Do Sebenzas ever develope play?

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Jun 6, 2005
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I read a comment in a thread in general stating that all knives will loosen and develop play over time. I have found this to be true in all my knives aside from my Sebenza, which I have EDCed exclusively since I bought it, and used daily.

My question is: Down the line, and I mean years of use, has anybody ever had one develop any play?
 
No, tirod3 is trying to justify his purchase and love of Striders where blade play is not unusual.

IME, with normal use and maintenance, not abuse, your likelyhood of developing blade play is very close to 0.
 
I've had my small sebbie since 2005, been using it daily since I got it, often-times I fiddle around with opening and closing it, and still no play to be seen or felt.
 
because of the design using a bushing instead of a pivot screw, you should never experience blade play as the result of wear.

however, if you regularly disassemble a sebbie for cleaning, it is possible that some of the screws back out slightly, making the scales loose. this may result in some blade play.

but just tighten the screws down and problem solved.

most other designs will get blade play from a loose pivot or normal wear.
 
Think of it as if the Sebbie pivot point was the interface between a crankshaft and a piston rod (but the Sebbie has tighter tolerances). How many revolutions of that crankshaft will it take to put play in that joint? Unless you open it several thousand times a day or get something very abrasive in the joint, I doubt it will loosen up within your lifetime.

And, if it does, CRK will fix it.
 
No, tirod3 is trying to justify his purchase and love of Striders where blade play is not unusual.

Haha, I guess you read the thread. Same guy that thinks a Buck Mayo is the same thing as a Sebenza...only better.

I didn't think it would ever develop any play, but I was interested to hear from people that had been using one regularly for years.
 
No, tirod3 is trying to justify his purchase and love of Striders where blade play is not unusual.

IME, with normal use and maintenance, not abuse, your likelyhood of developing blade play is very close to 0.

Kabooooom - You Speaketh the Trutheth.:D

I have beaten the crud out of a couple of sebs (batonning) and some pretty heavy wood working for at least a couple of years - 0 -nadda - no issues with play.

Can't say the same for the Strider(s) etc: - please don't get me started there...
When you pay that much for a knife - it better be perfect, haven't had a Sebenza to date that was not. I know there are lemons with everything, I'm just thankful that I have not had to deal with one from Mr. Reeve - 4 and counting.

Sebenza - 4-4
Strider 0-3 (Yep their gooooooooone.)

BTW for you Strider Fans, that have beat the crap out of yours and experienced no issues - hat's off to you. I guess I just have bad luck, but I sure have learned to appreciate the sebbies.

sp
 
I have a 2001 large regular that has been edc'd since new. No play, no way!:)

I have a SnG as well. It locks up tight and has no play, but it required a little fit and finsh work on my end to make it happen and needs loctite to keep it tight.
 
Only if you mess with it and try and turn it into a flipper which it wasn't designed to do.

I took a few apart recently to switch a damascus blade onto one of my LE's. I didn't put it back together properly the first time; hence, the blade play.

I checked out a video on Youtube which shows the correct way of putting it back together and voila back to perfect lock up.
 
I have a SnG as well. It locks up tight and has no play, but it required a little fit and finsh work on my end to make it happen and needs loctite to keep it tight.

The pivot pin in mine keeps coming loose, very annoying. Does the loctite solution work well?

As for the Sebbie, works just as well now, 3 years after I got it and regular use, as it did the day I got it.
 
The pivot pin in mine keeps coming loose, very annoying. Does the loctite solution work well?

As for the Sebbie, works just as well now, 3 years after I got it and regular use, as it did the day I got it.

I found a better solution for the pivot pin coming loose, its called gasfitters tape over here, a very thin white teflon tape with no adhesive on it.
Plumbers use it daily.
Just a few rotations of this stuff around the thread of the pivot pin, and it will selfvulcanize into a rubberlike compound.
With this stuff you can still adjust bladeplay, but the pin will not come loose on it's own anymore.
No more soldering irons to loosen up your pivot pin.

I use it on my 3 Strider folders and my Emersons, works like a charm.
 
because of the design using a bushing instead of a pivot screw, you should never experience blade play as the result of wear.

however, if you regularly disassemble a sebbie for cleaning, it is possible that some of the screws back out slightly, making the scales loose.

Remember though that the other screws on the Sebenza work the same as the pivot screw: male and female fit together inside a bushing. Any loosening over time would be wear on the screws themselves, which are easily replaced. It will never effect the handle slabs, the way it would on knives where the screws aretapped into the liners or scales.
 
Very good point. But will CRK just send you new screws if this were to ever happen or would you have to send your knife in to them?
 
I got some a while back I assume they still will send screws to you. They cost a small amount.
 
Remember though that the other screws on the Sebenza work the same as the pivot screw: male and female fit together inside a bushing. Any loosening over time would be wear on the screws themselves, which are easily replaced. It will never effect the handle slabs, the way it would on knives where the screws aretapped into the liners or scales.

indeed, but that is the only way i can conceivably see blade play in a sebbie.

if the screws wear, and the scales are able to separate, it is possible the result would be minor blade play.
 
Once again, I learn a little bit more about why the Sebenza is such a well thought out, resilient folder. Thanks, everyone. I wanted to be confident in stating that my Sebenza isn't destined to wear out and get loose like lesser folders.
 
I found a better solution for the pivot pin coming loose, its called gasfitters tape over here, a very thin white teflon tape with no adhesive on it.
Plumbers use it daily.
Just a few rotations of this stuff around the thread of the pivot pin, and it will selfvulcanize into a rubberlike compound.
With this stuff you can still adjust bladeplay, but the pin will not come loose on it's own anymore.
No more soldering irons to loosen up your pivot pin.

I use it on my 3 Strider folders and my Emersons, works like a charm.

Ahhhh... we call it plumbers tape over here, have some in the toolbox. Never thought of using that, good idea, I'll give it a go.
 
Once again, I learn a little bit more about why the Sebenza is such a well thought out, resilient folder. Thanks, everyone. I wanted to be confident in stating that my Sebenza isn't destined to wear out and get loose like lesser folders.

it is possible you may find something you dont like about the sebenza, but blade play will most definitely not be a concern.
 
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