CRK sebenza, is it really that good?

sogflash

sogflash

Joined
Aug 28, 2011
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before I registered here I hadn't heard about CRK knives. now after a short time here I've seen quite a lot of talk about them. I think CRK Sebenza is the knife I've seen most discussions about here, but I'm not sure.

I think a sebenza is a bit out of my budget, especially if there isn't anything special about it.

so what is so special about it that it's worth the money? what I've picket up is that is has good steel in the blade.

I'm asking here, and not in the "CRK" part of the forum because i want the opinions of different people, not just those who are in to CRK knives.

I'm not saying it's overrated or anything like that, I'm just curious about the knife.
 
IMO no it's not worth $400 if all you see it as is a knife. It's going to cut the same, and feel the same as many other folders out there. Honestly there really isn't anything special about it, but I think that is the point. It's a no frills, titanium frame lock folder, with impeccable attention to detail and as good of fit and finish as you can get. I personally wouldn't really consider buying one unless I had the cash to blow, because there are so many other knives out there at a fraction of the cost. If you buy this knife thinking it's going to be 4 times the knife of something that's $100, then you'll probably be disappointed. That being said, it's a VERY nice knife and if you think you'd appreciate the quality of the craftsman ship, get it. But if all you're looking for is a nice knife, you can save a few hundred dollars and get just as good of a knife from other well known and respected companies.
 
I had the same question a couple of years ago. now I own two smalls, one in Bg-42 steel and one in S30V, one large Stars and Stripes and a Zann. A lot of money tied up in in one brand of knives but am very happy with the way I "blew" the bucks. If I wanted to sell any of them I am sure that I would get most of that back unlike a number of others knives that I have and used.
 
Yes they are very good, but I don't think they appeal to everyone. I know the yo yo flippers don't like the way it opens and the steel heads don't get a warm fuzzy feeling about the blade hardness. Lots of people don't like the look of it. Can't please everyone. ;)
 
I have a few Sebenzas, and I've sold several too. I think they're a great knife, but the pocket clip is what turns me off. It's not springy enough for me. I'm always catching it on things and bending it out of place. Unlike all but one other knife I've EDCed, the Sebenza/Umnumzaan clips just don't return to their original shape, leaving the knife loose and free to fall out of my pocket. If it weren't for the clip, I'd carry a Sebenza quite often.
 
I don't own a Sebenza but I own an Umnumzaan and when I have it in my hand I find myself uttering things like wow and what an amazing knife as far as knives go. I'm not admiring the titanium or the blade steel. I admire the knife, the tolerances, the action, the lockup and the overall perfection in the manufacturing process.

Yes, you can buy a knife that will cut things for much less money but you won't find many production knives out there that arrive flawless like CRK's tend to be. I have purchased hundreds of knives over the years and had as many as 90 at one time and I can say without remorse that with the other well regarded brands out there, the big names if you will, you are still going to get one now and then where the centering is off or some blade play is present, minor or more, and often times, if you spend the time and money to send those in, you could very well end up with a letter telling you the knife is "within specs". This is not dissing the other MFG's because I have many of their knives and consider them fantastic companies who make fantastic knives. But this is a area where CRK is a notch or two above.

I'm sure some CRK's have gone out the door in a form that Chris himself would not have liked but I think you are going to go a very long time between those anomalies.

With CRK, you are paying for cosmetic perfection (relatively), nearly flawless repetitive manufacturing, and some of the tightest tolerances in the industry if not the tightest. You are also paying for superb customer service when needed and the option to send it in for a Spa treatment for a nominal fee.

Chris didn't reinvent the knife itself, but I'm willing to bet money that when you receive one, there aren't any of those little quirks that many of us worry about as we open the package from a regular knife manufacturer.

CRK's are not cheap but in the grand scheme of knife things, they are a good deal to me. The bottom line is that I have never had the urge to adjust or tweak my CRK's (I've had two and still have one) where I often find myself making adjustments on regular knives the day I receive it. Pivot, centering, bladeplay or whatever . . .
 
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Personally, CRK's don' t really do it for me. I'm more of a Hinderer or Strider guy. I tried a Sebenza for a while just to see what the fuss was about but eventually sold it.

Different strokes for different folks. . .
 
get a large seb. that's the ticket.

and yes, they're so worth it (if you like knives that is)..
 
four_shore said:
they're so worth it (if you like knives that is)..
Click to expand...

Not trying to be a smart ass but I love knives. I just don't see what that has to do with it. Different people have different tastes. :confused:
 
I think other prod. knives are as good or nearly so and the few hundred more for a Sebbie is not worth it to me. I've owned several too. Not very ergonomic for my hands actually. The lg. Sebbie really isn't that big to begin with. Just bought a Bradley Alias 1 and have to tell ya for the bucks I paid for it, with a g10 handle slab I think it is nearly every bit as good as a Sebbie is. It also is way way less expensive especially for the g10 version and fits my hand better. I think where CRK has it is in the bushing and pivot area. But I have detected a slight bit of play in the blade when the blade is half way deployed. What I mean by this is bring the blade just little bit out maybe half way, then grasp it with 2 fingers and move it up and down and see if you can detect any amount of blade play as it moves around the pivot.

Only a couple of folders I own don't have that, one is a Flarehty M1 large, and 2 CS Holdouts, a II and III. Weird but true. My Alias I just rec. today has a tiny bit when checking it. Now is it enough to pay 250 bucks more for the Sebbie? To some folks it is and to me it ain't. CRK has probably the best QC in the industry too and that is a big plus. But the handles just don't work for me as is. Put some g10 on them or a nice grippy thing on the off side and nock a couple of hundred off the price and I might be pretty happy with one. Now I know that ain't gonna happen anytime soon so I'll stick with high quality prod folders etc. in the mean time. thanks and keepem sharp
 
sogflash said:
before I registered here I hadn't heard about CRK knives. now after a short time here I've seen quite a lot of talk about them. I think CRK Sebenza is the knife I've seen most discussions about here, but I'm not sure.

I think a sebenza is a bit out of my budget, especially if there isn't anything special about it.
so what is so special about it that it's worth the money? what I've picket up is that is has good steel in the blade.

I'm asking here, and not in the "CRK" part of the forum because i want the opinions of different people, not just those who are in to CRK knives.

I'm not saying it's overrated or anything like that, I'm just curious about the knife.
Click to expand...

The only way you will know is if you plunk down the cash, buy one, and see foe yourself. You will get a mixed bag of answers, some saying yes others saying no. I would recommend that you actually search the forums on this particular topic, there are literally dozens and dozens of people that started threads asking the exact thing. You might be able to learn details that are of importance to you, rather than polling all over again.

This horse has been beaten to death, burned, shot, stabbed, diced, and its ashes shot out of a cannon 50 times over.
 
It's a matter of personal taste, some like their knives to pry with, others like slicers, some like Damascus others prefer SS, some like them cheap in price others do not care about price, some collect them while others use them hard every day. The reason I like the sebenza is cuz it's so easy to break down, clean and put back together again. It's interesting though that you ask such a question with over 100 posts to your credit.
 
BP Green said:
Not trying to be a smart ass but I love knives. I just don't see what that has to do with it. Different people have different tastes. :confused:
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i'm just being opinionated .....of course some people don't like crk's.
however, i think most knife knuts would agree that they're top notch blades...
 
four_shore said:
i'm just being opinionated .....of course some people don't like crk's.
however, i think most knife knuts would agree that they're top notch blades...
Click to expand...

I do absolutely agree with that. They may not be my cup of tea but they definately are quality blades. . . ;)
 
RevDevil said:
This horse has been beaten to death, burned, shot, stabbed, diced, and its ashes shot out of a cannon 50 times over.
Click to expand...

and i'm sure you've involved yourself in every single thread related to this subject. why bother participating in beating the horse? (actually that seems to be your thing)..who cares??
 
It doesn't cost much to try one. Meaning if you don't like it, you can usually sell it for a minimal loss. I have one and would keep it over every other folder I have.
 
Reeek said:
I don't own a Sebenza but I own an Umnumzaan and when I have it in my hand I find myself uttering things like wow and what an amazing knife as far as knives go. I'm not admiring the titanium or the blade steel. I admire the knife, the tolerances, the action, the lockup and the overall perfection in the manufacturing process.

Yes, you can buy a knife that will cut things for much less money but you won't find many production knives out there that arrive flawless like CRK's tend to be. I have purchased hundreds of knives over the years and had as many as 90 at one time and I can say without remorse that with the other well regarded brands out there, the big names if you will, you are still going to get one now and then where the centering is off or some blade play is present, minor or more, and often times, if you spend the time and money to send those in, you could very well end up with a letter telling you the knife is "within specs". This is not dissing the other MFG's because I have many of their knives and consider them fantastic companies who make fantastic knives. But this is a area where CRK is a notch or two above.

I'm sure some CRK's have gone out the door in a form that Chris himself would not have liked but I think you are going to go a very long time between those anomalies.

With CRK, you are paying for cosmetic perfection (relatively), nearly flawless repetitive manufacturing, and some of the tightest tolerances in the industry if not the tightest. You are also paying for superb customer service when needed and the option to send it in for a Spa treatment for a nominal fee.

Chris didn't reinvent the knife itself, but I'm willing to bet money that when you receive one, there aren't any of those little quirks that many of us worry about as we open the package from a regular knife manufacturer.

CRK's are not cheap but in the grand scheme of knife things, they are a good deal to me. The bottom line is that I have never had the urge to adjust or tweak my CRK's (I've had two and still have one) where I often find myself making adjustments on regular knives the day I receive it. Pivot, centering, bladeplay or whatever . . .
Click to expand...

....+1
 
Get a CRK Umnumzaan(or Sebenza), and then compare the overall quality to any other production knife you have, and you'll see what all the noise is. Like everyone says, you'll be able to sell it for a minimal loss.
 
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