If I dont own a Sebenza.....

Please do not make other posters the topic discussion. We all know what happens. :)

Let's stay on topic.
 
People who worry too much about being taken seriously are usually the ones no one takes seriously for whatever reason.
 
killgar said:
Considering how dull the knife apparently was, it doesn't sound like it was a "trophy piece", it sounds like it was a "user".

If it were a "trophy piece", I imagine it would have still had it's original factory edge.

In any event, how people choose to appreciate THEIR knives is entirely THEIR business. I for one would never look down on anyone because they choose not to use a knife and keep it in pristine condition.

I have several "users", but I also have some knives that I regard as "treasures", and I don't use my "treasures".

And If that causes people to not take me seriously, like I said earlier, I couldn't care less.

As for not knowing how to sharpen a knife, I'm sure there are many people on this forum who don't know how to sharpen. I'm also sure that there are many who are in the process of learning but haven't quite got it yet. I for one don't look down on any of them for their lack of ability.

Likewise, I don't look down on people who don't change the oil in their car, or fix it themselves when it breaks down. Nor would I say "Owning an awesome car is irrelevant if one can't fix it". Nor would I pose the question "How can a person truly appreciate their car if they can't experience it fully?".

How people choose to appreciate THEIR property is entirely THEIR decision to make. And as far as I am concerned, they can never be wrong.
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Very well said.

Now, as far as the OP:

No, you do not need to own or even like a Sebenza to enjoy this hobby. That's ridiculous.

Now, will your curiosity be peaked and will you eventually be driven to at least try one? Probably. However, your opinion thereafter is your own business.

I happen to love the Sebenza for the simply beauty of the design and the sublime finish. I've not experienced a true rival in that category having experienced many other high end offerings.

That said, if I want a knife built for cutting, I grab my Spyderco Caly 3.5. If I want a knife with the size and ergos that fit me best, I grab my Microtech Socom Elite.

The Sebenza has legitimate merits, but not all "serious knife guys" value those merits. More power to them.
 
I don't have one but I need one! Although I do have 50ish high quality knives but I am 17 years old?!?! It hit me young...
 
Surfingringo said:
My opinion:

Sharpening a knife is not analogous to working on the engine of your car, but rather to putting gas in the tank. No gas, no drivie. No sharp, no cuttie. I would venture to say that most around here would recommend that a person who owns a car and wants to use it on a regular basis should know how to put gas in the tank, and if they don't, they should learn. These are not radical or controversial opinions. Telling someone they would have a better experience with their tool if they would learn to put gas in their car or sharpen their knife is not the equivalent of looking down on them. I'd almost view it as the opposite. It conveys a desire to see them have a more positive experience.

I wonder what Deadboxhero would have done if the fellow with the nice Sebenza had asked him to share a bit of his sharpening knowledge? I don't know the man but I have a pretty good idea of what he would have done....probably the same as most of us, and i doubt it would involve any "down looking". :)
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I've watched a couple of guys who lived in New Jersey (self-service is illegal there) try to figure out how to put gas in a car. It was funny, but interesting to note it was just absolutely not something they knew how to do. Someone had always done it for them.
 
dc50 said:
99.99% of the people I meet or know, could only name two or three knife brands at best.

They wouldn't even know Spyderco, Benchmade or Kershaw let alone Chris Reeve knives.
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Yep, I agree with this one. Buck, Gerber, SOG, Kershaw, et al. Unless you're talking to a "knife person", most people only know what they see at the big box stores. I've owned all of the CRK line except the Mnandi and may own another at some point but currently carry the Benchmade 761 as my "premium" mid tech knife. I like it much better than the CRK's (THERE, I said it - Now I'll be banished to wander the desert for 40 years looking for unobtainium). It's thinner, feels lighter in my pocket, and I get M390 too. Don't get me wrong here. My dedicated hunting knife is the CRK Nyala. I just like the 761 better for edc.
 
JParanee said:
Just the opposite for me

If I see you with a Sebenza I don't take you serious :)
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Got mine as a gift. Not many studio pics of it or just polished it never used it pics either.

Here it is opening a can of tomato sauce in the kitchen.

 
Hale Storm said:
Yep, I agree with this one. Buck, Gerber, SOG, Kershaw, et al. Unless you're talking to a "knife person", most people only know what they see at the big box stores. I've owned all of the CRK line except the Mnandi and may own another at some point but currently carry the Benchmade 761 as my "premium" mid tech knife. I like it much better than the CRK's (THERE, I said it - Now I'll be banished to wander the desert for 40 years looking for unobtainium). It's thinner, feels lighter in my pocket, and I get M390 too. Don't get me wrong here. My dedicated hunting knife is the CRK Nyala. I just like the 761 better for edc.
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No! The horror...... The horror....


 
Lycosa said:
Everyone needs to experience a Sebenza.
And, a Spyderco and a Emerson folder.
rolf
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And a Case Trapper and a Buck 110 and a Kershaw Leek and an Axis-Lock Benchmade and a . . . Some knives are iconic for a reason.
 
uofaengr said:
Surprised by how many took the bait for this one...
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I regret to say I was one of them...


As far as "needing" to experience a Sebenza, I don't know about that. As far as I'm concerned, someone can be enthusiastic about knives and only own or carry a stockman or SAK and do perfectly fine. And I am a happy Sebenza owner.


Jim
 
If you don't own a Sebenza, the shame should compel you to fall on your Cold Steel Smatchet. Or do some research about Chris Reeve's most famous creation, and decide for yourself if a Sebenza will complete you as a human being, or poison your soul (there's no middle ground, of course). Oh. Right. I guess this is 'research'... sort of.

Some of the hardcore CRK-lovers seem to assign semi-mystical properties to the thing, but it's just a knife. It's a design that has stood up to the very high expectations of the knife community, and there's a reason CRK has won the Blade Award for Manufacturing Quality 13 out of the last 15 years. I like the Sebenza a lot, but it's not real exciting, and it's not my favorite knife. It's up there, though. Maybe I'm still getting over my too-high expectations; unfortunately, the birth card was not a golden ticket allowing me to join the Sacred Blades of the Illuminati. It came with a pretty blue cloth, though, so it all kind of balanced out. I guess. ;)

Concerning yourself with the opinions of the loudest members will lead to the purchase of many, many knives you probably won't want. CRK, Spyderco, ZT, Benchmade, Strider, Hinderer, Busse. and Becker all have their devoted acolytes, and like all fanatics, their brains cramp up and their pockets hurt when you like a knife they hate or dislike a knife they love. 'Live and let live' is not a sentiment any fanatic will drop in casual conservation... assuming they can still make conversation, and they're not troglodytic bushcrafters getting crafty with borrowed McDonalds Wi-Fi and a laptop they rescued from a landfill.

The members who talk about the knives they love, and are much more selective when it comes to talking sh*t, are usually the ones worth listening too. The guys who seem to talk constantly about the knives they think suck, and rarely have anything positive to say, are best ignored, IMO.

Another thing I've gotta say, the OP-question is like a Madison Avenue Ad man's wet-dream. Every advertisement in history has tried to convince us we need something we barely even want. Nobody needs a Sebenza. This is the domain of want. If the OP was a disingenuous attempt to spark argument, that's irrelevant by this point. It's a question that's rarely asked so blatantly, but it's come up before, and it's worth discussing.
 
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Eliteone2383 said:
Then can I ever be taken seriously as a knife guy?
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Don't see why not.

Sebenzas aren't exactly cheap as they are 10X or more the typical price of the knives that MOST people tend to buy, that's real life outside of Blade Forums.

Most people tend to buy from the big box stores in general.

That said......

One has to figure out what they want and like in a knife then justify the price range to themselves, but that's with any knife in the end whether it's a $10 or a $1,000 knife.

A person can read all the forum posts they want and or watch all the videos etc but that really won't be a replacement for hands on experience or actually owning the knife.

Nobody can tell someone what to like or how to think, that's something they have to do for themselves.

There will always be those who will target the more expensive things in life and tend to be negative about them for various reasons, most of them will be complete BS for the most part as it all has to do with cost so take most of that with a grain of salt.

MOST of them have never seen the said knife in person, held one or even been within a mile of one in real life, that is reality. ;)

So like I said, grain of salt.

Personally I have owned a lot of knives in my life and tested even more over the past 40 years or so, I carry what I like and those knives I don't like I usually sell off or give away.

Here is my advice to you:

  1. Never buy a knife you can't really afford
  2. If you can't afford to take that money and burn it and not miss it then don't spend it
  3. Be realistic about what your wants and needs are
  4. And again if you can't afford it then buyers remorse will set in and you will never really enjoy the knife

That all taken into count a Sebenza is cheap compared to other luxury items that a lot of people seem to buy, that's actual money.

$100K cars, $200K boats, $1 Million Homes, $30K Watches, $5,000 Guns and so on.
 
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I've yet to run into anybody in southern il, western ky, or semo who knows or cares about crk. I try to frequent gun and knife shows when I can. If it doesn't say "case" or for the more serious knife people "case tested" it is scoffed at immediately ( the farmers, dog trainers, coal miners I know) or they could care less what they are carrying.

As people have stated before we are lucky to have so many company's, knives, styles to choose from.

I was into automatics and axis locks in my 20s, this decade it is crks.... Who knows it maybe flippers or traditionals next. Why limit ourselves?

As far as being taken seriously that maybe overrated
 
Are you a person of integrity? Honest, truthful, can be trusted? These types of qualities define the person.
Fisherman can specialize in fly, lure, live bait, lake, stream, ocean or enjoy in the variety of the sport/hobby.
Slip joints, modern folders, fixed, custom or production. They all have their attractions.
I like Sebenzas, but others also.
It comes down to...what defines the person?
 
I mean, I like the design of the Sebenza in principle. It has qualities that I look for in my knives: full Ti handle, framelock, S35VN steel.... I just don't assign mystical properties to it, it's just another knife. It almost seems a bit bland TBH. Is it a "douche knife"? That all depends on who's carrying it.
 
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