CRK vs The Knife World

Sonnydaze said:
...and you pay $12.50 for that tool, right? Why? You say CRK encourages you to take it apart? I call that a fine...in advance.
I have the M4 Manix2, Para2 m390, BM 806-1101, BM 755, and Emerson CQC-7 to name most of my better ones. And I have NEVER had to take one apart to clean it, grease it, or whatever. They all work great. Maybe I don't get 'em dirty enough... I'm just sayin' that being able to take it apart without voiding the warranty does NOTHING for me.
Sonnytoo
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I don't see why paying for the tool is that big a deal. Unless I've been missing out on the torx bits that Spyderco includes in the box.

Sebenza's include the allen wrench. Umnumzaan's include an allen wrench, but not the specialized pivot spanner pieces--which ran me $14.95 plus shipping.
 
Many in this hobby are going to go through 5-10+ $100 knives a year or more yet say "I can't see spending that kind of money." I like 'em all too! Colors, steel, shapes, locks make it all fun but until you get a Sebenza in your hands, take it apart and put it back together you won't know what it's all about. It takes the term "No slop" to a crazy level. I've had more knives than I can remember and have never seen tolerances like this.

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The small Insingo is an awesome EDC knife. I love mine. So far, I think my top two brands are easily Hinderer and CRK. Both are just excellent in every aspect (albeit not cheap). I f you can find a used small Insingo, I say do it. Even if a new one shows in stock, I think it is well worth the money.
 
to the OP:
if you already have even the slightest idea of entertaining the possibly of getting a crk, it's too late to analyze.
you have "crk on the brain". its terminal. ;)
i got back into collecting knives about 3 years ago. i said to myself i'd never own all the must have customs and "best" factory knives.
i already went through that and owned them all in the hayday of the 90's tactical knife boom, i even had 2 regular style sebbies large and small in the bg42 steel that are super collectible now. sold em all to pay off school bills.

well i'm now full circle and even though a decade has passed and more great knifemakers have come out of the wood work, we have yet to truly "build a better mousetrap" .
like i said, i didnt want to buy back all the great stuff i had out of sellers remorse and tried to rationalize and justify it to death. i bought other titanium framelocks. but guess what happened, yep, i had to get a crk sebbie again.
so i looked for a user thinking i'd find one for half price at 200, no way! they are that in demand, even beaters can go for around 300.
i ended up finding a used large classic 2000 for 280, complete with rounded tip from previous owner dropping it. doesnt matter, ever since i got it in my hands, i rarely carry my other knives when i want something strong and well made in a big folder, and i have plenty to choose from now.

it gets even worse, the crk raised the bar so much i decided if this is my beater now why not just pony up some real cash and get a nice terzuola atcf and carson model 4 tactical folders like i use to have, since the newer "it" makers (hinderers, zt, etc.) just didnt do it for me easthetically.
so i bought back my grails, and i'll try not to sell them off again since i realized (only after selling them) that as much as i hate consumerism, everyone has a "thing" that does it for them and mine is QUALITY knives that have proven themselves over time. in this case decades.
CRK raised the bar for me back then and it did it again during my second wave of knife collecting, that's how great they are.

just get one already you wont be dissapointed, and if are and want to sell it, they always (especially users) hold their value. even a decade later. cant say that for many others flavor of the month knives.

thats just my two cents from this knifenut.
enjoy your new level of knife collecting, you're screwed!:p
 
tacdriver22mk2 said:
you may be disappointed because as much as everyone likes to paint the picture of the "perfect" knife being a sebbie or a umnum thats just not the case

since you have expirience with bm and spyderco i will tell you this

you WILL be disappointed in slicing ability sharpness and edge holding

i have found that crk's s30v is inferior to bm's d2 specifically on the 710 and yes i did give my crk multiple handicaps for having a shorter blade and an inferior heat treat

the bm still won hands down

its not as smooth as people like to say it is... well i dont know if that is the right wording it is if you use crk's floronated grease and never wash it AND disassemble and reapply said grease every so often which if no water/juices/blood etc touches the pivot then it does stay lubed for quite a while

i will be honest a paramillie will be almost as smooth dry as a crk greased

also i do experience lock stick especially with the fact that for me at least it seems impossible to keep it lubricated and keep lube off the lock face which causes lock stick

the thumb stud on a sebbie is pointy and can wear on your thumb if you play with it

the lockbar cutout is sharp so any hard cutting will result in a cut on your ring finger

the edge is SUPER close to the back of the handle when the knife is closed and this means you can get REALLY annoying paper cut esque cuts on your hand when handling

the pocket clip tends to be under sprung with not enough retention also it wears on your ring finger cause its kinda sharp

the ti is blasted all around including the pivot which makes it REALLY rough when lube becomes thin

also crk's qc seems to have gone down the toilet lately so what i say i can only attest to for my sample which seems to be pre crk's loss of touch with qc

mine does have the best f&f of any knife i own there are zero grind marks zero machining marks and while i can feel flex in the knife it does not have any blade play

centering is masterful

and grind seems symmetrical both the grind and bevels

however they do come obtuse generally over 40 deg incl

the blade is thicker than you would think and thus does not cut as well

overall is it worth the jump in price from say a gayle bradley or a m4 manix 2 or a sprint para millie NOPE no way they generally kick my sebbie out of my pocket for being superior in every practical way and i am not just saying that

if price were taken out of it as well as the "name" crk and hype i would honestly take most spyderco sprint runs over it say my m4 manix 2 it really is close in quality and is VASTLY undeniably incomparably superior in materials
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With this description I find it hard to believe that you own or have owned a Sebenza! Personally, I've had around ten & when I was a CRK dealer I had dozens pass through my hands. I currently own two: a lg & Sm 21.

They certainly cut as well as my Spydies. One thing I've discovered with the "inferior" HT is it just takes understating what's going on when sharpening. CRKs take a honkin wire edge which if not cared for will fold over making the knife dull FAST. If just a few strokes are made at a more obtuse angle after sharpening it will remove the burr and certainly hold its own against at least the Striders & Spydies I own.

I wash my Sebs (& any other knives I've mucked up) with soap and water when doing dishes & have never had a problem. I smack it on a towel to force most of the water out, wipe it down & put it somewhere warm to evaporate the rest. I ALWAYS put lube on a toothpick to get it in the crevices of a folding knife & a bit on the ball/detent (the most important place to lube) to avoid excess which just attracts lint/dirt. I rarely take my Sebs apart. I typically DO take most knives apart at some point just to find out what's "under the hood." I've never been as impressed with the quality or simplicity of any other.

I love how the Sebenza is raw & refined at the same time. It's like my favorite Art: Maximum effort with a clean, minimalist outcome.

I dunno. I guess the Sebenza is "the one" for me. I bought my first one in 2001 & have never found its equal in most ways that I appreciate a knife. I say "most" because knives with a hole in the blade are more fun to play with IMO.
 
I must say I have flirted with the Sebenza and one day will own one, but not this year. I can tell you I will likely not be using it for hard tasks like cutting sheet rock or opening bags of concreate. When I get my Sebenza I will cary it and use it some, but it will be like the difference between my play shoes and my good shoes. I agree that it is to expensive to use for heavy work but as a collector I still want one and will carry it when I am not expecting to be working on major projects. when doing that stuff, one of my other knifes will likely be in my pocket.
 
I'm not concerned about using my small 21 for any cutting task be it whittling, slicing, cutting open bags, zip ties, etc...
I believe much of the hubbub about a Sebbie being a lightweight user is nonsense. It's 2 slabs and a blade.
 
I took apart my Para2 the other day and let me tell u a total pita compared to the Seb. Very true that u cannot appreciate the Sebenza totally until u take it apart and put it back together, everything is so precise its almost like it puts itself together :D
 
tacdriver22mk2 said:
you may be disappointed because as much as everyone likes to paint the picture of the "perfect" knife being a sebbie or a umnum thats just not the case

since you have expirience with bm and spyderco i will tell you this

you WILL be disappointed in slicing ability sharpness and edge holding

i have found that crk's s30v is inferior to bm's d2 specifically on the 710 and yes i did give my crk multiple handicaps for having a shorter blade and an inferior heat treat

the bm still won hands down

its not as smooth as people like to say it is... well i dont know if that is the right wording it is if you use crk's floronated grease and never wash it AND disassemble and reapply said grease every so often which if no water/juices/blood etc touches the pivot then it does stay lubed for quite a while

i will be honest a paramillie will be almost as smooth dry as a crk greased

also i do experience lock stick especially with the fact that for me at least it seems impossible to keep it lubricated and keep lube off the lock face which causes lock stick

the thumb stud on a sebbie is pointy and can wear on your thumb if you play with it

the lockbar cutout is sharp so any hard cutting will result in a cut on your ring finger

the edge is SUPER close to the back of the handle when the knife is closed and this means you can get REALLY annoying paper cut esque cuts on your hand when handling

the pocket clip tends to be under sprung with not enough retention also it wears on your ring finger cause its kinda sharp

the ti is blasted all around including the pivot which makes it REALLY rough when lube becomes thin

also crk's qc seems to have gone down the toilet lately so what i say i can only attest to for my sample which seems to be pre crk's loss of touch with qc

mine does have the best f&f of any knife i own there are zero grind marks zero machining marks and while i can feel flex in the knife it does not have any blade play

centering is masterful

and grind seems symmetrical both the grind and bevels

however they do come obtuse generally over 40 deg incl

the blade is thicker than you would think and thus does not cut as well

overall is it worth the jump in price from say a gayle bradley or a m4 manix 2 or a sprint para millie NOPE no way they generally kick my sebbie out of my pocket for being superior in every practical way and i am not just saying that

if price were taken out of it as well as the "name" crk and hype i would honestly take most spyderco sprint runs over it say my m4 manix 2 it really is close in quality and is VASTLY undeniably incomparably superior in materials
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What about the several manufacturing and quality awards (which is voted on by fellow knifemakers by the way) Bob Dozier collects CRK so he must be buying some inferior materials right:confused:
 
All true. You guys are killing me. Like describing a porter house or prime rib that you get to enjoy over and over again! Who wants to sell me used? Ha
 
"if price were taken out of it as well as the "name" crk and hype i would honestly take most spyderco sprint runs over it say my m4 manix 2 it really is close in quality and is VASTLY undeniably incomparably superior in materials"

I love Spyderco knives and their company but I wouldn't go quite that far. Many of the sprints are merely a small upgrade in steel and different color scales. As far as quality goes they are taking a recent beating over the plastic lock cages falling a part. There is no "perfect" knife.
 
If anyone is saying the Sebenza or Umnum has a thin tip they have obviously never seen one, if I had a camera right now I'd prove it. All Seb's lrg or small have the same thickness blade .125 I believe, and they have very stout tips but there still plenty capable of piercing
 
I'll get by just fine with my $120 ZT 0200. Does everything you ask of it while providing a smooth action, great lockup, and good cutting performance. I don't really have a need for a $400+ knife that I will worry about damaging in any way, shape, or form. Hell, what's the point of having a knife if you're not actually going to use it?
 
Who here has owned the Les George VECP and a CRK at the same time? I have both and the VECP is superior from a functional standpoint IMHO. I can't find one thing to critque in a negative way about the VECP folder. It's not only a Ti framlock on steroids without being "specialized" in its purpose but it also kills the Zaan in pivot action, ease in opening and closing one handed without any fear of the detent being too weak, and the F&F is right on par with the Zaan. Honestly, I don't think I have ever owned a knife that functions as well as the VECP overall. Some come close but the VECP deserves to be included any time we discuss pure, Ti framelocks with their merits and short comings. and I'll take the Les George blade stock and HT without hesitation if given the choice . . .
 
Hadji Flip Me Over said:
I'll get by just fine with my $120 ZT 0200. Does everything you ask of it while providing a smooth action, great lockup, and good cutting performance. I don't really have a need for a $400+ knife that I will worry about damaging in any way, shape, or form. Hell, what's the point of having a knife if you're not actually going to use it?
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That makes sense for you, if you refuse to use a 400 dollar knife.

If you are referring to the masses then you need to revise your statement. I, among MANY other CRK owners, use their Sebs and Umnums just like any other knife.
 
Reeek said:
Who here has owned the Les George VECP and a CRK at the same time? I have both and the VECP is superior from a functional standpoint IMHO. I can't find one thing to critque in a negative way about the VECP folder. It's not only a Ti framlock on steroids without being "specialized" in its purpose but it also kills the Zaan in pivot action, ease in opening and closing one handed without any fear of the detent being too weak, and the F&F is right on par with the Zaan. Honestly, I don't think I have ever owned a knife that functions as well as the VECP overall. Some come close but the VECP deserves to be included any time we discuss pure, Ti framelocks with their merits and short comings. and I'll take the Les George blade stock and HT without hesitation if given the choice . . .
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In a lot of ways a Sebenza and VECP are very similar. The VECP was designed to bridge the gap between Les George's full custom (forget the name) and production knives. His goal was to make a semi custom (midtech, anyone?) knife that would me more affordable than his customs while still having superior fit and finish. In effect, that is what CRK is doing with the Sebenza.

Both have machined parts.

Both are semi-custom. (mid tech)

Both are still hand fitted and finished.


The VECP and the Seb are very comparable. I like it this way. If you want a classic knife and you don't care about blade steel go Seb, if you are looking for something in that category but want a high performance steel then the VECP is there to satisfy that. I can't wait to try one.
 
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Reeek said:
Who here has owned the Les George VECP and a CRK at the same time? I have both and the VECP is superior from a functional standpoint IMHO. I can't find one thing to critque in a negative way about the VECP folder. It's not only a Ti framlock on steroids without being "specialized" in its purpose but it also kills the Zaan in pivot action, ease in opening and closing one handed without any fear of the detent being too weak, and the F&F is right on par with the Zaan. Honestly, I don't think I have ever owned a knife that functions as well as the VECP overall. Some come close but the VECP deserves to be included any time we discuss pure, Ti framelocks with their merits and short comings. and I'll take the Les George blade stock and HT without hesitation if given the choice . . .
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Nice knives. Wish there was a 3oz. version.
 
Edit- I had posted my doubt that a used Sebenza would sell at a price that would make it a good gamble to buy one and try it, then re-sell it if the buyer didn't like it. But after checking the exchange I discovered that they do in fact sell at near new retail prices. How about that, surprised me.
 
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