Gent's Knife-William Henry or Mnandi?

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JTR357

JTR357

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I have a Sebenza(lg classic w/inlays) & an Umnumzaan.Now I'm looking for a fancy gentleman's folder.(under $500)

I'm not really interested in a small Sebenza(or anything other than the two previously mentioned).

I don't own,nor have handled any William Henrys.

I have it narrowed down to these two.For those of you who own both,which would you recommend?


Thanks :)
 
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I imagine that you will get quite a few...perhaps even a vast majority of responses saying go with the Mnandi. And they are not wrong in suggesting it. It is a great knife. They will likely say that it is a hardier and more robust feeling knife. Again...not incorrect. However, and mine is a big however, having spent time with both a Mnandi and a William Henry Spearpoint, I prefer the WH hands down. I think this might be a personal taste thing. It is my favorite EDC knife and it goes everywhere with me. The trick is to get a model that you don't mind using daily and getting dinged, smudged etc. It is now really, really difficult to switch out with my beloved G10 Delica or any of my other EDC role knives. When i found the Spearpoint, and began carrying it, i just fell in love with it. For my everyday cutting tasks and standard use, i like the seriously thin blade and slicing potential and i don't need anything more robust or sturdy. There is nothing un-sturdy about my Spearpoint, it's just very light, thin and sleek. So... a big vote for the William Henry, but with a caveat of "if you dig the style, and do not need the extra strength/robustness of the Mnandi."
 
Thanks jpsmith.

For a long time I thought WH's were unattainable for me due to price,but I just seen an older,unused lockback version(VG10 w/MOP) sell on the bay for just under $200.I was pleasantly surprised at this & it sparked my interest in getting one again.
 
I should probably mention that it'll be used for general EDC tasks,ie: opening boxes/packages/envelopes.I don't use my folding knives hard at all.
 
I've had a WH and it was fine, other than being too small for my uses. Based on your description of your cutting chores, I think a WH would work perfectly well for you. Most of us don't push our knives to their limits, anyway.

A big :thumbup: to A G Russell's site. He has a good selection of WH knives on his website and, IIRC, on one of his companion sites where he sells "pre-owned" blades. You might well find something you like in your price range from A. G.
 
I have had a WH and two Mnandis. I sold the WH because the blade was so thin and hardened to hrc67 that I was afraid it would break. That was a good while ago though and I've been looking at getting another WH if I can find one cheap. I must say that I think the Mnandi is the better knife and has much more advantages than just being stronger than WH.
 
Having been in your exact dilema a couple of years ago, I ended up with both. The WH Gen Tac is an awesome EDC knife with a good length and fabulous appeal in the looks department. They can be had right around $475, or so.

I loved my Mnandi, and it did exude more of a brute strength compared to the WH. It just looked clunkier, though. I've never had an issue with the sturdiness of the WH, and the thinner profile and sleeker look just appealed to me more. I lost my Mnandi (:eek: Yeah, I know, and it SUCKED big time to lose it!), but have not felt the need to replace it. If the WH was gone, I'd be out looking for another immediately.

I'm not one to usually pick the daintier knives. e.g. my normal carries are usually Large frame locks (Dominator, Tyrade, JYD II SG2, Cuda Maxx, Blue Bump) and other large knives. The WH knives just appealed to the art appreciator in me. The Mnandi is a handsome knife, but the WH is beautiful.

DD
 
wh's come in a variety of sizes, the mnandi only in one.

ive always found the mnandi too small and dont care for the thumbnick opener. ive owned one wh, and it was very nice. buttery smooth and i love zdp189, which many are.

mine came with a slip pouch that also had a pocket clip, again very well made.

given a choice between the two, i would get the wh, assuming same size, cost, etc.
 
I prefer the Mnandi to WH's. I have handled many, and they just don't do anything for me.
 
The Mnandi is a better size than the WHs I've seen and had(it's a gentleman's knife not a tactical folder or a trinket) IMO with a blade about 2.75". The lock up and feel is rock solid. CRK will refurb the knife after it gets scratched up,WH won't so you're stuck with a beat up looking gentleman's knife if it gets at all damaged.Mnandi had the pivot bushing since you have a Sebenza you probably know what that is. The design of the Mnandi had better ergonomics. The Mnandi has one of my favorite pocket clips. And if you have a particular model of WH you want,good luck finding it.
 
either is fine but I'd go for a WH. that being said, I would go for a fancier WH knife, I like the embellishment options you can get with them.
 
I've got both Mnandi & WH. You won't go wrong with either, based on your posted usage. The Mnandi is a little sturdier. The WHs are finished to a higher level. Both are easy to open and have a solid lock.
 
I think i am going to change my vote. I do this for the following reasons. While WH's are many and varied in style and model, they overwhelmingly most often sport gem studs in the thumbstud, intricate inlays on the handles/bolsters, and to be quite frank, I think most of them are rather gaudy and garish. I have handled all the models except the Persian and the only one that does anything for me is the Spearpoint. Even then, however, I had to look high and low for an affordable version that did not sport the above embellishments. I eventually found an older 154cm version with plain Desert Wood handles and Ti or Stainless bolsters. No gems, or other work on it. It was perfect. A match made in Heaven. If i ever lose it, or it needs replacing, i have another search to look forward to. All that being said, if i had to only have one of either my specific kind of WH or a Mnandi, there would be no hesitation whatsoever in choosing my WH. But this is down to my specific(read, very specific) taste and hardheadedness. In the face of all sense, i go with my William Henry. I doubt this works for everyone though. You obviously love the Chris Reeve stuff. Got the Sebenza, etc.. might as well go with a complete set and get an industry standard level knife with quick and easy replacement and the only decision you have to make is what kind of inlay you want. Good luck in knife hunting.
 
I have a Mnandi but unfortunately I don't have a WH.

I got the Mnandi for because of the pivot bushing, the frame lock, Chris Reeve reputation for customer service and availability of parts. The thumb nick on both sides was also nice bonus. Unlike a WH it can be opened one-handed with either the right or left. I've found that it is deceptively tough knife, most likely sturdier than any WH. I'm very very very happy with the Mnandy....

but...

In my opinion though the WHs generally look better, and looks are important for a "fancy gentleman's folder."

It is a pretty knife but with the blade closed, the Mnandi's shape isn't as symmetrical. Overall I think the many of the WH look much more classy.

I'd look at the WH first if you can afford one.
 
:thumbup:Thanks for all your opinions everyone.I really appreciate it.


I'm going to get a Mnandi,specifically one with ladder damascus.I seen a nice one on one of our dealer's sites,but it had mammoth ivory & was a little over my budget.
Eventually I'll end up with both.I've found that whenever I start threads like this,I wind up buying both eventually.:o

MORIMOTOM,How much size variation do WH's come in?Every one I've seen had a 2"-3" blade.
 
Good choice. If you can't find the one you want you can contact CRK and they will make one for you but there is a wait.
 
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