If you're on the fence about an Umnumzaan, let me sway you.

[Toyz]

Nice.

I had one (pre "Idaho Made"), sold it, picked up another one.

Sometimes it takes a second go around to appreciate a knife.

 

[kadinh]

this thread might have single handed kicked my butt into going off my no knife buying drought! curse you all!

For my 1st CRK knife, i COULD NOT decided between a large 21 or the Umnumzaan. I love how both of them look, but something about the Umnum just stuck in my head and i still love how it looks. more people said that when they had both, more times they kept the 21 over the umnum. so...... looks like I might have some splainin' to do to the wife.......maybe


EDIT: they seem to be out of stock everywhere i look. whew! maybe i dont have to go through with it...

 

[Reeek]

The Unmumzaan is much more than the sum of its parts. Mine has had well over 95% pocket time since she arrived, months ago.

 

[Ankerson]

The Unmumzaan is much more than the sum of its parts. Mine has had well over 95% pocket time since she arrived, months ago.

They do carry well.

Very small in the pocket and not really heavy at all.

 

[cziv]

I don't have an Unmumzaan (yet) but I agree with the carry weights of the lg. Sebenza which is a good CR knife and the Unmumzaan. It's like my pocket is empty and then I pull that lg Sebenza out and it's so light, smooth and sharp. Capable of any sane EDC cutting tasks. It makes me happy to own it.

 

[Ankerson]

I don't have an Unmumzaan (yet) but I agree with the carry weights of the lg. Sebenza which is a good CR knife and the Unmumzaan. It's like my pocket is empty and then I pull that lg Sebenza out and it's so light, smooth and sharp. Capable of any sane EDC cutting tasks. It makes me happy to own it.

I like the small foot print in the pocket, makes it easier to get my hand in to get my keys etc, don't even know it's there most of the time.

 

[snowreaper1]

I think thats one of Chris Reeve's folders best attributes, that in such a compact and slim handle he can fit such a long functional blade length.
The small sebenzas blade length is equal to the paramilitary 1 and the Sng but when closed it is so much smaller in length and width.

 

[KyleyHarris]

I think that both the Large Sebenza, and the Umnumzaan are great for different reasons. for normal daily city use and such I prefer the sebenza. for me, I just find it a little easier opening/closing action on the 2 knives I own. the knife is never used for more than box cutting, tape, rope, string, and food packets.. so honestly.. these are chores that any knife in the world can accomplish. the Sebbie just does it with style.

However, while I rate the Sebenza better for my general edc use. the Umnumzaan is absolutely more comfortable and better working when it comes to outdoor tasks like carving wood and some harder tasks. its the handle design more than anything. and while some people may sniff at the pivot size not meaning much.. in terms of outdoor use and wood carving these things are important. push cutting wood is not that effective. its more effective to slightly curve a knife through the wood so that its cutting and prying slightly at the same time. Convex blades do this almost naturally.

Anyhow.. the point is that this cutting action is where the stop-pin against the handles, and the bulky pivot will shine for durability. both these factors will reduce compression strain on the washers, and overall stresses to the pivot, and the titanium surroundings of the pivot. Hours and hours of this type of work will slowly erode any folding knife at the stress points untill they become sloppy and dont engage well. While the Sebenza Bushing is quite wide. the pivot itself is not that large. so the stresses induced on the stop pin and pivot of the sebenza are far greater than on the pivot and pin of the umnumzaan.

Overall, the umnumzaan is a far better outdoors and hard work knife from that perspective.. but the blade itself is not really going to be much stronger because its been thinned down to an equal level at the tip.. the thickness at the pivot makes wear and tear a huge amount less, which is the key.

I only wish that the pivot was made to take the hex key for equally easy take down without having to pay for a special tool that if lost is a PIA.. you can get hex keys at any hardware store.

 

[awh]

I may be wrong, but the tanto version looks to have a more robust tip, at least thats part of the reason I bought the tanto umnumzaan.

 

[Ankerson]

I think that both the Large Sebenza, and the Umnumzaan are great for different reasons. for normal daily city use and such I prefer the sebenza. for me, I just find it a little easier opening/closing action on the 2 knives I own. the knife is never used for more than box cutting, tape, rope, string, and food packets.. so honestly.. these are chores that any knife in the world can accomplish. the Sebbie just does it with style.

However, while I rate the Sebenza better for my general edc use. the Umnumzaan is absolutely more comfortable and better working when it comes to outdoor tasks like carving wood and some harder tasks. its the handle design more than anything. and while some people may sniff at the pivot size not meaning much.. in terms of outdoor use and wood carving these things are important. push cutting wood is not that effective. its more effective to slightly curve a knife through the wood so that its cutting and prying slightly at the same time. Convex blades do this almost naturally.

Anyhow.. the point is that this cutting action is where the stop-pin against the handles, and the bulky pivot will shine for durability. both these factors will reduce compression strain on the washers, and overall stresses to the pivot, and the titanium surroundings of the pivot. Hours and hours of this type of work will slowly erode any folding knife at the stress points untill they become sloppy and dont engage well. While the Sebenza Bushing is quite wide. the pivot itself is not that large. so the stresses induced on the stop pin and pivot of the sebenza are far greater than on the pivot and pin of the umnumzaan.

Overall, the umnumzaan is a far better outdoors and hard work knife from that perspective.. but the blade itself is not really going to be much stronger because its been thinned down to an equal level at the tip.. the thickness at the pivot makes wear and tear a huge amount less, which is the key.

I only wish that the pivot was made to take the hex key for equally easy take down without having to pay for a special tool that if lost is a PIA.. you can get hex keys at any hardware store.

Like in my EDC video, I was really putting a lot of pressure on the knife when I was cutting the wood, some other knives would loosen up and develop some blade play under that kind of stress, but the ZAAN did great.

Also like you said it's comfortable to use in hard cutting tasks and that is a huge plus because one don't really need gloves to use it like some others that are out there.

But no, it's not a folding pry bar so i wouldn't be doing any hard prying with it unless one wants to snap off the tip.

 

[Tasmaniac]

Just received my Zaan and all I can say is "Damn".

I don't know how I could possibly carry anything else.

 

[cziv]

Nice score man!

 

[Ankerson]

Just received my Zaan and all I can say is "Damn".

I don't know how I could possibly carry anything else.

Nice score.

Now go get some scratches on it. :thumbup:

 

[Tasmaniac]

It will be fully initiated in my back yard tomorrow.

 

[Ankerson]

It will be fully initiated in my back yard tomorrow.

Cool.

 

[Tasmaniac]

So far I've been unable to close it with one hand. I'm sure there are many threads on the forum about this issue and it probably just needs to be broken in a bit. Opening is incredibly smooth, though.

Maybe I'm just old and wimpy.

 

[김원진]

It will be fully initiated in my back yard tomorrow.

pics in the backyard, or it didn't happen also mine was annoyingly stiff at first. not sure if it loosened up, or i really did just find the perfect angle and such, cause now i can close it every time. might help that i use chopsticks a lot as well

 

[Ankerson]

So far I've been unable to close it with one hand. I'm sure there are many threads on the forum about this issue and it probably just needs to be broken in a bit. Opening is incredibly smooth, though.

Maybe I'm just old and wimpy.

Yeah it takes a little time to break it in some.

 

[김원진]

ankerson, were you going to do a second video? i thought you mention a follow up soon after the initial testing. kinda wish cajun blaze would do a few more, funny guy.

 

[Ankerson]

ankerson, were you going to do a second video? i thought you mention a follow up soon after the initial testing. kinda wish cajun blaze would do a few more, funny guy.

Might do another one, different though.