Mnandi for Small Sebenza Users

sailfish

sailfish

Joined
Jan 1, 2019
Messages
1,756
I've been carrying a small Sebenza (black micarta) for a little while now and I love it. However, I can't help being drawn to the Mnandi (probably either in carbon fiber or bog oak). I guess this question is targeted more to people who have carried and have a preference for the small Sebenza (or even the Inkosi for that matter) over the large one and also have a Mnandi.

Between the Mnandi and your small Sebenza, what has lead you to prefer one over the other? Does the Mnandi feel as "usable" in the hand as a small Sebenza despite being slightly smaller?

I'll be honest. For me, pocket knives are hardly for "hard use". I have lots of tools and specialty blades that were specifically designed for different kinds of such use and mostly used for compensated work. Pocket knives tend to stay on me for day to day personal tasks so the idea of what makes a better hard use beater isn't that important.

Any and all input is appreciated.
 
I have both and carry both. The small 21 is a substantial knife for its size. The mnandi is tiny and featherlight. It feels a bit strange having a mnandi clipped to your pocket. It’s almost too small.

Both are tough and usuable designs, but the small sebenza has much more utility, or at least looks and feels more useful to me.
 
The Mnandi feels completely different than a small Sebenza to the point of being dainty. The definition of usable is totally up to the user. For an office worker to cut open some lunch item packaging, it's usable. For a tradesman needing to cut wires or enlarge a drywall opening, not likely. The Mnandi can do just about all the same as a small 21, but it would become a beater.

For me: Week days = Mnandi and Weekends = Small 21 Tanto. One size does not fit all uses.
 
I have both and carry the Sebenza most of the time as I feel that the Mnandi is more a "gentleman's pocket knife" suitable for carry in dress clothes. I carry both knives in pocket slips rather than clipped to my pocket. If I could have only one of them, it would be the Sebenza.
 
Very light weight but a bit more substantial than say a Spyderco Dragonfly. If you want a solid, capable, and gentleman’s knife then the mnandi fits the bill. Bite the bullet and try one. Even a beaten up Mnandi can draw a $325 sale price. Currently I own 7 Mnandi and use 4 of them often. They’re a great size knife and feel good.
 
A Mnandi is small, much smaller than a small Sebenza in hand. For all of those office based tasks, the Mnandi is great. I like the Mnandi for its cool factor and the carbon fiber version is a great EDC knife (for me)
 
I carry a small Inkosi most every day because it's a better fit for me than the small Sebenza; however, I really like having a Mnandi in my pocket when conditions allow. It's very elegant and nimble, but solid. I'm sure it could be an everyday user if I worked in less of a hard-use type of environment (not because I think the Mnandi couldn't handle small routine utility tasks, but because I seem to be more protective of it by nature). The Mnandi is special to me because of its size and shape and general awesomeness, but it feels like a completely different knife than the Inkosi or Sebenza.
I look forward to occasions when I can carry it....like wearing a nice watch or jewelry.
 
Thanks for all the input so far. It sounds to me like if the Mnandi is dainty feeling in comparison with the small Sebenza, I'd likely be happier carrying the Sebenza. For me the small Sebenza is just the right size to comfortably fill my hand and adequately perform any task yet still be comfortable in my pocket. The feeling in hand is a big factor for me. I'm sure I'll still pick up a Mnandi (or two) in due time but it doesn't sound likely that it would dethrone the Sebenza for carry.
 
I don't care for the lrg Sebenza but like & carry a small Sebenza. I wanted a Mnandi. When I got to handle one found it was too small to be useful for me.
 
I didn’t want to quote your whole post above, but you summarized what I was going to say very well. I am a huge small sebenza fan, I have 8 right now along with 2 small Inkosi. I currently have zero Mnandi, though I keep thinking I want one and have owned (and sold off!) several. The Mnandi is nice, but if I am going to carry a knife smaller that a small sebenza a slipjoint will end up in my pocket first.
 
Normally I’m a small Sebenza guy for EDC, but carry a Mnandi when needing to wear khakis or slacks for work. While I do agree that it’s a gentlmans folder, I wouldn’t call it dainty. I feel I can get a better grip on it than I could with my small micarta inkosi. Additionally, while I would absolutely say the small seb is a “harder use” EDC, I think the Mnandi sits right with what many people consider standard EDC knives (Laconico EZC, Massdrop gent, Kizer Feist, etc)
 
Haha dainty is a fun word but definitely doesn’t apply...“in my opinion”.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top