Is there any more polarizing knife than the Sebenza?

Locutus D'Borg said:
There is a certain class resentment towards people willing to spend $500 or more for a pocket knife - they boast of their own favorite budget knife as being just as good as a Sebenza, Hinderer, or Strider. Because they would never spend so much, they seem to resent those who do, and criticize their choices.
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That sounds like the Busse haters too.
 
GronK said:
The amazing trio of Sebenza (Is it worth it?), Strider(personal history of maker) and Cold Steel (Silly videos) will bring out the hordes and create massive dissent in the ranks. Thanks for asking, though. BTW, in before the lock or move to W&C.
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My feelings exactly.
 
Oh, and I hope you guys aren't just buying knives. There are a lot of things you can purchase with $500 to help prep for an emergency.
 
ShooterMcgavin said:
Maybe it is just a question of scale then?...
The other brands and knives are hotly debated, having their lovers and haters, but the Sebenza just appears more frequently because of the numbers of units sold??
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No, if that were the case then Cold Steel would far and away be the leader of controversy. They probably sell more knives in a week (day?) than Chris sells all year.

GronK hit the nail on the head describing the "big three" in terms of makers who generate controversy. But importantly, you'll note that each of these three generate controversy for entirely different reasons. For Cold Steel, they most often get criticized for what many view as their ridiculous marketing hype. For Strider, it comes down to their issues with ethics, honor and integrity. For CRK, the debate usually centers around discussions of perceived value. Cold Steels claims often stick in the craw of higher end users who pay a premium for quantifiable performance advantages. Strider's antics are most offensive to those who have served in uniform. If it's true that CRK generates more controversy than the other two (and I'm not necessarily saying that it is), it may simply be because everyone is a consumer and everyone has an opinion on the topic of value.
 
ShooterMcgavin said:
I meant something slightly different... Using the Sebenza example, it is debated because of cost, materials, heat treat, fit and finish, quality control, ergonomics, warranty, etc. For some of those topics, there are staunch supporters and detractors. The same is not typically evident of the Delica, for example :)
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I think all knives are debated on those points. I'd wager that if someone were to start a thread with an inflammatory title such as "Does anyone else hate the Delica?" you'd get the same type of discussion.
 
It just seems like there has been a rash of anti-Sebenza threads in the last couple weeks. Usually started by non-paying BF members who don't even own the knife!!! Coincidence?
 
I see similar parallels with Busse although they don't generate as many threads.

In other areas- Rolex, Mercedes, BMW all generate similar arguments.

In my mind I really isn't the thought of someone spending $500 for a knife that bugs most enthusiasts, it's the fact that the people spending that much money continually say that their knives are that much better than the knives costing 1/2 or 1/4 that that most of us buy and love. If the CRK owners would say that their knives are not any better than the $150 knives that someone else carries it would probably not generate these kinds of threads.

I wouldn't spend that much on the knife, mainly because I would worry about damaging or losing it or I would worry about the 3 or 4 other knives that I could have bought with that money. In other areas I might be willing to spend the money on one single thing that I would love and use, but in the case of knives I want to buy lots of different ones. The styling of the Sebenza doesn't do much for me, and the names are really odd. I think I could see a difference in quality between a CRK knive and some of my EDC knives, but maybe not in all of them. I'm willing to accept the difference considering what I paid. And I won't criticize the CRK products except for possibly the names.
 
What drives me nuts with any of those threads (for any brand that sells for over $400) is when someone says that "I'd never pay that much for a pocket knife"...well then, with all due respect, why are you taking part in this discussion? If there were a car forum that had a thread regarding a car I don't own, nor have I ever owned, I wouldn't post that in my opinion said car isn't worth the money.

Also, when it comes to issue of a knife being worth the money, if I can buy a knife and decide I'm not trilled with it and turn right around sell it for the price I paid then it is indeed worth the price, so says the marketplace.

That said, the Sebenza is a price of junk and isn't worth the asking price! :D
 
Maybe it's just pure old jealousy. If a person can't afford something they talk poorly about it. Just buy what you can afford and enjoy it.
 
Strider knives are much more polarizing to anyone who knows the shady/sleazy background of Mick Strider & Duane Dwyer (not their real names, by the way.) Personally, I wouldn't own a Strider if I was given one for free.
 
I got the sense as a not full time regular (but small sebenza owner) that a lot of people dislike CRK due to the man himself being apparently a bit of a blowhard. I don't know much about that history - or of Mick Strider's either for that matter and don't think this is the thread to delve into them - but I am not entirely sure that the personality of the boss necessarily is relevant to the value of their products.

Tony Maglica has a reputation for being a bit of a jerk in terms of how he runs Mag Instruments - but it doesn't appear to deter folks from buying them in droves... of course they are not luxury items either.

I do think aside from Chris Reeves himself - the comparison to Rolex is perhaps a fair one. They are really well made watches - they do what they do well and are fine examples of craftsmanship and innovation - but their place as the go to watch for pretty much anyone who wants a "fancy" watch and has the cash brings a good bit of scorn in the watch world. Fixed prices and perceived price/value are also relevant.

I appreciate fine craftsmanship and I can't afford a true custom knife - we all find our "sweet spot" I suppose and a Sebenza is as close as I'll likely ever get (and I did buy mine used...).
 
Sebenzas seem to be a "it's either worth it or not" while striders attract more of a "supporting a company with low moral character / poor customer service" debates. I'd say that striders cause more escalated debates.
 
They probably are polarizing, but they don't interest me in the least. :yawn:

With Traditional knives, it must be the Peanut "It's all you need it can do anything" The opponents are more muted, but it's too damn fiddly! Opinel attracts fairly polar views too.

Then there's Bark River.....:D
 
Of course they are worth it. You see, it's all about the fit and finish. The tolerances...

Just kidding :p

Interesting thread. I think a few of us think about things from the same analytical perspective. :)
 
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