Insingo or traditional blade profile which is more useful to you?

cpd670

cpd670

Joined
Jul 9, 2011
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I am trying to figure out what blade profile is the most useful since it looks like I am going to have to order a Sebenza to get what I want.
Which is a large 21 left handed with Cocobolo or English Walnut inlays with the Insingo blade.

This knife will be used and carried daily.

I prefer the look of the Insingo blade but it isn't an option with the wood inserts.

If the Insingo blade wins out, what about ordering two knives and "making" the knife I want from them?
With the tight tolerances for CRK I imagine it wouldn't take much fitting to swap out the blades between two new knives.

If the standard blade profile wins out I will just go with it.
 
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The only problem with that is that I believe that the lock is adjusted to each individual blade?
 
I think the insingo blade shape is excellent for almost utilitarian uses. I carry one daily, and it is my primary use knife.

Just so you are aware, the only inlays available for the insingo are either micarta or through Blade HQ with carbon fiber.
 
DBH said:
I think the insingo blade shape is excellent for almost utilitarian uses. I carry one daily, and it is my primary use knife.

Just so you are aware, the only inlays available for the insingo are either micarta or through Blade HQ with carbon fiber.
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Micarta and CF don't really do it for me with the Sebenza.
I would order one of them and then the wood insert and swap the blades between the two.
Ending up with the Insingo blade and wood inserts.
 
I absolutely love the large insingo for food prep tasks, but migrate to the large normal 21 blade for EDC and hard use tasks. I don't have a small insingo, but they are hugely popular for EDC.
 
I guess that doesn't answer your question so I'll try to explain. I find for my EDC uses I need a sharp point from time to time, and although the large insingo is much better at slicing up my apple at lunch, its a bit of a bear if you are trying to remove a sliver (might as well remove the finger) with its blunt wharncliff type profile. The very pointy tip of the large 21 is handy. It could be that the small insingo is more pointy than the large. I dunno. Buy both......you'll have to eventually anyways.
 
I would not want to bet on a perfect fit swaping blades , or the cost of 2 knives.For the first EDC I would be happy with the 21 blade shape, I carry one daily. I rarely switch when bored to LG INsingo, but plain handles work fine for me..... Bart
 
Swapping blades is a bad idea. Some people have reportedly been successful, but I think generally you'll end up with problems. If you end up deciding to do it though, please make sure to fully disclose what you've done if you decide to sell. Fair warning though....a knife with swapped blades will be tough to sell. You'll probably end up losing a lot of money on the deal.
 
I don't (yet!) own an Insingo, but am a big fan of the wharncliff style blade. I have two Bark River models that I use constantly. KK is correct about the lack of point on the blade, but for me, that has not proved important enough to outweigh the other benefits (for me) of the profile. FWIW, I've never understood why CR doesn't offer the Insingo knife with any other finishes than plain and micarta inserts. I would also love to see a damascus blade.
 
yes, what the other guys said. if you swap the blade between two knives, it will not be covered under warranty any longer and you most likely will run into proper lock up problems. each knife is hand fitted and tuned and switching between the blades will ruin the work put in by the good people at the CRK factory. the Insingo however, I've found far more useful on a daily basis and better for everyday cutting tasks.
 
I prefer the large Insingo. I carry a small slipjoint if I need a pointy blade. The Insingo is easier for me to sharpen.
 
Insingo, all day every day!

I only have one standard profile 21 blade in my collection and that's because they haven't released an Insingo in Damascus yet. I believe the tip is tougher on an Insingo but that's just my personal opinion. I've used one for years and have never found myself wishing that I had a different knife. In my worthless opinion I believe it to be one of the best designed edc blades of all time- love it.

Though I've never had a problem with the performance of any CRK blade I find the Insingo to be the king of the crowd, I'm pretty certain that you'd enjoy it if you buy it.
I've swapped blades 3 or 4 times to make knives that I wished that CRK would release, though I've never left them that way long term I can tell you that it worked fine on all but one switch, the lock up went to approx 90% on one knife and approx 10% on the other. My buddy has tried it with a bunch of them and had similar results.

Though I'm sure I'll get flamed for it I say that with a high likelihood that it'll work if you want a knife that isn't made go ahead and do what you want with what you buy, just know that it does void your warranty and would need to be disclosed if you plan to ever sell one of them on the forum. You only live once and it's your money to spend, enjoy it!
 
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CRK tolerances are the tightest in the industry, but each blade tang is fitted to each lock individually. The smallest tolerances, the thickness of tissue paper can take the lock from say 50% to 90%. Its something that has never been recommended by CRK or experienced CRK owners alike. That's why when you see CRK blades for sale, its like hitting the lotto if they would fit or not. I am sure over time, CRK will offer the insingo blade with inlays. If you buy one directly from them, I think it Should be allowable. But Chris has his own way of doing business and thats fine with me, even though I wish they would do certain things that are not available.
 
nyefmaker said:
...I am sure over time, CRK will offer the insingo blade with inlays. If you buy one directly from them, I think it Should be allowable. But Chris has his own way of doing business and thats fine with me, even though I wish they would do certain things that are not available.
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Thanks for the insight into this aspect of CRK's practices. Helpful.
 
I prefer the Insingo blade shape to the standard. I only have a small Insingo, but I like the blade shape so much that I see myself getting a large Insingo before too much longer.
 
OK, after signing off on the normal 21 blade as the ideal EDC blade, today I carried my large insingo, and my resolve is wavering. They are both so totally great. I give up.......I gotta have both. I feel lucky I can afford it, cause I can't decide. I'm thinking small normal 21 blade, and large insingo might be a great EDC combo. With the small pointy 21 tip for fine work, and the Large Insingo for its supreme chopping, slicing, and cleaving awesomeness.
 
The Insingo profile is fantastic. There are allways some task that ask for a non sharpened part of the blade.
Often I use it in connection with food preparation.

A large Insingo with a nice wood inlay would be too cool.
If you decide for that "lego-sebbie", pleas let us know your experience.
I know you didn't ask for this, but you could swap the front side only.

red mag
 
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