Finally got a Sebenza!

Macchina

Macchina

Joined
Apr 7, 2006
Messages
5,215
I've been passing off the Sebenza owners for the past few years as kool-aid drinkers who spend 4 Benchmades worth on a knife that was designed over 20 years ago! I never even thought about owning a Sebenza until I saw one for a great price on the sale forum. No pics were included, and it was described as used with a "modification" from the previous owner. I fire sold some knives and sent the money: less than a week later I had the knife in my hand. First impressions were" this is a well built knife that is very dull, won't flick open, and doesn't feel very ergonomic at all! Well, I disassembled it, soaked it all in alcohol, washed it off, sprayed it with a water displacer and reassembled it. After seeing how smooth it had become, I decided to keep it and I milled thumb grooves on the handle (pics 1&2) where one of the previous owners had modified it. After a long sharpening and a week in my pocket, it won't leave! I absolutely love this knife. The internal design is genius, the workmanship is excellent, blade shape perfect, and the ergos don't really bother me after all. If you are on the fence, they are definitely worth the used price ($250 - $300), and they are worth the full price if you have money to spend on nice things (not worth it if you have bills to pay, razor blades are much cheaper). Here are some pics:

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Does anybody know what the "B" means?
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Does anybody know what that "B" means in the last picture? I'm thinking possibly "Born"...
 
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michaelmcgo said:
Does anybody know what that "B" means in the last picture? I'm thinking possibly "Born"...
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B is for bastard for posting bragging about getting the knife I’ve been (literally) dreaming about…thanks for rubbing it in.:D

Seriously though I don’t know what it stands for you might be right thinking its “born“. Sweet knife and congratulations.:thumbup: Seems like every time someone talks about getting one of these I start to think big thoughts.
 
Man I love the shape of the Sebenza blade but I can't justify the cost. Nice score though. :thumbup:
 
Don't try to justify the cost, it's not worth it if you have to. I am by no means wealthy (Married 3 years ago and going to college), but I had knives to sell when I spotted this deal. I got it for $225! The "modification" was hastily done by a dremel or file, so most people would not have wanted it if they couldn't clean it up.

I didn't know a lot about Sebenzas until I took it apart. The pivot uses a bushing so you can crank down the pivot screw and have a smooth knife with ZERO blade play. The blade stop rotates so you can adjust the amount of lockup. All the screws use the same wrench, and the clip screw is the only one that is different. All the pins are the same and interchangeable. All in all, it is a unique knife that will last a lifetime.
 
One slab will have a B, the other slab should have an A. The 05 is year of mfg. As I understand it both slabs are machined together and a locater hole is drilled near the tail. The B slab becomes the lock bar side while the A side ends up with a useless hole. Look for A 05 on the other slab.
 
Great pics, michaelmcgo. Thanks for posting them, and your thoughts! Like J.Mattson, I am on the fence about a Sebbie. As a LH, the Alias (or CRKT S2 :D )is not a great alternative for me.

Like you, I thought that it was mostly Kool-Aid, "do they really not cut well" and "no flick = meh". However, I really hear the siren call and have a growing FSOT pile.

Given that you were recently in a very similar mindset to where I am now, could you elaborate on what won you over? I've got knives with good F&F, and I've got knives that get really sharp, etc blah blah.

What is it about the Sebbie anyway? :confused:
 
It says B 05 on both sides...

What made me want one was the blade shape and the way the knife "wears". I love the way pocket worn titanium looks, it has a quality that stainless steel or aluminum cannot get over time. The blade shape is absolutely perfect, I could tell this from the pics.

Fit and Finish is great, but it's the design of the knife that really sets it apart. No expense was spared in the way the hardware works perfectly with the knife, unlike a Benchmade where off-the-shelf parts sometimes dictate design. Once you take one apart, you will realize what sets it apart from other knives. The bushing on the pivot screw is the best design concept I've seen in a knife since my first axis lock! There is no sacrifice between a smooth action and no blade play, they occur at the same time without any fiddling with tightness on the pivot screw.
 
The B is part of the date code and indicated the quarter it was made. Not sure if it is the date the handle was made, or when the whole knife was made. The B 05 indicates the second quarter of 2005.
 
I just got a used one also,and paid about 265.00 total for it.I would pay twice as much if it were the same size as my EDC the BM skirmish,but the knife is really built and I do like it.Just have a thing for larger folders and would be totally thrilled if they did the same knife with 4 1/2" blade [ or 5" ] and then go with a flat grind or convex,but the knife is a beauty as you state and you take AMAZING pic's bro .Good onya and enjoy her.
 
My newest small classic has A06 on one side and B06 on lock side. I have others with A and B. Never seen other letters such as C or D or whatever.
 
Looks like a new Sebenzanista in the house! Excellent knife and pictures. Enjoy the knife, and start thinking about a large wood or micarta Classic. The extra width really feels good in the hand.
 
It's a very nice knife and I really like the work you did to the handle. When I read your post "I milled thumb grooves on the handle " I said to myself oh oh ... I guess because I know what it would look like if I did it , but it looks fantastic.
 
JPD1998 said:
I said to myself oh oh ... I guess because I know what it would look like if I did it , but it looks fantastic.
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That was my thought exactly. The grooves look great, and much better than the hack-job butchery I would be capable of. It's one thing to clean up steel or aluminum, but that is some nice work on Ti.
 
Yes, they're built well, but the practicality of the Axis Lock will see a Benchmade back in your pocket soon.;)

After carrying my Seb for a few days, going back to a Mini RSK Mk1 feels like coming home!
 
Steven Andrews said:
Yes, they're built well, but the practicality of the Axis Lock will see a Benchmade back in your pocket soon.;)

After carrying my Seb for a few days, going back to a Mini RSK Mk1 feels like coming home!
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I really wish that you didn't say that, Steven. My RSK Mk.1 just bumped my new Emerson A-100 out of my pocket! There is just something about a Grip...
 
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