn, Blomerus, Burger, Grimsmo, Rockstead, Shiro, Marfione, RJ Martin, etc... basically all the stuff well north of the $400 range. The materials, craftsmanship, attention to detail, custom/semi-custom status etc... make me view them as collectible and I treat them accordingly. Some still get light use, and some carry, but not day to day.

It's sort of like not driving your Porsche in bad weather, on bad roads, construction zones, daily commutes, etc. That's what the Honda is for.... haha

I guess I see a Sebenza a LOT, LOT MORE like a Honda than a Porsche...
 
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