How good are the Chris Reeve Sebenzas?

I told myself I wasn't going to get into this discussion. Knives are like politics. Very deep and very emotional to some people. MY opinion only: yes, they are incredible knives. I had a couple many years ago. I ended up selling them to go down the Hinderer, Strider, bigger is better road. I got wrapped up in the whole "overbuilt tactical" knives. I've had true one off customs by very famous makers. Then I realized something.....they aren't that fantastic at doing knife jobs....like cutting things. Don't get me wrong, they will cut, but no where near like what a plain Jane FFG Millie or Para will do.

This big, expensive circle has lead me right back to CRK. I've come to realize that the hollow grind of the Sebbie 21, and the semi hollow on the 25 cut like a son of a gun! These knives just glide through materials. Straight out of the box, they just plain cut, and WELL. No re-profiling, no thinning of the edge, etc. Just take the knife and cut stuff. The tolerances are insane. You can take every fastener out of the knife, and it will stay completely together and continue to function and cut. There is no rock lock, they aren't sticky, they are just darn near perfect examples of what knives are supposed to do....cut stuff!
 
Few days ago I had nice 21 in my hand. Very nice fit and finish but one problem - it was very hard to close with one hand. I'm not weak, I carry triadlock folders which are hard to close for many people.
 
Last night I started thinking about trying a crk again. I don't care for the plain Ti though. The one I owned for a short time was a large with no bocote inlay. It had a very stiff detent, and was difficult to open one handed, especially since I had a hard time gripping the thumb stud. I wasn't putting pressure on the lockbar either. I didn't realize they had to be broken in until this thread.

I wish they made the inlayed models with the insingo blade. I'm hoping to have the pennies for one by January. Maybe a large micarta insingo.

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ourgon said:
Few days ago I had nice 21 in my hand. Very nice fit and finish but one problem - it was very hard to close with one hand. I'm not weak, I carry triadlock folders which are hard to close for many people.
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I don't think thats the norm, mine is super easy to open/close.
 
Bear Claw Chris Lappe said:
Same here, over the years, I've bought so many folders that I thought would "make do" instead of a Sebenza, that I would have been way better off just buying the Sebenza. I've sold off several already.

Anyone thinking about a Sebenza, as others have said, just get one and see for yourself. If you don't like it, they are usually easy to sell on the exchange, and at least you'll know for yourself.
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^This^

I waited 5 years from the first time I saw the coolest looking folder I'd ever seen(small 21) to the day I ordered one. And yeah, spent some cash on other knives before I realised that my "need" for this knife was gona win anyway..
 
I think the Chris Reeve Sebenzas are very nice knives, but they are WAY overpriced for what you get. And YES, I do own a large Sebenza. I wish I had not bought it. I've never used it, except for shaving a little hair off my arm. They are VERY well made. It must be at least 20 years old. It has the highly polished blade CR stopped making a long time ago. I think that was a BIG mistake, for such an expensive knife.

If you want a really nice knife, you can spend less money, and get a nicer knife, IMHO
 
Over the years I've acquired "several" knives from different manufacturers. Occasionally, I'll get up in the morning & decide that I'm going to carry my Griptilian, or maybe the PM2, or the 0562 that day. When I go to change out my Sebenza 25 for the other knife, I usually change my mind & just leave the Sebenza in my pocket.

I can see where some would think CRKs are overpriced. They aren't cheap. I'm the practical sort & don't buy things that I don't need. I don't own a suit, or even a tie, because if I have to wear a suit to go someplace, then I don't belong there in the first place. I can afford a new BMW, but it'd be worthless to me, which is why I've been driving four wheel drive pickups for the last forty years or so. The same goes for my knives & guns. They're tools & I never buy cheap tools.
 
Good for you. BMWs are tools too (for transportation), and those folks who own BMWs perhaps think in the same way as you that they do not buy cheap (transportation) tools.
 
sharp_edge said:
Good for you. BMWs are tools too (for transportation), and those folks who own BMWs perhaps think in the same way as you that they do not buy cheap (transportation) tools.
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Oh, I wasn't cutting down anyone who drives a high priced road car. If I spent a lot of time on highways, then I'd certainly want to do it in comfort. As it is, I live way back in the mountains & for six months out of the year it would probably never leave the garage, so something like that would be totally wasted on me. The same way a big jacked up diesel pickup is wasted on someone who never intends to take it off road.
 
A $400 Sebenza is just as likely to get pushed out of your pocket and lost as a $50 Delica or whatever. To my way of thinking, this must be taken into consideration. I do not offer this as either a pro or a con. When I win the lottery, I plan in buy both a large and a small Sebenza as a set. I'd probably carry them...might even EDC them. I'd probably loose one too.
 
It seems like most people see them as the "good old reliable". I don't, and for that money there are so many great choices out there! I have my good old reliable knives, they are not CRK though. Everyone is different. There are so many great knives out there now days, you shouldn't get hung up on just one brand, or maker!
 
Goldenlight said:
I think the Chris Reeve Sebenzas are very nice knives, but they are WAY overpriced for what you get. And YES, I do own a large Sebenza. I wish I had not bought it. I've never used it, except for shaving a little hair off my arm. They are VERY well made. It must be at least 20 years old. It has the highly polished blade CR stopped making a long time ago. I think that was a BIG mistake, for such an expensive knife.

If you want a really nice knife, you can spend less money, and get a nicer knife, IMHO
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Want to sell that one for what you paid? ;). If all you did was shave with it. You would be happy to know its almost doubled in value. Not too many knives in the world that do that .
 
You know, there's a passaround forum here on BFC. I've participated in a few.

Get ten members who are willing to toss $35 into the pot. Pick up a Sebenza from Whitty over at USA Made Blade.

Each member packs a Sebbie around for a week (or 10 days, whatever else is decided upon), and passes it along to the next guy.

Couple of months later, raffle the knife off using a state lottery, a random number generator, or some such.

There, we have just educated 10 more forumites on the Chris Reeve Sebenza, and somebody gets a Sebbie!
 
Not directing this at anyone in particular, but CRK's can be worth the money, while you prefer a different knife brand . One doesn't have to exclude the other. There are many fine makers out there, and I have a few I like to EDC as much or more then my Sebenza's, but that doesn't mean the Sebenza's are inferior or overpriced -just a matter of taste, preference or mood.
 
Bear Claw Chris Lappe said:
Same here, over the years, I've bought so many folders that I thought would "make do" instead of a Sebenza, that I would have been way better off just buying the Sebenza. I've sold off several already.

Anyone thinking about a Sebenza, as others have said, just get one and see for yourself. If you don't like it, they are usually easy to sell on the exchange, and at least you'll know for yourself.
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I got Sebenzas back in the 90's and at that time my mindset was more tactical Striders and Hinderers. Of course I have come full circle (and back to my senses) a long time ago as those thick bladed knives with choils are just not practical. Today we have the ZT stuff which is similar.

Get a Sebenza. Even if you don't like it and sell it on the exchange you will go through the gamit of other knives and eventually come back.
 
Velitrius said:
You know, there's a passaround forum here on BFC. I've participated in a few.

Get ten members who are willing to toss $35 into the pot. Pick up a Sebenza from Whitty over at USA Made Blade.

Each member packs a Sebbie around for a week (or 10 days, whatever else is decided upon), and passes it along to the next guy.

Couple of months later, raffle the knife off using a state lottery, a random number generator, or some such.

There, we have just educated 10 more forumites on the Chris Reeve Sebenza, and somebody gets a Sebbie!
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Sounds an interesting idea and I would participate. Don't know exactly how it works. What if one of the 10 person messed up with the knife and passed it to the next guy without mentioning the damage (chipped blade, tiny tip breakage, scratched up scales or blade, etc.)? Also, is passaround limited to only fondling and maybe paper cutting or can folks use it for the intended use?
 
Ugh another one of these threads. You guys probably need to ease up on the personal attacks, it's uncalled for.

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sharp_edge said:
Sounds an interesting idea and I would participate. Don't know exactly how it works. What if one of the 10 person messed up with the knife and passed it to the next guy without mentioning the damage (chipped blade, tiny tip breakage, scratched up scales or blade, etc.)? Also, is passaround limited to only fondling and maybe paper cutting or can folks use it for the intended use?
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The rules for passarounds are pretty straightforward, and are posted on a sticky by Spark in the Passaround Forum. Take a look.

I doubt that regular use of a Sebbie would cause more than scuffs. And the winner always has the option of a Spa Treatment from CRK.

I don't consider $35 much for a test drive of a quality knife and a one-in-ten shot of winning it.

I may fire this idea up in the Passaround Forum 'ere long.
 
I wish they would go back to bg42. Loved that steel. Wish I had kept that one
 
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