Do you own Pinnacle and Sebenza?

T

tuhkis

Joined
Jul 20, 2000
Messages
324
Allright, once again and this time is the very last time for me.
And this is a promise! ;)

So: If you happen to own BM Pinnacle and CRK (large, classic) Sebenza I'd like to hear your opinions.

Is the Sebenza so much better than Pinnacle that it explains it's price?

Is it (honestly) three times better?

If screw heads are polished - then so what?

If I'm understood right, it (talkin' all time about Sebenza) isn't any perfectness.
All these "I do have Sebenza, but I like my Spyderco Wegner more" -talkings makes me wonder...:confused:

Thanks in advance!

Tuhkis
 
I have owned both and the Sebenza is definitely better made than the Pinnacle. My Pinnacle had some vertical blade play and the lock was not quite as tight as the Sebenza's. The Sebenza also has superior blade geometry althougth the Pinnacle edge was probably less prone to chipping. I cannot honestly say that the Sebenza worth 3x the price. There is such a thing as diminishing returns. The Pinnacle is a knife that listed for about $170 and the Sebenza lists at $345. Once a production knife gets over $100, it is probably very high quality and the level of improvement that one can observe for every subsequent $100 will be fairly small. This statement is not universally true, but the I do believe that such is the case generally. Expensive knives, although practical, are really intended for those who have some passion about their tools, otherwise, no one really needs more than a $50 knife.
 
Very well said, Anthony, and how TRUE! I would only differ that your problems w/ the 750 are are simply QC, and not generally found. And certainly CR, given his semi-custom production methods and smaller numbers of product, is much less likely to deliver a knife w/ QC issues.
 
I owned a Pinnacle for one week.Then I traded it back to the dealer from whom I purchased it.At that time I figured I needed a Large Plain Sebenza.Now I think I'll go buy it back.:confused: tom.
 
No offense, but you've GOT to be kidding.

It's almost shameful to put the Pinnacle and the Sebenza in the same sentence, they just aint in the same class.

The Sebenza is a beautiful EDC blade made from the finest materials known to man, it is custom fitted to make sure everything is peachy, and no matter how great the QC is at benchmade, I guarantee ya CRK is greater.

I personally have handled the pinnacle, but not the sebenza, still I must say that I was REMARKABLY disappointed with the pinnacle, if it were priced at $50 I might be interested, but at $90, it's a joke, especially when one can acquire a drop point griptilian for $70.

is the Sebenza 3 times better? naah, more like 10 times.
 
I have owned several Sebenzas and one Pinnacle. The Sebenza is a wondeful knife, but it is just a knife. A Sebenza and Pinnacle are made from almost the same materials, titanium and steel (BM,ATS-34 & BG 42, CRK). The Sebenza clearly has superior fit and finish but I could easily see a Pinnacle lasting as a cutting tool for years and years, just like a Sebenza. Afterall, far cheaper knives like Buck 110s and Old Timer last for decades. Plastic knives like Delicas can last for years providing reliable service. A Sebenza, like any other knife will eventually be scratched and the blade will shrink from sharpening over time. (I know that CRK will refurbish their knives, but I don't think they will give owners new blades.) I am not saying this to slam Sebenzas. I have owned them and I will probably get one again because they are neat knives. That said, all they do is cut, just like any other knife, and they will wear out with use, like any other knife.
 
The longer I'm on these forums the more I appreciate Anthony Cheeseboro! You are right on the mark there once again Anthony!:)

It really is like comparing apples and oranges. I currently own both and I can tell you that the Sebenza is far and away the nicer knife. It really does come down to headspace. I like very nice things especially tools. I buy nice tools. End of story.

I showed a kid at work this morning a nice custom by Tom Anderson. He looked it over, then handed it back to me without comment. Then he launched into "Have you seen the new Cold Steels yet?" Some people just will never get it. :rolleyes:
 
I own both, and the Sebenza is head and shoulders over the 750. For the money, however, the 750 is a good value. The real difference is in the precision of the lock-up and the blade steel and grind. The Sebenza actually cuts better than some customs I own. Of course, all this comes at a virtual "custom" price.
 
It has been a pleasure for me to read your replies.

My earlier assumption - there are aspects and aspects - got stronger.

Common sense says "get 750" - the other half of me "c'mon, get a reward by purchasing a living classic, get Sebbie".

After all - and some of you may not believe this - choosing between these two is not simple.:confused:

Tuhkis
 
Originally posted by YoungCutter
Click to expand...
The Sebenza is a beautiful EDC blade made from the finest materials known to man, it is custom fitted to make sure everything is peachy, and no matter how great the QC is at benchmade, I guarantee ya CRK is greater.
For the reference, both have Ti handles, and Pinnacle was made of ATS-34 as Sebenza was some time ago. I think it's craftsmanship, quality
and attention to all details that makes Sebenza much better. Donno if that is 3 times better or not, but I do own Sebenza and no Pinnacle.

P.S. Is BM would ever produce M2 Pinnacle I'd have it for sure.
 
Tuhkis,
I reckon that the Sebenza is an itch that in the end you will just have to scratch. May as well do it now.Put the money you would spend on the Pinnacle toward that Sebenza and it won't be too painful.
Forget all the anguish , buy one and smile!
Paul.
 
Originally posted by pauldulson
Tuhkis,
I reckon that the Sebenza is an itch that in the end you will just have to scratch.
Paul.
Click to expand...
I'm afraid of this.

A kind of funny; after all it's only a knife with brick-like handle (can't have very comfortable grip) and frame lock (offered by many other manufacturers too).
Little bit like the desire to pay for the star on Mercedes bonnet...

Tuhkis
 
Here's something I'm curious about -

I recently took apart my Sebenza, and saw that the point on the lock bar that meets the blade appeared to have a piece of steel on it, presumably to reduce the rate of wear. I found out later that it was not steel; rather the Ti had been heat treated on the lock face to accomplish that effect.

Does the frame lock on the Pinnacle show that same attention to detail? (Honest question, I've never seen a Pinnacle nor disassembled one).

Here's another: Does it violate BM warranty to disassemble the Pinnacle and clean it?
 
I strongly doubt that BM has heattreated the lock. Unfortunately disassembling violates BM's Warranty.
 
As it has been pointed out already. " NO ONE NEEDS MORE THAN A $50
KNIFE" so it is with Pinniacle and Sebenza. What this type of question really
becomes is a request for, and support of, permission to buy a knife that is over
priced. What a knife cost should be relative to the quality of materials and
workmanship ........to a point. After that point it becomes an excercise in
self gratification of questionable intent. We all are guilty of wanting more
than we need. We just need to convince ourselves we need it.

The Sebenza is a good semi custom knife that cost to much. The Pinnacle is
a good production knife that cost to much. The Camillus EDC is a good
production knife that cost what it should. ALL are frame locks. It's a matter
of choice...........
 
Sheesh, Tightwad, I see where you get your name.

It's been said before, and I'll say it here: the Sebenza is not over priced for the sole reason that you will never have to buy (or want to buy) another production knife for EDC use once you own the Sebenza. I estimate it's already saved me over $200 since I bought my large about a month and a half ago. That brings the cost to $145 so far. I just realized while writing this that if I didn't already have the Sebenza I would probably be looking into getting a Pinnacle right now. So I guess (if you go by the 1sks list price) my Sebenza just saved me another $110, bringing the savings to $310. That's like paying $35 for my Sebenza. I like that, and so does my bank account.

Now if I can just quit going over to Tom Mayo's web site! ;)

-Al-
 
If you're paying more for this for your knives (Heaven forbid you're paying retail), either you've got a desire to support a specific dealer's site/company, or you're just not taking full advantage of these forums. When I'm saying "street price," I'm talking individual sales of late here on the sales forums, and believe me I've been studying them closely:

Street Price on NIB CRK Large Seb.: $290-$305

Street Price on NIB BM Pinnacle/Mono-Lock: $75-$95

How is a Pinnacle/Mono-Lock NOT worth $75.00? Retail on ANY knife is a joke at near 50% more than wholesale. A JOKE. Shop around!

Professor.
 
So Tuhkis, have you decided yet?? Come on , tell us, which one are you going to get? What is that little voice in your head saying right now.
Of course if you go the Pinnacle route the decision is simply that . If , however you go the way of the Sebenza the next question immediately loom's, which one to get, Classic, Regular, Decorated, large/Small, Wood Inlay ?????????
Interested to know what you decide .
Paul.
 
Originally posted by pauldulson
So Tuhkis, have you decided yet?? Come on , tell us, which one are you going to get? What is that little voice in your head saying right now.
Paul.
Click to expand...

In fact...
... I think I skip the whole thing - at least for a while.

I didn't ask just for fun, but then my mind changed.

Pinnacle was sold out in Skylandscutlery, my regular knife shop.

And - after all - I'm not going to spend an arm and a leg for Sebbie.
No, not yet.

But, again, thank you all. Thanks very much.

Tuhkis
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top