I broke my Sebenza while opening an USPS box

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prestige

Joined
Jan 14, 2008
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This is my Small Sebenza 21 Insingo that is always with me for the past 8-9 years. I don't baby it but I have never abused it either - opening boxes/packages is what it was used for most of the time. For me it is the most comfortable folder to carry and also the most utilitarian. What strikes me the most is not that it broke, but the way it broke. I applied very little pressure, literally only using the tip of my fingers in order to cut open the USPS box and the blade split in two without even making a sound. A truly surreal experience.

Please, don't use this thread to thrash the manufacturer and their products. That is not the point. I still love CRK. I was looking for a reason to buy Sebenza 31 and this might be it. I will contact CRK to see how they will handle this.

Has anybody experienced anything remotely similar to this?

sebenza_broken_blade_1.pngsebenza_broken_blade_2.png
 
This sort of thing is rare, but when these blades break, it usually happens where the lugs are pressed into the blade. I would think they'd be quick to remedy this for you.
 
Interesting. I agree with others above seems like the thumb stud was fit too tight. I assume this was s35vn? Did they make the 21 in any other steel?
 
I'm no metallurgist but looking at that second picture it appears that there is some strange occlusion in the centre of the blade. It appears to be on both pieces.

I'm sure that when CRK examine it they will replace it under warranty.
 
Dang... What luck. That's super rare like others said already but I've seen it happen with other manufacturers too. When they press thumbstuds in it's a very tight fit and every once in a great while the blade cracks as that tight thumbstud shaft is pushing through the hole.

To me it looks like it's been cracked since it was made. Looks like the only part that broke on you today is the lower 40% of the blade towards the edge. The rest of the crack looks weathered like it's been like that the whole time and water and what not has seeped into it throughout it's life and very lightly corroded and patina'd it. I have no doubt that CRK will take care of you though. Atleast you'll be getting a brand new shiny blade!
 
As others are pointing out it looks to be the majority of the break is old. I assume you never noticed any surface crack before, would you have and pictures of the knife before the the break that you could look over carefully ?
 
I had a 25 that one day, I noticed had a hairline crack right at the thumb stud. It was very fine, and I don't know how long it was there. There's a pic of it way back somewhere in the CRK section here. The crack was right where yours broke. I sent a pic to CRK & they fixed it right up. Not sure what kind of parts inventory they have on hand for these older knives though.
 
The problem with the "stress crack from the thumb stud" theory is that the discoloration from the oxidation is only in the middle. This suggests that this is where the crack originated. If the crack was caused by the tight fit of the thumbstud, then the crack itself would have started from the stud hole and the oxidation would have been in that area. I don't know - I am just thinking out loud.

No, I have not noticed any cracks before this incident, but that does not mean anything. The crack might have been visible for months if not years. I just don't pull out the knife to look at it and admire it. It is a tool for me. I place my thumb bellow the thumb lug when I am working with the knife, so this might be another reason why I have not noticed any cracks.

I already sent CRK an email with both pictures. I will report back when there is new development. I am sure there will be.

The only thing that made me feel uneasy about all this situation is the fact that I have always considered that knife a Plan "C" self defense tool. In some cases it was even the primary SD tool. This really forces me to rethink my future folder choices. Fortunately the incident happened while I was the aggressor assaulting a card box, so I just grabbed another knife to finish the job. It would have been funny if that USPS box contained my new Sebenza 31.
 
prestige said:
This really forces me to rethink my future folder choices.
Click to expand...
Think of how many knives CRK makes. This was a fluke and will never happen to you again unless your thumb placement was a contributing factor to this break.

Cardboard box 1
CRK 0
lol
 
A hole, especially when not properly chamfered (I see way too much of that on all kinds of knives, in particular skeletonized tangs) is a stress riser. But a failure with such little force input is indeed surprizing.
 
WOW! Two of these this week? Just saw one posted on FB and he got it corrected by the mothership free of charge of course. This guy says he dropped his 20 feet of a ladder and broke. The two knives look almost identical where they broke.
 
Steven65 said:
I'm no metallurgist but looking at that second picture it appears that there is some strange occlusion in the centre of the blade. It appears to be on both pieces.

I'm sure that when CRK examine it they will replace it under warranty.
Click to expand...

I can almost hear the Forged In Fire judges pointing out the dark spot being the source of the problem. :p
 
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