First Sebenza - Small 21 Thoughts

J

JBoone

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Dec 30, 2012
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Just wanted to give my thoughts after purchasing my first Sebenza less than a week ago. Plane jane 21 small, one silver lug and silver back spacer. S35Vn stonewashed.

Very happy with the size, but I like smaller knives. I am 6 ft 1 230, so my hands, while not huge, are not small either.
4 fingers fit comfortably, not much more to say in that regard in my opinion. Handle is as comfortable as I would expect any folder to be. There are obvious ergonomic trade offs with having a folder. Flat slabs make a lot of sense. If given the choice, I would obviously have an nice contoured fixed blade handle for sustained work. But this is not a fixed, it is a folder which disappears clipped to the pocket.

Came pretty friggin stiff. Was a concern when I had to fight the detent and overall stiffness for a few days. It is breaking in nicely now. Still firm but my frame of reference is a sage 2 which feels totally different. Hard to explain, but I think i know what bank vault means now. Some weight in the deployment but very smooth and precise. (Like a bank vault, those doors are heavy!) I also have some CR grease on the way. I am sure this will help as well. In summary, no longer a concern.

The other thing that has struck me was how solid the blade lockup is. Absolutely no play in any direction.

Summary - perfect size for my carry needs. Excellent design and engineering in a simple well though out and time proven platform.

I will probably get a large at some point, but I don't think that I would carry it over the small much. Now the next one for me may just be a plane 21 Insigno small.

By the way, decided to order the sebenza after getting my Mnandi 2 weeks before (which I was obviously impressed with).
 
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Nice write up, and congrats on the knife. The action and feel of the knife will improve over time. Eventually it will become quite smooth and glassy.

The Sebenza is a knife you fall in love with more every day that you carry it. I'm glad you were able to overcome your initial apprehensions about the action.

I have a large regular that has been my constant companion for 6 years, now. It still locks up as solid as the day it was made, but that action is so smooth. Not out of control flying open like IBKS or something similar, but a nice, deliberate smoothness that gives a sense of control and solidarity. Action I can count on to never loosen or waver, never develop play.
 
Congratulations on your purchase. I've EDC'd a small Regular for the last several years (when I'm not in slacks carrying a Mnandi). For me, the perfect size for my hand and for the pocket. I have a large but only carry it out in the boonies.
 
The Small Sebenza is in my opinion the perfect size for EDC. I am 6'2" and not what I would call small. This knife just fits me perfectly. It is big enough to do everything and small enough to carry anywhere. Perfection.
 
The small is just that: too small for my hand. I have had quite a few of each. I love the large. Chris knows that one size can't fit all folks. :)
 
Congrats on the knife. The detent on my new large Sebenza/Micarta was so difficult to open one-handed it's now at CRK for warranty work. It just would not loosen up. I bought a large regular right before I sent the Micarta in and it's been like night and day. Much easier to actuate and very smooth at this point.
 
After 15 years of tryin' to get a CRK Sebenza I finally traded a Swamprat Chopweiler for it, should have it in hand by Saturday or Monday, can't wait. :)
 
I like the small and the large. My preference is for Regulars, but the 21 is awesome as well. I would guess I carry a small about 75% of the time. The ideal would be one that is a small until it comes out of your pocket, then it turns into a large.
 
Glad you like it!

JBoone said:
Handle is as comfortable as I would expect any folder to be. There are obvious ergonomic trade offs with having a folder. Flat slabs make a lot of sense. If given the choice, I would obviously have an nice contoured fixed blade handle for sustained work. But this is not a fixed, it is a folder which disappears clipped to the pocket.
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I'm not trying to sell you a knife or anything but maybe an inlay version would be something to try out. It'll give the handle a little more beef and roundness.
 
Just as an update, I received some CRK grease, and it made a huge difference. The detent is still a bit stiff, but not bad. Really enjoying the knife.


matt1987 said:
Glad you like it!



I'm not trying to sell you a knife or anything but maybe an inlay version would be something to try out. It'll give the handle a little more beef and roundness.
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I may try one at some point, but I really like the simplicity and look of the plain. More of an asthetics thing I suppose. I can see how the inlays would add to the functionality of the scales though.

Thanks for all the congrats guys, I am already dreaming of an insingo small (I really had a hard time deciding between the standard blade and the Insingo the first time)
 
My small 21 showed up yesterday as well. It is also my first sebenza and overall I'm quite pleased. Out of the box the action was pretty stiff, but I took it apart, cleaned it and relubed and I've been playing with it quite a bit and it seems to be loosening up a bit, any grittiness is gone and I now understand the hydraulic feel sebenza are known for. The convex edge out of the box was another slight point of contention for me. It was reasonably sharp, but pretty obtuse for my liking, so I slapped her on the wicked edge and re profiled the edge to around 34° inclusive and polished the bevel up to 0.5 micron on the balsa wood strops and man oh man, now she's screaming sharp. Overall I'm very pleased with my small 21 and I'm sure I will continue to fall in love with it as it breaks in (or it breaks me in...).
 
My absolute favorite knife in the world is a large Regular Sebenza. That said, I carry a Small 21 Snakewood almost every day that I wear slacks into work. It's an awesome, awesome 3" knife, for all the reasons you describe.

Today, however, is jeans-Friday.....:D
 
The small ranks up towards the top of my fav knives! Perfect size to carry around, I found the large to be too big to be a comfortable carry.
They sometimes take a little while to break in, but it will don't worry:)
Also...... They are addictive! You will end up with more!
 
I like the small sebenza, and really love the damascus blade. Yes, I use it for light to moderate cutting and not a scratch on the surface of the blade (yet). The damascus is an acquired taste, but once you get one, you will become addicted. Chris' damascus is SS and can be used. High carbon damascus has to be cared for a bit more.
 
Locutus D'Borg said:
I like the small sebenza, and really love the damascus blade. Yes, I use it for light to moderate cutting and not a scratch on the surface of the blade (yet). The damascus is an acquired taste, but once you get one, you will become addicted. Chris' damascus is SS and can be used. High carbon damascus has to be cared for a bit more.
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Any idea what Rockwell the Damascus are treated to?
 
Just got my first Sebenza in a trade, it's a 21 Small in denim and I love it it's everything I expected it to be, the question is, will I be sorry I got it? How many will it take now to say I have enough?
 
Devon Thomas does not say on his website, but I analyzed damascus with the same two steels he uses for that pattern, and most knife-makers using similar damascus steels HT it to about 58. Mine has held an edge well, but I mainly cut envelopes open, and some cardboard boxes.

I have only stropped with a leather strop I bought (someone recommended it, cost $19.95). and will send it to CRK for sharpening if it needs it, because I don't want to screw it up.

Officer's Match said:
Any idea what Rockwell the Damascus are treated to?
Click to expand...
 
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