Kryptonite lock bar!

D

DoubleTap1

Joined
Jun 13, 2014
Messages
68
Love my new Small Sebenza, but the lock bar is torture to open one handed. So often these otherwise perfect knives have ridiculous stiff lock bars that intrudes the operation of the knife. Sure two handed works but one hand opening is big on my list. It simply doesn't need to be that stiff to still have a strong lock. Makes me ask myself, how does a professional knife maker not realize something so obvious? Other than that, it's a sweet little knife.
 
I've never had that problem on the 4 Seb's I've owned. Is this the only one you've handled? Was it new when you bought it? It definitely shouldn't be hard to disengage the lock.
 
Wheeler80 said:
I've never had that problem on the 4 Seb's I've owned. Is this the only one you've handled? Was it new when you bought it? It definitely shouldn't be hard to disengage the lock.
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The knife was bought new, and I also have a new Sebenza 25, but have no issues with that lock bar. I suspect because it's longer it has more give. But my small Sebenza has way more tension than necessary, and it's not sticking.
Is it possible it will ease up with more use?
 
Send it in with a note explaining that you feel the pressure needed to disengage the lock bar is significantly more than what is justifiable and requires much more pressure than your seb 25.
From what I hear of Chris Reeve and his customer service, it should be remedied without delay.

Plus, I would try to get it in before those that have received them for Christmas and want them new from the spa.
 
Krissig12 said:
Mines perfect:thumbup:

How stiff is too stiff for you?
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Stiff enough that if I use the side of my thumb it gets red under my nail and very tender after a half dozen times. Than if I use my nail to push against it, my nail actually starts to get mashed in.
What I do to make it easy is to grip the axis between my thumb and index finger with my left had while my right had index finger draws it away from the lock.
Perhaps it's just not to be a knife I want to open and close while relaxing in front of the tube like I like to do with some of my flippers. For a small knife it's definitely built stout! Still think the relief cutout on the bar lock could have been more wide to allow a little more give. Way cool outstanding knife though.
 
DoubleTap1 said:
Stiff enough that if I use the side of my thumb it gets red under my nail and very tender after a half dozen times. Than if I use my nail to push against it, my nail actually starts to get mashed in.
What I do to make it easy is to grip the axis between my thumb and index finger with my left had while my right had index finger draws it away from the lock.
Perhaps it's just not to be a knife I want to open and close while relaxing in front of the tube like I like to do with some of my flippers. For a small knife it's definitely built stout! Still think the relief cutout on the bar lock could have been more wide to allow a little more give. Way cool outstanding knife though.
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It definately is. Perhaps it's just not the knife for you;)
 
Krissig12 said:
It definately is. Perhaps it's just not the knife for you;)
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Lol, oh its for me alright; I'll pay for quality. I need to to stop playing with it as much. Perhaps opening it with two hands like a nail folder will give my thumb and nail a break. :)
 
DoubleTap1 said:
Lol, oh its for me alright; I'll pay for quality. I need to to stop playing with it as much. Perhaps opening it with two hands like a nail folder will give my thumb and nail a break. :)
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If it's truly that bad, then maybe there IS something wrong and you should send it in to CRK. Very few problems as big as that slip past their QC, but anythings possible
 
Krissig12 said:
If it's truly that bad, then maybe there IS something wrong and you should send it in to CRK. Very few problems as big as that slip past their QC, but anythings possible
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From all indications from everyone this doesn't appear to be normal for this knife. I have a sizable collection of knives ranging from $40 knives to $2500. This has the stiffest lock bar of any.
Thanks for the feedback; I may just send it in if it doesn't slack off a bit.
 
It does seem odd to me, I've had around 25 CRK's and the Mnandi's, Sebenza 21's, 25's,and Regulars have all had perfect tension.
From what you wrote about your collection it's obvious that you know what you're doing so I won't ask if you're accidentally holding the lock bar with your finger tips- people do make that mistake.
If it were mine if give it a couple of days to see if it worked into a comfortable level and if it didn't I'd send it into CRK to get checked out.
It should be a pleasure to fiddle with while watching the tv, not torture for your thumb. I find myself opening and closing my knives like that from time to time and my CRK's have never hurt me.
 
Do you have "baby hands" I don't mean it in a rude way but do you have small or weak hands?
 
sykes3170 said:
Do you have "baby hands" I don't mean it in a rude way but do you have small or weak hands?
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Small hands but tuff. Thumb like a Hobbit, short and stubby. Lol!
So I held the knive with my left hand and worked the lock bar like a shock absorber test machine in rapid motion off and on for about 15 minutes. Call it accelerated break in. Bar Lock still at 50%, but resistance is noticeably easier.
 
DoubleTap1 said:
Love my new Small Sebenza, but the lock bar is torture to open one handed. So often these otherwise perfect knives have ridiculous stiff lock bars that intrudes the operation of the knife. Sure two handed works but one hand opening is big on my list. It simply doesn't need to be that stiff to still have a strong lock. Makes me ask myself, how does a professional knife maker not realize something so obvious? Other than that, it's a sweet little knife.
Click to expand...

I can only imagine the conversation where you point this out to him :D

The observation you are describing is pretty odd. I cannot say I have ever experienced a CRK with more lock tension than was needed.
 
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