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LW McVay

Joined
Oct 9, 2001
Messages
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Guys, I am a newbie when it comes to knives...

I have heard that a Sebenza is a good knife to own, but haven't seen one myself. Can I ask, what makes the Sebenza better than say, a Benchmade knife or a Spyderco or whatever? I know that they aren't exactly cheap, but what is it that I would be paying for over and above one of the other "quality" knives?

And which size is a better one to go with. I wear a suit now on most days though I do dress down on weekends...

Thanks a million for your patience.:)
 
LW McVay, Welcome to the forums. The Sebenza is really a great knife. What makes it stand out among other folders is the solid lock up and to me the simplicity of design. It is very sturdy and practical and even elegant in it's own way. I only have a small Sebenza and it is comfortable to carry in jeans or Dockers. I have only had mine for 2 weeks and enjoy using it more each day. I don't know if you are new to knives or not, but there are many really good quality knives produced these days and you wouldn't go wrong with a Spyderco or Benchmade either, if you happen to find one that catches your eye. Chris Reeves is now making a slightly smaller folder, the Mnandi (don't know if I spelled it right?) and this appears to be a very handsome folder that would be at home in the office or field. Hope this helps. I am sure you will get other responses from more experienced Sebenza owners.
 
Welcome to the forums. I have found that Benchmades don't last as long as the Sebenza. The Sebenza is a framelock which I consider the best lock for a folder. It also has a BG-42 blade. Benchmade knives come with CM 154. The quality of the Sebenza is its best selling point. Tolerances are very tight. This is something that you can't appreciate until you take the knife apart to clean. You are encouraged to take apart the Sebenza for cleaning, something that will void the warranty of the Benchmade. The standard Sebenza is a rather plain creature, the beauty is in the way it opens and locks solid. The blade is very sharp and the spine is rounded, something that you will not find even on custom knives. Carry is tip up which I prefer. On top of everything the customer service is second to none. I like the small because of its ease of carry. Benchmades aren't cheap, they retail about $170. Throw in another $100 and you are in Sebenza territory. They also make left hand knives which is why I like them. I wish that I would have started with the Sebenza. I would have saved a lot of money. You need to hold one first to see what I mean. sebenzas are considered production knives but I think that term is not fairly applied to CRK. There is a lot of hand work that goes in each blade. The price seems to be on the money because they sell all the knives that they can make. You get what you pay for. It is very rare that you find someone that is less than thrilled with the Sebenza. I like the wood inlays, they add warmth to the knife and grip better than the plain version but they are limited to 60 small and 60 large each year. They are sold out through the year 2002.
 
Ok...sounds good so far...but what is the deal with the Classic versus the "non-Classic"? And it sounds like the favorite sheath for one of these things is a "G2"? What is that and where do I see one?

I'm leaning towards the small or maybe the umfaan (sp?).
 
Hi & welcome, LW!

The most obvious differences between "Classic" vs the "Regular" include the blade shape, the handle shape, and the thumb cutout to disengage the framelock (see the pic below, courtesy of Knifeart). To the uninitiate who takes a casual glance at these knives, these may not look like major differences, but some forumites live and die by them ;) I myself own a classic.

The "G2" sheaths are outstanding handmade sheaths crafted by our fellow forumite Gary Graley (hence the G2). Find a post of his to see his web page for options, or just do a search to see pics from his fans in this forum.

knifeart_1655_6451537
 
The question of a Sebenza compared to a xxxxx comes up often, and the most negative comments you will hear concern the cost of the Sebenza and the comment "is it really twice (or three) times the knife" for that much more money? Of course when you ask this question here in the Chris Reeve forum, you won't find much dissent over the worth of the Sebenza. The honest truth is that a Sebenza is simply worth its expense.
I am sure that more than 50% of the cost of the Sebenza is due to what goes into the last 5-10% of the details that you simply don't find on less expensive knives. Get a magnifying loupe and compare a Sebenza to any other production or semi-production knife. BIG DIFFERENCE! Examine: The polished convex cutting edge. The radiused and polished blade spine. The jewel-like machining of the thumb serrations. The handground blade from a master craftsman as opposed to a CNC ground blade. The handfitting and care in final assembly. The remarkable consistency from knife to knife that is without a doubt NOT there with a Benchmade or Spyderco. And the impeccable customer service. And when you beat up the knife, send it in for refurbishing to like-new for a small fee.
Don't forget the details that are not visible: the PROPER heat treat profile. The heat treat on the tip of the integral lock to minimize wear.
If these features are not important, then by all means get something else. Will a Sebenza outlast three Benchmade 710's? Probably not. Is the 710 a great knife, worth the money? Yes. But I have purchased too many Benchmades that were edge ground by someone obviously right- or left-handed and could not grind symmetrically on both sides! I don't like getting the practice pieces!
So the bottom line is, you get what you pay for. Sebenzas are worth it, too!
 
I have had a small plain for about a year and a half and i am thrilled beyond expectations. More than your moneys worth. if there is one word to discribe it it has to be TANK TANK TANK.
And that is the basic ! I have my name on the list at CRK for 2003 Small wood Inlay. Welcome to the forums.
 
I'm new here too.

After lots of research I have a small and a large Sebenza on the way. I found a shop in town that carries the tanto blade Sebenzas so I got to try both handles out along with the action.

Fantastic!

I have never felt a smoother or more secure folder. I just had to have them. I have always liked the looks of the Sebenza, and I apreciate the subtle,fuctional and understated essence of this knife. The drop point blade is my fav so I ordered the standard models.

After trying them out I read almost every post on this forum. The info has been very helpful.
 
Glad to hear you have two on the way. I am sure you will be thrilled with them. And welcome to the forum.
 
Good evening

I am a Custom Knife dealer but I do carry a small number of Production Knife companies.

One of them is Chris Reeve Knives.

The Sebenza (Large and Small) is an extraordinary knife- In addition to all the other qualities of strength and performance that has already been outlined, in my opinion, there is not another folding knife, custom or prodction, that will arrive at your door as "deadly sharp" as this one. And stay that way.

In the event that a Chris Reeve Knife does begin to lose it's edge after much use, the company (CRK) will sharpen it for you free of charge for as long as you own it.

The plain ones, Classic and Regular are great - but the ones that I sell the most are the decorated ones (Unique and CCG) and the Wood inlayed.

Take care,

Neil
 
For me...between the Umfaan and small there was a pretty big difference and it all depends on what you want them for. I went backwards compared to most. My first was the Umfaan. I wanted a small but tough knife that I could keep in my pocket while wearing a suit at the office. The Umfaan is it. Doesn't scare anyone but still looks tough. Some say it is too small for their hands. For me it was exactly what I wanted. I have smaller BM's, but the umfaan just looks and feels like it will last years compared to them.

Just got the small regular and it is a real user knife. Tough,strong and simple design. I feel like I could use it for anything and it would be almost as tough as a fixed blade. I don't carry anything much bigger than a 3 inch blade so this is as big as it gets for me and will be my all around knife.

Lastly... if you don't mind handle marks get one used. There is no need to pay over $300 for this knife unless you just like to be the first owner. You can easily find one for under $250 and if you are patient $225. For that kind of money these knives are worth it. Reeve also will let you send them back with $25 or so for a total refurb -- like new just like that. Good luck in your search.

JT
 
Hey everybody

I've been corresponding with LW throughout the day. He's pretty much decided that he will have a Reeve's knife.

I think his main concern at the moment is the differences between the Classic design and the newer design. To help him narrow down the choices.

I don't consider myself too much of an authority on Sebenzas other than I owned one at one time and I informed him that he wouldn't be disappointed. But, I really can tell him about the differences between the Classic and Newer designs. Besides asthetics is there any functional difference you guys noticed between the two? Can you describe for LW the feeling between the two when you handle them?

Just trying to help LW out here so that he can make his choices a tiny bit easier.

Thanks guys
Ross T.
 
In my research I handled the standard large and small. The large felt very, very good in my hand. It did feel like a fixed blade. The small was sweet! Both were so smooth. I learned here and elsewhere that the classic has a smaller waist to the handle. It is not as wide as the standard model. I would probably like it too but the standard model that I felt was a dream of a folder that fits so well in the pocket.

They will arrive in a few hours. I prefer a new knife so I can start with one that has not been sharpened or worn, but the $25 refurbish job is also what sold me on these beauties. If you have two then one can stay as the other goes back to CRK.

Yes I'm sure in time that I will complete the trilogy and get the Umfaan. I am a fan of small jewels as well as the larger ones. I have heard the the people who got large models usually keep them even if they get a small. Three at once was a little much to explain so the "little boy" will have to wait a bit.
 
I have a large classic which I find perfect for ergonomics, my next two on order are a wood small and a Mnandi, however until I get those I could not say. I did get to handle a large standard a while ago and I did not like the look of the serrated notches by the lock. They do not seem as prominent on the small somehow. I also prefer the coffin bowie style handle of the classic. It jus fits my hand better somehow as well as the larger place to put my thumb to open the lockbar. Ultimatly I would go for the classic, but both are amazing!

On a further note, I was sceptical about the Sebi some time ago and ended getting my Large Classic MM 6-50 after using Nemo's for a little while! I then got the knife and thought "is this it?" It took a couple of months and some spare time to really LOOK at this knife to realise it is worth every penny and then some. I thought I would never buy another as it was so much money and I had one now...

How wrong I was! They are very addictive and after spending $700+ on a Damascus small wood I don't regret it for a second! Hell they must be good!:D
 
Ohh god, I have done something horrable trying to sell my baby..... My girlfriend snapped me back into reality, and I will never part with my Benza. I guess we all make mistakes.....
 
I think I was possessed two weeks ago..... I understand that the blade is hand ground and the knife is put together by hand, not built by hand. I now understand that I need a Sebenza by my side at all times, and that having a few Spyderco's is not a good excuse for wanting to sell it for money. I must have been so shocked by my first TOOL concert that it messed with my thinking. I am so glad I have a girl friend that uses logic in her thoughts. Sorry for trying to leave the club guys, I am back to normal now. ;)
 
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