I may be sinning here

One more thing to think about-I picked mine up on the JD exchange for a great(!!!!) price NIB, and I've seen a few go here for real close to the same:thumbup: I sold off a nice Benchmade and Spyderco that I wasn't using to get my hands on the Sebenza, but it was essentially free after that:D Two knives I wasn't using for one that I will is a good enough deal for me! And, there are a few Umnumzaans on the exchange for good prices,too, if you want something even more heavy duty!

Jeff, I look forward to hearing what you think after carrying it a while:thumbup:
 
7rip13a said:
I know with Spydercos that some people like to spyderdrop them, where tip-down carry facilitates this.
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I cannot imagine opening a Military without that method.
Even my old Starmate is open that way. It's so fast and easy.

WalterDavis said:
Jeff, I look forward to hearing what you think after carrying it a while:thumbup:
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Yep... this is all the point ! :-D
 
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I believe that the Sebenza is the best balance of quality, ability and reliability on the market today, as far as folders go.

I have used them all. The Sebenza is the best folder out there. I have tried the alternatives.
 
I recently was at a gun and knife show and got to hold both a Sebenza and an RC-3 for the first time. The Sebenza was nice, but I actually preferred the feel of the RC-3 because of the canvas micarta handles. That material feels the nicest in my hand of any other handle material I've felt, and I much prefered the RC-3 over the Sebenza because of that.
 
James0723 said:
I recently was at a gun and knife show and got to hold both a Sebenza and an RC-3 for the first time. The Sebenza was nice, but I actually preferred the feel of the RC-3 because of the canvas micarta handles. That material feels the nicest in my hand of any other handle material I've felt, and I much prefered the RC-3 over the Sebenza because of that.
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You're comparing apples and hand grenades.
You can get a Sebenza with micarta inserts by the way.
 
James0723 said:
I recently was at a gun and knife show and got to hold both a Sebenza and an RC-3 for the first time. The Sebenza was nice, but I actually preferred the feel of the RC-3 because of the canvas micarta handles. That material feels the nicest in my hand of any other handle material I've felt, and I much prefered the RC-3 over the Sebenza because of that.
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I really love the handle of the RC3 and it's one of the most confortable knife I own...
But the Sebenza is not a knife to hold one minute and then to judge by that only moment. It's a tool to be to used, then you could start to have an opinion...:D

(Excuse my French, but I wonder if Jeff would have been giving excellent 1st impressions on the Sebenza, so many "I don't mind about the sebenza" choirs would have occure...?... especially from people who has never own or use that knife and just want to wave a banner and bark with the leader of the pack...:mad: It's not a sin to have no opinion and to recognize you don't know something... It's OK also to have different opinons than Jeff, these differences are much more precious for our knowledge. I favor different points of view, different needs and this is what I enjoy on these forums. I cannot stand "cult following"... I simply love the Sebenza Jeff is trying now. This knife is my main EDC and the most precious I own. It's not "perfect" but the more I have used it the move it grows on me. This is why I have shared it so many times for other forumites, for people to experience this feeling. At least then they can talk about Sebenza, knowing what Chris Reeve wanted to provide to the user! I have proposed to Jeff to try it because he has written somewhere that he was not so impressed by ATS34. My old sebbie is in ATS34 and is well heat treated, I did not know Jeff has never used a Sebenza before... So his feedback will very interessant to read about what many people consider as an excellent folding knife. Perharps he will be disapointed. Perharps he will like it. It depends of so many factors. the most important thing is to share experience and to learn from them.)
 
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J85909266 said:
I believe that the Sebenza is the best balance of quality, ability and reliability on the market today, as far as folders go.

I have used them all. The Sebenza is the best folder out there. I have tried the alternatives.
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Ditto. 100%.
 
mckrob said:
Can anyone with both models comment on this?
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I have a plain classic and one with ironwood inlays. The inlay one feels a little "fuller" in your hand if that makes sense, but it is still slender enough to be comfortable. The clip is somewhat less pronounced when grasping the inlay version.
 
Ok, all this is great. BUT, how does it cut things? When you get right down to it, that is the most important thing right?
 
It is an excellent cutter.

Also, one of it's strong points inherent in the simplicity is the ability to take it apart and put it together fairly easily for cleaning and maintenance.
There are folding knives out there that I wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole (or hex bit) for fear of all the inner workings that I couldn't possibly understand.
The most complicated part about the sebenza? Re-tying the landyard after you put it back together.
 
It cuts well---kind of "medium-fine" geometry for a hollow grind. Just by nature of being a hollow grind it can bind in some cutting mediums but honestly not a problem that most will run into with jobs they'd choose a folding knife for.

They're extremely well made, and have a strong following for a reason. For me, I have other knives I like better--my old sebbie is now in the hands of my friend who loves it, and the money I got from that sale put a DMK folder in my hand which I absolutely love, so a happy ending all around. :)

As to tip-up versus tip-down, as other have said, both have strengths and weaknesses. For me, I really do not like or trust tip up, as I have been hurt twice--once seriously, once just painfully--by tip-up knives being partially open when I reached for them. Just the nature of the beast--you have a pivot on the bottom and gravity pulling down. In the one case it was a bit of an unusual incident, as I'd been doing a bit of extreme mountain biking and had had many hard, jarring impacts in a row. The other, however, was just a normal day of walking around and working. Reached for the knife and the tip went on top of my thumbnail, under the skin and, when my hand tried to jerk away when I felt that, cut out sideways. Now I'll grant, it was interesting to be able to pull that skin back and see the actual attachment point of the nail, but damned if it doesn't make you a bit reticent to carry the knife again.

Now, all of that said, a frame lock--at least a good one--is much less likely to open on its own as there's a good deal more friction force on the blade holding it in place. Still though, I've spent enough years now with tip-down carry that tip-up feels very awkward to me. It's all good. Much like a Glock pistol--a truly excellent piece of performance hardware that you couldn't GIVE me because I despise the ergonomics--Sebbies have more than enough of a following to succeed well into the future without me, and I'm sure they will.
 
Before this thread drops into oblivion, I was curious to see if Jeff had any impressions of the Sebenza that he wants to share after a couple of weeks.
 
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