New Umnumzaan Pivot

[MRaymond]

I think CRK has been moving toward cutting cost and labor in the switch to the 25 Sebenza so it would appear in the Umnumzaan that he'd follow suit. It's good business and if the knife stays up to par in quality (unknown) then well done IMO.

So with all of this supposed cost cutting, making every sebenza 25(and umnumzaan) pivot like every other knife out there, we can expect a little break on the price?

Seriously though, I thought the pivot bushing system was one of the things that make CRK knives WORTH the premium.

 

[CrimsonTideShooter]

So with all of this supposed cost cutting, making every sebenza 25(and umnumzaan) pivot like every other knife out there, we can expect a little break on the price?

Seriously though, I thought the pivot bushing system was one of the things that make CRK knives WORTH the premium.

It was, for me and a LOT of other people. The new pivot system isn't bad, but a bushing it isn't. A perfectly dialed in bushing system is really a thing of its own.

 

[flipe8]

A perfectly dialed in bushing system is really a thing of its own.

I absolutely agree, but my experience has been most of my Sebenzas eventually ended up having the very slightest hint of blade-play. It's not noticeable when the knives are locked open, but it is when the lock-bar is disengaged. I can feel it in the pivot. Perhaps Mr Reeve felt the cost of dialing it in wasn't worth the expense when a larger diameter pivot is easier to adjust?
Regarding the pivot screw, I'm fine with either, but not both on the same knife.

 

[cziv]

So with all of this supposed cost cutting, making every sebenza 25(and umnumzaan) pivot like every other knife out there, we can expect a little break on the price?

Seriously though, I thought the pivot bushing system was one of the things that make CRK knives WORTH the premium.

I agree 100% ray. That would be nice wouldn't it? I look at it this way. I don't think Mr. Reeve would put out "any junk" so I'm cautiously optimistic about the new 25's pivot. That said, I don't think he's "slashing" through things to make a buck as much as he is to keep producing these folders at the current price.

Everything is costing you and I more - everything - and it's no difference in a small 17 employee shop. Steel goes up? Pay up. Titanium goes up? Pay up! Washers go up? Pay up. Employee insurance goes up? Pay - Pay Pay!! That sort of thing.

I much prefer the bushing of the 21 Sebenza by a long shot but that's me. Another thought I had was - How long does Chris want to stay in the game 100%?

Wouldn't it be nice to dial in the new Sebenza & Umnu and not have to deal with near perfection that goes into making an excellent Sebenza which most of us here are familiar with?

Wouldn't it be nice to reduce returns to tune up the bushing/washer tolerance issues that no one here but CTS has addressed on video? It would be nice to have some expert apprentices be able to handle the shop a few extra days here and there and relax. Us old timers would appreciate that in our businesses. Maybe Mr. Reeve would some day too?

(just a few opinions YMMV)

 

[CrimsonTideShooter]

I absolutely agree, but my experience has been most of my Sebenzas eventually ended up having the very slightest hint of blade-play. It's not noticeable when the knives are locked open, but it is when the lock-bar is disengaged. I can feel it in the pivot. Perhaps Mr Reeve felt the cost of dialing it in wasn't worth the expense when a larger diameter pivot is easier to adjust?
Regarding the pivot screw, I'm fine with either, but not both on the same knife.

That's not a dialed in bushing though. Every single Seb I've owned (10+) has either been too stiff when tightened down, or had blade play like you mentioned.

A quick measure of the bushing, then blade + washers will give you an idea of which needs to be tweaked to get PERFECT smooth action, without blade play. The blade on my carry Seb will swing freely without lock bar tension, yet it has ZERO play. That's a perfectly dialed in bushing system. I did a video on the mod, it's definitely worth it.

 

[mongomondo]

I've had brand new Sebenzas that were too stiff and other new ones that swung freely with perfect lockup. I guess the new ceramic ball system makes it easier to be more consistent. In my experience the Umnumzaan tension is really easy to adjust and most of the time you don't even need loctite. They had a much wider range where the blade is centered with perfect lock up, unlike Benchmade knives which need microscopic adjustments to get it perfect.

 

[kreole]

edit: nevermind

 

[frontline29]

The pivot change, I'm not a fan of but I can live with. What I can't stand is that jimping! I truly love it on my Sebenzas, but it looks out of place on the Umnumzaan IMO.

The older jimping and pivot looked much better and suited the knife perfectly in my eyes.

Although its still a great knife, I just don't find this variation pleasing to me.

Can't say I would call these "improvements"

 

[cziv]

More than one of you guys has complained about this?

Old jimping first and then the new jimping. It looks like Sebenza jimping which is very adequate. What am I missing - forgive me I don't own one.

 

[pmek5]

Chris told me at Blade they would be changing to this standard pivot.(right when I showed him my Umnumzaan tools ) I'm surprised it's not a total change over though ? That might have to do with a cross over in parts already made. I like it much more than the original pivot my self, it's makes the knife a lot cleaner looking and matches the rest of the screws perfectly....on one side.

Are you saying that both sides will eventually be changed (no more four prong pivot on either side)?

 

[Haze]

You are joking right ? As some one that owns and runs a couple of businesses I can tell you that costs go up every year and the only way I can save money to the end user/buyer is to make saving else where. If not you will be paying the increases I do EVERY year. It's the same for CRK.....

So with all of this supposed cost cutting, making every sebenza 25(and umnumzaan) pivot like every other knife out there, we can expect a little break on the price?

Seriously though, I thought the pivot bushing system was one of the things that make CRK knives WORTH the premium.

Are you saying that both sides will eventually be changed (no more four prong pivot on either side)?

I was told at Blade the pivot would be changed to the standard pivot use on the Ti-L and 25, that's all I know. I didn't expect for a moment that it would be the half half pivot set up we see here, but IMO it will be fully changed over as parts are used up.

 

[Adamar]

At least the the Idaho Made script is right side up. I guess that's a positive, right?

 

[cziv]

I think a regular pivot on both sides - like the one in the picture, rather than the big one with the holes would be classier looking. Less clutttered & more CRK'ish - but that's just me?

 

[hoxhunbe]

with all these changes to the umnum I'm glad I struck when I did.

Me too.

But I'll probably end up with one of these guys too (when the pivot is identical on both sides, at least).

At least the the Idaho Made script is right side up. I guess that's a positive, right?

I dunno. Depends on your perspective. It's right side up for the user, but not the onlooker. Dunno how much that matters, but on the Sebenza, when you're cutting something with the knife in a natural position (and the cut medium on a tabletop surface or similar horizontal orientation), that IM script is actually right side up for the audience. Kinda like when Apple reversed the orientation of its MacBooks' Apple logos on the lid so they wouldn't be upside down for folks looking on.

 

[simplespeed]

Wow, that looks like a knife made out of spare parts. The pivot was one of the things that stood out most about the unmumzaan. So it'll either be half and half or the old pivot will be completly gone eventually. Guess im a one knife customer then, time to move on to other brands.

 

[kawr]

More similar parts among different models = tighter quality. However I feel like they should of just shared the same pivot design WITH the bushings on the Sebenza/Umnumzaans. Raise the prices if thats what is required to keep the bushings.

 

[DanG]

Funny how the Umnumzaan more and more becomes an exemplary of heterogeneity.

Why not just switch to the subtle and uniform pivot design of the 25?

 

[mongomondo]

I imagine that's the plan. They could just be using up spare parts?

 

[peichor]

I have read this entire thread, and looked closely at the pictures. Without trying to sound rude or stupid, is it possible the two pictures are of two different knifes? I mean the pictures didn't come from crk, and I can't see him putting together a "spare parts" knife and selling it. Just a thought.

 

[GarrettWeidman]

I have read this entire thread, and looked closely at the pictures. Without trying to sound rude or stupid, is it possible the two pictures are of two different knifes? I mean the pictures didn't come from crk, and I can't see him putting together a "spare parts" knife and selling it. Just a thought.

This is what I thought when I saw the pictures, it looks like they updated one of the pictures and used the old picture for the other side. I would CRK would make a knife with a different pivot on either side.