Do you guys really use your CR knives?

Don't mean to sound condescending guys but a $300+ knife to open envelopes, cut tape, sandwiches, and rope If that is what you want to do, that is your business, but you're proving my point. All of those tasks could EASILY be accomplished, without the fan fair of a sebenza. I'm not against using an expensive knife but my point is that I didn't think the "firepower" was really necessary. Now if you like the configuration, size, just plain like it, or just want to collect them because they are an engineering marvel, which they are, then be my guest. But I haven't heard a task yet that couldn't be accomplished with a $30 slipjoint.

I guess my little sebenza will forever be locked in the safe unless it somehow finds freedom in the arms of another. :D

Brian
 
Brian Bentley said:
Don't mean to sound condescending guys but a $300+ knife to open envelopes, cut tape, sandwiches, and rope If that is what you want to do, that is your business, but you're proving my point. All of those tasks could EASILY be accomplished, without the fan fair of a sebenza. I'm not against using an expensive knife but my point is that I didn't think the "firepower" was really necessary. Now if you like the configuration, size, just plain like it, or just want to collect them because they are an engineering marvel, which they are, then be my guest. But I haven't heard a task yet that couldn't be accomplished with a $30 slipjoint.
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I'll assume you're not in the market for a $3000 Ron Lake folder then? Ron's lucky that lots of people are and I'll bet a good percentage of them get used too ~ even if it is just for opening envelopes.
 
Zozzie,

It is very difficult to put into words in a format that is two dimensional like these forums. You can't here tone of voice or inflection, but I certainly don't have issue with anyone spending that amount of money on any knife. I myself have spent that much, I bought a sebenza, among many others. All I am saying is that in my present "state" of knife usage, I have found that I don't want or need to carry a mid sized locking folder on a daily basis. I generally carry a diminutive slipjoint. When hunting, and I do that "ALOT", just ask my wife, I generally carry a fixed blade, promarily a Dozier to be more specific. The sebenza, while very alluring, that's why I bought it, falls into a range that I don't feel comfortable carrying on a daily basis. I have found that a much smaller knife fits the bill for my daily lifestyle. If I worked on a ranch or some other place where a mid sized locking blade knife could and would be utilized, I would carry it. That is just me personally.

The original question that I posed was one of reflection both for myself and possibly for anyone who might read it. In that I didn't find it necessary to carry such "firepower" on a daily basis, and I wondered if others, upon reflection, might feel the same way. If a pen knife suits your purposes, by all means carry it. If a 9" bowie fighter suited you, by all means carry that. I just wondered how many people carried "More" knife than they really needed based on their daily lifestyle.

Sorry, I didn't mean to get so wordy, I guess I am just a little frustrated with myself and my lack of self restraint that I bought a stealth fighter when all I really needed was a Cessna. :D Price is really of no consequence. Currently I carry a Ruple custom slipjoint, the price for which I could have bought two sebenzas. Nevertheless now I have a sebenza that will probably never see any real "fighter" action. Just overkill in my situation.

All that being said, the sebenza that I have, while standard and plain by comparison to some that are available, is truly a work of art in engineering. I believe the Chris Reeve has created, in his knives, instruments that are practically bomb proof. I just don't work with many bombs on a daily basis. Thank goodness.

Guys, and Ladies, I promise I am not knocking anyone for buying, carrying or using them. I just wondered how many people actually carried and used them because they needed them and their strength in design.

Hopefully I have been able to unruffle any feathers that I may have inadvertantly ruffled. ;)

I promise that I tried to make this a well worded, well thought out post. I apologize if I upset anyone.

Thanks for reading,

Brian
 
My sebbie rides on my duty rig and sees multiple uses. Some from the mundane like opening letters to cutting sandwiches. But for some of the real jobs..., it cuts seat belts, illegal plants and plastic hand-cuffs. I feel that money well spent on a tool is...., well, money well spent. I just like the fact that it can be taken apart for maintenance and that if you maintain an edge, it is wicked sharp. If you feel that you need a "Cessna" than buy the Cessna and use it, I can't see it as a F117 (just me). For me, my sebbie is like a "J-3 Cub" or a "CH-53"....nothing fancy, just a solid built tool that calls to be used.

I'm sure most guys on my dept. would laugh at me for spending $ on steel....most guys carry chinese tin and are happy with it. For me, I wanted a sebbie.

-e-
 
No offence taken Brian. I guess it's wise for us to go through life doing what makes us feel good (within legalities of couse) even if the things don't make much sense to others. Most times when we do this the only justification that we can offer is "because". And that's ok.

I use the word "because" to justify my $10,000 mountain bike when a $1000 bike would do the job, my $1500 watch when a $15 Casio would do, my $40,000 car when a $20,000 one will go the same speed and a $400 Sebenza when a $4 Chinese knife will cut too.

I don't "need" any of the above but I just choose to have and use them. But they do offer value over the cheaper stuff and not just bolster my ego for ownership or it would just be an exercise in "look at me for what I decided to spend my money on".

But.......doesn't my $40 Case slip joint offer way more than 10% of Sebenza's ability? Sure it does. The only people I have to please with my decision are my wife and myself in that order. Few others are ever considered and I rarely worry about what is the minimum I can get away with. :rolleyes:
 
Brian, read my story I've linked earlier in this thread. Do you still think that $50 fixed blade would do the same with so much ease? It would probably stop cutting after 5 minuts or less... and that's why I've chosen no less that Chris Reeve Mk.VI. That is tool, not toy. And I'd carry it every day if I could, but it looks a bit out of place with a jacket. That's why I've chosen Sebenza for my EDC.
 
Piter,

I read your story when you first posted it. Very well written. I must admit that for the purposes that you used it for, you made a very wise choice. I myself, don't do much of what you described, much to my dismay. Sounds like you had loads of fun. Most of my outings are hunting based and I have found the perfect tool for that, my Dozier, which is in the same price range and quality as the CRK. Just a slight alteration in intended usage. Again, wonderful story. Well written and very explainatory with respect to the utility ot the One Piece design.

My question was based more on my personal needs, and requesting input from others about their usage and whether or not the sebenza and/or the OPD was really useful for their respectible needs or overkill. You, have exhibited, with the reminder of your story, where the design met the need. Kudos to you.

I'm still not convinced as to WHY "I" NEED a sebenza. The OPD situation was worked out since someone who "needed" it worse than me relenquished it from my captivity. ;)

Thanks,

Brian
 
Brian, you're not convinced why you need a Sebenza, yet you carry a Mayo and Dozier when you "go afield" Why? When a Schrade old timer and a Buck 119 will do the job?
 
guy,

I never said that the sebenza wasn't worthy of carry. I just said that I, personally, didn't like the way they felt. It was a personal opinion. I also said that such "firepower" wasn't necessary in many instances. Same could be said for the two that you mention, well maybe not the Dozier, ;) I have seen NO EQUAL at edge retention when it comes to processing big game animals. The tool definately fits the inteded use there. As for the Mayo, I happen to like the way it feels. Is it necessary? No. My diminutive 110 will do every job that I have ever have called on the Mayo to do, and I probably wouldn't be nearly as concerned about "messing" it up. :) When you mention Schrade Old Timer, a stockman comes to mind, it's an association thing, I know that the Old Timer is a line of knives that represents many configurations, but my granddad carried an Old Timer stockman so that is what I see when I hear the name. To that end, I do have a few "Old Timers" and carry them on occasion, but more out of nostalgia than out of belief that they are of high quality. The fit and finish is lacking on the modern Old Timers in my opinion.

Please don't misinterpret my post as a bash against carrying expensive knives. I happen to carry a rether costly stockman as an EDC, costly by many peoples standards anyway. My comments are directed more at design than cost. I just don't see why So many people feel like they need to carry a hi-tech combat/tactical knife for everyday use. Does everyone want to be Rambo that badly? To that end, my frustration comes from seeing so many manufacturers abandoning their less racey designs such as the old fashioned slipjoints just to capitalize on the market of new knife carriers who think that by carrying a tactical masterpiece, they somehow are more of a bada$$. Present company here excluded of course. As big of a lobby as we may be here, most of the posters that frequent here are probably in the majority of people who actually have real needs for knives of these designs. I just wanted to get some input for the experts.

I'll give you an example. If you wanted to know why a fully automatic weapon was really necessary, who would you ask? Probably someone who had an actual need to use one. That doesn't mean that there are not a BUNCH of people out there who would buy one and use it to shoot tin cans. The point being is that the latter doesn't really "NEED" such firepower. They just think it's neat.

To each his own I guess.

Thanks for listening,

Brian
 
When you mention Mayo are you talking the Buck Mayo or the original Mayo? If you dont like the way a knife feels,that is certanly understandable. The Buck Mayo was made to compete with the Sebenza. You have thus confused me on 'firepower' Both target the same market. The Buck just happens to have had the internet put the price lower. I'm also reading your posts in Bucks forum and putting all in to balance.
FWIW, In addition to simple cutting,I look at materials,fit finish and creativity. I think that is what attracts us to the knives we have.Or why we buy more knife than we 'need'.
take care, guy
 
I'm sorry guy,

I am speaking of the Buck collaboration with Mayo. It is just a slimmer version of a sebenza. Maybe not quite so robust. Materials are the same though. Like I said earlier. I was lured by the sebenza mystique to the point that I bought one. It has never seen action though. I don't have any problem whatsoever with someone liking it though. I totally understand. I put myself into the catagory of buying more knife than I really need along with others. I have just come to that realization and wondered if anyone else shared in my revelation. ;)

As I get older, I guess I am becoming more and more nostalgic about things. The little stockman patter slipjoint knife is one that both my dad and granddad carried. It all goes full circle in life. I have come to the understanding that sometimes less is more, more efficient if you will. I can assure you that most people are not nearly as intimidated when I whip out a little stockman to open a letter as they would be if I were to whip some pseudo tactical, black, mega, knife. I hope you and others will eventually see where I am going with this. I never intended this trhead to be a threat to anyones masculinity. I was just trying to invoke some reflection in each of us about what and more importantly why we carry the knives we carry.

This is starting to feel like a dead horse. I won't beat it any more. :)

Keep the faith brother, :D

Brian
 
I too carry slipjoints.I rotate quit a bit. But Brian, you really should give the Sebenza a week in your pocket. I'll be back tomorow nite. take care, guy
 
My only concern is that at this point, if I were to try to get rid of it, I could honestly state that it ws NIB. If I carried it, the knife might loose some value. I will probably end up putting it on ebay sometime in the future.

Brian
 
Brian, don't be so hard on yourself. The thing that I really like about the Sebenzas is that they are so renewable. Short of intensional abuse (like putting the blade in a vise and trying to break it), you can use your Sebenza very hard and get it all mucked up. Then you just take it apart, clean it, maybe sharpen it (think edge pro) and touch up the scales with Scotchbrite. Ta da! New knife again! But anyway to each his own and if the Sebenza isn't working for you, you might be better off selling it. Personally I think they get better with age and use, kind of like a fine wine, I use my Sebenzas except I'm more careful with the inlayed ones (though I find they can take the daily use without the "charachter marks" associated with the plain models). My inlayed damascus Sebenzas do remain in the vault.

I tried the slipjoint thing but I can't handle a knife that doesn't lock. For me the Mnandi fitts that bill and does so quite nicely. I fact I took out all my tomato plants a couple weeks ago and used my Mnandi to cut the plants into sizes that would fit into my trashcan. That Mnandi it quite a nice knife that has far exceeded my expectations.

Anyway, take care, do what you need to do and no apologies are necessary in the CRK forum. ;)
 
Brian,

It seems like you have two issues.

One, your statement that the Sebbie is overkill. Perhaps, but it all depends on how you think about it. Yes, a lesser tool will do the job in many of the cases, but from my perspective, I want to be able to rely on the tool to perform whatever need I might happen upon, which tends to mean the better the tool, the better.

But then, I think your real issue is your statement that the Sebbie doesn't feel right to you. I think this is the real issue and I would just say - if it doesn't feel right, it isn't right. Not everything is right for everyone. If it doesn't feel right, don't feel guilty or bad, just find something that does. Don't worry; be happy! Sell the Sebbie and find something you like. Life it too short for regrets. :-)

-john
 
Brian, you may not know it, but what you are wanting is a Dozier frame lock Folding Hunter!

I may have some thoughts on the MK VI model a bit in the future. ;)

N2
 
I carry my Mnandi w/African Blackwood inlays on an almost daily basis during work hours. My small Sebbie is always clipped to my pocket when I'm out and about during my personal time. I must admit that I have an Umfaan w/ a unique graphic that has pretty much been a safe queen since I bought it back in the spring. I just can't bring myself to carry/use it.
 
I picked up a 5.5 aviator this year and I've been putting it to work, camping and hunting I never leave home without it when I go into the woods. I've been cut once, now I bleed CRK
 
Lots of introspection and gray matter used on this thread. Knives are like other products - there is variation in all areas of the price / performance spectrum. People get what they like and can afford. One's choice is not necessarily another's cup of tea.

While talking about cups, coffee comes to mind. For some, only a $4.00 Starbucks will do, while others don't mind the plain old cup of joe from the corner diner.

In this area, dedicated to Chris Reeve knives, you will find a whole bunch of like-minded folks who love the entire experience and share this with others.
 
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