Longest you've owned a Sebenza?? Lifetime knife??

Toyz

Toyz

Joined
Nov 2, 2006
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Ok - we all know that some of us cycle thru knives so frequently that we rarely put one thru it's paces - and a lot of us tout that the Sebenza is a lifetime knife.

I am on my second large Sebenza - I sold my first one - and my current one is going on a year old.

So - how long have you carried yours, and is it truly a "lifetime" knife? I mean - no matter what life throws at you it will remain with you and be handed down kinda knife.

I know you can send it back to CRK for spa treatment - thats not the question - but I'd like to hear from those that have had them for a while.

I'm a fanboy - I have a large Sebenza and an Umnumzaan in my regular rotation - so looking for some positive feedback.

I think it will help some of the newer members - as I am seeing a lot of "is a $400 knife worth it" threads pop up lately.

I'll say right out of the gate that I am envious of those that can make a commitment to carry one particular knife for a long time.

What's you story? Pics welcome.

Didn't do a search before starting this - hope I'm not duplicating another thread - don't think I am.
 
I just spent five days snowed in at a cabin with only an Umnumzaan and a Sebenza.

I ended up carrying the Umnumzaan more, as I felt more confident with a thicker tip. I was prying apart a lot of frozen meats and whittling cooking sticks.

The Sebenza was better for vegetable food prep, but both were just about the same for meat prep.

I still can't decide which knife I'd pick out of the two!

After carrying only a BM 943 for about 3 years the great majority of knives out there feel overly large for my general EDC usage. However, I do appreciate the thicker tips on the Sebenza and Umnumzaan, even though I've only had them for about six months. I occasionally dally with Spyderco's, and have sworn off of BM Axis locks for the next few years, but I feel like I may have found my perfect knife in the Umnumzaan--if only it didn't look so "tacticool".
 
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I also have that dilemna - the Umnumzaan seems to score more pocket time than the Sebenza, but I think I'm in the minority on this.
 
I purchased a Small ATS-34 Sebenza in Feb '96 and pretty much carried it daily until a couple of years ago when I put it into semi-retirement. In that time it cut all kinds of things including old carpet, lots of thick cardboard, sheetrock, fiberglass strapping, you name it (even performed the occasional light prying:o) and it never let me down. In fact, the only time I actually managed to "hurt" it was when I hit one of those thick staples while cutting down a large packing box and it took a decent sized chip out of the edge. I'll still carry it now and then but I'm a little leery of the possibility of losing it since it has a little bit of ;) sentimental attachment.
 
I can't say I have spent a lifetime with my Small Sebenza, but I have been carrying it nearly exclusively for two and a half years and I plan on carrying it the rest of my life. I do have a Large Insingo that I love and I just picked up an Umnumzaan which has been in my pocket for about a week but I know in the end I will eventually go back to my Small Sebenza.
 
My wife gave me my Large Regular in 2007, IIRC. Carried almost every day, and I'm sure it'll stay that way until I get a Lochsa… and probably beyond!

Keeping it forever for sure.
 
I managed to stay faithful to a Large Sebenza for just over seven years. 2002-2009. Then the Spyderco Sage 2 came out. Sebenza got sold to finance the purchase of the Sage. I had intended on making the Sebenza a lifetime knife, but I like the ergos of the Sage better. I intended to make the Sage a lifetime knife but I might end up switching out for a Chaparral when it's released with Ti scales.

The older I get the more I appreciate thinner and lighter knives. I stopped using knives for anything but cutting, so I no longer care for those thick blades.

I think people that frequent Bladeforums are less likely to stick with just one knife as we are interested in knives and trying out the latest and greatest. Grandpa didn't spend his spare time surfing the net reading about knives. he bought a good one at the local hardware store and used it until it was lost or broken.

Grizz
 
I had an early Sebenza that I owned and carried regularly for about 12 years, the longest I've owned any single knife. I really liked it, obviously, but eventually newer steels and the latest new knives from Spyderco won out. I miss it though and just put my name on the wait list for an Umnamzaan--not sure if I'll follow through on my order or not.
 
I've been carrying a Seb since 2006 and while there have different models in my pocket, it's the onlly knife I keep coming back to. The Seb has all the qualities I'm looking for in a knife without the in-your-face attitiude that leaves me rolling my eyes. I don't doubt I'll probably own several different models in the years to come, but a CRK folder is absolutely my EDC!
 
My favorite knives are the Startac Umnumzaan and then the Mnandi in raindrop damascus and snakewood. Ive owned Spydercos and Benchmades and others with "super steels", and have really enjoyed them and edc them more often than my Chris Reeve knives, but I always get that giggidy feeling whenever I do take them out and know these two knives are the ones I will pass down to my kids in due time.
 
Im a newbie when it comes to the Seb. Carried mine for maybe 1.5 years now. Still love it, but it does have a traditional buddy riding with it :)
 
13 years (minus a short vacation to another forum member;)) She will be going to the spa and will be retired to safe duty.
 
I've carried a small Line Drive Sebenza as part of my EDC since November 1999. It has been back to the spa twice since then and still looks great. Once she makes it to 15 years it will be back to the spa and into the safe. I have also carried a Strider GB since July 2005 :cool:
 
Bought my first Regular in 1997. I have carried it off and on for almost 14 years. It has been back to the spa once when I foolishly took a green pad to the slabs. Looked worse than the scratches imo.
 
I carried a small regular Sebenza in BG42 for just shy of 5 years. Purchased it in the spring of 2006.

That knife went with me to the Applachians three times, saw several weddings, cleaned a lot of squirrels, rabbits, and doves, performed surgery on a racoon, and helped in all of my normal EDC tasks admirably. I improved her with a .010" Krein regrind a couple of years ago, and finally retired her a few months ago when I purchased a small Insingo. My small regular has TONS of life left...but I wanted to try the classic profile and the wharncliffe blade.

No matter the incarnation, I will carry a Sebenza for the rest of my life. Nothing else measures up.
 
I EDC'ed large Sebenza P184 from 1993-96, then moved to large regular Sebenza #63 in Aug of '96. It's been my EDC since then-- 16 years this summer. In around 2006 or so, I upgraded #63's ATS-34 blade to S30V to experience the new super-steel for myself. This knife has been camping and fishing all over Idaho and Oregon, carried in Japan, South Korea, China, France, Germany, Canada, and (gulp) England, and has never dissappointed me in any application.

I can't think of a reason, other than loss, why I would displace #63 from my EDC duties -- my work isn't likely to change from it's current knife-tolerant environment, and the Sebenza is plenty tough for anything I can throw at it, with the exception of chores involving batoning and the like. For that stuff, I'm pretty consistent with my scarred up NR Warrior.
 
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I don't recall when I got "This" one, but she has been well loved. I am guessing close to 2 years now.
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Been toting a small Regular since 2002. Gave my original to my Son last year, dropped a new one in the middle of Virginia's largest lake, and immediately unboxed another, which I've been toting since.

Who says it's not good to have a backup or two? ;)

Professor.
 
I've carried my small for 13 years and it's never been to the spa, though she's getting fitted with a damascus blade soon to change things up a bit...
 
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