Inkosi thoughts
- Thread starter gull wing
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The Inkosi has it's own quirks that make finding that sweet spot a little different then other CRKs. Essentially it doesn't matter how it comes out of the box or where your bought it from EVERYBODY is going to like their detent a little bit different. The Inkosi allows you to set this yourself.
What I do (I own 5/6 now, I've lost count) is break it down, clean it, grease it, apply your loctite and take the pivot all the way tight. At this point the knife usually require a grizzly bear to open. Then slowly start backing off (by slowly I mean SLOWLY like 1/32 turns here) until I detect just the faintest bit of blade play side to side blade play. Once I hit that point I nudge it back in t he tightened direction and let it sit for a few hours for the loctite to dry. As I said I've got a decent amount of experience with them ranging from large to small to BNIB to well loved and this has worked literally every single time. It's adjustable, that's the point. Sending it back without first trying this would be akin to bringing your car back to the dealer because it needs gas.
Also fwiw my EDC one has been together now for 2.5 months since it's last break down and cleaning and the tension hasn't changed since the day I set it. Set it how you like it, takes maybe 10 minutes if you need to research on youtube and never do it again if you don't want to. Either way hope this helps. It's not a 21, it can and will work in many positions. Everybody has different preferences and IMO that's one of the features that makes the Inkosi my go to CRK/knife in general.
What I do (I own 5/6 now, I've lost count) is break it down, clean it, grease it, apply your loctite and take the pivot all the way tight. At this point the knife usually require a grizzly bear to open. Then slowly start backing off (by slowly I mean SLOWLY like 1/32 turns here) until I detect just the faintest bit of blade play side to side blade play. Once I hit that point I nudge it back in t he tightened direction and let it sit for a few hours for the loctite to dry. As I said I've got a decent amount of experience with them ranging from large to small to BNIB to well loved and this has worked literally every single time. It's adjustable, that's the point. Sending it back without first trying this would be akin to bringing your car back to the dealer because it needs gas.
Also fwiw my EDC one has been together now for 2.5 months since it's last break down and cleaning and the tension hasn't changed since the day I set it. Set it how you like it, takes maybe 10 minutes if you need to research on youtube and never do it again if you don't want to. Either way hope this helps. It's not a 21, it can and will work in many positions. Everybody has different preferences and IMO that's one of the features that makes the Inkosi my go to CRK/knife in general.
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I have both a large 21 WC and Large Inkosi plain jane. I gotta agree the inkosi is a much smooooother operator. However, due to the thicker blade stock it is not as good a slicer for me since I use my blade a lot for apple slicing. BUT I love both equally but differently.
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Amoo I find the pivot screw on the presentation side is loose in about 1/8" of a turn, from tight to loose. On the lock side it seems to take several turns before the pivot is loose. Which screw do you work with mostly in your method described above, the presentation side or the lockbar side?
Both at the same time, literally just small bumps on both wrenches at the same time.
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I have been thinking a lot about your post Gull Wing. As I have said before, I feel the "smoothness" of a CRK is most affected by the gliding of the ceramic ball (in the case of the 21, a very small ceramic detent ball, and in the case of the Inkosi/Umnumzaan, a large ceramic ball that is also the lock face) across the surface of the knife. I think in most cases a "gritty" knife has a dirty detent track, and the condition of the washers or pivot is not really the culprit. When people break down their "gritty" knives to polish washers and lube pivots, they incidentally clean the detent track as well, so do not necessarily diagnose the cause of the grittiness, or what they really did to fix it.
I agree the Inkosi (in my case a 25) is the smoothest CRK. I think the reason is the diameter of the detent ball is larger, so it glides over the stonewash on the blade, or the track that gets worn into it, more easily. Just as a larger wheel will make it easier for a bicycle or car to roll over rough terrain, the larger ball is less affected by imperfections, scratches, sticky residue, and grit on the detent track as you open and close the knife.
I am well aware the ball does not roll, but the 'angle of attack' is lessened, and the size of the contact patch is enlarged, providing the same benefits to the knife feeling smooth as it would to the wheels on a vehicle. The ball does not get hung up as easily, nor does it fall as far into any scratches on the track, hence it being so smooth.
Furthermore, the larger detent ball will move out of its nesting hole easier, requiring less effort to get moving as well.
In short.......I agree!
I agree the Inkosi (in my case a 25) is the smoothest CRK. I think the reason is the diameter of the detent ball is larger, so it glides over the stonewash on the blade, or the track that gets worn into it, more easily. Just as a larger wheel will make it easier for a bicycle or car to roll over rough terrain, the larger ball is less affected by imperfections, scratches, sticky residue, and grit on the detent track as you open and close the knife.
I am well aware the ball does not roll, but the 'angle of attack' is lessened, and the size of the contact patch is enlarged, providing the same benefits to the knife feeling smooth as it would to the wheels on a vehicle. The ball does not get hung up as easily, nor does it fall as far into any scratches on the track, hence it being so smooth.
Furthermore, the larger detent ball will move out of its nesting hole easier, requiring less effort to get moving as well.
In short.......I agree!
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I would venture to guess it has more to do with the reduced lockbar pressure from the clip placement as well as the fundamental difference in shape of the back of the 21 vs the 25/inkosi. Combine that with the larger wasshers for an increased lubrication surface and you have a win.
Ironically you could take you point and flip it and still possibly be right. One could theorize that a larger detent ball would have a larger contact area with the blade tang itself increasing the drag from what a smaller ball would make, simply due to surface area contact. There obviously is a reason CRK switched to the larger ball and that is science I would really just love to know.
Ironically you could take you point and flip it and still possibly be right. One could theorize that a larger detent ball would have a larger contact area with the blade tang itself increasing the drag from what a smaller ball would make, simply due to surface area contact. There obviously is a reason CRK switched to the larger ball and that is science I would really just love to know.
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The larger ball was the only way to create a dual function detent/lockface out of a ball. The tiny ceramic detent ball of the 21 would never work as a lock, unless the knife was micro-sized. I think the additional smoothness was just a happy accident.
Anyways......as far as reversing my debate, I hope you don't mountain bike, or we'll end up in the 26" wheel verse 29" wheel debate and it might get nasty! Fact is 29" wheels are faster and smoother.......it's physics.
Anyways......as far as reversing my debate, I hope you don't mountain bike, or we'll end up in the 26" wheel verse 29" wheel debate and it might get nasty! Fact is 29" wheels are faster and smoother.......it's physics.
Ajack60
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Let's not forget that the over-sized ceramic detent/lockface is nothing new. It was first introduced in 08 with the Umnumzaan. I believe the adjustable pivot was also introduced with the Umnumzaan. Then, the Sebenza 25 came out which appeared to have both the 21 and Umnumzaan attributes rolled into one knife. The 25 had a short life span, which has been discussed in the past whether it was truly a Sebenza or not. It's obvious the 25 didn't fit the epitome of the Sebenza and the Inkosi was born with some added changes. Which, from all the great reviews it has received, made for a better CRK.
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Unlike a wheel, no flex in a ceramic ball mind you. Anyways I think we can all (mostly) agree, that if the detent ball was a pin-prick sharp needle, it would be rough as all heck, so the fact it is more towards being flat than being razor sharp, is a good thing, and this (IMHO) is what contributes to its greater smoothness of the Inkosi
Anyways.......I don't have much skin in this game so I'll jump out. At heart, I still feel the 21 is overall a superior design, but that's another debate!
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