Does Anyone NOT Love The Sebenza ?

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Barabus said:
Well, I just got my first CRK a Sabenza 25 based on all the reports of quality and. Customer service. The money was not a huge issue- I have cheaper and more expensive knives. My 25 is very stiff and difficult to open one handed. And I can see how the anno on the thumb stub will get worn soon. Hopefully not before I get it broken in. All in all, I am happy with it but not ecstatic about it. My personal take is spend another $80 and get a Curtiss.
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Did it come with two of the same size hex key, a bit of loc-tite and lube?
Pretty sure you can adjust the action to right where you want it and lock it in place.
 
I've got a few Sebenzas. A fine knife, but I never carry them at all. I keep them in my collection because all three have a special meaning to me. The design is simple and executed flawlessly, but the steel is so friggin soft! There are many other knives in that price range that I would rather carry and use. I don't see myself buying another Sebenza in my lifetime. I'll take the Pro Tech manual TR-3 over the Sebenza. Same materials, same steel (slightly harder I believe), and you can find them for about $250. I'd also take the Les George VECP over the Sebenza with CTS-XHP steel at $385 from Les.

So do I love the Sebenza? Nope.
 
cncpro11 said:
Did it come with two of the same size hex key, a bit of loc-tite and lube?
Pretty sure you can adjust the action to right where you want it and lock it in place.
Click to expand...

Yes, it did. Good advise and It is only a matter of time before I do that. I am seeing how things break in over the next few weeks then give it that treatment. My fear is that I loc-title before it breaks it then it is too loose and I have to readjust again. However, pushing against the detention is difficult and the pivot adjustment will not help in that regard, really that is the biggest problem for me. It is painful to push the thumb stud against the detent. Not trying to be a girly man, but my thumb is really sore. A first for me btw.
 
I've got one and I like it quite a lot. It's almost all I expected, my only complaint is that it didn't come very sharp from the factory and the steel seems to be a little on the soft side.
 
I really tried to like the Sebenza. I have nothing to complain about it, it's a great knife under many aspects, it just doesn't grow on me.
 
Love it or hate it, there is a good reason that CRK repeatedly wins awards for knife making and that the knives sell at a very fast rate from retailers and on the secondary market. I personally love Sebenzas - not sure if it's the ultimate EDC but I seem to end up with one in my pocket quite often. :) Cheers.
 
Never owned or handled one so I really can't tell you if I would love it or not. The designs do appeal to me in their asthetics but that really doesn't come close to allowing me to make up my mind one way or the other. The prices are a little high IMHO but perhaps they are worth every penny. Never handled one so I don't know but the price does scare me a bit.
 
I have owned both large and small models.Sold both not that impressed, especially considering the cost.
 
I may not love my Sebenza but I radically admire and may even love its oozing quality.

From CRK, I prefer the Umnumzaan (mine is in Wilson Combat StarTac guise) and Mnandi (true Gentleman's folder).
 
I do like mine alot, but it' s not perfect. I' ve cut myself several times on the exposed cutting edge in the back of the handle when the knife is closed. Also I don' t like the deployment, the thumbstud is very slippery and the action, though totally smooth, is pretty stiff. This S30V(mine doesn' t have the S35VN yet) doesn' t seem to hold an edge nearly as well as other S30V too.
 
To use a 'Benza is to love it.

Simple, yup.
Ultra well made, yup.
Tons of subtle features, yup.

I no longer have one, but they are hard to refute even if a bit pricy. I've been pondering on a large 21 or 25 for a while...
 
I wanted to commemorate my first SS retirement deposit by spending a chunk of it on a nice knife. The then new Lion Steel SR1 was considered - but was slow in deliveries here then. I went to a local store and picked out the CRK Umnumzaan - the instock Sebbies were pimped ones - and I wanted plain. I went back for the 'zaan and it was gone. Saddened, I went home and perused the internet, finding Wilson Combat and their new StarTac Umnumzaan - I had one in two days for a couple of $ less than that local plain 'zaan would have cost me with s/t! My first reaction - like this AM's - recalls a famous SNL skit... "I'm not worthy... I'm not worthy!". It is one fine folder! It begot a Nyala fb purchase and the next summer's plain small Sebbie (S35VN) purchase, my entire CRK collection. The little Sebbie is nice - certainly finer than the Buck 172 Mayo TNT I had owned for several years before discovering CRKs. The TNT, a Ti-framelock with a Bos heat treated S30V blade, was pricey - listing too close to the small Sebbie for comfort. It proved a large manufacturer could make a tighter tolerance and quality knife, albeit for a price.

I went to our local sharp thing emporium to buy a small Sebbie two years ago, opting for a pair of knives, an MT UltraTech and a BM 480-1 Shoki, for the same money. I got as far as the traffic light before I turned around and went back... leaving with the new small plain S35VN Sebbie instead. Bliss! Not to worry - my wife secretly had the salesman put the MT & BM back for her - and gifted me them later that summer for my birthday. I love the BM Shoki - carry it a lot. The MT otf auto dagger is pretty useless - it's on my desk now - about the only use it gets. It is 'kewl'! The small Sebbie is a user - like the 'zaan. I didn't want to add more pocket carry (I removed the clips - like I do on all of my new knives.) patina to my CRK folders, so I obtained their leather pocket sheaths for my two CRKs. It makes pocket carry safer and adds just a bit more time for deployment. The Sebbie's S35VN steel has kept it's edge at least as well as the 'zaan's S30V. Both have been returned to razor sharpness several times thus far with just a strop. Both CRKs were - and remain - slick in operation. Great knives... are they worth the cost? Some days yes - some days, if I haven't touched them recently, not so much. YMMV - and that's okay!

Top down: CRK 'StarTac' Umnumzaan (S30V); Buck Mayo TNT (S30V); CRK small plain Sebbie (S35VN); and Benchmade 480-1 (m390) Shoki.

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Stainz
 
This may sting a bit.....BUT,..if your first thought prior to considering a Sebenza is $...move on, you're already going to be disappointed. The reason for this; "Happiness is the distance between expectation and reality". It's not going to glow or sing a song when you open the box. You think because you spent $350 or more it should cut your steak for you. Well, that ain't happening. After owning MANY Spidie's, BM's, and Kershaw's in conjunction with a Sebenza, I soon realized it was the Sebenza that found it's way into my pocket the most, and the yard stick all others were measured against. Shortly after, the bulb switched on, and my thought was, "if I sell all of my other knives, what other CRK's could I buy". And don't even get me started on the Mnandi. they are like Cool Ranch Dorito's....you can't stop.

BTW, I know this for a fact......You know what was in the briefcase in the movie Pulp Fiction? It was the very first Sebenza ever made. True!
 
Teenagers are generally disappointed in the Sebenza because it doesn't have the newest, toughest steel (as determined by the internet metallurgists) and the scariest profile. No,the kids who fantasize about fights between Superman and Batman aren't going to appreciate the nuances in fit and finish offered by the Sebenza. There are exceptions. But generally, appreciation of Sebenzas come with experience.
 
I have Spyderco, ZT, BM and some Italian folders SR1 and others.
I regret to have spent money for those and not buy only sebenzas.
Now i am moving the others and switch to CRK.
You have to use them to appreciate them.
CRK is a reputable brand, among the non custom one of the best.
Love a sebenza or not? We are talking about sex of angels :-)
 
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