Decided to sell all knives, get sebenza...

I`ve been playing with the same idea lately. I am going minimalist lately after spending my late teens and early twenties collecting various kinds of things, and amassing a huge amount of material stuff. I am in the process of getting rid of most of the video games, clothes, and other random stuff I collected, and of course knives.

I have around 20 knives at home, most in the cheaper end of the price range. I use them all through the years, and only gave 1 away. I was looking for the perfect folder, the perfect fixed blade, and the perfect fixed blade. Latter I already found, and it`s a native knife. The Helle Viking is the perfect outdorr knife for me, and I just need to find someone who makes a better sheath for me. Perhaps I`ll contact Martin Swinkels. Anyways I have 5 fixed blades, a 9" chopper, my Helle, a RC3 and 2 Izulas. I`ll never get rid of those, I like them just too much.

Folders on the other hand... I am willing to get rid of most of them, but who will buy them? And to what price? A used UKPK with some scratches on the blade is worth what? 15-20 USD? A sprint run pink Manix 2, used is worth 60? I honestly don`t know what they are worth, and putting them up for bids on ebay is imo risky. I do not know any other knife guys other than me, and I bet they are rare here in Norway. I am willing to give away some of my SAKs and otehr cheaper folders like the SRM 710, Persistence and others.

But still I`d like to get at least a part of what the CRK knives cost. I`ve been toying with the idea of getting rid most of my knives and get an Umnumzaan for primary edc. Yet I will keep some other folders as well. The Delica 4 I got from my gf, my trusty Para 2, my favorite green pinstripe Spartan and various other SAKs (Swisschamp, Soldier 08, Farmer, Cadet.. in other words a lot of them). They are just too useful. And I just bought a beat up Para 2 for 20 bucks, and I will be buying the 2 sprint runs that will be made in 2012.

So there is not much left worth the effort of selling. I try to cut down, but still there are left over 10 knives, and I have yet to find my perfect slip joint ( GEC #57 and Case SBJ stand high on the to buy list.)

I am on the quest to find my perfect folder and I bet I already have it (Para 2), but I want to get a taste of the CRKs before I decide.
 
I had a Sebenza a few years ago. It was everything that eveyone said it was. Maybe more. But it just wasn't for me. I have now 8 folders - a mixed bag of small, medium and large. To replace my small Sebenza I ended up with two custom folders - Yuna EQ-2 (ZDP-189)and Lerch York (S90V) - though hard to find (when I checked with Lerch last summer, he had a waiting list of 3-4 years). I wouldn't say they are better than the Sebenza, but fit me better. About the same price range, depending on the steel you get.

For a larger folder, I went with the Burger LEXK - love it. Again not better, but I like it better. So don't set your sights on only CRK knives. A lot of great knives to be had.

Lev
 
Just remember that that $500 Sebenza is no less likely to fall out of your pocket than the $5 Chinese truck-stop special.
 
I understand the OP's mindset. It would be nice to simplify and have a really top-quality folder to depend on. But my mindset is more attuned to the fun of variety -- most days I LIKE having a confusing assemblage of knives of varying quality to choose from. Frankly, no knife will get much use during the day. But it's still fun to have a different one in my pocket every day, with added options for heavier folders on the weekend.
 
I have dropped from about 90 high end productions and everything below, to about 16 knives now but most of those are very high end so I too am consolidating down to a reasonable list of extremely good knives that aren't everyday production knives :thumbup:
 
I personally have little desire to spring for a spendy folder. My collection lies in knives that provide a high function/feature-per-dollar ratio. Just like with any quality item, at the low end you can spend a fair chunk of change for utter garbage, and at the high end spend huge sums for less than a 1% increase in function. You reach a point of diminishing returns, and I like to keep my purchases in the "sweet spot" to maximize the bang for my buck.
 
I've bought and sold 4 lg Sebenzas. I became bored with them and had too much tied up in them for what I feel the knife is worth. I think you pay a lot for the name. They are really well made but not BIG performers IMO.

I've found my perfect large and medium folders and only lack a slipjoint.

My perfect folders (we really need some pics :D)

XM-24

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XM-18

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Big and little brothers:

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Sebenza....meh....boring. YMMV! :D

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Sorry, it'll never happen. As others have already said, you'll start buying more knives anyway. I've been telling myself for over 30 years that "this is the last knife I'm ever going to buy". Obviously it hasn't happened yet, I have so many that I have trouble counting them. I don't need any more, but I keep buying them.
 
I've been collecting high end autos for 20 years. I have around 30 at this time, all very spendy. I don't carry one, don't need the hassle. I have a CWP and hardly ever carry. I've splurged on quality possessions; car, watch, firearms and knives. Personally I feel the pain of buying quality is way short lived compared to the disappointment with second best.

The thing about Chris Reeve's knives is the precision he's built into them. For the most part the knives appear pretty plain, until you really examine them. Chris's manufacturing tolerances are second to none. His choice of raw materials is top tier.

All that said, I carry a Large Sebenza 21 from True North with silver trimmings. When it gets lost there is a BNIB large 21 in the safe to replace it. I'm thinking about making a lanyard with a snap on belt clip on the end and long enough to incorporate a slip bead for wrist attachment, when over water or heights. I really should make that lanyard.
 
5.56 said:
Here's what will happen, trust me.

You'll sell most of your folders and get the Sebenza. Then you'll realize you wanted a Lg. Sebenza, after more selling occurs and that one arrives you'll wish you had got the inlayed model. Soon more selling occurs and then the inlayed model arrives. After you carry your grail Sebenza for a week you'll need to satisfy your fix for buying knives, except now you realize you have developed a taste for high-end titanium folders. Now you are screwed. About 2 years goes by and you own 4 Sebenzas, 3 Striders, 3 Hinderers and some rare customs. do you really want to go down this path?;):cool:
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+1 what he said...

I say do it man! It's gonna be gnawing away at you till you do..... Leave 1 folder for the "dirty" jobs you
wouldn't subject your higher end folders to... I have a few that I carry that won't hurt if they are "lost" and by lost I mean broken or confiscated.
 
dcmartin said:
+1 what he said...

I say do it man! It's gonna be gnawing away at you till you do..... Leave 1 folder for the "dirty" jobs you
wouldn't subject your higher end folders to... I have a few that I carry that won't hurt if they are "lost" and by lost I mean broken or confiscated.
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I agree except more than one for your dirty jobs - more like about 10 -12 assorted dirty job knives. The as you quoted that's exactly right I did the same thing except "for me" it stopped with Hinderer folders. They're tough sobs with all of the excellence in F&F, and better ergos than the CRK offerings. I can honestly that I don't want another folder right now except another XM-24 for a back-up and I hope to have that soon, so I can really wail on the one I have now.

I used to 3 big tupperwares filled with ho-hum folders and now I have about 10 decent ones that I'll not worry about hurting and a couple of Hinderers. It makes for a nice light carrying case full of cutlery. Welcome to the addiction! :D
 
I find it odd when people talk about searching for the "perfect knife", one that would cause someone to give up all other knives. For me, owning multiple knives is half the fun. I don't keep buying knives in order to try getting closer to that ideal model; I like variety. I suppose some folks wear only one pair of shoes, everywhere, no matter the occasion, but I couldn't do that. I like to change things up too much.

My lowly Kershaw Leek from '03 pretty much covers all my needs... I just like carrying and using different blade shapes, lock types, various colors, etc... Any knife I keep is the perfect knife, so there's tons of them out there.
 
brets-ftw said:
Too true, just sold my motorcycle for this addiction
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Wow... I don't think I would ever do that...

About the original question: yes I have a Sebenza, every knife knut is bound to try it one day, yet I have just as much fun slicing stuff with my Opinels, which in my opinion have more character despite being so cheap.
 
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