expidia1
Gold Member
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2018
- Messages
- 605
This could be helpful for others such as myself that are new to the opening and closing action of a Sebenza 21 and what happens when they choose to send it into CRK.
I knew right away there was something wrong with it but having never owned one when I asked in a thread what I got back were comments like "it's a CRK" and they have hydraulic action, they are not designed to be fippers and if I don't like I should look for another brand. Sweet welcome
This knife was purchased a month ago from another member. The knife was only born 1/30/18 I don't know if he was the original owner or it was catch and release.
His ad said that he had only owned it for 6 days, so he also could have been the 2nd owner too.
Either way, after I called CRK customer support she suggested to me it sounded like a pinched washer to her. She even had me open it to look at the washers, but they looked OK to me, but wadda I know about this stuff. I knew enough to watch a video on how to lubricate and assemble it back together, but it still had the same stiffness. So I sent it in for their spa treatment with instructions not to sharpen it, to center the blade and to check for the stiffness of the action.
She just called me today, a month from when I sent it in (they did say 4-6 weeks) and she said they had to replace the washers as one "was" pinched. I said I looked at them and what did I miss. But she said the tech holds them up to the light a certain way in order to see what turns out to be a tiny dent which caused the stiffness and the inability to center the blade.
I'm lucky as it only cost me $4.50 to ship overnight fedex. She said there was no charge for the warranty work, but their return postage is $17.50 (Wow) and thats by 7 days by SlowPS the only service they offer (I can see why).
Several things I've learned here. CRK is making a killing on the shipping, knowing with a shipping contract as we both have how cheap it costs us to ship. it only cost me $4.50 for overnight delivery. but for the average member shipping it back I'm guessing at least $8-10 by USPS. So that knife I saved a few bucks on now cost me another $27 in shipping fees and its loss of use for 5 weeks. Another lesson I've now learned is to question the seller as to the condtion of the knife rather than be too quick to jump on a purchase (showed my inexperience). I'm sure if a seller buys a knife that was not up to the CRK specs, it could very easily become a quick catch and release or they go through what I just went through. All the description said was basically he needed to sell it for a quick sale! Nothing about the uncentered blade or stiff action . . . not his fault, it was mine due to inexperience.
One comment on shipping. On another forum i belong to a seller of a plastic case (maybe 10 lbs in a regular sized box) probably sold it for $100 and then was floored when it cost him $60 from FL to maybe MO (I think it was MO).
We get used to free Amazon Prime shipping until you have to walk into UPS and ship something yourself they really nail you nowadays
So new buyers just be aware, if its a great price, don't be so quick to pull the trigger. Sometimes there is a reason that the description is omitting facts like an off center blade etc. In the end CRK warranties it, but its going to cost you in postage both ways and its probably 6 weeks loss of use for a knife you just bought. Better off passing as there will always be another knife for sale here for sure.
* and if you are thinking "I" was the one who probably pinched the washers, and you know this is what the seller would say. . . think again. I've always had an extremely high mechanical apittude and can fix just about anything (and thx Dad).
I knew right away there was something wrong with it but having never owned one when I asked in a thread what I got back were comments like "it's a CRK" and they have hydraulic action, they are not designed to be fippers and if I don't like I should look for another brand. Sweet welcome

This knife was purchased a month ago from another member. The knife was only born 1/30/18 I don't know if he was the original owner or it was catch and release.
His ad said that he had only owned it for 6 days, so he also could have been the 2nd owner too.
Either way, after I called CRK customer support she suggested to me it sounded like a pinched washer to her. She even had me open it to look at the washers, but they looked OK to me, but wadda I know about this stuff. I knew enough to watch a video on how to lubricate and assemble it back together, but it still had the same stiffness. So I sent it in for their spa treatment with instructions not to sharpen it, to center the blade and to check for the stiffness of the action.
She just called me today, a month from when I sent it in (they did say 4-6 weeks) and she said they had to replace the washers as one "was" pinched. I said I looked at them and what did I miss. But she said the tech holds them up to the light a certain way in order to see what turns out to be a tiny dent which caused the stiffness and the inability to center the blade.
I'm lucky as it only cost me $4.50 to ship overnight fedex. She said there was no charge for the warranty work, but their return postage is $17.50 (Wow) and thats by 7 days by SlowPS the only service they offer (I can see why).
Several things I've learned here. CRK is making a killing on the shipping, knowing with a shipping contract as we both have how cheap it costs us to ship. it only cost me $4.50 for overnight delivery. but for the average member shipping it back I'm guessing at least $8-10 by USPS. So that knife I saved a few bucks on now cost me another $27 in shipping fees and its loss of use for 5 weeks. Another lesson I've now learned is to question the seller as to the condtion of the knife rather than be too quick to jump on a purchase (showed my inexperience). I'm sure if a seller buys a knife that was not up to the CRK specs, it could very easily become a quick catch and release or they go through what I just went through. All the description said was basically he needed to sell it for a quick sale! Nothing about the uncentered blade or stiff action . . . not his fault, it was mine due to inexperience.
One comment on shipping. On another forum i belong to a seller of a plastic case (maybe 10 lbs in a regular sized box) probably sold it for $100 and then was floored when it cost him $60 from FL to maybe MO (I think it was MO).
We get used to free Amazon Prime shipping until you have to walk into UPS and ship something yourself they really nail you nowadays

So new buyers just be aware, if its a great price, don't be so quick to pull the trigger. Sometimes there is a reason that the description is omitting facts like an off center blade etc. In the end CRK warranties it, but its going to cost you in postage both ways and its probably 6 weeks loss of use for a knife you just bought. Better off passing as there will always be another knife for sale here for sure.
* and if you are thinking "I" was the one who probably pinched the washers, and you know this is what the seller would say. . . think again. I've always had an extremely high mechanical apittude and can fix just about anything (and thx Dad).
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