Decided not to buy Sebenza, so now what?

cutitout said:
Iseng,
I presume what he meant by features are the type of steel and hardware used in the blade and grips compared to other knives in the same price catagory, but a bell... Hmmm let me think about that one:rolleyes:
Click to expand...
Thanks for answering.

Actually, I was asking about your definition on 'features' since you wrote it as well, but, let's drop that.

I never handled a Sebenza, let alone owned one. But, I thought the reason why so many people love it is because the simplicity. Perhaps I'm wrong.
 
I was in the same boat about a year ago. I have been carrying the same knife for 4 years and a variation of it for 7 or so. I got an itch that I needed to upgrade or find something different. I had my money saved up and bought and sold several great knives in search of something new. One of those being a real nice lightly used Large Sebenza, polished blade and all. I really appreciate the level of engineering put into it, but it did not take too long to realize it was just not for me, I had different preferences. But the Sebenza being the "pinnacle of the knife world" I needed to check it out, to nail it down one way or the other. I have since gotten past that and am actually back to my old favorite standby.

Go ahead and try it out, I did and it wasn't for me. As a knife nut, IF AND WHEN YOU CAN AFFORD IT, you owe it to yourself to try one out. I did resell it and pretty much broke even. Pretty cheap peace of mind if you ask me.:thumbup:
 
cutitout said:
To Machine26... my attempt to be humorous, sometimes humor or sarcasm doesn't play well on blogs. I'm actaully 3 IQ points smarter than I look. You might want to lighten up this is a friendly place to visit.
Click to expand...

I'm light as it gets, bud. I feel ya now that I know you weren't serious. ;)
 
It would be silly to take neptunes opinion with anything more then half a grain of salt.
If you watch a few more of his video videos it will become apparent that the guy is clearly metally scrambled.
He's around anymore, because hes been laughed out of the knife world.

Listen to the majority. The Sebneza is worth the money.

Buy one and carry it for a month or two, and you yourself will find out its worth the $ too.

If You don't want a Sebenza check out the Les George VECP.
 
Jfoley4 said:
he is under the radar.
He is not a big time name compared to say hinderer, emerson strider or many others who have forums here and other places, go to knife shows and such.
this has nothing to do with his knives.
Click to expand...

I could not have said it better myself......

I love Andrew Demko's knives and I fully intend to own more in the future. Fantastic fit, finish and value for money. All you need is a little patience.
 
dude, i was just in your situation. MY receipt for by umnumzaan says 4:35 pm (texas time :)...) 9\18\2012. I held the sng, smf, mc henry williams edc6 and 10, sebenza 21 with and without micarta ( the micarta one was to die for). I picked the umnumzaan. I watched the whole video you posted ( you owe me 19 minutes of life) plz don't let that guy discourage you. The crk were amazing (to me anyways) in terms of fnf. You won't regret a sebenza and if you do you won't loose any money on it. I have had the itch to buy a crk since january and it doesn't go way. The lock up is like a vault. The attention to detail is amazing. The warrantee well i don't know i haven' had my knife long enough to deal with cs so i'm not going to lie to you. Just do it you won't regret it. i own the bm sabroza and bradley alias. They are not the same beast although close. Its ultimately what you appreciate.

p.s. the micarta 21 will be mine oh yes.
 
Get a Benchmade 943 Osborne with a Titanium handle and axis lock. It has the same blade steel as the Sebenza, is lighter, and is quicker to deploy and undeploy. The point is sharper, the profile is slimmer, and the anodized version is more resistant to being scratched. The weight is 92gm. This knife solves a lot of problems, but is a little hard to find.
 
You'll have to get a Sebenza and judge for yourself. I resisted for years but caved last year. While the knife was very well made & something to marvel at I just don't care for all metallic scales & frame locks. If I were to pony up $350+ again I'd get on a list for a custom.
 
Last edited:
As has been mentioned, you really owe it to yourself to get a Sebenza... If for no reason other than it is one of those essentials in the cutlery world that has stood the test of time. If you get it, and find it doesn't click for you, then the resale value is pretty much 100%, so you have nothing to lose, and might have everything to gain (like finding the perfect folder).
 
People who don't like Sebenzas are only upset because they cost a lot and don't cut any better than lower cost knives. Me, I don't like them because, for the price, I'd like the knife to have a polished titanium frame and a blade polished to a mirror brightness. I mean, for the money it's only to be expected. I have a CRKT S-2 that has a 4-inch blade and a titanium frame. I polished the frame and it increased the looks about 200%. Couldn't do much about the blade, though.

For the price of a Sebenza, I'd like a little elbow grease to be applied somewhere. The frame is just bead blasted titanium, but the knife is tight and well made. I'd pay maybe $185 for it on a good day, but no more than that. If I had the money and didn't have one, I'd get a Ruger .22 auto pistol. Why buy a knife that doesn't cut any better than a Spyderco? In fact, I like Spyderco. I bought a couple of Enduras on a lark and I have to admit that they quickly rose to be one of my EDCs. I liked the black models with the mixed edge and saber grind more than the flat grind plain models. Paid $35 each NEW including shipping and have been very pleased with them.

Still, your money, your choice!
 
Of course you cant pass up the Sebenza!
Compare Neptune's goofy butt to the other 97% of Sebenza owners who love it. The fact that it's simple, yet refined just adds to the attraction. And every company has customer service horror stories, but CRK is one that you can buy without holding your breath.
The plain Ti sebenza is just that...plain.
The inlays make a huge difference, especially on the Lg.
Im also a huge fan of the Insingo blade.
 
CRK "features" based on carrying a small starbenza for about a year and a half:

best pocket clip on any folder I've ever owned. I beat it on things all the time just like everything else I have in my pockets, but its the only one that never caught in anything and the only one that didn't stretch any or back out.

streamlined and snag free. Its comfortable in your pocket, and easy to reach past for something else in your pocket.

I liked the rigid lanyard and used it a lot to just pluck it out of my pocket.

It cut fine, didn't hold an edge very long, and the edge was thicker than I would have left it if I'd kept it any longer.

I really didn't care for the single lug.
It was really hard to open with a recently broken thumb. That's why I sold it. Other thumb I'd still have it.

Right handed though I like my M390 PM2 better because it slices a lot better, opens and closes easier and just as smooth, holds an edge a lot longer, conducts less heat/cold, weighs less, has a much more functional choil design, and cost me $100 less even though I knowingly overpaid. They are actually supposed to be releasing another batch in a few months. The first batch was $180.

Left handed, CRK gets a huge bonus for a true lefty lock.
 
I personally never wanted a Sebenza. I do, however, have a Benchmade 750 Pinnacle, which I consider to be the equal of the Sebenza at a minor fraction of the cost. I know many will believe such a comparison to be heresy, but the opinions of others are of little importance to me in such matters. I don't know if Benchmade still makes the Pinnacle, but if you can find one in good shape for a reasonable price I believe you'll be getting all the knife a Sebenza is, minus the cost & bragging rights.

benchmade_pinnacle_01.jpg


benchmade_pinnacle_02.jpg


benchmade_pinnacle_03.jpg
 
I think they stopped making them almost 10 years ago. I looked for one before I got my sebenza and never found one for a price I liked.
 
No firsthand experience but i have really been looking seriously at the george cutlery vecp folder. looks like its built well, along the same lines as many comparable knives(titanium frame lock high end steel hinderer bar etc) but i love the choil, as i am a big skyline fan.
 
The Microtech Socom Elite has a 4" blade that slices like no other knife in my drawer because of its thin cutting edge, it's also the most solid folding knife I've ever held (not any at all side to side or vertical movement), including CRK, Hinderer, Strider, BM, Spyderco. You can get a like new condition for $190-200. You can use it carry it & re sell it as used for the same price you paid for it.
The Sebenza is the knife I compare all other knives to as far as final fit & finish. Never seen one with any imperfection or even a hairline scratch. Chris Reeve is the iPhone 5 of the knife world.
 
I would and do put next to zero stock in that video. He obviously has an agenda with CRK not dropping everything to reply to a likely paranoid barrage of iron clad opinion. This vid is an easy debunk:
1. The whole thing is one persons opinion.
2. He bought a serrated Sebenza. WTF?
3. He takes a seriously defensive stance right off the bat.
4. He has no idea how to take down/assemble the knife. It's TEN TIMES easier than he makes it look. Easiest knife ever in this regard.
5. Spine whacking is ridiculous.
6. Blade geometry/bushcraft. He has no idea what he's talking about.
7. Sebenza lacks features? How about:
- USA, small shop, in-house made.
- Beautiful minimalist design.
- Finest Machining you'll see on a knife. Handle chamfers, logo, jumping, blade crown, thumb lug, ect.
- RC Hardness @ 58-59 = very durable blade.
- gorgeous machined, press fit Ti thumb lug.
- pivot bushing. A standoff inside the pivot makes the handle up to 1/3 more rigid.
- One of the best looking most functional clips out there. Pocket milled into the handle practically makes it integral to the handle.
- ceramic detent ball.
- Non HT'd pins/screws w/ HT'd povot bushing/stop pin sleeve = best of both worlds.
- The WAY the pins work is great. Screws screw into the pin rather than the spacer/standoff. Very stout design.
- Having a flatter thumb ramp is a must have feature for me.
- the blade is almost entirely covered when closed... a HUGE feature IMO.
- unassuming handle shape is good for all hand sizes & different grips
- very thin, wide phosphor bronze washers.
- Fat Ti standoff.
- ect...


Comparing a Seb to a Taiwan Spyderco does not compute in my mind. I don't care if the Sage has a light saber for a blade. It's an unnecessarily outsourced product & I don't support that. It takes tweaking to center the Sages blade & then he says that the tolerances are the same? BS. Sal G. himself has stated that he can't/won't make a knife as well as a Sebenza because it's too expensive.

This vid is one very excitable mans opinion & nothing more. I can say whole heartedly: buy a Sebenza and see for yourself.
 
Boy this thread sure has made an impression. I never realized what a loyal and ardent following CRK has. At the very least it puts some perspective to the bad review of the Seb. I am still trying to learn about different knives and use the internet (like many others I suppose) to learn. So when Google led me to that Youtube review, it sort of seemed to make sense. But I truly respect the opinions of Forum members here and will now be able to see that review in the proper prospective. I am now convinced that sooner or later I will have to have a large Seb in my humble collection. Appreciate all the great responses and information.
 
Tried to watch that youtube video but bailed after 15 minutes. OK, I get it, he thinks the other knives are better designs and Sebenza lacks "features." I think he said that a few hundred times. So carry the other knives if that is what makes him feel good. Beyond that, he really didn't give me any idea why he needed any of these knives. Saying he "batons" folders just tells me he yet another backyard knife tester trying to look like an expert on the web.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top