Looking into a Strider SnG, wouldn't mind a few tips.

Masterbunny5 said:
Kind of a bulk reply to all the replies you guys have provided. First off, i can afford it. I have certain "spending money" funds. So this money i have can either go to a $400 dollar knife....video games....a video card....pretty much what i want. So this sum of money will be divided over luxury items, so to say, rather than necessities, and it's just where i want to put that money.

Now as for the knife debate. Soooo, i know the Seb is amazing. It has its history and its pedigree. No doubt there, and it has earned it. As for the 'Zaan, i hear good to great things a bout it also. It just hasn't been out as long, or as quickly produced as the seb, so it may not have as large of a following. But the one thing i did hear is that it is kind of a seb with the kinks worked out. Not that the seb has any kinks, i hear the F/F is amazing, bar none almost. But the slight tweaks one may want to the design.

So what i've come to see in CRK vs Strider:

1) Strider covers abuse on warranty, whereas CRK is a lot less forgiving. (Not that i'd abuse, but i would use and would hate for an unfortunate accident or something unexpected to happen and not be covered).
2) CRK fit and finish is superior. Strider is hit and miss on F/F.
3) CRK has a classier look, and more sheeple friendly. Strider has a tactical/wilderness/survival look to it that may be more intimidating to sheeple.
4) Both could be heirlooms worthy of passing down to the next generation, or off to a sibling, significant other, family member, etc. And both have a significant amount of followers to keep value in the secondhand market for trades, sales, etc.

Correct me if i'm wrong, but those comparisons are pretty accurate from what i've heard. As for which one of the 3 i want...the best advice and argument about the three pretty much ends in what i want most. It's mostly personal preference and opinion.

So, beefier tactical look with the warranty signoff to beat it to living hell and not have to worry, go strider. The classier look, perfect f/f every time, and still (very )sturdy knife, go CRK.

That being said:
To help my decision, i need more info on the comparison between Seb and 'Zaan. I just am not sure at this point. I'm pretty sure if i go either way i wont be disappointed in the least. But why do you say Seb > 'Zaan? To each his own on preference, but i am just interested in the justification. And to anyone who says 'Zaan > Seb, please let me know your feelings. Like i said majority of this is preference, and i want to see where people stand and for what reason(s) so that i can relate and guesstimate my position.

Masterbunny5
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don't think the warranty means you can just go and do anything. it's not a fun experience having to ship any knife back in for work, and I've heard strider is especially hard to get ahold of, and even harder to get a knife back from. even CRK can take a few weeks to send something back if it's during a busy time.

i'm not sure what you mean by "unfortunate accident." you should never do something that could potentially break the blade. if you use a knife appropriately and it breaks, CRK will cover you.

I wouldn't say the Umnumzaan is a Sebenza with the kinks worked out. it's an entirely different knife. the Sebenza is still, as far as I know, Chris Reeve's flagship knive. although, from what I hear, the Umnum was a chance for Chris Reeve to use what he learned in 21 years of making the Sebenza. the Umnum is missing the pivot bushing system of the Sebenza, so it's not like the Umnum is completely superior to the Sebenza.

the Umnum is one of my favorite knives, and I think you won't be disatisfied with either that or the Sebenza. there'll never be an end to the Umnum vs Sebenza debate, but don't think the ceramic ball on the framelock is this amazing end all innovation--most high-end customs still sucessfully use the classic framelock. I'd say go with whatever design you prefer the look of.
 
misterjuiceman said:
don't think the warranty means you can just go and do anything. it's not a fun experience having to ship any knife back in for work, and I've heard strider is especially hard to get ahold of, and even harder to get a knife back from. even CRK can take a few weeks to send something back if it's during a busy time.

i'm not sure what you mean by "unfortunate accident." you should never do something that could potentially break the blade. if you use a knife appropriately and it breaks, CRK will cover you.

I wouldn't say the Umnumzaan is a Sebenza with the kinks worked out. it's an entirely different knife. the Sebenza is still, as far as I know, Chris Reeve's flagship knive. although, from what I hear, the Umnum was a chance for Chris Reeve to use what he learned in 21 years of making the Sebenza. the Umnum is missing the pivot bushing system of the Sebenza, so it's not like the Umnum is completely superior to the Sebenza.

the Umnum is one of my favorite knives, and I think you won't be disatisfied with either that or the Sebenza. there'll never be an end to the Umnum vs Sebenza debate, but don't think the ceramic ball on the framelock is this amazing end all innovation--most high-end customs still sucessfully use the classic framelock. I'd say go with whatever design you prefer the look of.
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Thanks for the input. As for the warranty, i guess i came off wrong. I dont mean i'm going to just do anything with it. I mean i'm going to spend $400 on it, and i'm not going to intentionally push it to where it breaks. And i sure as hell dont want to deal with manufacturers on getting my knife fixed, or figuring out why i dont have it back by a certain time. It's just one of those things that takes a load off your mind, having that insurance behind you. And by the accidents, lets say you are cutting through something and accidentally hit something you didnt know was there and chipped the blade or something of the sort. I just dont know how extensive CRKs warranty is, but i know Strider will cover everything. So it would have been better to say that i am unaware of the extent of CRKs warranty, but know Striders to cover everything.

Thanks for your input on the Seb vs Zaan. Still unsure between the two. Guess i have to do some more research and some good hard looks at the visual aesthetics.
 
Masterbunny5 said:
Thanks for the input. As for the warranty, i guess i came off wrong. I dont mean i'm going to just do anything with it. I mean i'm going to spend $400 on it, and i'm not going to intentionally push it to where it breaks. And i sure as hell dont want to deal with manufacturers on getting my knife fixed, or figuring out why i dont have it back by a certain time. It's just one of those things that takes a load off your mind, having that insurance behind you. And by the accidents, lets say you are cutting through something and accidentally hit something you didnt know was there and chipped the blade or something of the sort. I just dont know how extensive CRKs warranty is, but i know Strider will cover everything. So it would have been better to say that i am unaware of the extent of CRKs warranty, but know Striders to cover everything.

Thanks for your input on the Seb vs Zaan. Still unsure between the two. Guess i have to do some more research and some good hard looks at the visual aesthetics.
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no problem. CRK's warranty is top notch, but you need to be legitimate in your claim. if you use the knife to pry open a solid oak door and snap it, don't expect them to fix it. as long as you don't abuse the knife, you should be covered just fine.

make sure you don't look at the official CRK website when you're doing a comparison of the two knives. I believe they're still using the pics of their prototype for the umnumzaan, which is slightly different looking.
 
Believe it or not the ceramic ball framelock has a higher chance of failing compared to regular framelocks under abusive use. Things like overhead strikes and spine whacks will destroy that ceramic ball and cause the lock to fail. That being said that is abuse and shouldnt be considered a real negative against the zaan.

This has turned into another Strider vs CRK thread with all the different junk people have added into the discussion that was originally about thoughts on the SNG. Bottom line, if what you're expecting is a bomb proof knife and wont sweat the small details then you cant go wrong with the SNG. It is the absolute king in the class of tank-like knives. If you want a near perfectly built knife with attention to detail that just works and works and is tough as hell the Sebenza/Umnumzaan is a great choice. You will be happy with whatever you choose as long as you have realistic expectations.
 
kawr said:
Believe it or not the ceramic ball framelock has a higher chance of failing compared to regular framelocks under abusive use. Things like overhead strikes and spine whacks will destroy that ceramic ball and cause the lock to fail. That being said that is abuse and shouldnt be considered a real negative against the zaan.

This has turned into another Strider vs CRK thread with all the different junk people have added into the discussion that was originally about thoughts on the SNG. Bottom line, if what you're expecting is a bomb proof knife and wont sweat the small details then you cant go wrong with the SNG. It is the absolute king in the class of tank-like knives. If you want a near perfectly built knife with attention to detail that just works and works and is tough as hell the Sebenza/Umnumzaan is a great choice. You will be happy with whatever you choose as long as you have realistic expectations.
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i'm not sure if you're referring to the video from poland, but as far as I know that's bee ncompeltely discredited.

the OP was interested in Strider, but he made a mention of the Sebenza as well and mentioned various options. I suggested the Galyean pro-series knives and the XM-18 as well, but he seems to be interested in the Umnum and Sebenza more than those. I didn't intend for this to become a CRK vs Strider thread, just a "best approximatley 400 dollar folder for Masterbunny5" thread.
 
misterjuiceman said:
i'm not sure if you're referring to the video from poland, but as far as I know that's bee ncompeltely discredited.

the OP was interested in Strider, but he made a mention of the Sebenza as well and mentioned various options. I suggested the Galyean pro-series knives and the XM-18 as well, but he seems to be interested in the Umnum and Sebenza more than those. I didn't intend for this to become a CRK vs Strider thread, just a "best approximatley 400 dollar folder for Masterbunny5" thread.
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Chris Reeve himself said the lock failed after the zaan received spine whacks and the ceramic ball got crushed. Complete abuse so yes it should be discredited.
 
misterjuiceman said:
i'm not sure if you're referring to the video from poland, but as far as I know that's bee ncompeltely discredited.

the OP was interested in Strider, but he made a mention of the Sebenza as well and mentioned various options. I suggested the Galyean pro-series knives and the XM-18 as well, but he seems to be interested in the Umnum and Sebenza more than those. I didn't intend for this to become a CRK vs Strider thread, just a "best approximatley 400 dollar folder for Masterbunny5" thread.
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Correct. And it hasn't necessarily turned into a CRK vs Srider thread. Just us exploring the options and the perks of each. There hasnt been any true arguments, fans of each going at it, or anything of the sort. Just throwing out facts and minor opinions separating the lot. And other knives have been suggested, and i haven't really stuck to any.

I did come in leaning more to the Strider, and some people had me take a closer look at the CRKs (and some others), which I did, so i then wanted some opinions of the two CRKs of question, Large Seb and 'Zaan. Now everything is pointing to the Seb except i prefer the looks of the 'Zaan more, and the glass breaker feature is a nice perk too (Along with the swedge for sparking for fires, etc). So after that debate i'm giong to take the winner (Seb/'zaan) and take one last look at the strider, and make my final decision.

So in my opinion the thread has followed a logical course and hasnt been corrupted into a "X vs Y" thread. So thank you everyone for your input thus far. And sorry for any misunderstandings.

Masterbunny5
 
kawr said:
Chris Reeve himself said the lock failed after the zaan received spine whacks and the ceramic ball got crushed. Complete abuse so yes it should be discredited.
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my understanding was that the lockbar was also hyper-extended away from the blade tang, which would have caused any framelock to fail.

anyway, this shouldn't make any difference, like you said.
 
I was thinking that at this price level, we're splitting hairs when giving advice between one knife and another. No pivot bushing? "Weaker" tip? Differences in fit and finish? Thicker blade? It all doesn't matter and buying one knife or another becomes a question of personal preference.

All knives at this level and above (Sebenza, Umnumzaan, Strider, XM-18, Lochsa, etc) will exceed in the awesomeness level, with smooth opening, centered blades (well, for most of the time), great F&F, great warranty and no wiggle.

Since the OP already narrowed the decision to the Sebbie or the Zaan, it would be best if he could handle both knives and decide for himself.

My personal preference is the Umnumzaan, for the following reasons:
(1) it's slightly heavier and feels more substantial in the hand.
(2) the grooves in the titanium handle provide more grip.
(3) the absence of the cut out to help disengage the lock bar (like in the Sebenza) makes the knife feel firmer in the hand.
(4) the blade is thicker, has more belly and the shape of the spine is more appealing aesthetically.
(5) the pointy (and single) thumbstud of the Sebenza is annoying.
(6) everybody and their cousin owns a Sebenza.

Of course, I understand that these same reasons may be cause for someone to prefer the Sebenza over the Umnumzaann. As I said, it's a matter of personal preference.
 
Bunny--- You are getting great advice. But, YOU will be the decider and I do believe your decision will be based on actually getting these folders you like and keeping the one that suits you best. I was where you are now and went through a few "ideal" folders until I decided on the SnG.
Have fun!
 
Bunny,

The ‘zaan has more features in common with the Sng than the Seb does.
1) The thumstud acts as not only as a blade stop, but also provides more strength during torsional forces than the normal stop pin design. Go to Hinderers website and read about it. That is why CRK adopted this feature on the Zaan.
2) The Zaan has a larger pivot than the Seb. It is almost as large as the Sng.


BTW, I have owned a Zaan, Sng and an XM-18. (Never cared for Sebs)
I gave the Zaan away. The new owner thinks it’s fantastic.
I choose to keep the Sng and the XM-18 because I think they are fantastic.
 
My hands are fairly small so both the large Sebenza and the SnG are oversize for me. I really like handles that fit my hands. In most cases I use small lengths of the edge so the edge length rarely matters--I'm not cutting a loaf of bread or slicing ham. If I need a great large blade, I'll use a fixed blade with a medium handle.

I do have both the small Sebenza and the Strider PT-CC, so will comment on them.

The Sebenza is smoother to operate.
The PT opens and closes very firmly and isn't as smooth (although it's a lot smoother than when it was brand new).
Both lock up extremely well, I can't see either lock failing.
The overall finish on the Sebenza is better, the Strider's tumbled-finish is superior. Both are extremely precise, but it appears to me that the Sebenza has gone the route of completely eliminating any tool marks on the blade before they move to the next finer finishing while the Strider has been moved on when the surface is flat and to the right dimensions without worrying about the odd tool mark.
Both knives have no mechanical problems and both blades are perfectly centred.
The PT feels much better in my hand than the Sebenza due to the shape of handle, and the choil means I have options about how I hold and use the knife. I cannot choke up on the Sebenza for detail work.
I prefer the blade shape on the PT--I use the tip of the blade and the edge close to my hand most often, the curving part of the Sebenza hardly at all.
Both came with standard "commercial" edges that just wouldn't do for a knife knut. While both edges were off-centre, the PT's was better. The PT's edge was quite obtuse. The Sebenza took more work to get even and sharp.
The PT's blade is much harder and the edge lasts longer than the Sebenza, and it gets sharper easier (I use diamond stones).
Both cut well. Thin material is cut better with the Sebenza due to the hollow grind and the very thin edge area. Thicker material is better on the PT due to the flat grind. Tougher material feels better with the PT because of the thicker edge.
While both are roughly the same size, the PT disappears in my pocket, the Sebenza, because of its squarish shape is always noticeable.
The proportionally longer blade on the Sebenza makes it more obvious in public and less sheeple-friendly.
When some people see the Sebenza, they say "You carry that??"
When they see the PT they comment of the elegant design.
I carry the PT much more often than the Sebenza.

Greg
 
remeber the strider takes a special dissassembly tool (unless you want to kill your thumbnail but it still works) to break it down unlike the sebenzas standard alan wrench.
 
I am a fan of the SnG as well as the XM-18's(both 3" and 3.5"). I have never had quality control issues with the SnG's I bought, but to be safe when buying on the exchange always ask about the lockupblade play,blade centered, position of the lockbar when opened(to the tang) and most importantly don't buy one that has been pimped or taken apart-this will create waranty issues.I really like the DGG - slim and light but tough and have a CC on the way(so I will see, but think I am going to love it)
The XM-18's are fanatastic quality. It is just a matter of if you like the spanto tip or not. I personaly compare the 3" to the SnG(about same cuttiing edge) and the 3.5" to the SMF(also about same cutting edge).Although all great knives, I give the nod to the XM-18 on quality and you can get it in a flipper, but like the Strider blade profile better. My personal EDC is the 3" XM-18 non flipper.
 
I prefer the thumb hole opening option on the Strider blade and like the blade profile better too.

As far as looks go, I prefer the rugged look of the Strider. Many of the CRK knives remind me of jewellery rather than tools so I would buy the plain version only.
 
so Masterbunny, what did you get???? I was going to chime in with advice until I saw how old the thread was - now I'm just curious about the result.

Had I been there a few months ago I would have said "try before you buy - just b/c someone else like a knife doesn't mean you will like it in hand - don't spend $400 without pre-fondling!" A passaround is a great way to do that. People have very different likes and dislikes, and something that seems great for you on paper may not be in practice. I was yearning for an XM-18 big-time until finally I held & used one, and it did nothing for me. Saved me $600!
 
Peter Hartwig said:
I am a fan of the SnG as well as the XM-18's(both 3" and 3.5"). I have never had quality control issues with the SnG's I bought, but to be safe when buying on the exchange always ask about the lockupblade play,blade centered, position of the lockbar when opened(to the tang) and most importantly don't buy one that has been pimped or taken apart-this will create waranty issues.I really like the DGG - slim and light but tough and have a CC on the way(so I will see, but think I am going to love it)
The XM-18's are fanatastic quality. It is just a matter of if you like the spanto tip or not. I personaly compare the 3" to the SnG(about same cuttiing edge) and the 3.5" to the SMF(also about same cutting edge).Although all great knives, I give the nod to the XM-18 on quality and you can get it in a flipper, but like the Strider blade profile better. My personal EDC is the 3" XM-18 non flipper.
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You CAN take apart a Strider, although it's really un-necessary. They just won't cover it if you take it apart and either can't put it back together or jack it up. Simply taking it apart and putting it back together correctly is fine but is again usually un-necessary.
 
This is a ineresting thread. The bottom line is the guy wants a Strider. Strider is hell of a knife, so get the Strider. There is nothing else like it. Think of it this way, a "Strider is the country boy". The "Sebenza is a city boy."
 
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