Insingo reviews?

gull wing

gull wing

Joined
May 4, 2002
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Do you know of an in depth review on this bright new star? Been looking, but haven't seen anything. I'm looking for something more than a brief sketch.

I think this blade is a great addition to the line, it adds another Dimension to cutting. I want one, I think maby a small?? My Large Regular and Small Regular need company.
 
Take a look at a sebenza review and picture it with a different blade ;)
 
I personally love the small Insingo. The large one is a little too big for me, kind of hard to explain. I carry a 3.5" XM-18 and don't find it large, but something about the large Insingo just seems a little off to me. The small, however, is great. The blade size and shape is perfect for EDC tasks. I have enjoyed carrying mine as my smaller folder and use it every day I carry it.
 
gull wing

If I have a bit more time this weekend I will do one for you. I have been using mine a lot and have a few videos with it trimming branches, cutting some thick rubber mats and pictures. Been building all of this up but have not had the time to sit and type the review. I need to finish a project first.
 
I've has a large insingo for two days and so far I really like it. It's slim in the pocket slices like a razor. Blade shape isn't quite as nice for fine piercing work like the regular blade but is an excellent kitchen food prep knife. I haven't had a regular seb for a while and it seems that the handle blasting is grippier than I remember and maybe won't scratch so easy but time will tell. I carry the knife in my left front pocket and the only other thing in that pocket is my stingray moneyclip so it shouldn't be subject to lots of scratches but I know it will get plenty of charachter marks. The grinds for the swedge are right on and somewhat unique for a wharncliffe blade. Swedge isn't sharp but looks like it would make an excellent fire starter a la umnum. Blade opens smooth and lock engages at about 50-75%. Knife also seems to ride slim and light in the pocket when I don't want to clip it to my pocket and "show" that I have a knife. I feel that it will be just right for more than 95% of what I want a knife for. I like the cantering of the 21 model and am fighting a mighty battle to keep myself from visiting Dan at Plaza Cutlery and picking up a large regular left hand 21 to keep my insingo company. I used my insingo so far to chop veggies for salad the last two nights and it works great. It's beautiful for opening letters and packages. So far my initial impression is positive, I'm glad to be back to basics (my previous EDC was/is a large Micarta inlay, which is still IMO a hard to beat EDC). Chris really knows what he's doing. I will update ocassionally on my thoughts and experience with this high quality piece of folding cutlery!:thumbup:;):cool::D
 
most of my cutting is pretty basic; mail, boxes, etc.

in that respect, it is probably the best blade shape ive ever owned. it's just so easy to keep the edge aligned with the cutting and there is less of a chance of slipping out of the cut.

does that make sense?
 
I've been edcing mine since I bought the first small numbered run. My EDC before the small insingo was the small 21 w/ Barry H G-10 scale (had the g10 scale on for a few months and edc the plain 21 for about a year). Before that was a small CGG sebenza (edc for about a year). It rides the same as the others. Where it shines is the daily tasks as others have mentioned. Opening boxes, mail, cutting for food prep etc have all been enjoyable and I feel is where the blade shape really shines.

I find the sharpened swedge great for things that need to be scraped. I use it often for fixing a lose finger nail, or scraping a sticker off an object. Furthermore, the insingo also comes with the new perforated washers which helps keep the CRK grease longer and thus requiring less take down for maintenance.

You will notice a few changes then your regulars. As mentioned, the insingo is in a 21 body/ergo. It will carry the same as your small regular. To me the blade shape works well for more EDC type tasks such as food prep, mail, packages etc. You won't have belly to the knife so I don't think it would excel at skinning and processing game,but I have never done those sort of tasks, so don't take my word for it. I've also noticed that the insingo is much easier to sharpen then my other sebenzas due to the lack of belly. The factory angles matched up perfectly with the SM where as my other 2 sebenzas needed to be reprofiled on my Edge Pro.

Long story short, just get one! It is different enough in Ergos (21 body style) and performance that you won't think its similar to what you already have.
 
I have been considering a large insingo. I think it would probably be the best all-around slicer for food prep, cutting cardboard and any other slicing chores you may have. I know I will get one eventually. Just When is the question....lol.
 
Thank you, this is what I'm looking for, and just what I wanted to hear:).
That is why I like wharncliffe/sheepsfoot blades.

marthinus, I've got time, couple of weeks before I can get it.

Thank You all!
 
I've had mine now for about 3 weeks and I really do like it. This is my first knife with a blade like this and I wasn't sure about it untill I used it the first time...

Very glad I picked it up.

Ski
 
This isn't an in depth review by any means but I've had a Lg. Insingo for some months now and used it extensively, almost at a day to day basis except for the off days I carry another one of my favorites.

Let me just say this one's blade profile is the perfect thing for hard use cutting on a constant day to day basis, it slices magnificently, much better than any drop point knife and takes an easy sharpening, this is a fantastic daily user.
 
The Small Insingo is my favorite knife I have ever owned. Hands down.

It is the first knife I've owned that I would NEVER ever consider selling, even if I was totally hard up for cash.

Been rotating it with a Mnandi for city EDC for the past few months and it is just perfection - its seen cardboard, packages, fruit, flower stems, cheeses, meats and wood.... its awesome.

I am tempted to buy another to just store away in case I lose mine years down the road and they are unavailable... I have never wanted to do this with another knife.

IMG_1751.jpg

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The more I handle the Insingo the more I like it. Morimotom your point is well taken about going out of the cut. If you took a swipe at someone with a drop point blade, you would cut but it woulld glance off due to the belly and make a trailing cut. The wound would be teardrop shape if you will, a typical knife wound from an assault. The Insingo with that same swipe would give a straight wound like a surgical incision which makes sense. The Insingo is like a super large scalpel. I find the blade shape very useful for all my applications so far. I see the Insingo as a Sebenza with a an attitude.:cool::thumbup::D:p
 
TK Magazine published a fairly thorough, rather glowing review of the Insingo a few months back. Bottom line, it's a successful variant of a sturdy Chris Reeve classic that will leave very few people, if any, unsatisfied. Sorry, I'm sure that counts as a brief sketch.

I'm a 'Zaan fan myself, but I doubt anyone considering a Reeve knife would be disappointed with the Insingo Sebenza.

Ever carry a Kershaw Leek? Think bigger and better. The Wharncliffe, or modified sheepsfoot blade, has been growing more and more accepted as a general chore pattern. While not as useful for skinning, perhaps - and that's a big 'perhaps' - it should do everything a regular Sebenza 21 can do.
Or anything most knives can do for that matter, albeit with the trademark CRK craftsmanship and elegance as a welcome plus.
If you like the particular blade style, and know enough of CRK to recognize their particular position in the cutlery industry, I say why not?
 
Love the zaan too. But its just a bit too big and a bit to aggressive looking for my world. The Insingo IMO is a knife that is positioned in between the zaan and the seb. Yeah it may not be that perfect knife for skinning and game prep but darn it suits my purposes well!;):thumbup::cool::D
 
Does anyone else here feel the blast finish on the Insingo is less prone to scuffing than the older ones that scuffed if you looked at them the wrong way. I've carried mine for almost two weeks with no scuffing noticable.
 
Scott Dog said:
Does anyone else here feel the blast finish on the Insingo is less prone to scuffing than the older ones that scuffed if you looked at them the wrong way. I've carried mine for almost two weeks with no scuffing noticable.
Click to expand...


i cant really say if it is more durable, i haven't had a plain in a few years for comparison.

i can say it holds up well. mine has some scuffs and smoothing, but i carried it at work every day in my sap pocket for over 6 months.
 
I will be saving up for a small Insingo.
I like how, from the photos, it appears that, although it is a wharncliffe-style blade, there is still a very slight curve in the edge to the point.
Jim
 
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