Held an Umnumzaan

batosai117

batosai117

Gold Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2007
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Hey guys, I went to a gunshow today and got to handle an umnumzaan courtesy of RRG. I loved the fit and finish, and the blade was awsome! The only problem I had was releasing the lock and the thumbstuds :grumpy:

The thumbstuds are so.....well....smooth and round. It was damn near impossible to open it. But once it was open, ohhh, what a beautiful blade. I really liked the blade shape and design in person a lot better than in the photos.

The handle was nice too, probably my favorite part aside from the lock. I did like the grooves that are cut into the handle, but the sebenza's frame seems wider towards the rear, unless it was just me since I was kind of rushing (fellow member or not, I'm sure he didn't want to tend to other customers with me holding a $400 knife :o I don't blame him either).

Overall I think I'll stick to my sebenza for now and maybe in the future once I've gotten a couple of sebenza's to keep me content I will get an umnumzaan and checker the thumbstuds with a dremel :D

Nice looking knife, but maybe not for me right now. Anybody else feel this way?
 
I saw one at a show here not long ago, as you say a real nice knife but one or two niggles for me too.

I found the thumb studs to be ok but the milling on the handle just destroyed the knife for me. Im not crazy about the blade shape either, its not bad by any means but just didnt grab me right away. It reminded me of the ZT MUD knife blade a bit.

Tha action was smoooothe as you can get IMO and the lock is pretty cool too, but if it wasnt for the handle id have one by now.

:thumbup:
 
I'm at a different stage. I have quite a collection of Sebbies and I think they are great knives. I was also able to handle a prototype umnum at Plaza Cutlery. Just as the Sebbie requires a learning curve in order to open and close easily, the umnum is a different animal that also requires a learning curve to use easily. I'm looking forward to getting my umnum and expect to EDC it. With a little practice I expect to be able to handle it as easily as my sebbies.:cool::thumbup:
 
I don't find it hard to open at all. I love this knife!! I just bought my second one because I was afraid to lose one. I satin finished my first UM and it came out pretty good:

USNPostItems104.jpg


I left the bead blasting in the grooves to give it more depth. I have since sent that Um back to CRK for a tune-up. I really like the thumb studs on the UM....
 
gadget guy said:
I don't find it hard to open at all. I love this knife!! I just bought my second one because I was afraid to lose one. I satin finished my first UM and it came out pretty good:

USNPostItems104.jpg


I left the bead blasting in the grooves to give it more depth. I have since sent that Um back to CRK for a tune-up. I really like the thumb studs on the UM....
Click to expand...

damn that turned out good.
 
Handled one at a knife store a week ago and felt the same way. I liked the handles but didn't care for the thumb studs with rubber washer or the sharpened edge at the top side of the blade. I wish he would have done the thumb studs like a Lochsa.
 
Im with ya, thats my only gripe with the zaan.. I wish the thumbstuds were grippier! I wonder if someone with knife pimping skills could do something like checkering - then it would be perfect.
 
Can they be replaced when they wear out? I would expect so, but I was just wondering. And if they aren't there, how is the lock-up?
Still wish it came in a smaller version...
 
flipe8 said:
Can they be replaced when they wear out? I would expect so, but I was just wondering. And if they aren't there, how is the lock-up?
Still wish it came in a smaller version...
Click to expand...

The washers are easily replaced by CRK -- please don't fashion something custom, to insure that the lockup is correct. The washers serve to absorb the shock of the thumbstuds against the frame slabs; however the thumbstuds come to rest directly against the slabs. Accordingly, if the washers are missing, the lockup is not affected.
 
joebobx said:
damn that turned out good.
Click to expand...

Thanks! It was very easy to do. Just buy some scotchbrite brand scouring pads and rub off the bead blasting in one direction only. Then go around all of the edges, clip, etc., trying to stay in one direction if possible. The whole thing took about a 1/2 hour and you should get a nice antique finish.
 
Fooj said:
The washers serve to absorb the shock of the thumbstuds against the frame slabs; however the thumbstuds come to rest directly against the slabs. Accordingly, if the washers are missing, the lockup is not affected.
Click to expand...

That's a nice bit of information. Thanks Fooj! ;)
 
I am another who does NOT find it hard to open the Umnumzaan. I like the thumb studs. I do miss the nice thwack that you have when you open a Sebenza. The Umnumzaam is a wicked smooth knife. I DO wish it came in a smaller knife.
 
i dont find it hard to open at all. unless you are squeezing the lock or something, but that also happens to the sebenza. i realy like the knife, im not saying it's better or worse than a sebenza, it's just diferent but still very similar. some people are going to like the umnumzaan more and some people are going to like the sebenza more. its a matter of taste. exept for a few minor diferences, they are both the same basic shit.
 
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