Large Sebenza OR Strider SMF...

Ankerson said:
For me it's like it was designed for my hand. :D

Never held a frame lock that felt this good to me.
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I need to try one. And you are not helping me keep my desire to try one at bay! Haha.

Ankerson said:
The 25 is what CRK calls the Large Hollow Grind, it's almost flat.

And it's a lot thinner than the SmF anyway, thinner than a Spyderco Military too. ;)
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Interesting. I really have to see one of these first hand. How much of a pain is it to adjust the pivot. The 21 is so easy. I am also not easy on my 21. I would be very curious to see how the 25 stands up to some testing.
 
Gizler00 said:
I need to try one. And you are not helping me keep my desire to try one at bay! Haha.



Interesting. I really have to see one of these first hand. How much of a pain is it to adjust the pivot. The 21 is so easy. I am also not easy on my 21. I would be very curious to see how the 25 stands up to some testing.
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Same as any other knife, easy, basically I just screwed the thing together setting the pivot the way i wanted and the blade was dead center.

I tested one, the write up is in the July/August issue of Knives Illustrated.

I gave it a real workout. :thumbup:
 
Both.

I've owner the smaller versions of both (SnG and Small Seb). The SnG got carried when I had a job that required Jeans/Carhartts the Small Seb gets carried now that I'm at a more khakis/slacks job. The SnG was a bit overly tough, and the Sebenza is tough enough, but a bit pretty which tends to mean I don't do as much stupid stuff with it.
 
I own a Strider SMF and all I can say is that I am saving up for another Strider SMF. I do like the way the Sebes look and I know they are very fine knives, but I beat, bang, and crawl around in the mud with my knives during my every day activities. I am sure both can stand up to these tasks...but I'd hate to dirty up a pretty sebenza.
 
whp said:
I think My Sebenza 25 may be my best made knife. But for some reason I tend to use my SNG for my outdoor work and have no problem with its cutting ability, both in edge retention and toughness (lack of chipping). I wonder how the Strider heat treated cpm154 compares with the CRK heat treated s35v. I know the geometry on the Sebenza is better for slicing. But for working edge retention and chipping resistance, I wonder how the two would compare. Unfortunately , I haven t used for 25 for heavy work yet, so I can t offer personal observations. My SNG seems to do well.
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I believe that my Sebenza 25 is at least as strong as a Strider. The pivot is very similar, massive and solid, and the blade is pretty thick stock. I was blown away by how robust the lock of my SnG felt when I first got it, I had the same feeling about the 25 the first time I opened it up, but more - the '25 is the definition of "solid lockup" to me. It seems so strong, overall, I can't spot the "weak link" in the Sebenza 25's construction. My Sebenza 25 is what kicked my beloved SnG out of my pocket.

In my experience, Strider's S30V is superior to CRK's S35VN. I have to touch up my Sebenza way more often than I did my SnG, which seemed to stay shaving sharp for a very long time whether I was cutting carpet or envelopes or plastic barrels.

While I prefer the steel and handle shape of the Striders, I carry a Sebenza. The Sebenza is better-made, has an equally comfortable handle, and is built to tighter tolerances from materials designed to last forever (like the carburized lock bar and ceramic detent ball). Also, the design of the Sebenza (21 or 25) is very efficient, you couldn't pack another mm of blade length or width into the handle. The Sebenza has spoiled me so badly that I can't enjoy my Emerson and Strider folders anymore.

Lycosa said:
Now wait a minute. A hollow grind can out cut a Full Flat Ground??
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A good hollow ground knife will out cut a bad full flat ground knife. Good versions of either cut well :D
 
Just realized Strider Knives is like 5 miles from my showroom...maybe some bartering is in order :D
 
Stelth said:
What about a choice between CPM-S30V or CPM154?
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I would go with their cpm154 all day long. Their heat treat is perfect. Holds a crazy edge for so long you will forget how to sharpen. Very easy to bring it back when necessary. Just a great all around steel.
 
For me the ergonomics of the 25 are fantastic, and even better with this Ti Lock spring pocketclip - now it is utter perfection. The ceramic ball interface lockup will long outlast the Strider too.



 
I've probably had at least twenty large Sebbies and five SMFs.
I have both models here. My choice is the large Sebbie, but preferably the model 21 or earlier with the 0.125" blade thickness.
The SMF is a pry-bar at 0.190" and the Seb 25 has 0.140" (like the Zaan) but the 25 is just too large for me.
For "extreme" heavy-duty use, I'd use the SMF, but it's not a knife for casual carry. For a cop or a soldier...perhaps.
For EDC, the large Seb with 0.125" spine because it will cut.
 
I prefer the PD#1 SNG to the Sebbie. The SMF is a belt carry only knife for me comfort wise. The SNG fits my hand very well. It's more secure in my hand than the Sebenza. So, steel preference and grip comfort and security put the SNG PD#1 in front of the Sebbie and it's superior tolerances.

I wouldn't buy either any more without my choice of steel. If I can't have PD#1/CPM Cruwear, Z wear or 3V or 4V I wouldn't be buying a Strider either. Now I'm retired I have to watch my spending and if everything isn't just right I'll pass. No disrespect to either maker meant. I currently only have one of these left ( PD#1 SMF) and have sold all my other expensive folders with the rest being at the $200 level or less.
 
between a seb 21 large and an SMF I'll take the SMF; even though both are great and I've owned both.

the 21 is a great minimalist design and it truly is something to behold. I'd agree that it's something other knives can be judged by, but even then I still think I enjoy carrying my SMF more than I did my 21. After selling the 21 I realized I should have listened to derrick when I came into the shop (knivesshipfree) and he recommended the 25 over the 21.

Sebbies have a certain appeal to them, the full Ti build and the wicked sharp blades with very smooth lines and a simplistic/minimalist styling. However so do SMF/SnG's theres something about that THWACK when opening them that feels great; right up there with the handle ergos, thick blade and beefy handles. I think it really comes down to personality and what you're going for. Both companies use good materials, both have good designs, both blades can handle all EDC tasks and with proper care should last a very long time.
 
Lycosa said:
The Strider is a minimalist design also. Integral rear spacer.
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Thanks rolf :thumbup:, that is very true. I did forget to name the strider as a minimalist design. Another point for both knives is that they're simple to take apart and clean. Only thing there is you could be nitpicky and dock the striders for needing a spanner for the pivot. But to me that's not a downside
 
Sure thing. ^
Heck, we're talking about two of the finest folders ever designed.
rolf
 
There are a lot of pros to both. I like that the Sebenza is generally known to be pretty close to perfection out of the box. I like that they come with the tools
to take them apart and clean them, and grease, cleaning cloth, nice package with birth card etc. All of that is very nice. Also you can send it in to have the
handles reblasted, I believe, if you get it too scratched up, making it look like new again and I'm sure they have a great warranty as well.

Striders are often mentioned to not always be perfect out of the box, they do not come with the spanner needed to take them apart, and no SWAG, maybe a
plastic bag, or zipper pouch depending on which dealer you buy them from. They will not recoat the blade or do anything for cosmetic reasons, but they WILL
fix anything broken or out of spec as long as the knife hasn't been modified or "pimped". They are not the best at responding to emails, answering the phones,
and they do not like to deal with USPS.

All that said, I do have my own set of allen wrenches, grease and cleaning cloths. A box is not that important to me, just something to fill up a drawer in the
bedroom. Being a Strider owner for many years I have a couple of spanner tools, and generally never have to use them but once during initial cleaning, and
pivot adjusting and lubrication and then the pivot is lock tighted into place. Every knife I have sent into Strider was fixed to my satisfaction for only the cost
of return shipping. One I had some engraving done to it and they put a great edge onto it, one Broken AR blade was replaced free of charge, and one SnG pocket
clip that was damaged was replaced, all in a timely fashion with out any daily emailing or phone calls needed.

So, do I acknowledge that CRK makes some of the best knives in the business? Yes. They just don't exactly fit my style. All these years I could probably own multiples
of each CRK model that I am interested in, I just have never pulled the trigger because I don't feel that I will be as happy with them as with the exact model of SMF that
I EDC, which I own multiples of. Is one better than the other? Certainly, to their respective fans and owners they probably appreciate various elements of owning each.
Both brands fit exactly into my price/usability/performance preferences. I would much rather have either of these than some cheap POS from Taiwan and I would also
rather have either to use before some thousand dollar + custom that I would be worried of pouring money down the drain every time I used it.

I feel these two knives would be interchangeable from a user stand point, and you just need to decide which design you like the best with cost, customer service needs,
and availability of SWAG etc. coming last.
Best of luck, and let us know what you get!
 
Very well said!!



Leftytwogunz said:
There are a lot of pros to both. I like that the Sebenza is generally known to be pretty close to perfection out of the box. I like that they come with the tools
to take them apart and clean them, and grease, cleaning cloth, nice package with birth card etc. All of that is very nice. Also you can send it in to have the
handles reblasted, I believe, if you get it too scratched up, making it look like new again and I'm sure they have a great warranty as well.

Striders are often mentioned to not always be perfect out of the box, they do not come with the spanner needed to take them apart, and no SWAG, maybe a
plastic bag, or zipper pouch depending on which dealer you buy them from. They will not recoat the blade or do anything for cosmetic reasons, but they WILL
fix anything broken or out of spec as long as the knife hasn't been modified or "pimped". They are not the best at responding to emails, answering the phones,
and they do not like to deal with USPS.

All that said, I do have my own set of allen wrenches, grease and cleaning cloths. A box is not that important to me, just something to fill up a drawer in the
bedroom. Being a Strider owner for many years I have a couple of spanner tools, and generally never have to use them but once during initial cleaning, and
pivot adjusting and lubrication and then the pivot is lock tighted into place. Every knife I have sent into Strider was fixed to my satisfaction for only the cost
of return shipping. One I had some engraving done to it and they put a great edge onto it, one Broken AR blade was replaced free of charge, and one SnG pocket
clip that was damaged was replaced, all in a timely fashion with out any daily emailing or phone calls needed.

So, do I acknowledge that CRK makes some of the best knives in the business? Yes. They just don't exactly fit my style. All these years I could probably own multiples
of each CRK model that I am interested in, I just have never pulled the trigger because I don't feel that I will be as happy with them as with the exact model of SMF that
I EDC, which I own multiples of. Is one better than the other? Certainly, to their respective fans and owners they probably appreciate various elements of owning each.
Both brands fit exactly into my price/usability/performance preferences. I would much rather have either of these than some cheap POS from Taiwan and I would also
rather have either to use before some thousand dollar + custom that I would be worried of pouring money down the drain every time I used it.

I feel these two knives would be interchangeable from a user stand point, and you just need to decide which design you like the best with cost, customer service needs,
and availability of SWAG etc. coming last.
Best of luck, and let us know what you get!
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