Is anyone elses seb 21 just a tiny little bit off center?

M

Mick_1KRR

Joined
May 1, 2016
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Got this knife new recently, absolutely love it, but i cant help but be bugged by it being a tiny bit off center. Before anyone asks there has been no pinched washers or anything of the sort, i'm ridiculously careful with my knives when taking them down and reassembling. The action is amazing and the lockup is perfect, just really wish it was the whole package of perfection that i know most CRK knives are. I'm reluctant to give the washers a light polish on 1500 grit because of the tolerances side to side, also i do not want to send this knife away for swap or to be looked at by CRK. Reason being i'm in Australia and it would take forever to get it there and back plus our customs officers are a bunch of half wits and i'd risk confiscation even tho the laws have been recently changed regarding single hand opening knives. Wondering if anyone else had a similarly centered sebenza and managed to fix the issue. I've taken it down and put it back trying different sides of the washers and tried a different female pivot from the other end of the handle but no luck. Cheers :thumbup:

zuqy3a.jpg
 
I've seen a couple that are ever so slightly off, but I've never worried about it on CRK's. One this to check, as I know this is a common phenomenon with the Insingos -- is the blade actually off center, by the gap between the scales and the blade the whole way, or is just the tip ground/sharpened slightly off center? My Large Insingo looks a hair off towards the presentation side, but the blade all the way until then is centered. It would seem that the swedge, in my case, is a touch off, as it is hand finished. Come to think of it, the Umnumzaan I had for a while exhibited the same optical illusion.

For me, given every other incredible tolerance, since this will never be a functional issue, and may be resolved with future sharpenings, it has never caused any stress.
 
tchapman414 said:
I've seen a couple that are ever so slightly off, but I've never worried about it on CRK's. One this to check, as I know this is a common phenomenon with the Insingos -- is the blade actually off center, by the gap between the scales and the blade the whole way, or is just the tip ground/sharpened slightly off center? My Large Insingo looks a hair off towards the presentation side, but the blade all the way until then is centered. It would seem that the swedge, in my case, is a touch off, as it is hand finished. Come to think of it, the Umnumzaan I had for a while exhibited the same optical illusion.

For me, given every other incredible tolerance, since this will never be a functional issue, and may be resolved with future sharpenings, it has never caused any stress.
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Well said. My small sebenza is the slightest bit off at the tip. I polished the washers thinking I could make it perfect, but it ended up in the same state. There's no problems the length of the blade so no worries on my end.

Eventually I'll send mine to the spa because I'd like double thumb studs. I'll post the results when I have them.


Looking for CRK Mnandi in box elder or mammoth bark with a plain blade.
 
Most likely scenario, at least in my opinion, is that the blade is actually centered. It was probably just ground more to one side during the grind process. Being CRK, this probably doesn't happen often.
 
I wouldn't worry about it. It is weird that it off to the lock side. Usually it is off to the presentation side because of the lock bar pushing it. Have you taken it apart and put it back together? Did it come like that?
 
Not normal. I'd flip the bushing as well and see if that helps. Otherwise the blade might just be ground uneven.
 
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alwayscarryaknife said:
I wouldn't worry about it. It is weird that it off to the lock side. Usually it is off to the presentation side because of the lock bar pushing it. Have you taken it apart and put it back together? Did it come like that?
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Side Note:
I have never agreed that the lockbar can push over the blade on a CRK. The only way this would happen is if the pivot was loose as well as and the bronze washers worn. There is no flex in that hardened piece of S35VN between the pivot hole, and the point at which the detent ball "pushes" on the edge of the blade heal (pretty much right beside the pivot). You could probably apply 25 tonnes of pressure across that 1/4" distance and see no flex. Certainly the pressure of the lockbar tension cannot bend that part of the blade. If the lockbar pushed on the tip of the blade, I still don't see it happening as you can't compress the bronze washers, and the blade is a really rigid object. The lockbar would only push the blade over if there were much bigger problems with the knife like a worn pivot, or worn out, undersized (over polished) washers.

Main comment on this particular knife:
You are likely stuck with what you see. That goofy J. Davis trick of wrenching the crap outta your Sebenza as you tighten the screws just puts a whole bunch or pressure on the parts, that eventually releases, letting the blade go back to its natural off-Center position. Not all CRKs are perfectly centered at the tip, though the blades are typically centered between the slabs. The lack of adjustability and play in the CRK Sebenza design, is really their enemy here. Say with a Spydie PM2, with its G10 slabs and inset liners, and lesser tolerance, you can pretty much assemble the knife with whatever centering you want, then just crank it down. With a Sebenza, it really only goes together one way, so you are kinda stuck with the knife as it is.
If it bugs you, I'd trade it for another. If you are attached to it for some reason, send it in for a new blade. Myself, I'd try not to let it bother me and put it to good use, with the idea of either wearing out the blade, or upgrading to Damascus some day.
 
BellaBlades said:
Not normal. I'd flip the bushing as well and serif that helps. Otherwise the blade might just be ground uneven.
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Oh settlte down man!!!!

I wouldn't even notice that...(Zoom in on that pic and it's off much less than it looks from distance)

I get the perfection thing, but there has to be a little bit of "give"

I just took a REALLY close look at mine, and I guess it's kinda a bit off like yours?
Considering I've had this particular 21 for months and just noticed, it can't be much. (I really have to concentrate!)

I would try what Matt suggested, and if it still doesn't work, (I am guessing you bought this from a dealer?) ask the dealer to send it back to CRK for you. (They may be nice enough to do that?)
They don't have the customs issues that we may have.
 
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Mine is the same way in so much as it is so minimal. Mine goes a hair to the right but I've always chalked it up to the angle I hold it. In all honestly it doesn't bother me in the least.


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Looking for CRK Mnandi in box elder or mammoth bark with a plain blade.
 
You say you don't agree that it's possible but you list the ways it is possible in the last sentence. With the tolerances that CRK operates and by your own explanation it would be impossible to have a blade that wasn't centered. If a blade isn't centered I would assume there was a gap, or ever so slight wiggle room in between the washer blade washer sandwich. Everything being equal it would tend to go towards the presentation side because the only pressure is being applied in that direction. It would only need a fraction of a mm to be ever so slightly off at the tip.

I don't have a dog in this fight I was just making an observation. As others have stated it could also be the grind.

kidcongo said:
Side Note:
I have never agreed that the lockbar can push over the blade on a CRK. The only way this would happen is if the pivot was loose as well as and the bronze washers worn. There is no flex in that hardened piece of S35VN between the pivot hole, and the point at which the detent ball "pushes" on the edge of the blade heal (pretty much right beside the pivot). You could probably apply 25 tonnes of pressure across that 1/4" distance and see no flex. Certainly the pressure of the lockbar tension cannot bend that part of the blade. If the lockbar pushed on the tip of the blade, I still don't see it happening as you can't compress the bronze washers, and the blade is a really rigid object. The lockbar would only push the blade over if there were much bigger problems with the knife like a worn pivot, or worn out, undersized (over polished) washers.

Main comment on this particular knife:
You are likely stuck with what you see. That goofy J. Davis trick of wrenching the crap outta your Sebenza as you tighten the screws just puts a whole bunch or pressure on the parts, that eventually releases, letting the blade go back to its natural off-Center position. Not all CRKs are perfectly centered at the tip, though the blades are typically centered between the slabs. The lack of adjustability and play in the CRK Sebenza design, is really their enemy here. Say with a Spydie PM2, with its G10 slabs and inset liners, and lesser tolerance, you can pretty much assemble the knife with whatever centering you want, then just crank it down. With a Sebenza, it really only goes together one way, so you are kinda stuck with the knife as it is.
If it bugs you, I'd trade it for another. If you are attached to it for some reason, send it in for a new blade. Myself, I'd try not to let it bother me and put it to good use, with the idea of either wearing out the blade, or upgrading to Damascus some day.
Click to expand...
 
Thanks for all the input gents. Tried a few more things and then a tightening sequence suggested by another friend in Oz and things seem to be looking pretty good. It was really never extreme, i had to take the picture so many times to show it in my first post, most the other pics looked centered. Since the gaps on both sides are perfectly straight, it almost makes me think the large washer is a hair thicker than the small, because it's an even spacing all the way but just a fraction of a millimeter larger on one side. Here's how she's looking now and i'm happy with it, i'm just OCD like many of you probably are, you know how it is with knives. Going to use and enjoy it. Cheers

vild39.jpg
 
alwayscarryaknife said:
You say you don't agree that it's possible but you list the ways it is possible in the last sentence. With the tolerances that CRK operates and by your own explanation it would be impossible to have a blade that wasn't centered. If a blade isn't centered I would assume there was a gap, or ever so slight wiggle room in between the washer blade washer sandwich. Everything being equal it would tend to go towards the presentation side because the only pressure is being applied in that direction. It would only need a fraction of a mm to be ever so slightly off at the tip.

I don't have a dog in this fight I was just making an observation. As others have stated it could also be the grind.
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My point is the inaccuracy is in the grind of the tip, typically. I have not seen many Sebenzas discussed that have worn pivots or washers, but I suppose that is completely possible. Didn't mean to offend, but hey, it's the Internet, so it's bound to come across wrong no matter how hard you try. ;)
 
No worries. It's hard to read into what's behind a persons words on a forum.

kidcongo said:
My point is the inaccuracy is in the grind of the tip, typically. I have not seen many Sebenzas discussed that have worn pivots or washers, but I suppose that is completely possible. Didn't mean to offend, but hey, it's the Internet, so it's bound to come across wrong no matter how hard you try. ;)
Click to expand...
 
From the top of the blade mark where the swedge grind begins to compare left and right sides. The swedge is longer on one side.

I see the uneven grinds on Dozier Folders which make the blade look off centered since they are done by hand. The blade is centered it's just the tip pulls to one side at the end.
 
braillediver said:
From the top of the blade mark where the swedge grind begins to compare left and right sides. The swedge is longer on one side.

I see the uneven grinds on Dozier Folders which make the blade look off centered since they are done by hand. The blade is centered it's just the tip pulls to one side at the end.
Click to expand...


Actually i thought that, but it's just the light in the room, its only reflecting from one side of the room. As you can see in the pic below the grind seems pretty even, but i guess there could be some variance in it, not the end of the world i guess.

sct4p0.jpg
 
I have one that is off slightly due to a grind issue, and I believe that is what you are looking at on yours as well.
 
For starters, in the first pic, the knife is not even vertical. Its slightly canted. This will give the illusion of an uncentered blade. A pinched washer WILL cause a blade to be uncentered also. An uneven blade grind can cause a knife to look uncentered as well. I have an old CRK that the blade is ground off just a tad. When looking at it, it will give that illusion. The blade itself is centered, but with the grind near the belly and tip being off, its makes it look uncentered. I am sure if I went through my 100+ sebenzas I have and have owned, I will come across several. Unless its rubbing the other side, its a non issue. Few things in life are Ever perfect, especially something made by a machine. Though they can work marvels, there will be a flaw here and there. Its just simply the way it is. With CRK, you will get about as perfect as humanly possible for a folding knife. CRK's tolerances are among the tightest in the industry, it not The tightest. USE the sebenza and enjoy it.
 
Mine is ever so slightly off too. Looks like it is the grind of the blade. Dead even towards top of blade, then about halfway point it is closer to the presentation side. But tip is practically spot on. Maybe a hair towards presentation side. Im assuming most are like this. But most don't notice or don't care. Especially if you plan on using your knife and its not just to show others how dead center your blade is. :)
 
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