Hardening

Good question, I hope some one chimes in that is in the "know". Of course I could call crk myself
 
This was lightly touched on in the "Inkosi" thread as the Inkosi is listed at around 60. I don't know how much of a confirmation this is, but here is a quote is from that thread.

Don M said:
I noticed the web site says the hardness is 59-60 rather than the 58-59 we have always seen with Sebenzas. I asked about it and I was told they have actually been running the blades to the higher hardness since sometime in 2013 (August? He wasn't sure). They just have not updated the web page. He was surprised to hear that only the Inkosi listed the higher hardness.
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Thanks Corskin, I remember reading something like this, but didn't remember where.
I casually compared an older Seb with a newer one and they were different, in a good way.
This is why I ask the question.
Good news!
 
I don't know how much I believe that though. As someone in that thread said, it is hard to imagine such a detail oriented company like CRK not knowing how they are relaying the knife info on the birth card. Especially for that length of time.
 
Interesting, According to the CRK website the sebenza 21, Sebenza 25, Mnandi, Umnumzaan it says:
Blade Material: CPM S35VN Stainless Steel
Blade Hardness:58-59 RC

And for the Inkosi it says
Blade material: CPM S35VN
Blade hardness: 59-60RC

A little harder is good in my opinion. Seems like they are aiming for 59 either way.
 
If they are aiming for 59 +, that makes sense to me. If it is 59 - 60 on everything since 2013, IMO, it makes the complaints against the softer steel look completely perception based.
 
I forget the poster, but I recall someone on here that is very proficient at sharpening commenting that their recent production 25 had a noticeably "harder" blade than an older 21.
 
Interesting. Lately, I've been thinking about possibly getting a small Insingo. My only other CRKs are a 2002 large regular Sebenza and a 2011 Umnumzaan. Hopefully, the increased hardness for the blades applies across the board, including the Insingos.

Jim
 
I saw it mentioned in the ankerson edge test thread. I commented on it briefly but there wasn't a big discussion about it. I'm guessing it is 59-60 from what I read.
 
I asked CRK directly. Yes they are 59-60 since Mid 2013.

I'm very excited for the bump, I've always had mine hardened to 60. Huge difference in performance. Turns out we weren't crazy asking for harder blades.
 
Maybe I'm missing something, but if it is 59-60 since sometime in 2013 shouldn't the birth cards state that?
 
gull wing said:
Yes, we aren't crazy:)
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We're not? :p :p

AllSebenzas_zpsdge1ocqm.jpg
 
Dhbranum said:
Maybe I'm missing something, but if it is 59-60 since sometime in 2013 shouldn't the birth cards state that?
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I do believe the cards have been printed for some time. It might just be they are still getting rid of old printed stock. Here is a picture of the newer cards compared to my old one.

20069467706_413cac3013_z.jpg


DSCI0377.jpg
 
I almost think that Chris would choose to have the birthcards understate the hardness. After years of anecdotal complaints about under-hardened blades, it's probably better to under promise and over deliver now. Saves on calls to the front desk, don't you think?
 
I have been kicking the thought around that maybe they did a silent switch to the higher hardness at or around the time they switched to S35VN to see if it's purported higher toughness (than S30V) would allow for higher hardness with the same or less reported chipping (compared to S30V). If they publicized a higher hardness immediately, I would think that would draw large amounts of testing and scrutiny from folks wanting to try the new hardness, which might cause silly/questionable things to be done to the blades that otherwise would not have been done, possibly skewing the results. This would allow them to assess a higher hardness for S35VN from a more controlled perspective.

Reason for doing this? Maybe CRK listens to their fans more than we give credit and they wanted to give us the higher hardness most of us craved, but wanted to be careful and calculating about doing it right.

I'm probably wrong on this, but it's a thought I couldn't stop thinking. Who knows...

From the anectodal front though, I have to say that I've experienced something different. I have an S30V Umnum from early 2011, S35VN Lg 21 from fall 2012, and S35VN Lg Insingo from summer 2014. To be honest, they all feel pretty similar as far as hardness goes, but I'd say the Umnum "feels" hardest of all 3, followed very closely by the LG Insingo, and last the LG 21. It should be Insingo, then LG 21, then Umnum.

Oh well...
 
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