- Joined
- Oct 21, 2010
- Messages
- 614
I have had the Inkosi for a couple of months now and I love the knife. I wanted to get a left hand small Sebenza 21 to go on my other pocket. I am right handed but for 40+ years I have always carried my knife in my left pocket and opened it with my left hand. All my other knives I can open easily with both hands. If I modified the lock bar slightly on the Inkosi I could open it easier left handed. The only issue with that is its not as safe to carry a tip up knife with the blade spine not against the seam of the pocket. I have had right hand knives open in my left pocket before so if I can't swap the clip like on the CRK's I don't change carry sides.
In shopping this time really wanted the Insingo blade shape, but I also looked at the wood inlay ones standard blade shape models. My observations actually apply to both blade shapes. Much of what I will be saying is opinion as well as observations so not everybody will see the differences the same as me.
First off the lock bar on the Inkosi works much smoother and with less pressure then on my new Insingo and the other small Sebenza's in the knife shop. The sales guy agreed that my Inkosi was easier and felt smoother. I think the new lock setup with the ceramic ball is just nicer. My Inkosi also feels smoother in the blade pivot but I expect with time the Sebenza will feel just as nice. But the Inkosi started nicer out of the box. Which is why I bought the Inkosi first when I was handling them both originally but I knew I would be back for the 21 later.
The angled pocket clip on the Inkosi feels better in the hand and also allows the knife to sit a little deeper in the pocket.
I like the design of the scales on the 21 better then the finger grooves on the Inkosi. They also allow better access to the thumb stud for opening. But when using both knives I really don't notice much difference. Its just when first picking up and opening the knife it feels a little more comfortable, but in general I am not much for finger grooves.
I like the slightly thicker blade steel on the Inkosi better and the jimping is more positive and grabs better with out being too sharp. One cool thing about the Inkosi is the corner of the tang sticks out a little more and you can actually open the blade just using that instead of the studs. That does not work on the small Sebenza. You can see the difference some in the picture. I miss that ability even if not used much.
I like the smaller pivot screws on the Sebenza better. My thumb naturally sits on the pivots when using it and the smaller screws feel better under my thumb. I expect the bigger pivot is stronger and with the non-bushing design its better to have the larger pivot. Its just a guess, but I wonder if the hole is the same size on both and the larger pivot matches the size of the bushing. It seems like having one size hole in blades would make production easier.
Its funny the blade is not much longer on the Sebenza but it looks much bigger. I really love the Insingo blade shape but even the standard Sebenza just looks so much bigger then the Inkosi when seen together.
I don't think you can go wrong with these two knives. The Inkosi is a little more advanced in design, but they are subtle differences that in the long run don't make a lot of difference. The bushing setup is easier for end user take apart and put together the same every time. Other then that the Inkosi has a slight edge in carrying and deploying the knife. Its funny now that I am writing this I think I bought them backwards. I should have gotten a left handed Inkosi and a right handed Sebenza. The Sebenza is easier for my right hand to unlock and the Inkosi is easier for either hand to unlock. But I am not used to unlocking a left handed frame lock. Normally I am unlocking a right hand frame lock and you press the bar into your hand in that situation. Over time it may not matter.
I hope this helps if someone is thinking of their first CRK.
In shopping this time really wanted the Insingo blade shape, but I also looked at the wood inlay ones standard blade shape models. My observations actually apply to both blade shapes. Much of what I will be saying is opinion as well as observations so not everybody will see the differences the same as me.
First off the lock bar on the Inkosi works much smoother and with less pressure then on my new Insingo and the other small Sebenza's in the knife shop. The sales guy agreed that my Inkosi was easier and felt smoother. I think the new lock setup with the ceramic ball is just nicer. My Inkosi also feels smoother in the blade pivot but I expect with time the Sebenza will feel just as nice. But the Inkosi started nicer out of the box. Which is why I bought the Inkosi first when I was handling them both originally but I knew I would be back for the 21 later.
The angled pocket clip on the Inkosi feels better in the hand and also allows the knife to sit a little deeper in the pocket.
I like the design of the scales on the 21 better then the finger grooves on the Inkosi. They also allow better access to the thumb stud for opening. But when using both knives I really don't notice much difference. Its just when first picking up and opening the knife it feels a little more comfortable, but in general I am not much for finger grooves.
I like the slightly thicker blade steel on the Inkosi better and the jimping is more positive and grabs better with out being too sharp. One cool thing about the Inkosi is the corner of the tang sticks out a little more and you can actually open the blade just using that instead of the studs. That does not work on the small Sebenza. You can see the difference some in the picture. I miss that ability even if not used much.
I like the smaller pivot screws on the Sebenza better. My thumb naturally sits on the pivots when using it and the smaller screws feel better under my thumb. I expect the bigger pivot is stronger and with the non-bushing design its better to have the larger pivot. Its just a guess, but I wonder if the hole is the same size on both and the larger pivot matches the size of the bushing. It seems like having one size hole in blades would make production easier.
Its funny the blade is not much longer on the Sebenza but it looks much bigger. I really love the Insingo blade shape but even the standard Sebenza just looks so much bigger then the Inkosi when seen together.
I don't think you can go wrong with these two knives. The Inkosi is a little more advanced in design, but they are subtle differences that in the long run don't make a lot of difference. The bushing setup is easier for end user take apart and put together the same every time. Other then that the Inkosi has a slight edge in carrying and deploying the knife. Its funny now that I am writing this I think I bought them backwards. I should have gotten a left handed Inkosi and a right handed Sebenza. The Sebenza is easier for my right hand to unlock and the Inkosi is easier for either hand to unlock. But I am not used to unlocking a left handed frame lock. Normally I am unlocking a right hand frame lock and you press the bar into your hand in that situation. Over time it may not matter.
I hope this helps if someone is thinking of their first CRK.
