If can only buy one CRK folder, which one?

IMHO and maybe because I live in a rural setting and am self employed - I'd never consider anything smaller than a lg. 21 - now in S35VN. What a nice folder! A little too small in the handle for me though, but there's plenty of blade. :thumbup:

I endure the short handles because all 3 of my lg Sebenzas have been flawless and a pleasure to use. I love my XM-18 3.5" flippers which are a "hard use" version of flawless, but the Sebenza is a lighter weight solution for certain EDC situations. YMMV :)
 
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I finally purchased a Small Regular Sebenza in BG-42 steel and a Mnandi Snake-wood inlay, so I got both. I may use both, or save the Small Sebenza in the safe or sell it. Not sure yet, I have to hold them. As mentioned before, I already have a 3 inch fixed blade knife and a Spyderco Paramilitary 2, which cover my larger EDC needs.

I'll post them together like others have when they come in next week.
 
Congrats Davor. I'm sure you'll like them both, but you definitely made the right decision giving the Mnandi a try. My Snakewood Mnandi is definitely my most favorite knife I've ever owned.
 
coelacanth said:
Congrats Davor. I'm sure you'll like them both, but you definitely made the right decision giving the Mnandi a try. My Snakewood Mnandi is definitely my most favorite knife I've ever owned.
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I picked the Snakewood for its classy look. I appreciate your pictures. That made my decision. I don't mind paying the additional $25. I'm including a description of Snakewood below. The site appears to be a great place to find more detailed information on the different woods that CR can incorporate into his page.

Snakewood (Brosimum guianensis)



Common Name(s): Snakewood, Letterwood

Scientific Name: Brosimum guianensis

Distribution: Coastal regions of northeast South America

Tree Size: 65-80 ft (20-25 m) tall, .5-1.0 ft (.2-.3 m) trunk diameter

Average Dried Weight: 79 lbs/ft3 (1,265 kg/m3)

Basic Specific Gravity: .96

Hardness: 3,800 lbf (16,900 N)

Rupture Strength: 23,000 lbf/in2 (158,620 kPa)

Elastic Strength: 2,720,000 lbf/in2 (18,760 MPa)

Shrinkage: Radial: 6.0%, Tangential: 9.0%, Volumetric: 15.0%, T/R Ratio: 1.5


Color/Appearance: Snakewood is so called for its characteristic snakeskin patterns. Wood is typically a reddish brown, with contrasting darker brown or black patches. Color tends to darken and homogenize with age and exposure; see the article on Preventing Color Changes in Exotic Woods for more information.

Grain/Pore: Snakewood has a straight, uniform grain, with a fine texture. The wood has closed pores and a naturally high luster.

Durability: Snakewood is reported to be very durable and also resistant to insect attack, though it is seldom used in exterior applications where durability would be an issue.

Workability: Being closely related to Bloodwood, Snakewood shares many of the same working properties; namely, the wood is extremely dense, and has a pronounced blunting effect on cutters. Snakewood also tends to be quite brittle and can splinter easily while being worked. Despite the difficulties of working it, Snakewood turns well and finishes to a high polish.

Smell: Has a mild scent when being worked that is similar to Bloodwood.

Safety: Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, Snakewood has been reported as a skin and respiratory irritant. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.

Price/Availability: As a rare and small tree, prices for surfaced and milled Snakewood that display the characteristic snakeskin pattern are perhaps the most expensive of any exotic lumber worldwide in terms of per-boardfoot cost. Less figured sections of the wood are usually sold for much lower prices. Snakewood is also commonly sold in full and half log forms, which typically include significant pith checking and areas of both figured and non-figured wood, which can result in high wastage.

Comments: One look at a highly figured piece of Brosimum guianensis and it’s easy to see why it’s called Snakewood: the dramatic specks and splotches bear a close resemblance to the skin of a snake. Such figuring can be so pronounced that it has been compared to the writing of hieroglyphics, and is sometimes called Letterwood.

In addition to its colorful figure, Snakewood is also among the densest and hardest of all wood species worldwide. Among woodworkers, it vies with Lignum Vitae as the heaviest wood in the world.


Some common uses for Snakewood include: inlay, veneer, violin bows, tool handles, and other small turned or specialty objects.
 
I have bought and sold a few Sebenzas. The one I won't part with is my plain jane large Sebenza 21 in S35VN. It reeks of precision and simplicity (to the user) and is light as a feather. I really love this knife and put it on par with my XM-18 3.5" flipper.

Each exudes superb F&F, the only difference to me is that I consider the XM to be a heavier duty knife and my Sebenza a medium duty knife. I don't consider either one better, just occupants of different niches.

I don't know what you guys see in the smaller CRKs but variety is the spice of life so they say. :D

My vote remains large Sebenza 21 made in Idaho with the new primo blade steel! :thumbup:
 
I may get the Large Sebenza 21 in the future. I have a number of excellent quality large fixed blades that I use. I also have a Para 2, which is close to the size of a Large Sebenza. I appreciate the larger blade knives, but I don't have a good quality smaller folder and I want to add them to my collection. The Mnandi and Small Sebenza will by my first CR folders, so I'm pretty excited and lucky that I don't have to wait 3 to 4 months to get one.
 
Tough Question......I love my mnandi, I love my umnumzaan, but if I had to pick only one, it would have to be a large regular sebenza. My large regular NCIS sebenza would be my choice.
 
I finally received my Chris Reeve Small Regular Sebenza and my Chris Mnandi. I haven't opened the boxes yet, but I waited 3 weels for the Sebenza and surprisingly only one week for the Mnandi. What is very unusual is that I received it on the same day. Same thing happened last year when I bought my first Chris Reeve Mountaineer 1. That same day I got my Busse SAR 3 and the Chris Reeve. Maybe I'll open one and the other tomorrow. I'll post pictures this week.
 
nyefmaker said:
Tough Question......I love my mnandi, I love my umnumzaan, but if I had to pick only one, it would have to be a large regular sebenza. My large regular NCIS sebenza would be my choice.
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Your large NCIS Sebenza would be my first choice too!!!! ;):D


I really like this Zaan, but I keep finding myself drawn back to my small Sebenza 21. Enough blade for pretty much every task I need it for, and it disappears in the pocket. A lot of the size issue for me with an EDC knife, and the reason I keep referring to disappearing in the pocket, is I carry a full sized Les Baer Premier II 1911 in a Galco "Concealable" holster, and with a large knife like the Zaan, it tends to pinch my leg between the knife and holster. The small Sebenza doesn't. I'm leaning toward carrying the Zaan when I don't carry the gun as well so I have a bit larger blade, and the Sebenza when I do.

Isn't having choices a wonderful thing! :p:thumbup:
 
Ok, this is my answer for today, just b/c I received both today, but if I only had to pick one, it would be the Mnandi.

I just received my snakewood Mnandi and Small Sebenza today. The Mnandi is very classy, great gentlemen's knife even for NYC standards. The blade is thinner, but a slicer and razor sharp. The handle is a bit thin, but the length is almost as long as a small sebenza. Overall, either the small sebenza or the Mnandi would be the perfect EDC to pass down to your kids when you are too old to wipe yourself. Yea, I'm really excited, now I can't figure which one to EDC. Overall, Mnandi is classier and I like the way it looks, but the small Sebenza is easier to open. In a party, the Mnandi would get more attention, but at a work site, the Sebenza seems like it can handle a bit more. Either way, they are both great and worth the purchase and price. Ok, if I had to pick only one, it would be the Mnandi, just b/c of the look. The movement and design are great on both and alike, which is why I pick the Mnandi for the classy look.
 
Congrats on yur score man. :thumbup: You're a NYC dude eh? Suit & tie guy? That would eplain a lot. I never undertood member's love of small knives.

Of course I live rural and 3.5" is smallish, 4" blades are just right. It depends on the attire and the location as well personal taste too. It'd be awfully boring if we all thought and bought, the same way. Glad you like them. :D
 
cziv: I was born in NYC, but never lived there. I grew up in Texas and bought my first knife when I was 13 and my first handgun at 18. You can say about three decades later, I'm now again collecting knifes. I started with the bigger blades, 11 inch and 13 inch fixed blade monsters and then 3 to 4 inch fixed blades. I carried and use them quite a bit.

I like both the Sebenza and Mnandi, but the craftsmanship of the Mnandi is just "classy" and IMO a piece of art. The wood inlay, blade shape and handle contour is almost a custom made knife. If you have a large Sebenza, buy a Mnandi and you'll know what I mean. The sebenza is also a great knife, they are all good in their own way.The action on my Mnandi is buttery smooth, clicks when open and the lock engage is at 50% perfect. Best of all it comes with a pouch that fall into your pocket.
 
I just sold my Spyderco Para 2 fairly new for $100. I needed the cash to cover my two purchases of the Mnandi and Sebenza. I am now EDCing the Mnandi. Not sure if I will sell the older small regular Sebenza or keep it for a while or use it.
 
Davor said:
I just sold my Spyderco Para 2 fairly new for $100. I needed the cash to cover my two purchases of the Mnandi and Sebenza. I am now EDCing the Mnandi. Not sure if I will sell the older small regular Sebenza or keep it for a while or use it.
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Yeah I guess the regular para model doesn't really have the draw with it. I recently got a small micarta sebenza and selling my para 2 would offset the cost. However, I just cannot give up my S90V and carbon fiber. I am just beginning to need to sharpen the blade and it's been three months!
 
orchunter93 said:
Yeah I guess the regular para model doesn't really have the draw with it. I recently got a small micarta sebenza and selling my para 2 would offset the cost. However, I just cannot give up my S90V and carbon fiber. I am just beginning to need to sharpen the blade and it's been three months!
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I really like the Para 2, but I'm now looking at carrying a Chris Reeve after debating purchasing one for over a year. The Para 2 can do anything a Sebenza can do, but I have to admit I enjoy carrying a CR. S90V is an awesome blade along with the carbon fiber handle. Nice mix. If Chris Reeve didn't exist, I would still be carrying my Para 2 in S30V and think its the best blade. Its a great blade and for the price, its actually almost perfect. But, I'm collecting knives and I just want a small nice collection. I would recommend either one. I don't want to write on, but today I asked two of my coworkers which blade they would keep, the Spyderco Para 2 or the Mnandi. Both said they would take the Para 2 because it was bigger. They were shocked when I told them I could purchase three Para 2s for the price of a Mnandi. I asked another coworker who collects knives and guns and of course he picked Chris Reeve and stated he was one of the last real knife makers out there.

If anyone appreciates really good knives, I think everyone should own at least one Chris Reeve folder and a Busse fixed INFI knife.
 
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Update: I've been carrying the Mnandi for a week. I like the look and feel of the snake wood inlay. The action is very smooth and the lock up is at 50% from what I can tell. The knife feels solid. The blade is razor sharp and the angle of the handle melts into your hand. With a closed fist around the handle, its the length of all four fingers and conceals well in my hand. The blade length is equal or a little less than the handle.

I haven't cut too many thing with it, but I've sliced some paper with it. What I have been doing like most CR owners is opening and closing it 50 times a day. B/w the Small Regular Sebenza and the Mnandi, the Mnandi wins the classy look. I havent' EDC my Sebenza b/c I'm not sure if I will keep it or sell it. Right now I'm enjoying the Mnandi and I've received many "nice knife!" comments.
 
I'd have to say if I really really really had to have ONLY one, it would have to be an Annual LE Small Sebenza. I love the looks and feel, and being under 3" blade, has no restrictions in a lot of places. Although I live in California, so that's not really a concern because there's no limit on blade length of folders as long as they are concealed.
 
Last time I counted, I had nine Mnandis, 1 Small Regular Sebenza and 1 Large Regular Sebenza. I like 'em all, but if I could keep only 1 (yeah. like that's ever going to happen. They'll have to pry them from my cold, dying hands!) it would be the Mnandi with Bubblewrap Damascus blade and Desert Ironwood handle.

IMG_0628.jpg


Kind regards,

Jos
 
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