Inkosi - why three wrenches?

[_user_removed]

My apologies if this has been covered, but I couldn't find a thread on the topic after some searching.

So - Inkosi. Fantastic little knife. You guys keep going on about it, so I run off to local knife store and start playing with one......it lives up to the hype. I'm on the fence about letting it kick a small classic plain jane out of my pocket, but I can't get past the fact that it now requires three wrenches to break down. That seems counter to all that CRK stands for - simple, effective, and utilitarian. I get the changes to the system, but those could've been accomplished while retaining the single allen wrench setup. Why go to a more complicated system? Especially one that would require an owner to bring three wrenches along rather than using the allen wrench on a leatherman.

 

[nyefmaker]

2 large wrenches to disassemble and and adjust the blade pivot. 1 small wrench for the body screws. Almost like the umnumzaan when it had a pivot tool for each side.

 

[_user_removed]

2 large wrenches to disassemble and and adjust the blade pivot. 1 small wrench for the body screws. Almost like the umnumzaan when it had a pivot tool for each side.

I get the setup, but don't understand the decision to go that route; it's more complicated and requires more tools. CRK normally has good reasons for the decisions they make - I'm hoping the more knowledgable crowd here can help me understand this one.

You mention the Umnumzaan. What purpose was there in having a pivot tool for each side? Physics seems to say that whichever side you tighten, it will compress equally on the opposide side.

 

[bhyde]

The Umnumzaan rarely required a tool for each side.. The biggest reason for needing two tools for each side of the pivot was because of liberal use of loc-tite.
Conceptually, you could put a thumb on one side of the pivot with liberal pressure and use the tool on the other side to take it apart.
To date, my Inkosi has not been taken down, but I am sure the same methodology would work.

 

[kidcongo]

My apologies if this has been covered, but I couldn't find a thread on the topic after some searching.

So - Inkosi. Fantastic little knife. You guys keep going on about it, so I run off to local knife store and start playing with one......it lives up to the hype. I'm on the fence about letting it kick a small classic plain jane out of my pocket, but I can't get past the fact that it now requires three wrenches to break down. That seems counter to all that CRK stands for - simple, effective, and utilitarian. I get the changes to the system, but those could've been accomplished while retaining the single allen wrench setup. Why go to a more complicated system? Especially one that would require an owner to bring three wrenches along rather than using the allen wrench on a leatherman.

The Inkosi does not have a pivot bushing, so they opted for a large barrel screw instead, that likely would be too big for the smaller size hex. The important thing here is the Inkosi is not an improved Sebenza, it's a different knife. CRK already sell a great, simple, design in the 21. That model is still offered, and the Inkosi is another great knife, though does not have the simple take-down and construction of the Sebenza. I think the Inkosi's larger pivot screw is as much a visual design element as it is a functional fastener. It looks cool, and works great, but the trade-off is you need three wrenches.

 

[_user_removed]

The Umnumzaan rarely required a tool for each side.. The biggest reason for needing two tools for each side of the pivot was because of liberal use of loc-tite.
Conceptually, you could put a thumb on one side of the pivot with liberal pressure and use the tool on the other side to take it apart.
To date, my Inkosi has not been taken down, but I am sure the same methodology would work.

You're probably right. I hadn't considered that....that would simplify things somewhat if it does work.

 

[_user_removed]

The Inkosi does not have a pivot bushing, so they opted for a large barrel screw instead, that likely would be too big for the smaller size hex.

I would think they could find a correctly-sized fastener with the smaller hex. And the forces needed to tighten it should be able to be handled by it......

The important thing here is the Inkosi is not an improved Sebenza, it's a different knife.

Maybe this is the part I'm struggling with. I did end up going through the original Inkosi thread, and seeing Nyefmaker's description of the 25 and 'zaan, both of which I've never had any experience with, it's starting to make sense. It really is a different knife with a different mission.

 

[kidcongo]

I think with the smaller wenches, they might strip out since there is locktite on the Inkosi pivot. theres some Boker knives that have big screws, with smaller 'tool sockets', but I think they use Torx, which is a little less likely to strip out. With no loctite, I completely agree with you, but taking down my 25 for the 1st time required quite a bit of torque as there was lots of loctite from the factory.

 

[_user_removed]

I think with the smaller wenches, they might strip out since there is locktite on the Inkosi pivot. theres some Boker knives that have big screws, with smaller 'tool sockets', but I think they use Torx, which is a little less likely to strip out. With no loctite, I completely agree with you, but taking down my 25 for the 1st time required quite a bit of torque as there was lots of loctite from the factory.

Ah....and of course the locktite would be necessary due to the tolerances. Any shift after the blade is set could really cause problems. Okay....I'm on board now.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[straitr]

FWIW, I take my 25 apart to clean it, and have never used loctite when putting it back together. To date (three years now), the pivot has never loosened or needed adjustment past what it gets on reassembly.

If I where having issues with the pivot loosening, I would use plumbers tape and not loctite.

 

[_user_removed]

FWIW, I take my 25 apart to clean it, and have never used loctite when putting it back together. To date (three years now), the pivot has never loosened or needed adjustment past what it gets on reassembly.

If I where having issues with the pivot loosening, I would use plumbers tape and not loctite.

I bet that would the be the case in most all anecdotal responses, but CRK will still have to protect themselves by recommending the use of loctite, which then forces them to use the larger hex, which then forces the use of three hex screws instead of 1.

I wonder how hard it would be to get a correctly sized screw with the smaller hex size....bah, nevermind - i'll probably just stick with the 21.

 

[nyefmaker]

My apologies if this has been covered, but I couldn't find a thread on the topic after some searching.

So - Inkosi. Fantastic little knife. You guys keep going on about it, so I run off to local knife store and start playing with one......it lives up to the hype. I'm on the fence about letting it kick a small classic plain jane out of my pocket, but I can't get past the fact that it now requires three wrenches to break down. That seems counter to all that CRK stands for - simple, effective, and utilitarian. I get the changes to the system, but those could've been accomplished while retaining the single allen wrench setup. Why go to a more complicated system? Especially one that would require an owner to bring three wrenches along rather than using the allen wrench on a leatherman.

I will add also that I bought my Sebenza 25 ( basically same knife ) when they first came out and after all these years, I still have yet to take it apart. It's super smooth and it has been carried a lot over the years with no need for tear down. Just because something Can be taken apart doesn't mean that it Has to be.

 

[blanco112]

i'll probably just stick with the 21.

If you are using in an environment where you often need to break down the knife, I can see coming to this conclusion, but otherwise I would hate to see you skip out on a great knife you are interested in because they added two allen wrenches. These knives don't seem to need to be taken apart that much.

 

[Iron City]

I own two model 25s that use the same pivot system as the Inkosi and in the two plus years I have only had to take them down once and they are slick as butter and lock up like a bank vault. YMMV.

Tim Reeve is an active member over on the CRK Fan FB page, I'm sure he would appreciate your feedback on the two different size allen head size and three wrench need.

 

[bhyde]

All of the fasteners but the clip screw are custom manufactured..It would be easier to source chicken lips if you didn't go directly to CRK.

 

[_user_removed]

If you are using in an environment where you often need to break down the knife, I can see coming to this conclusion, but otherwise I would hate to see you skip out on a great knife you are interested in because they added two allen wrenches. These knives don't seem to need to be taken apart that much.

I will add also that I bought my Sebenza 25 ( basically same knife ) when they first came out and after all these years, I still have yet to take it apart. It's super smooth and it has been carried a lot over the years with no need for tear down. Just because something Can be taken apart doesn't mean that it Has to be.

You guys are such enablers

 

[_user_removed]

I own two model 25s that use the same pivot system as the Inkosi and in the two plus years I have only had to take them down once and they are slick as butter and lock up like a bank vault. YMMV.

Tim Reeve is an active member over on the CRK Fan FB page, I'm sure he would appreciate your feedback on the two different size allen head size and three wrench need.

I am trying to keep the collection down to a minimum, but may pick one up ... just in case.

As for facebook, i got rid of that long ago. Maybe an email, though.

 

[Gizler00]

This was my biggest hang up with the Inkosi when it first came out. But after much resistance and toying around with the idea of getting one, I decided to jump in and give it a shot.

After owning a small inkosi for nearly a year, and now having a large, I can say that this no longer bothers me. There are less parts to the knife, its very simple to take down, and more often than not I do not use new locktite. I find that the residue from the previous locktite application is enough to hold the pivot tight again.

So now I toss three wrenches in my bag when we travel.


Either way you look at it.......the tools you need to take you knife down are so readily available that you could nearly find them anywhere at any time.

 

[Amoo]

Just because something Can be taken apart doesn't mean that it Has to be.

 

[Don M]

All of the fasteners but the clip screw are custom manufactured..It would be easier to source chicken lips if you didn't go directly to CRK.

The body and clip screws on the small Inkosi are the same. And the same screw is used for the clip on the large Inkosi.