Five Families of Fine Folders - The line up finally makes sense

Kohai999 said:
That's the part that I don't understand.......I have owned probably 12 or so Sebenzas over time. I carry a Micarta inlaid 25 and LOVE it, much more than I cared for either version of the 21.

Where is all the dislike for the 25 coming from, it's an excellent knife.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
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X2! I love my Insingo and the 21 platform just as much as the next person, but if I could only have one CRK folder, it would be my 25! Looks like it's time to pick up a micarta inlaid 25 I've been dreaming about for some time now!
 
It is. I carry mine more than my others. I realize this makes no sense. Obviously I warmed up to the 25 over the years to get to this point. But I got super worried about the Sebenza when the 25 originally got released. Like Kid mentioned many people want to hold on to the previous model and are hesitant to accept the new, human nature. Now that I've learned the backstory around Chris' departure and the legality of it, as well as Heather's departure, some concern arises again. I love most of what they do and offer but I don't like some of the changes as of late. As far as the knife area goes they seem to be making strides to correct some things. This is great - I tend to brace for the tsunami when I see a ripple.
 
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I dont get all the 25 hate either. Ive always been a "latest greatest" kinda guy, and i love improvements on most anything i buy/use. I have a love/hate relationship with the 25.

I love the newest 21 platform over all the Regulars, Classics etc.. but i much rather the older gen Umnumzaan. The "improvements, changes" RUINED that knife!(to me)

The 25 needed these improvements. Im not sold on the clip yet, i LOVE the new washers and the stop pin. Those are actually very big fixes (for me)

I was extremely dissapointed one time when i went to strip down my 25 and i couldnt line up the stop pin correctly! It took me at least two hours of having to assemble, reassemble to get the blade to clear the stop pin! I had crk grease everywhere and was to the point of throwing it against a wall! I was pissed!!! Yeah, yeah, i know, youre supposed to just "leave it in the scale" , and clean around it etc...well, i dont like that about a CRK design.

So to sum up...bring on the Large Inkosi!!!
 
loon#r said:
It is. I carry mine more than my others. I realize this makes no sense. Obviously I warmed up to the 25 over the years to get to this point. But I got super worried about the Sebenza when the 25 originally got released. Like Kid mentioned many people want to hold on to the previous model and are hesitant to accept the new, human nature. Now that I've learned the backstory around Chris' departure and the legality of it, as well as Heather's departure, some concern arises again. I love most of what they do and offer but I don't like some of the changes as of late. As far as the knife area goes they seem to be making strides to correct some things. This is great - I tend to brace for the tsunami when I see a ripple.
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Evening Loon, where is the best place to read the back story re Chris and Heather's departure? I too worry that the company will lose its way after all this.
 
The new washers are an excellent improvement. I'm definitely on board with those. I was going to buy a micarta 25 since I'd like to fill my palm more. I'll wait for the micarta inkosi with the anchored washers. I don't use clips too often so no concern there. If needed I'll grab my large micarta tanto or umnum which have clips.
 
JustinFournier said:
Aren't the limited editions for Blade 2016 proof enough?
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Jeez man, we get it, you don't like the limited edition inkosi. I can't figure out why you've made it your mission in life to beat this one knife to death. There are only ten of them, it's not like it's going to be a full-blown production model.
 
matt009au said:
Evening Loon, where is the best place to read the back story re Chris and Heather's departure? I too worry that the company will lose its way after all this.
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Hi Matt - my apologies if my word choice was misleading. There's no further literature that I'm aware of regarding their departures other than the recent posts here on blade forums in the Chris Reeve Knives column.

Cheers
 
Thanks for the clarification Loon. God bless. Matt
loon#r said:
Hi Matt - my apologies if my word choice was misleading. There's no further literature that I'm aware of regarding their departures other than the recent posts here on blade forums in the Chris Reeve Knives column.

Cheers
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lemmuhj said:
I dont get all the 25 hate either. Ive always been a "latest greatest" kinda guy, and i love improvements on most anything i buy/use. I have a love/hate relationship with the 25.

So to sum up...bring on the Large Inkosi!!!
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You realize you are talking out of the side of your hat, right?

Written communication requires clarity of thought.

To sum up your thoughts....

1. " I don't understand the hate for the 25"

2. " I have a love/hate relationship with the 25"

3. " I don't like that I can't tear down the 25 with my (limited/unrealistic?) skills"

4. "Bring on the Large Inkosi"!

Are you schizophrenic, or just extremely confused?

I took the 25 lanyard off by pulling out the part that holds it in place on the knife. It took me about 20 minutes total and the knife functions just fine, silky smooth and rock solid action.

What did you do wrong that it took two hours to tear down and reassemble?

It just sounds like your tear down/reassembly skills don't match your desire.

Work harder at tuning them, don't blame your failure on the manufacturer....that's just silly!

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Kohai999 said:
You realize you are talking out of the side of your hat, right?

Written communication requires clarity of thought.

To sum up your thoughts....

1. " I don't understand the hate for the 25"

2. " I have a love/hate relationship with the 25"

3. " I don't like that I can't tear down the 25 with my (limited/unrealistic?) skills"

4. "Bring on the Large Inkosi"!

Are you schizophrenic, or just extremely confused?

I took the 25 lanyard off by pulling out the part that holds it in place on the knife. It took me about 20 minutes total and the knife functions just fine, silky smooth and rock solid action.

What did you do wrong that it took two hours to tear down and reassemble?

It just sounds like your tear down/reassembly skills don't match your desire.

Work harder at tuning them, don't blame your failure on the manufacturer....that's just silly!

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
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"Written communication requires clarity of thought."

Id agree lol, The STOP PIN, not the lanyard pin
 
lemmuhj said:
"Written communication requires clarity of thought."

Id agree lol, The STOP PIN, not the lanyard pin
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The knife had to be completely torn down.....it took twenty minutes.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Kohai999 said:
The knife had to be completely torn down.....it took twenty minutes.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
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For me- Stop pin....For you- Lanyard pin

I think you are confusing what took me so loooong to reassemble lol.

Im prob not as much of a "Crk Assembly Wizard" as you but taking out a lanyard pin can be done in prob less than 5 minutes:)
 
lemmuhj said:
For me- Stop pin....For you- Lanyard pin

I think you are confusing what took me so loooong to reassemble lol.

Im prob not as much of a "Crk Assembly Wizard" as you but taking out a lanyard pin can be done in prob less than 5 minutes:)
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I can take most knives apart and re-assemble them....even the challenging ones.

My point is that you shouldn't blame the manufacturer/maker for this. They KNOW how to assemble/re-assemble their knives....if you want to do it well, it requires that you LEARN how to do so.

Am not confused, if memory serves, the stop pin is a press fit.....I used a bench vise carefully to accomplish this.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Kohai999 said:
I can take most knives apart and re-assemble them....even the challenging ones.

My point is that you shouldn't blame the manufacturer/maker for this. They KNOW how to assemble/re-assemble their knives....if you want to do it well, it requires that you LEARN how to do so.

Am not confused, if memory serves, the stop pin is a press fit.....I used a bench vise carefully to accomplish this.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
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Not the second gen 25, it wasnt pressed fit...NOT "blaming" the manufacturer, but the design was POOR, hence the fix on the Inkosi. You have a first gen 25 that does not come out....EASY assembly.
 
I don't think there is any "hate" here for the 25. It's just another stepping stone in the evolution of this family of folders, now called "Inkosi". I do sense, for lack of a better term, a tad of "butt hurt" in the 25 camp that in the end CRK agreed with the detractors on almost all points levelled against the 25, and addressed everyone's complaints. That proves to me the company is still moving forward and is here to stay, with a great product offering.

Whether it is C.R.K., or A.R.K., I'm still a fan and can't wait to check out this latest blade.
 
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If you took the clip off both the large Inkosi and 25, you probably wouldn't be able to tell a difference between the two by feel only.
 
There is definitely some information in this thread, in many respects, that clears up some murmurs I picked up around the forum as of late. Time will tell how everything pans out, and thank you to all for the sharing and discussion, especially kidcongo for your delineation of the new folder families.

91bravo said:
Looks like it's time to pick up a micarta inlaid 25 I've been dreaming about for some time now!
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I was hesitant about the 25 after my first few 21's, but after having and using one, I enjoy it just as much. I actually immensely enjoy the different inlay style of the 25, not more than the 21, but rather, as another option alongside it. In light of the 25 being replaced by the Inkosi, I just picked up a Micarta 25, myself, before the dealers run out.

I'm sure I'll come to enjoy this next model also, as I have many of the CRK designs, but I am also happy to have a few of each generation to hold onto for their many years of life. I started collecting long after the Classics and Regulars passed out of production, so I hope to hold onto my first generations of CRKs.

Each model will always inevitably offer some improvements and some compromises, each to be taken differently by each and every patron, but the consistently impressive quality among the variety in generations is what I think we all can agree about enjoying, along with this truly enjoyable community.
 
So Chris Reeve isn't designing the new CRK knives? I was excited for these new designs described in the recent marketing questionnaire, but now I wonder just who it is exactly who is designing them.
 
lemmuhj said:
I dont get all the 25 hate either.!!
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For clarification - I don't hate a single CR knife. When I first saw the 25 back in 2012 I was thrown and asked myself, "WTH are they making a thicker chunkier Sebenza - since when did we want this?" amongst other questions. Since then I've come to carry my 25 daily and use it the hardest. That in itself confirms my regard of it. Just needed time.

My most recent concern had been in regard to the state of the company, partly due to my perhaps lofty Blade 2016 expectations as well as what was news to me at the time about the company ownership change and the news of Heather's departure.

The small inkosi will be my next purchase followed by a large micarta inkosi if offered. If I had my druthers I'd have an Umfaan(s), but the small Inkosi is the next best thing to it. I prefer its size to the small 21. And I won't ever sell my 1st gen 25.
 
I think the CRK line-up needs a slimmer knife, thinner blade, thinner blade stock, 3 1/2" blade, same great construction. Think of a Senenza hooking up with a Douk Douk :)
 
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