I have done some thinking on the Sebenzas right to exist! I realize this is probably punishable by death on this Forum but bear with me and read my explanation before cutting be up into little pieces: think twice, cut once!
I started my Chris Reeve love with the one-piece range and still have a wonderful near-mint Made in SA Mark V which I will never sell. My first Reeve Folder was the small plain Sebenza. I loved everything about this folder, but in the meantime I have also had a large plain Sebenza, 2 Umnumzaans and 2 Mnandis, which is what got me thinking:
If I want to carry a nice pocket- and people-friendly little knife the Mnandi is ideal. Its blade is thinner than the small Sebenza and it has wonderful inlaid wood. Even the annual inlaid Sebenzas dont look as nice on the locking bar side without wood covering it (my taste). I like relatively thin blades because I cut stuff with my knives and dont ever use my knives to pry. The Mnandi fits my HUGE hands better than the small Sebenza as its handle, though slightly shorter overall actually has more space for my fingers due to its design. The blade is almost as long and there is no thumb lug, making it even more useful according to me. When comparing my small and large Sebenza I find the small to have too thick a blade as they are the same thickness and I like slicers in small blades. The advantages of a simple pin construction with bushing are of course shared in both designs.
If I want a larger pocket-knife, which can replace a small fixed blade in many instances ,the Umnumzaan makes more sense to me than the large Sebenza. I truly believe it is an upgrade from the Sebenza with a super-smooth action, which is probably less susceptable to sand and its pivot and blade are stronger by design (although I dont realy need that much strength for my useage). I like the fact that its thumb lugs are against the handle and are not sticking out of the usable blade when opened and it has some texture for a good grip.
So after logically concluding that I dont need either my small or my large Sebenza why is it that my current favorite is probably my large Sebenza? I guess it has to do with emotions. The almost ugly (compared to Mnandi) lockbar side and the plain slabs with 3 pins make me think of the first time I saw a Glock. Obviously no effort went into the original design to make it look nice. It was made functional and therein lies beauty. KISS or form follows function or is it art? I dont realy know what it is, but I am obviously not alone as they still sell well despite the Mnandi and the Umnumzaan!
I started my Chris Reeve love with the one-piece range and still have a wonderful near-mint Made in SA Mark V which I will never sell. My first Reeve Folder was the small plain Sebenza. I loved everything about this folder, but in the meantime I have also had a large plain Sebenza, 2 Umnumzaans and 2 Mnandis, which is what got me thinking:
If I want to carry a nice pocket- and people-friendly little knife the Mnandi is ideal. Its blade is thinner than the small Sebenza and it has wonderful inlaid wood. Even the annual inlaid Sebenzas dont look as nice on the locking bar side without wood covering it (my taste). I like relatively thin blades because I cut stuff with my knives and dont ever use my knives to pry. The Mnandi fits my HUGE hands better than the small Sebenza as its handle, though slightly shorter overall actually has more space for my fingers due to its design. The blade is almost as long and there is no thumb lug, making it even more useful according to me. When comparing my small and large Sebenza I find the small to have too thick a blade as they are the same thickness and I like slicers in small blades. The advantages of a simple pin construction with bushing are of course shared in both designs.
If I want a larger pocket-knife, which can replace a small fixed blade in many instances ,the Umnumzaan makes more sense to me than the large Sebenza. I truly believe it is an upgrade from the Sebenza with a super-smooth action, which is probably less susceptable to sand and its pivot and blade are stronger by design (although I dont realy need that much strength for my useage). I like the fact that its thumb lugs are against the handle and are not sticking out of the usable blade when opened and it has some texture for a good grip.
So after logically concluding that I dont need either my small or my large Sebenza why is it that my current favorite is probably my large Sebenza? I guess it has to do with emotions. The almost ugly (compared to Mnandi) lockbar side and the plain slabs with 3 pins make me think of the first time I saw a Glock. Obviously no effort went into the original design to make it look nice. It was made functional and therein lies beauty. KISS or form follows function or is it art? I dont realy know what it is, but I am obviously not alone as they still sell well despite the Mnandi and the Umnumzaan!
