How does one assemble a Sebenza?

Marion David Poff · Nov 3, 1999

Here is a question that has never been answered or asked to my knowledge....

What would be the proper procedure to assemble a Sebenza? step by step....

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Marion David Poff aka Eye, one can msg me at mdpoff@hotmail.com If I fail to check back with this thread and you want some info, email me.

My site is at: http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Meadows/1770 Including my review of the Kasper AFCK, thougths on the AFCK and interview of Bob Kasper.

"We will either find a way, or make one." Hannibal, 210 B.C.

storyville · Nov 4, 1999

Reverse the order one followed in disassembling...?

I know that's not always as simple as it sounds, so it wouldn't be a bad idea to write it down the first time, or till one "memorizes" it.

Also, don't tighten each screw fully one-by-one, but rather gradually and evenly...

My .02

Glen

Scarman · Nov 3, 1999

I may be mistaken but I thought that the FAQ that StJames posted had an answer for that question.

grnamin · Nov 3, 1999

One thing I find useful when reassembling a Sebenza is laying the lock side on a towel on a table. That way, you won't have to remove the clip so that the section lays flat. Here's the order I follow:

1. Insert all "bolt" sections of the retaining, pivot and pivot stop pins into the lock handle half.
2. Slip the spacer, pivot stop pin sleeve and pivot bearing onto the "bolt" sections.
3. Slip bronze washer over the pivot bearing to where it is flush with the lock handle section.
4. Slip blade onto the pivot bearing while pushing the lock down. This is where the towel helps by keeping the current assembly flat on the table.
5. Emplace the second bronze washer.
6. Use the blade at about a 90 degree angle from the lock handle section to put pressure on the lock with one hand and use your free hand to put the other handle half in place.
7. Secure the pivot pin "screw" section first, followed by the stop pin and butt section ones.
8. Tighten all screws and you're done!

Note: Putting a dab of silicone grease on the washers will keep them from slipping off the pivot bearing while assembling the knife. It's a major bummer when you finish the operation only to find that one or both washers have slipped under the bearing.

Hope that helps.

-Greg

[This message has been edited by grnamin (edited 06 November 1999).]

ThomM · Nov 3, 1999

I assemble the handle and parts (sans pivot pin and sleeve) and loosely tighten the two assembly screws.
I then use a one side of a dissasembled wooden clothes line pin between the handle slabs to hold the lock open, slide the blade and pivot washers (that have been lightly lubed to hold washers) into the handle and insert nut and screw and loosely tighten, open blade to 90 degrees so that blade catches lock, remove clothes pin and secure all three screws.
The clothes pin wedge allows me to use both hands.

Marion David Poff · Nov 5, 1999

Cool, Thanks.

Longden · Nov 5, 1999

A nice tip from people who do PC hardware...

Rig a video camera and tape the disassembly.

stjames · Nov 6, 1999

Grnamin describes what I do just about every weekend, minus the towel. I removed the clip long ago.

ThomM, I have just got to go try your assembly method now

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James Segura
San Francisco, CA

ThomM · Nov 6, 1999

Try it!
You will find with the wedge in you can pick the assembly up, helps when installing the pivot pin!

bruce · Nov 8, 1999

I just came from the CRK shop. I went to buy the insert to replace the clip if I wanted to remove it. Bridgette (sp) was great and found one of the employees (I wish I had gotten his name--CRK, if you are listening, I would like to thank him by name). He showed me how to dissassemble my Sebenza, what to lube, what to watch for, etc. It's nice to get the personal treatment. Watching an expert do it is lots better than reading about it. BTW, the process is very similar to that posted above.

Bruce Woodbury

Chris Reeve Knives · Nov 12, 1999

I gave this one to Chris and here is his reply:

The handle must be assembled first and both screws tightend. Just comfortably tight (this applied to all the screws!). The blade assembly (blade, pivot and 2 bronze washers) is then inserted between the handle slabs. If it will not go in, you do not have it assembled correctly. Do not loosen the handle screws off. Once the blade assembly is in the handles, line up the pivot hole and insert the pin. The allen wrench can help you line this up. Tighten the screw into the pin. Flick the knife open once and you are ready to go. This is the only time flicking is advised!

Anne

grnamin · Nov 12, 1999

Thanks, Anne. That illustrates just how finely tuned the tolerances on a Sebenza really are. I'm going to try that method right now.

-Greg

update:
I just tried the method Anne described above. I'd been working too hard reassembling my Sebenza! No more need for extra tools, not even the clothespin method.

[This message has been edited by grnamin (edited 12 November 1999).]

JoHnYKwSt · Nov 12, 1999

Wow, that's an interesting method. I never even thought of doing it that way. I'll have to try it. Thanks Anne.

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Johnny
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KAJNIN · Nov 13, 1999

Since this is about assembling the Sebenza I'll go ahead and tell you guys and gals about an incident. I purchased a new large Sebenza and unscrewed it to clean it out. For some strange reason, I had a very hard time trying to get the sleeve that's used as a stopping pin off the screw. It was stuck some how. It was hell getting the sleeve off the screw. I had to use plyers to get the sleeve off. So I just re-assembled the knife and returned it. Oh and putting the sleeve back on to the screw was hard as well. Anyone know why or how this happened? And just for the record, I've taken apart Sebenzas before and this is the first time it happended to me on a NEW sebenza. Thank you for your time.

JoHnYKwSt · Nov 13, 1999

Kanji,

This could be from flicking the sebenza real hard and the sleeve deformed so much that it squeezed on the stop pin. But since it's a new sebenza, I do not see how it could have happened. Maybe it left the CR factory like that. Mistakes do happen. In any event, just send the knife back and have them fix it.

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Johnny
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JoHnYKwSt · Nov 13, 1999

OK I just disassembled my sebenza and put it back together using Chris' method. It worked GREAT!! We have definetely been working too hard. A few things I found out though. I found that it was very difficult putting in the blade assembly without loosening the stop pin screw. After I loosened it, it went in perfect. So tighten the two screws but after you tighten them loosen the stop pin screw. Also you wont be able to get the pivot hole in with out pushing the lock bar down.

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Johnny
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KAJNIN · Nov 13, 1999

JoHnYKwSt, thank you for the reply. I don't think flicking the Sebenza really hard would deform the sleeve at all. But the idea seems logical. I don't know what else it could be.

How does one assemble a Sebenza?

Marion David Poff

storyville

Scarman

grnamin

ThomM

Marion David Poff

Longden

stjames

Sebenzanista

ThomM

bruce

Chris Reeve Knives

Boise Moderator

grnamin

JoHnYKwSt

KAJNIN

JoHnYKwSt

JoHnYKwSt

KAJNIN