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Robert, now is the time to save up. By the time you get to the Blade Show in 2005, you might have enough saved up for one of the fancier models.
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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Is a CRK Sebenza worth it???
- Thread starter marlin39d
- Start date
I cant say whether it is worth it or not for you. I dont own one yet, but probably will soon. From a design standpoint, you wont find many knives that are better though. I dont know of any makers besides CRK and Scott Cook using a bushing on the pivot the way they do. I believe this is a significant advantage over most designs. This obviously makes is easier to take apart and put together, since you just tighten the screws down and knife is ready to go. Many production companies and makers arent to happy about you taking their knives apart, and if you do, in general you have to use locktite on the screws to keep them from coming loose. You also have to get the tension on the pivot just right for your personal tastes. Most use course thread screws instead of fine, which makes this more difficult.
Less obvious but IMHO more important is that the bushing adds to the strength of the pivot. Instead of the lateral forces being translated to a 3/16 or 7/32 pivot, you have a large (not sure of its diameter, but it is larger than 7/32) taking the load as well as the thrust washers. I dont know what CRKs tolerances are, but the clearance between the bushing and the mating hole in the blade is extremely small. If you check for blade play on most production knives with the blade unlocked, (laterally and longitudinally) you will find some. Production companies have to do this because they just dont have the ability to hold tolerances to +-.0002 or less and still makes hundreds or thousands of knives at a profit. This little bit of play may not matter to most, but it will cause more wear and have less strength over time. This may not matter for most uses, i.e. early Buck 110s had a small amount of play in both directions, but many are still going strong after 30 years of use; but I would rather have as little as is possible.
I have been fortunate recently to be able to spend a little time with a Mnandi, and the final assembly is quite amazing, as well it should be for $300+. Ergonomic is a very personal thing and only you can decide if the knife is comfortable to use or not, but from an engineering standpoint there is very little that can be improved upon in Mr. Reeves design.
Less obvious but IMHO more important is that the bushing adds to the strength of the pivot. Instead of the lateral forces being translated to a 3/16 or 7/32 pivot, you have a large (not sure of its diameter, but it is larger than 7/32) taking the load as well as the thrust washers. I dont know what CRKs tolerances are, but the clearance between the bushing and the mating hole in the blade is extremely small. If you check for blade play on most production knives with the blade unlocked, (laterally and longitudinally) you will find some. Production companies have to do this because they just dont have the ability to hold tolerances to +-.0002 or less and still makes hundreds or thousands of knives at a profit. This little bit of play may not matter to most, but it will cause more wear and have less strength over time. This may not matter for most uses, i.e. early Buck 110s had a small amount of play in both directions, but many are still going strong after 30 years of use; but I would rather have as little as is possible.
I have been fortunate recently to be able to spend a little time with a Mnandi, and the final assembly is quite amazing, as well it should be for $300+. Ergonomic is a very personal thing and only you can decide if the knife is comfortable to use or not, but from an engineering standpoint there is very little that can be improved upon in Mr. Reeves design.
The real answer to is the Sebenza worth the money is Yes and No.
Yes because in the resale market it holds its price point pretty good and sells readily.
No because lots of people buy them, decide it's not really what they want, and then sell it.
In reality the sebenza is the brittany spears lunchbox for the knife set so "what's hot is hot." Outside of this love fest some people have problems with them and many feel there are other knives with a better feel in their hand. For me the kicker has always been, per manufacturer, you can't flick them open w/o voiding the warranty...not a really strong design given that there are much cheaper knives that are made to be flicked and are also titanium frame locks.
Yes because in the resale market it holds its price point pretty good and sells readily.
No because lots of people buy them, decide it's not really what they want, and then sell it.
In reality the sebenza is the brittany spears lunchbox for the knife set so "what's hot is hot." Outside of this love fest some people have problems with them and many feel there are other knives with a better feel in their hand. For me the kicker has always been, per manufacturer, you can't flick them open w/o voiding the warranty...not a really strong design given that there are much cheaper knives that are made to be flicked and are also titanium frame locks.
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Maybe, but without evidence, it carries little weight.
Heh, yeah, if the hot is hot trend stays that way for YEARS! Knife fads seem to arrive every few years, neck knives, kerambits, etc. But sebenzas have remained in the limelight through all of those trends.
I suppose that's depends on your definition of flicking. I've opened sebenzas normally by flicking it with the thumbstud for years and not had any problems. I'd be interested to know how many have actually had problems with that. Then again people who treat their knives like a gorilla probably don't want or own sebenzas.
Made to be flicked? As in deliberatly designed and advertised as such? I'd be curious about which ones those are.
I must say that I bought a Ritter Grip, dropped it in the lake, then bought another one. That's $200+ invested in the Ritter Grip. 2/3 of the way towards the price of a Sebenza. Do I have any regrets? Not a single one! I have only held one Sebenza (small one) and it is certainly a precision tool but I think the practical, utilitarian difference (admittedly based on my limitted experience) between the Sebenza and the Ritter Grip is negligible. I can think of no task that I could do with one that I could not do equally as well with the other. However, I will concede to the fact that it appears to me that the Sebenza would last longer than a Griptillian under the exact same conditions, but we are probably talking about the difference between 30 years and 90 years. If you want a knife that could be passed down from generation to generation then the Sebenza probably fits the bill better. However if youre me you'll eventually drop it in the lake anywayEsav Benyamin said:This is what we mean when we say it's all in your mind
The whole idea of the Sebenza (meaning "Work") is that it's a tough, reliable, sharp cutting tool, for real use, not for sitting in a glass display case -- it's the very opposite of snobbery for many of us.
The Ritter Grip has gotten a great reputation right from the start, as it should. It's the confluence of great ideas: the Benchmade Griptilian, which is a fine knife in all its many manifestations, Doug Ritter, a wise and most helpful gentleman himself, and ... Chris Reeve, whose Sebenza inspired Doug to work out a less expensive knife that would bring some of those Sebenza-like qualities to the common buyer.
so the Ritter Grip is my perfect all-around EDC knife. I'd buy 3 Ritter Grips before I would buy one Sebenza.- Joined
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Brian,
Did you have a go with the search magnet?
Has to be worth a try...
I never bought my Seb as a safe-queen and the scales are scuffed and scatched. I have found that they get messed up quite easily compared to, say, G10 and Noryl Gtx. This will not detract from the knife's function, but it does make it look tatty. I found that after a few months use my £... Sebby no longer looked £...
I no longer carry my Sebenza, not because I am afraid of using or losing an expensive knife, but because I don't like it as much as some my cheaper knives.
Did you have a go with the search magnet?
Has to be worth a try...
I never bought my Seb as a safe-queen and the scales are scuffed and scatched. I have found that they get messed up quite easily compared to, say, G10 and Noryl Gtx. This will not detract from the knife's function, but it does make it look tatty. I found that after a few months use my £... Sebby no longer looked £...
I no longer carry my Sebenza, not because I am afraid of using or losing an expensive knife, but because I don't like it as much as some my cheaper knives.
Cedar Creek Lake in Tx., grab your favorite scuba gear and have at it.DaveH said:What lake?
Seriously, Ritter grips are very nice, and in fact that's the only knife I'd consider buying right now, other then a sebenza or a mnandi.
And BTW those Mnandis are a thing of beauty, atleast on the website. I'm looking foreward to holding one.The ti-frame locks that come immediately to mind are the Cuda series by Ralph. They are big honking blades made to be flicked and retail less than $200. My CRKT pesh kabaz is zytel and steel, but made to be flicked at $30.
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Cosmic Superchunk said:
I can only hope
I've been saving all my money so I have a fair amount of spending money while in the US but if I dont have enough for a sebbie at the time at least I can check out the CRK booth and handle one before I make an order...I personally would love one with a carbacon set in it with the one of a kinda graphics 
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I think the Darrell Ralph design Brownshoe is talking about is the Cuda Maxx 5.5, which really is built to be flicked. About $125 online.
I've had 3 of them, and the first two were blatently defective -- the first one the lock bar didn't reach the tang (huge amount of play), and the second one the tang would slip right off the lock bar, as in it failed a moderate whack test. The third one has a good lock, but the blade isn't centered. So, although it's built to flick, in my mind the QC doesn't come close to CRK. I'd rather have the consistent quality over flickability.
I think the Cuda Maxx (or even the Dominator) can withstand a lot of flicking because instead of a relatively small stop pin it has large, easily replaceable round studs (which look like thumb studs) that actually hit a concave curved portion the ti frame. Very clever DR design IMHO. So what it shows is that it's possible to design a knife to be flicked open. But I don't think it shows that the Cuda Maxx is a stronger or more durable knife than the Sebenza.
I've had 3 of them, and the first two were blatently defective -- the first one the lock bar didn't reach the tang (huge amount of play), and the second one the tang would slip right off the lock bar, as in it failed a moderate whack test. The third one has a good lock, but the blade isn't centered. So, although it's built to flick, in my mind the QC doesn't come close to CRK. I'd rather have the consistent quality over flickability.
I think the Cuda Maxx (or even the Dominator) can withstand a lot of flicking because instead of a relatively small stop pin it has large, easily replaceable round studs (which look like thumb studs) that actually hit a concave curved portion the ti frame. Very clever DR design IMHO. So what it shows is that it's possible to design a knife to be flicked open. But I don't think it shows that the Cuda Maxx is a stronger or more durable knife than the Sebenza.
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I am currently selling off many of my "This is the perfect EDC" knives since I became a recent Sebenza owner. I first bought a Large Classic in September, and just recently got a small regular (slightly used) off eBay. For my money and needs, there is not much else on the market that is semi-custom made that is worth a second glance. I don't carry my High dollar Customs ($500+) because I would cry if I lost one. At $300 or thereabouts, a Sebenza gives you the pride of knowing that you are carrying The Best, and you can forget all about those so called "Fancier" or "Prettier" knives, or the other mass-produced factory made knives. Not to knock those of course, I own close to 400 of those, but like I said I am currently selling off...GET A SEBENZA MAN!
Is the Sebenza worth the money? You need to try one out for yourself, in order to know whether it is worth it to you.
I was eager to try a Sebenza at Blade 2003; I was considering buying one. After holding one in my hands, opening it, closing it, gripping it, etc, it was clear that this was a knife I would never buy to use.
It was too stiff to unlock for my tastes; if your hands are arthritic, like mine, then you are likely to feel the same. It fit the shape of my hand very poorly. It did not offer enough grip nor guard for me to feel secure that my hand wouldn't slip onto the blade during hard use. The bottomside edges of the handle dug uncomfortably into my hand when gripped even moderately hard.
All of these are specific to my hands, and may not apply to yours. It's not an intrinsically bad knife, but it may be an intrinsically bad knife for your hands (or an intrinsically perfect knife for your hands!)--which is why nobody's answers here should persuade you before you experience one for yourself.
My firsthand experience with the Sebenza--a masterpiece of precision, for certain--helped convince me that I prefer small fixed blades. You can get a stronger and more reliable knife for less money, with no lock to fiddle with, no moving parts to maintain, no edges along the bottom side of the handle, etc. Again, this is a personal preference of mine, which may, or may not, apply to you. Also, whether you even have the option to legally carry a small fixed blade may depend on your jurisdiction.
Even as for my tastes in folders, I held two other production folders at Blade 2003 which I strongly preferred. Both were less expensive, too.
Holding the Sebenza also helped me fully understand how little I care about flawless finish. A good user is fine for me. The looks of a knife are going to get trashed quickly enough once I get my hands on it, anyway. Again, this is a personal (lack of) preference. If you are one of the many who find pleasure in beholding perfect grind lines, then the premium price for a Sebenza would make more sense for you than it does for me.
To be clear, I am in no way trying to say the Sebenza is other than a superb knife. I'm sure that the many people who are pleased with theirs have every reason to be. But you still need to get a hold of one to know if it is right for you. Information such as (pro) it has easy breakdown and maintenance, and (con) the warranty doesn't cover flicking, are good to know, but they can't ultimately answer what you need to know. If you can, try before you buy.
--Mike
I was eager to try a Sebenza at Blade 2003; I was considering buying one. After holding one in my hands, opening it, closing it, gripping it, etc, it was clear that this was a knife I would never buy to use.
It was too stiff to unlock for my tastes; if your hands are arthritic, like mine, then you are likely to feel the same. It fit the shape of my hand very poorly. It did not offer enough grip nor guard for me to feel secure that my hand wouldn't slip onto the blade during hard use. The bottomside edges of the handle dug uncomfortably into my hand when gripped even moderately hard.
All of these are specific to my hands, and may not apply to yours. It's not an intrinsically bad knife, but it may be an intrinsically bad knife for your hands (or an intrinsically perfect knife for your hands!)--which is why nobody's answers here should persuade you before you experience one for yourself.
My firsthand experience with the Sebenza--a masterpiece of precision, for certain--helped convince me that I prefer small fixed blades. You can get a stronger and more reliable knife for less money, with no lock to fiddle with, no moving parts to maintain, no edges along the bottom side of the handle, etc. Again, this is a personal preference of mine, which may, or may not, apply to you. Also, whether you even have the option to legally carry a small fixed blade may depend on your jurisdiction.
Even as for my tastes in folders, I held two other production folders at Blade 2003 which I strongly preferred. Both were less expensive, too.
Holding the Sebenza also helped me fully understand how little I care about flawless finish. A good user is fine for me. The looks of a knife are going to get trashed quickly enough once I get my hands on it, anyway. Again, this is a personal (lack of) preference. If you are one of the many who find pleasure in beholding perfect grind lines, then the premium price for a Sebenza would make more sense for you than it does for me.
To be clear, I am in no way trying to say the Sebenza is other than a superb knife. I'm sure that the many people who are pleased with theirs have every reason to be. But you still need to get a hold of one to know if it is right for you. Information such as (pro) it has easy breakdown and maintenance, and (con) the warranty doesn't cover flicking, are good to know, but they can't ultimately answer what you need to know. If you can, try before you buy.
--Mike
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Sebenza, Sebenza, Sebenza, Sebenza...the more you say it the Better it sounds! And the more you use it, the better it feels! The cool thing about knives with all this hype is, if you get one and don't like it for some reason, I can promise you there will be no difficulty in getting most if not ALL of your money back! And since that was the original question, what have you got to lose? And how much do you stand to gain? Food for thought.
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Sebenza saved me money in the long run. I sold off a ton of knives I no longer carry and now it's paid for the Sebenza scores of times over. If I want a knife to flick, then I'll get any old POS and flick the bejeezus out of it until it comes apart. But I prefer to respect the function of the one knife I am using and just treat it as that - a simple folding knife. Sure, it'll get scratched up with use, but so will any knife. When it reaches critical mass, it gets sent in to be re-beautified at the CRK spa. If I want eye candy that remains pristine, then I'll go get an expensive looker / safequeen knife. But for now, I'm cuttin' (don't ask what!) 
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I realize alot of guys would rather use a more "expendable" knife which wouldn't hurt the wallet so bad if lost or stolen. Knives like the Ritter Grip and others will do the job, but the Sebenza is in a class all it's own. I can think of no other production knife produced today that is equal to it in quality and workmanship. As a knife enthusiast I carry and use all sorts of knives from an $8.00 Opinel to a $300.plus Sebenza and I like them all, but the Sebenza is a serious knife and worth the price in my opinion. Believe me, I think that if you're an average Joe and pay over $300 for a knife, you'll be extra careful in how you store the knife or carry it. Afraid to drop it or loose it during use? Untie the lanyard and loop it around your wrist. Afraid to loose it while clipped to your pocket? Carry it in a belt sheath or untie the lanyard and hook it onto a carabiner or belt clip.
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Would the CRK stand a BLADE 2005 sell sebbies for us lefties? or would they need to be special order? basically the same knife but reversed...cause for that money I'd want something easy for my left handed knife use to open single handed if possible. Sebbies I didnt even know about till I joined blade forums, I saw the price and well I admired more then desired, now the dark side calls to me 
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So lefty sebenza owners...any comments for a prospective left handed buyer?
. So lefty sebenza owners...any comments for a prospective left handed buyer?
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The very knife I am using now is dedicated left handed. CRK has always made left handed knives in a reasonably plentiful supply. Another good reason to support the company. There's a bunch of left handed knives over at our friend Neil Ostroff's site, www.truenorthknives.com
Check it out. For mine, I ordered from CRK and waited, so that I could get double lugs. I like the idea of possibly needing to open the knife right handed. Otherwise, they are instantly available left handed. Although what's available right now are plain jane models. (mine's plain jane, FWIW)
Check it out. For mine, I ordered from CRK and waited, so that I could get double lugs. I like the idea of possibly needing to open the knife right handed. Otherwise, they are instantly available left handed. Although what's available right now are plain jane models. (mine's plain jane, FWIW)