if you were buying...Benchmade Shoki or Chris Reeves small Sebenza and why?

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Mathew J

Joined
Apr 7, 2002
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Think I have it down to these two, though price difference is pretty big...

Personally like the looks of the Shoki better but the CR seems like the default choice for nicer knives....wondering what you would go for an why or possibly something like a mcusta instead?

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sebenza21.jpg
 
I carried a Sebenza for several years, my guitarist bought one a couple years back and I liked it and bought one too, they just hold up to ridiculous amount of abuse. I remember my guitarist was playing a gig and we couldn't find any wirecutters to cut the ends of his guitar strings, so we used his Sebenza... that thing has cut everything from electrical wire to sandwiches... we both own small classics.
 
I don't own either, but between the two I'd buy the Sebenza. I really appreciate the simplicity of the design. The ease of cleaning and maintaining a frame lock makes it a great choice for EDC.
 
I would say that a question like this depends on how involved with knives you are and personal taste and standards. All the knives you mentioned are very nice knives in their own right, however they are definately on different sides of the spectrum. If you have owned other knives in the price range of the BM and Mcusta and are happy with their fit and finish and overall quality than I would say to go for another in that price point. If the machine marks left on the frame/liner, slightly uncentered blades or whatever it might be bother you then you may want to consider moving up to the next step, ie. the price point in which Chris Reeve Knives falls into.

I have had many knives in all different price points now and have been extremely happy with all as long as I know what to expect. That BM Shoki is a very nice knife though as is most anything made by Mcusta. Good luck.
 
I've been a diehard benchmade fan for years (my first "good" knife was a benchmade 42) and about a year ago I bought a small sebenza 21, everyday since it has been in my pocket. The only knife I have purchased since is a Mcusta Take in ebony, it's a great knife for the money but I still carry my sebenza.
 
+1 Sebenza

Like others have already stated it is just another level of knife. They are considered Semi-Custom. Quoted "semi-custom" from Plaza Cutlery's knife show. Good looking, robust, they cut, slice, and dice.

Again as others have mentioned, the quality of BM and Mcusta are outstanding for the price points, but if you want another level of quality that is Chris Reeve knives.
 
It also depends on the blade size that you want and other features. I don't want to spend more than the price of a Mcusta or Moki for a knife, and also wanted a smaller blade for some locations. I got the Mcusta Take in staminawood - and I am pleased with the knife.
I wouldn't carry a knife like the Sebenza some places, and I also don't want a metal handle. This is just a personal thing - I prefer warmer feeling things on knife handles, like wood, bone, or even micarta, G10 or carbon fiber.
If you like the looks of the more expensive knife, go for it.
I wouldn't want a 3" blade in my pocket at work, for example.
I am really delighted with the fit and finish of Moki knives, but they are not one-hand openers. The Mcustas are put together pretty well, and I like VG10 steel. I don't use most pocket knives for anything heavy, and if I did, it would be a cheap one I didn't care anything about.
 
Seb it up. A Sebenza is an outstanding knife and embodies the idea of subtle elegance. Not flashy, doesn't draw a lot of attention, but you'll know, and anyone that DOES handle it will know it's a nice knife without having to know anything about knives.

Plus, if you ever decide you want to get rid of it, you won't have any difficulty!
 
I'm not a fan of the Nak-Lok there was some up and down play in mine. If your looking at a nice gentleman's knife, have you considered William Henry knives?
 
Between the two, I would go with the Sebbie. In fact, I have had a Shoki and sold it. The Shoki is a nice looking knife, but there are significant differences in quality - both in materials and craftsmanship. The Shoki has stabilized wood scales, which look and feel cheap, in my opinion, especially for a knife that costs more than $100. The Shoki is very light and I think uses aluminum for some components. Nothing to fault on a Sebenza. I have a small Sebbie and there is no comparison in terms of quality.

With all that said, I think the Shoki compares more with the Mnandi than the Sebbie. After selling my Shoki, I picked up a Mnandi with snakewood scales. The Mnandi and Shoki are similar in size and are more comparable as "gentlemen's knives." If you are drawn to the Shoki's style and the Sebbie quality, then give the Mnandi a look.
 
jurisprudence said:
Between the two, I would go with the Sebbie. In fact, I have had a Shoki and sold it. The Shoki is a nice looking knife, but there are significant differences in quality - both in materials and craftsmanship. The Shoki has stabilized wood scales, which look and feel cheap, in my opinion, especially for a knife that costs more than $100. The Shoki is very light and I think uses aluminum for some components. Nothing to fault on a Sebenza. I have a small Sebbie and there is no comparison in terms of quality.

With all that said, I think the Shoki compares more with the Mnandi than the Sebbie. After selling my Shoki, I picked up a Mnandi with snakewood scales. The Mnandi and Shoki are similar in size and are more comparable as "gentlemen's knives." If you are drawn to the Shoki's style and the Sebbie quality, then give the Mnandi a look.
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What he said! +1!
 
I don't think these two knives are comparable at all.

Take a look at the William Henry EDC series if you want to compare quality with a small sebenza, or a mnandi. At the end of the day, the small sebenza is a fine knife in its own right, that is unique unto itself. Most people have trouble understanding this (myself included) until they own and use one. Just get the sebenza, you can't go wrong, and you'll just keep trying to satisfy the urge by buying other things until you do.
 
Mathew J said:
Think I have it down to these two, though price difference is pretty big...

Personally like the looks of the Shoki better but the CR seems like the default choice for nicer knives....wondering what you would go for an why or possibly something like a mcusta instead?[/IMG]
Click to expand...

They are completely different. The Shoki is an elegant, featherweight, wine-wood-handled small gentleman's folder at $200 MSRP. It is form before function and suitable mostly for light cutting tasks. The small Sebenza (plain) is $330 MSRP and is more function-before-form, durable, and can handle reasonably hard cutting tasks. The handle is titanium.

Personally I'm sick of the Sebenza. There are several reasons why. Maybe one of those reasons is how popular "apex products" (iPhone) turn me off. But if you get one, you won't be disappointed. I inherited one, wondered why it cost so much, saw the appeal, and traded it. The only times I've seen people disappointed with Sebenzas is when they look at the price or look at the plain model, which is not the most fulfilling knife in the universe from an aesthetic point of view which is why you can have yours embellished for a mere $500+. (rant over)

Check out the Mcustas. I have the Take (MC-33D) and love the style. Somewhere between the Shoki and the Sebenza in terms of functionality.
 
I started my folder collection with Benchmades, so they always hold a soft spot. I have spold a lot of them over the last year, but there are still a few in my collection.

However, my CRK Umnumzaan and recently re-acquired large Sebenza spend the most time in my pocket.

There is a reason that the Sebenza is widely discussed on this and other forums. It's a great knife.

I say go for the Sebenza.
 
You've been here since 2002 and you have to ask this question? :D It's like asking is a ferari better than a Audi. Sebenza wins!
 
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