Mnandi Question

P

protodoc

Joined
Jan 7, 2001
Messages
341
While I have not seen one of these knives in real life, I love the pictures that have been posted here and I am highly imppressed with the looks and the early feedback of utility of the Mnandi.

The only distraction from the clean lines is located at the tail end of the knife just in front of the leash. IMHO, the knife would have looked nicer without the pinhole and the wood cutout it requires. Is this the positioning hole that is required during manufacturing or does it serve any other function?

Waiting for the proper wood insert to become available (desert ironwood or amboynia) before plunking my money down.

protodoc
 
The clip is secured by an allen screw and has a small nub that fits into that pinhole to keep the clip from spinning around on the tail end of the knife. Since the clip can be placed on either side of the knife to allow for either right or left hand carry there will be an empty hole on the side the clip isn’t mounted on.

Since I never use a clip I have to live with two pinholes. It is a burden I can bear
 
James,

Thanks for clearing this up. Makes so much more sense now and makes the knife even more beautiful in my eyes.

protodoc
 
The Mnandi is indeed an elegant knife, made with the quality and precision we have come to expect from CRK. But make no mistake about it - if rugged is what you want, then the Sebenza is a better solution. The Mnandi has a potential weak point that may keep it out of the "hell for stout" category, trading aesthetics for robustness.
The Mnandi incorporates mirror image thin wood scales that cover most of both sides of the knife. Unlike the wood inlay Sebenzas, where the inlay on the lock side of the knife is a thin wood strip that is fully supported by the handle area above the lock, the Mnandi lock-side wood scale covers the integral lock. The wood is unsupported in the area above the integral lock spring arm. The thinness of the wood scales, while keeping the knife width to a minimum, looks especially delicate in this unsupported area.
All this is probably inconsequential as the Mnandi seems targeted more as a gentlemen's folder than a hard use utility tool. That's what Sebenzas are for!
 
Originally posted by protodoc
James,

Thanks for clearing this up. Makes so much more sense now and makes the knife even more beautiful in my eyes.

protodoc
Click to expand...

Doc, no problem. We'll eventually have to make up a Mnandi F.A.Q., you posted a good one ;):) I'm sure it will be asked again :p

The Mnandi really is a beautiful knife, and very well thought out. Simple, clean, elegant. A very comfortable little knife with just enough blade and an acute point especially good for those “gentlemanly” tasks like spearing an olive or coring an apple. My wife’s first comment was “Now there’s a good knife to take out for the evening.” The fit and finish is everything I’ve come to expect from Chris Reeve Knives, tight tolerances and solidly built.
 
I know they have shipped at least the first 20 of the first numbered run of 200.
 
The Mnandis that I've handled have been very impressive indeed - several people in the office have expressed wanting to get them for their own collection. Personally, I think that it's a better knife for office work / light utility than the Sebenza because of it's classy good looks.

As soon as we got the first of our numbered ones, I immediately upped my order of the regular ones. I'm that impressed.

Kevin
 
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