Decided to sell all knives, get sebenza...

[Chocula]

I did that. Many times and with other knives (one was $1200). Here is what I learned:

There is no box big enough or expensive enough to hold permanent satisfaction.

Learn to be happy with what you have but unattached if you want permanent satisfaction.

 

[FlaMtnBkr]

While everyone has differing opinions on the subject, the one thing I wouldn't call a Sebenza is a "trendy Ti frame lock". Your own post suggests you're the one preferring "trendy", doesn't it? I've carried a Sebenza over 90% of the time for the past 5 years and that could have been 100% of the time had the "itch" for the latest new not strike me a few times I love checkng out different offerings by different makers, but the plain jane Seb is what I constantly come back to.

I don't like knives that are trendy, I like knives that work. I like high carbide content steels that have high wear resistance. I don't call that trendy but maybe others consider it so. I also like strong locks that are designed to adjust for wear and that don't require me to adjust my grip when opening and closing. I don't like a knife that gets dull quickly and I have had a lock fail and close on a finger. I like these things because they are based on something, not because it is what other people like.

I also didn't specifically say that the Sebenza was the trendy frame lock. In my opinion all titanium frame locks are fairly trendy right now and many companies are making them because of this. I think a frame lock is an easy and cheap lock to manufacture but there are better engineered locks available. I'm sure many people won't agree with that statement but I have had a high percentage of my frame/liner locks that I have bought have problems. While some may last a lifetime, others may wear out in a year due to very slight variations in tolerances.

I also think some of the higher end frame locks like the Sebenza and some Striders are over priced. Again, many people will disagree with my opinion and say that the tolerances of the Sebenza come at a price. But the fact that the Sage 2 can be bought for about a third of the price of a Sebenza ($140) shows the Sebenza is priced fairly high compared to a knife that uses the exact same materials. Usually a high price compared to a similarly built (great) product means there is some type of 'trendiness' going on.

The Sebenza is a great knife and I'm not trying to say it doesn't deserve it's popularity, but I'm personally not a huge fan for various reasons. Again, this is all my opinion and everyone is free to disagree with me. Being an engineer, I like what I consider a well designed knife with cutting edge materials and not because of a name on it. I like certain models of knives from different manufacturers and I also dislike knives from the same companies. I don't consider my purchases as being based on popularity and what other's like. Maybe someone considers liking a newer steel such as M390 trendy, but I don't. I consider it liking something that works good. I may find out about something because other people like it, but I like it because it has the properties I am looking for.

 

[Nick15]

I would rather have a dozen Spyderco and Benchmade knives instead of one Sebenza myself. I find the Sebenza plain and boring. It has a fairly plain steel at the low end of hardness for a knife blade, has a plain handle and lock, and a somewhat plain design. Of coarse this is just my opinion.

I would rather have a knife with a super strong and easy to manipulate lock as well as a blade steel that is mid 60 HRC. I would also rather have a couple different styles so that I can pick the knife that I feel like carrying at different times.

I would much rather have an AXIS or BB or Compression lock and a steel like ZDP or M4 or M390 that holds an edge for a longer time. Some people might be happy with one trendy Ti frame lock but I would rather have an assortment of designs and materials to choose from. Maybe the Sebenza will be something you really like but maybe not. And if not you no longer have your collection. But I guess if you don't like any of them then it doesn't matter but if you don't like those I don't know why you would like the Sebenza instead.

I agree. +1

 

[Incahiker]

Some people want a lot of knives and are collectors, and others, like me, just want a couple of good use knives, but I do appreciate quality craftsmanship, and spyderco and benchmade do have this, but there is a reason sebenzas do cost more and Sal even states this clearly . Plus I don't see any folly in getting a sebenza, I won't lose much money on it if I decide to sell it. But I highly doubt that and I do strongly feel that I will appreciate the overall impeccable tolerances that are built with in the sebenzas. Hell, I think the TNT is the best build folder I have laid my hands on, it just oozes quality, more so then my Bradley alias or any benchmade or spyderco I have owned. So I know I can appreciate all the top notch qualities that come with a sebenza.

Like I said though, it has too look good to. I personally think the normal sebenza looks fine, just a little bit plain. But I don't think I would sell all my knives for a normal titanium handled sebenza. But man those wood inlaid sebenzas are just the icing on the incredible cake. I think it is one of the most beautiful knives I have seen that is not pure custom, other then Benchmades gold class, those things look incredible!!

 

[Jesse B.]

Like I said though, it has too look good to. I personally think the normal sebenza looks fine, just a little bit plain. But I don't think I would sell all my knives for a normal titanium handled sebenza. But man those wood inlaid sebenzas are just the icing on the incredible cake. I think it is one of the most beautiful knives I have seen that is not pure custom, other then Benchmades gold class, those things look incredible!!

I'm with you. I do care about the aesthetics of the knife. Let us speak the truth: The handle on the normal Sebenza is a flat gray slab. A person on another thread rated it a "10" in terms of looks though he may have been expressing his love for the Sebenza through numbers instead of critical thinking.
If the normal handle is a 10 then what is this [10/4/10]:

or this:

or all the other Sebenza handle options?

 

[Incahiker]

That, my friend, is made for a king!!!

I'm with you. I do care about the aesthetics of the knife. Let us speak the truth: The handle on the normal Sebenza is a flat gray slab. A person on another thread rated it a "10" in terms of looks though he may have been his expressing his love for the Sebenza through numbers instead of critical thinking.
If the normal handle is a 10 then what is this [10/4/10]:

or this:

 

[maryvilleknifenut]

I have held my "Grail Knife" many times..... There is just always a better one out there... Good luck with the Sebie but you will be back!!!

 

[Joshua J.]

With the amount of money most people blow through on this hobby, I'm pretty sure we'd all be better off with a Sebenza as the starting point.

Years down the road the Seb will still be appreciated, if only for what it is, as opposed to buckets of lesser knives that will never be used again, nor are worth selling.
Sometimes you need something lesser to see that something is greater, but lesser is always easy to come by.

I'd get an Umnumzaan, but that's just me.

 

[DavidZ]

There is no box big enough or expensive enough to hold permanent satisfaction.

Learn to be happy with what you have but unattached if you want permanent satisfaction.

Well said!! +1 :thumbup:

 

[Stainz]

I guess what I was trying to say with my picture/story was simply that the Umnumzaan is a super knife - but I like diversity. I am so glad I didn't have to say goodbye to any of my 'decent' knives to fund it. The cruel fact is that I didn't fund it out of my house money - or even my 'fun' money - it came from my 'extra' impulse of money. To be brutally blunt, giving up any of the pictured knives - or the Boker Haddock or Benchmade 755 MPR I also bought this year - is not an option. I'll admit it, I am a knife-slut/hoarder/glutton.

Don't get me wrong, the CRK Umnumzaan is a super knife. But... if you've never seen a Kershaw JYDII in Ti/SG2, wow, what a knife! And - if that Kershaw selling Guy still has blems for $79 shipped, grab one - I have such as a user. Now, as much of a quality improvement as that is over a regular Kershaw, which was pretty good itself, their Zero Tolerance line, like my 301 shown, is another step up the quality ladder. On that same rung, albeit in a finer-scaled knife, is, as others have said, that Buck 172 Mayo TNT. Also sharing that rung - my Benchmade 630 Skirmish. My Boker Haddock and Benchmade 755 MPR are close, as well. No, I wouldn't want to get rid of any of them to buy the Umnumzaan. I am blessed to be able to own the lot - and more - now. It's also a good thing that I have an understanding wife... and an old/inexpensive house! Priorities. My current ride, an '05 Jeep Liberty, is six years old - it's predecessor was 14.5 yr old when I sold it. We all set our own priorities. Be careful what you say goodbye to, knife-wise.

Stainz

 

[noodlefish]

i think im gonna sell some of my safe queens to make room for an umnumzaan...

maybe.

 

[orca8589]

Kershaw[/B] selling Guy still has blems for $79 shipped, grab one - I have such as a user.

I bought a slightly beat-up user from another member, and for a titanium frame-lock, the JYDII is one of the best I've ever held. I like it much better than the Sebenza I handled on the passaround earlier this year.

Be careful what you say goodbye to, knife-wise.

That sums up the whole issue right there; I've sold & traded & given away quite a few of my knives over the last year, but I can't say I regret letting any of mine go. (Of course, I could wake up tomorrow crying over one of them. Who knows. )

~Chris

 

[aadhtbb]

Got a SBZ21 and still want Spydercos and ZTs

 

[silenthunterstudios]

Sebenzas are addictive. I have two micartas, one large and one small, both classics. I've kept my wants down to four more . Large and small desert ironwood classics/21's; and large and small Native American graphics. Who knows what I'll go after once I get those.

Oh yeah, Striders. The CC's are on my list next, the SMF, SNG and PT.

Wait, what about discontinued stuff? My third Buck Mayo TNT, maybe I'll hold onto one for a while this time. Spyderco Starmate? The hunt continues for a plain edge version. Bradley Alias II? Not too hard to find. Benchmade 800 with a plain edge? Must be one out there...

Well, I am addicted to hunting for old slipjoints at flea markets. Also, trading bushcraft/camping themed custom fixed blades at different rendezvous, powwows and WSS get togethers.

Face it, it is a sickness, and you did good by getting a quality knife. If you are looking just for users, keep only the ones you use. If you are a collector, find a pattern or company to look for. Sebenzas are like potato chips.

 

[jules]

If I could go back in time before I started buying knives, I would just tell myself to get a Sebenza and never buy another knife again - would've been a good way to save money lol.

Once you have tried many different knives though, it's hard to stay satisfied even with a Sebenza. All you're really doing is getting used to spending $300+ for a knife.

As much I as love the Sebbie, I don't think I could just own one knife anymore. And many times I've bought knives that I have sold in the past, just because I missed them.

My recommendation is save up for a Sebenza, don't swap your whole collection for one.

 

[Incahiker]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys, but I meant to clearly state that I am going to get a Sebenza and be good for a while. I had that spyderco native for over 7 years and I didn't look at another knife the whole time, it did everything I wanted. I lost that knife and then came onto these forums and was overwhelmed with the knives available, so I decided to start going through them 1 by 1 and get rid of the ones I did not want. I can tell you that I have already traded off or sold way more knives then I have sitting here right now and I do not regret letting any of them go because I know I won't be using them. I see all these knives sitting around and I think it is just a waste of money cause I pick up one every once and a while to flip open and that's it. I don't like coming home and admiring my collection, cause I have no use for one. When I get the sebbie I will let you guys know when I get another knife, although I do have a kershaw speedform in the mail right now.....

 

[mmcc100]

This is an addiction! Not too long ago I would have thought someone crazy to spend $200 on a folding knife. Now I have a tool chest in my closet full of them that never get used. I look at it this way. I like collecting, buying, and searching for the next "fun/Cool/etc" new knife. I get excited checking tracking numbers! I think I like this more than actually using them. People always talk about a knife as a tool. I see them as both a tool and an art collection. If a knife isn't good to use nor is it cool/fun/etc.. then it goes. I will probably get a Sebbie one day (I've handled a few), but for now I can either get 2-3 nice knives for the price of one. If I did sell my collection to get one, I would probably end up with a custom Doucette. There's just too many cool ones out there for me to focus.

 

[Techiesplat]

I'm with the OP on this one...sorta...

I have collected knives since I was little. Early ones were mostly junk. In the 80s I started up on Case knives and thought, "These are sweet". As the years went by, I leaned heavily towards "tacticool" knives. I probably would have started there if they had been more available way back when. Now I'm rolling up on the BIG 50 years old, and I am strictly a utilitatian/tactical type knife guy. Nothing wrong with slipjoints and traditional style knives, they're just not my speed anymore. In the interest of full disclosure, I do still enjoy a fine SAK, and I EDC a blue alox Farmer.

I stood there in front of the safe, door open, like I was trying to decide what tasty treat to snag out from the fridge, and it occured to me that I would never carry 95% of the knives in there. It also occured to me that I would NEVER get my money back on them. I thought just as the OP thought..."Hey, what the heck, I'ma gonna roll these babies into some fresh, excellent units!!" I never spent more than $100 bucks on a knife up to this point, and that was about to change.

I put about 10 units up on ebay. Units ranging from 1980s Case folders to Kershaws, to SOGs... Sold 'em all and "acquired" my first XM-18 3.5" flipper. WOW!!!!!

(For those still reading, this is where the whole thing went sideways on me)

Well, the original collection is now down to a Sog mini X-Ray heavy user, 2 Buck/Strider mini folders, and a handful of sentimental units as well as some odds and ends "not worth selling" (as one previous poster put it).

The "new" collection consists of Hinderer 3 & 3.5" XM-18s and a Flashpoint, an Umnumzaan, a new Spyderco Para2 (just for fun), and I am on the lookout for a Strider DGG SMG all stonewashed and an FXM. Problem is...I'm just about out of stuff to sell to roll funds over from. Time to get creative!

Morals of my (long drawn out) story:
1. I only wanted the first XM-18...that is, until I got one...
2. Fortunately, I never looked back, and never have I regretted selling off my old stuff. This is fun, except like, on a whole nuther level now!!

Disclaimer: Yes, I make pretty good money, and I could just BUY some new knives if I wanted, but when I think about all that money just sitting there in the safe, and how I wasted so much time/effort/fundage on cheap (OK, less fortunate) knives...well...I've turned it into a kind of game for myself. "Let's just see what I can do here while using NO out of pocket funds". Good times!!

 

[link2derek]

I missed this post earlier, but I wanted to chime in.

About three years ago, I decided that I wanted a small Sebenza. So I took a gym bag full of Spydies, Benchmades, SOG's, CRKT's, Bucks, Gerbers, etc. (mostly sub-$100 knives) to a local knife dealer known for buying and trading. I sold the whole lot -- about 40 knives -- for just under $1000. I had been collecting those knives since the mid-90's, and none of them ever got used after I got my first BM 940 LE.

The initial idea was to buy my Seb and put $600 in the bank. Well, that's not exactly how it turned out. After my first Seb, I fell in love and had to have another, and then another, and then a Mnandi, and then another, and so on. Three years later I have 7 Seb's and 4 Mnandis (Umnumzaan is forthcoming).

I do still have some of my old knives (mostly BM LE's), and they do get carried occasionally. But when in doubt, a Sebenza it is!

 

[Incahiker]

Alright guys, so I got myself a large sebenza with ebony inlays on the way.... And I am shipping out 3 of my benchmade knives today and still awaiting payment on another one . I am looking heavily at the Umnumzaan also. I love the aggressive look of the knife and the extra belly. Also the small sebenza is looking good too considering it's the exact same size as the leek (office carry). I will post a new thread with pics of my new sebby. I do believe it will live up to my expected standards considering that I love everything about the buck mayo tnt. If I like the new sebby enough I believe that I will sell one of my ultimate benchmades (extremly rare) to be able to purchase an umnumzaan or small sebbie. Unfortunately I will also be selling a kershaw speedform too. Even though the knife is very nice, the clip completely ruins it for me as it bites into the hands dramatically whenever you have a firm grip on the handle. I don't reget selling any of my other knives, not a bit...