- Joined
- Jan 25, 2000
- Messages
- 4,492
... do yourself a favor and take a serious look at Darrel Ralph's new EDC series. Handle one if you can. These knives are simply awesome. While only being able to carry my Dominator for a few days, performance comparisons and long term satisfaction vs. my large Sebenza will have to wait. In the mean time I was able to make comparisons and form initial impressions in a few other areas though:
blade design - Both blades tip the tape at approx. 3 1/2". I favor broad, thinnly ground blades in my folders. Both of these knives deliver that in spades. I also like thin edges as it allows both better cutting performance and easier sharpening when needed. The Sebenza accomplishes this with a deep hollow grind, whereas the EDC is flat ground. Regardless, they both work. The EDC blade profile is very similar in overall shape to the Sebenza blade but with the addition of having a recurve cutting edge. I would give a slight edge to the Dominator's blade design in favor of the Sebenza's.
blade steel - As far as blade steel is concerned, suffice to say that you cannot go wrong with either. BG-42 (Sebenza) and CPM 420V (Dominator) are both highly regarded stainless steels. While living with the Sebenza for a year, I have formed a pretty good opinion of what to expect of it's blade. On the other hand, as this is my first 420V blade, I do not have any experience to back up all the claims for it. Time will tell which is the better steel in this application. I seriously doubt whether I will ever be able to make that judgement. I see this area as a draw.
blade finish - I ordered the standard stonewashed finish for my Sebenza and the standard working finish (approx. 120 grit finish?) on the Dominator. Both were selected on the basis of being the most scratch resistant (ie. less detectable) finish available from either maker. While the Dominator's blade is quite attractive with the horizontal/vertical grind line combination, I am partial to the stonewashed finish on the Sebenza as I feel it does a better job of hiding scratches.
action - OK, let's talk smoothness here. In my experience nothing has surpassed the action on my Sebenza and I have handled quite a few highly touted customs. Maybe I just got an extra good one. Who knows? But this thing is uncanny in it's ability to lock-up super strong with absolutely zero vertical or horizontal play. Release the locking bar, same thing. Zero play. Release the locking bar while the knife is extended (blade edge down) and the blade drops to vertical instantly. Cool. It does take a little more force to overcome the ball detent, but this is a small price for the security this gives, especially in a knife designed for tip up carry. But don't rule the Dominator out just yet. The first thing you notice is that it takes considerably less effort to get the blade moving on this knife. And once moving it feels very close to the equal of the Sebenza. Lock-up again is strong and tight and I cannot induce any play in any direction. The blade will not free-fall like the Sebenza and is not quite as smooth overall in action. This may be an unfair comparison as the Dominator has seen only a few hundred cycles (so I like to play with my toys
) so far compared to a years worth for the Sebenza. If it does not improve I will be very happy with it, if it does improve (which is my guess) I will be ecstatic! In spite of this slight loss of fluidity, if I was asked to cycle a knife continuously, my pick would be the Dominator. Just a more enjoyable overall experience.
handle shape and comfort - The Sebenza has been labeled as possessing a handle comprised of two slabs of titanium with little thought concerning comfort. I personally have always found it quite comfortable and secure (haven't got around to doing those full power thrusts into the maple tree out back yet
). The beadblast finish always seemed to be grippy enough even when wet. The Dominator is a whole different story. It feels as though my closed hand was the casting into which the titanium had been poured. Can you say ergonomic? I have yet to use the knife in a grip that is not satisfactory. Amazing. While the smooth satin finish of the Dominator is more slippery than the Sebenza's beadblast, the overall contours of the handle more than compensate for this fact. A fact worth noting is that I am left-handed, but prefer to carry and use right-handed knives. I just find that the clip on a right-handed knife feels better in my left hand (ie. clip against fingers rather than against palm) and helps secure my grip. While probably not the best choice for tactical work, for utilitarian uses it is acceptable to me. The Dominator wins the comfort award hands down.
pocket carry - Both knives feature pocket clips (titanium) which is my preferred method of carry. That is where the similarities end. The Sebenza is tip-up, the Dominator tip-down. I prefer tip down carry. The Dominator also seems to disappear a little more in your pocket. This is most likely because it is slightly thinner, shorter and weighs in at a feathery 4 1/4 ounces vs. 4 3/4 for the Sebenza. The only strike against the Dominator is that the lock side thumbstud will sometimes catch on the lip of your pocket. A slight turn of your wrist when drawing the knife helps. All in all, I prefer the ride of the Dominator.
appearance - The Sebenza is often refered to as a "gray turd". It's shape and coloring definitely are far from cutting edge. Beadblasted titanium slabs complete with some precision machining just about covers it. Some find this to their liking, and I am one of those people. I always have liked the unobtrusive look of the Sebenza and have managed to find the purpose behind the design (at least to me). Kind of like the 1972 Chevy pick-up of the knife world. The Dominator on the other hand screams! When you pull this knife out of your pocket, people NOTICE. The shape and colors of this knife simply do not go unnoticed. While not typically a flashy type of person, I can't help but be drawn by this knife. The handle is anodized a brilliant blue/purple/bronze/gold color that is much more attractive than it sounds. Coupled with bronze anodized clip, thumbstuds and spacers there is no denying that the Dominator is the runway model here.
value - I am not about to leave you without expressing my views on this subject. Some people feel that the custom vs. production debate is important when determining the overall value of a knife. I prefer to judge a knife on it's merits, and not who made it when I am comparing using knives. So I will leave this aspect for your speculation. The standard Dominator goes out the door for $395. This is complete with anodizing, dual thumbstuds and machining (decorating in CRK speak). The base Sebenza is $325. Dual studs are a $30 option, decorating $70 - $100. Which brings an equivalent Sebenza to over $425. The Sebenza can easily be refurbished for a minimum cost. The Dominator can be refurbished and upgrades installed for $25. I have not heard of one example where either CRK or Darrel has not came through for a customer to make something right. Resale value also appears very good for both models (using the Apogee as an example of Darrel's work in this case). As far as value goes, I feel the Dominator offers slightly more because of equal or better performance and a slight edge in cost for similar models.
Everything considered, the Dominator is one great knife. It will make a perfect companion to my Sebbie. You really can't go wrong with either. Here is my typical crappy photo of this superb knife. BTW, I ordered the screws reversed and they are textured similar to the spine and handle edges. Very nice touch.
[This message has been edited by blademan 13 (edited 08-31-2000).]
[This message has been edited by blademan 13 (edited 08-31-2000).]
[This message has been edited by blademan 13 (edited 08-31-2000).]
blade design - Both blades tip the tape at approx. 3 1/2". I favor broad, thinnly ground blades in my folders. Both of these knives deliver that in spades. I also like thin edges as it allows both better cutting performance and easier sharpening when needed. The Sebenza accomplishes this with a deep hollow grind, whereas the EDC is flat ground. Regardless, they both work. The EDC blade profile is very similar in overall shape to the Sebenza blade but with the addition of having a recurve cutting edge. I would give a slight edge to the Dominator's blade design in favor of the Sebenza's.
blade steel - As far as blade steel is concerned, suffice to say that you cannot go wrong with either. BG-42 (Sebenza) and CPM 420V (Dominator) are both highly regarded stainless steels. While living with the Sebenza for a year, I have formed a pretty good opinion of what to expect of it's blade. On the other hand, as this is my first 420V blade, I do not have any experience to back up all the claims for it. Time will tell which is the better steel in this application. I seriously doubt whether I will ever be able to make that judgement. I see this area as a draw.
blade finish - I ordered the standard stonewashed finish for my Sebenza and the standard working finish (approx. 120 grit finish?) on the Dominator. Both were selected on the basis of being the most scratch resistant (ie. less detectable) finish available from either maker. While the Dominator's blade is quite attractive with the horizontal/vertical grind line combination, I am partial to the stonewashed finish on the Sebenza as I feel it does a better job of hiding scratches.
action - OK, let's talk smoothness here. In my experience nothing has surpassed the action on my Sebenza and I have handled quite a few highly touted customs. Maybe I just got an extra good one. Who knows? But this thing is uncanny in it's ability to lock-up super strong with absolutely zero vertical or horizontal play. Release the locking bar, same thing. Zero play. Release the locking bar while the knife is extended (blade edge down) and the blade drops to vertical instantly. Cool. It does take a little more force to overcome the ball detent, but this is a small price for the security this gives, especially in a knife designed for tip up carry. But don't rule the Dominator out just yet. The first thing you notice is that it takes considerably less effort to get the blade moving on this knife. And once moving it feels very close to the equal of the Sebenza. Lock-up again is strong and tight and I cannot induce any play in any direction. The blade will not free-fall like the Sebenza and is not quite as smooth overall in action. This may be an unfair comparison as the Dominator has seen only a few hundred cycles (so I like to play with my toys
handle shape and comfort - The Sebenza has been labeled as possessing a handle comprised of two slabs of titanium with little thought concerning comfort. I personally have always found it quite comfortable and secure (haven't got around to doing those full power thrusts into the maple tree out back yet
pocket carry - Both knives feature pocket clips (titanium) which is my preferred method of carry. That is where the similarities end. The Sebenza is tip-up, the Dominator tip-down. I prefer tip down carry. The Dominator also seems to disappear a little more in your pocket. This is most likely because it is slightly thinner, shorter and weighs in at a feathery 4 1/4 ounces vs. 4 3/4 for the Sebenza. The only strike against the Dominator is that the lock side thumbstud will sometimes catch on the lip of your pocket. A slight turn of your wrist when drawing the knife helps. All in all, I prefer the ride of the Dominator.
appearance - The Sebenza is often refered to as a "gray turd". It's shape and coloring definitely are far from cutting edge. Beadblasted titanium slabs complete with some precision machining just about covers it. Some find this to their liking, and I am one of those people. I always have liked the unobtrusive look of the Sebenza and have managed to find the purpose behind the design (at least to me). Kind of like the 1972 Chevy pick-up of the knife world. The Dominator on the other hand screams! When you pull this knife out of your pocket, people NOTICE. The shape and colors of this knife simply do not go unnoticed. While not typically a flashy type of person, I can't help but be drawn by this knife. The handle is anodized a brilliant blue/purple/bronze/gold color that is much more attractive than it sounds. Coupled with bronze anodized clip, thumbstuds and spacers there is no denying that the Dominator is the runway model here.
value - I am not about to leave you without expressing my views on this subject. Some people feel that the custom vs. production debate is important when determining the overall value of a knife. I prefer to judge a knife on it's merits, and not who made it when I am comparing using knives. So I will leave this aspect for your speculation. The standard Dominator goes out the door for $395. This is complete with anodizing, dual thumbstuds and machining (decorating in CRK speak). The base Sebenza is $325. Dual studs are a $30 option, decorating $70 - $100. Which brings an equivalent Sebenza to over $425. The Sebenza can easily be refurbished for a minimum cost. The Dominator can be refurbished and upgrades installed for $25. I have not heard of one example where either CRK or Darrel has not came through for a customer to make something right. Resale value also appears very good for both models (using the Apogee as an example of Darrel's work in this case). As far as value goes, I feel the Dominator offers slightly more because of equal or better performance and a slight edge in cost for similar models.
Everything considered, the Dominator is one great knife. It will make a perfect companion to my Sebbie. You really can't go wrong with either. Here is my typical crappy photo of this superb knife. BTW, I ordered the screws reversed and they are textured similar to the spine and handle edges. Very nice touch.
[This message has been edited by blademan 13 (edited 08-31-2000).]
[This message has been edited by blademan 13 (edited 08-31-2000).]
[This message has been edited by blademan 13 (edited 08-31-2000).]
