lionsteel vs chris reeves

A

awd_xtc

Joined
Jan 25, 2015
Messages
237
I have been looking for a smaller folding knife recently and I have been considering either the lion steel TRE or a small sebenza. I am not very familiar with lion steel and I was wonder how their quality compare to the reputation that reeves has built. I do not own a chris reeves knife but I have seen a few and I never hear anything but great things about their build quality. The lionsteel looks amazing and it does have M390 which is a big selling point to me since I do not have a knife with m390. I am currently carrying a Spyderco PM2 sprint with S35VN. So what is everyones opinion on lion steel? Any other options I should be looking at in this price point? Thanks for your time.
 
I own one Lion Steel, a small Opera in stag, and it's one of the best finished knives in my huge Treasure Island trunk. It's flawless in every regard (and it didn't break the bank...). I have no CR knives to compare, so here you go. As far as aesthetics and choice are concerned, I'd go LionSteel all the way. You may also like the knives produced by Tecnocut / Viper. Same amazing quality, same very affordable prices. Just awesome, if you like their style. With all that, I do consider buying a Sebenza one day... for the outstanding craftmanship.
 
The quality of both knife manufactures is very good. CRK are in business for a long time and their fit and finish is superb. Some people complain about the detent of the TRE, you should read about that in the subforum. It also depends on which version you choose. But you will find lots of great information in both subforum actually.
 
I've had both and give CRK the edge because I've never found a flaw personally. I've heard of a few anecdotally, but never witnessed any. I have noticed a sticky lock (TiSpine) and very slight non-centered blades on a couple of Lionsteel knives (SR2 & TiSpine). Overall I would still give both an "A" for quality - they are both really good. CRK also has the benefit of being domestic and able to provide tune-up and refurbishment pretty easily.
 
If manufacturing quality is an important critereon for you then you've narrowed your search down to the two best brands. You might want to take a look at the Southard Avo as well.

I will say that CRKs have such good resale value you might consider going Sebenza first, just because you could more easily flip it for a Lionsteel later than vice versa.

I also think the TiSpine is more similar to the small seb than the TRE.

Editing this post to add: Pivot Bushing: it's a big deal.
 
Keeping eye on this thread as I've been looking at both myself and also a hinderer
 
Having owned several knives from both companies my vote goes to CRK without any hesitation. I recently got a Spyderco Lil' LionSpy and it is a fantastic knife that comes extremely close to a Sebenza (for a lot less) but if it is a 1 on 1 race then a Sebenza still wins.
 
awd_xtc said:
I am not very familiar with lion steel and I was wonder how their quality compare to the reputation that reeves has built.
Click to expand...

Both great companies, but these two are not in the same ball park in this regard.
CRK is a midtech, and offers better QC and F&F than any other midtech, and the quality will be a good bit better than a non midtech such as Lion Steel.
 
Ken44 said:
Both great companies, but these two are not in the same ball park in this regard.
CRK is a midtech, and offers better QC and F&F than any other midtech, and the quality will be a good bit better than a non midtech such as Lion Steel.
Click to expand...

Hey, could you tell me, how a Sebenza is a mid tech and not a production knife?
 
itadakimasu said:
Hey, could you tell me, how a Sebenza is a mid tech and not a production knife?
Click to expand...

LionSteel has a large production scale--not only do they have a large product range, but they produce knives for other companies like DPx, Dendra, the CRKT Hi-Jinx, Pohl Force as well. CRK has much fewer offerings and a much smaller operation.
 
CRK is generally considered to be 'mid-tech' because they produce relatively small batches and - more importantly - Chris still oversees operations and has a hand in QC personally. I don't know enough about Lionsteel to say whether they fit under that definition as well.\

From what I've seen 'mid-tech' is a term based more on the history of the maker than the actual production process or end product. When a custom maker expands operations to the point that they are no longer making each knife by hand, or introduces a line of knives that aren't each 100% hand made by the maker then the new knives are termed 'mid-tech'.

See, for example: CRK, Fiddleback Forge, Strider, Hinderer, Southard, Shirogorov.

Lionsteel on the other hand - and please, PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong - was not an evolution Gino Pauletta as a custom maker. Rather, he started the company, hired craftsman, etc.
 
I just popped by to see if this was a serious thread. It appears as though it is......I thought it was a joke, my bad ;)

A CRK Sebenza is a knife that stands alone in it's category. Lionsteel can't hold a candle to CRK. I have owned a Bastinelli BBR2 from Lionsteel, and have also owned several large and small CRK Sebenzas. You know that Chris Reeve invented the frame lock/integral lock right?

If your priority is getting a knife that has a blade made of M390, then sure, go for a Lionsteel, but their quality does not compare to CRK quality. Watch the youtube video where Chris Reeve provides a tour of his shop, and speaks about the company and his quality control and tolerances. Try to find the same info on Lionsteel.
 
Both Chris Reeve Knives (CRK) and LionSteel make high-quality knives but I would always put CRK at the top of the stack. There's a reason CRK has won the Manufaturing Quality Award at the annual Blade Show almost every year since 2000 (LionSteel won it in 2004).

Both are small companies with about 20 employees. LionSteel just happens to also make a lot of OEM products.

You're looking at a small 3" blade folder with either CRK Small Sebenza 21 or LionSteel TRE. Other than the better steel with TRE TI you have the option of a flipper and/or thumb disc or none and they come in blue, bronze or gray. With the Sebenza you have many variations in presentation side material and blade shapes (Clip point, Insingo, Tanto).
 
Last edited:
Ive heard nothing but good things about both knives, so it really comes down to what you want more: Fit and Finish, or nicer blade steel and a more unique design. The Sebenza is the better in terms of F&F but uses a medium-grade blade steel (S35vn) that does not perform quite as well as the M390 of the Lionsteel. If the Lionsteel has 90% of the F&F quality that the Sebenza has, with better blade steel and a lower price, and looks better, I'd say go for the Lionsteel.

There's a lot of Sebenza users on the forums here, and they know and love it for what it is: a production knife with the best F&F in the business and a long history of excellence. Other than it's history and F&F, it's just a normal framelock with looks that don't overwhelm and a blade steel that is used by many other makers because it's good, but it isn't as good as M390 which is constantly touted as top-of-the-line for stainless knife steels.

I think either knife will serve you well, but I think you'll get more out of the Lionsteel for the price.
 
So I was wondering what the edge retention of the CRK damascus blades is like? Is there a reason to buy it other than for it's looks?
 
The Devin Thomas stainless Damascus is similar in performance to s30v/s35vn. Maybe a bit less retention but also easier to sharpen imo and takes a keener edge.

One of the components is aeb-l which I like a lot.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top