No sebz in the line up

[Gress]

Since we already got couple of really good comparisons, this one is not so much to compare the knives, but rather show them in perspective

This is the line I made for now and believe every knife in this line up has its own place and purpose.

So we start with the Strider PT. It’s the smallest and lightest of all and has been my EDC for few years now. I love it and it will continue in its role for now.

You can see that the size is marginally larger for 3” xm18 and its also a bit heavier.

So it’s a bit more “serious” blade and with the flipper (which I am undecided if I like it better for this size) gives you the feeling of being more comfortable with bigger jobs. Still very compact and perfect in your pocket.

Now up to my Strider SnG. This is my preferred size for serious applications. I’ve been in love with it before my 3.5 xm18 showed up in my home and still think that its on par with xm and easily can take anything you through at it. Look at the width of the blade.

However, it took me just to get a hold of 3.5 xm18 to realize that it’s a step up with regard to smoothness and attention to details. Its very similar in size, but gives me different feeling. I feel like while SnG can do any job, xm18 is like precise well engineered tool you can rely on for anything and yet enjoy the ease it will take any challenge. My preferred flavor in this size is a non-flipper as it sits better in a sheath or a pocket.

I also like the XHP steel a lot :thumbup: and consider it as a better choice for a folder. The size of xm24 and the fact that the blade comes in XHP made me wanting the knife and hunting for it. I was lucky enough to get it recently and only thing I can say that this one is indestructible. :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

You can also see that I am a sucker for black scales, but xm24 changed my view on what a good scale should be colored at I absolutely love the orange scale and this knife with superior quality, size and toughness as well as visible scale in case you drop it into the grass or something is the best option for wilderness escapes. XM24 makes full sense to me as a flipper, as for real work you will have an extra protection (not that I think the blade would ever close on your fingers).

All in all I like them all and every one will have its oven place and purpose in my life.
All are solid lockups and as strong as it gets.

And someone may ask where are all the Sebbies? And I am telling the truth – I do not own one

 

[nyefmaker]

Great Thread with Excellent Pics. Thanks for sharing !!! I have all 3 size XM's and share many of your thoughts. Though the flipper wins out in any size for me. I like that it gives me two ways to open the knife and the added protection of it doubling as a guard is second to none for me.

Very Enjoyable Thread,

Thanks Again

 

[DirtyPhill]

Great thread.

 

[zyhano]

Nice pics and post. You don't need a sebbie in that lineup.
but it would fit in if it were there
Great collection

 

[Ellis Wyatt]

Great looking collection. I am still hunting an orange scaled XM-24 to add to my lineup as well. Every time I see pictures and hear reviews like yours it just makes me hunt harder.

Thanks for the great review! No Sebbie required, maybe an Umnumzaan would fit your lineup a little better?

 

[Gress]

Thanks guys!
As for a sebbie, where would it fit exactly?
I seriously considered Sebenza (in both sizes) and Umnumzaan, but for different reasons could not find enough love for either one. Those are no doubts great knives with great attention to details and execution, but somehow they do not strike my fancy
Those of you who have all three breeds could you tell me what does CRK do to make it a meaningful choice if you already have a lineup from Striders/Hinderers.
What do I miss here?

 

[zyhano]

Check out the seb/xm-18 comparison video in my sig (4 parts), it might help

 

[ForestRoamer]

Great collection! I have an SNG and a PT, but have yet been able to afford a hinderer:grumpy:. Hopefully I'll be able to pick one up at the New York Custom Knife Show because this post has me drooling over yours

 

[Gress]

Hey zyhano,
Thanks for referring me to your comparison video, I enjoyed it.
I handled Sebenzas before - Classic" model, rather than 21. I guess they are close enough though. I agree on every point you made. Both are great knives. Somehow I can not warm up enough towards Sebbie.
I think that the less comfy grip of xm which you noticed is perhaps due to the clip being on the "wrong" (for me anyway) side. Once you move it around for a tip-up position it will not interfere with the grip anymore. At least this is what I felt after I re-positioned the clip on my Hinderers.
BTW while watching your vid I could not help but think that Strider PT is perhaps a middle ground between the two, as it has the toughness of the xm, while the blade geometry is somewhat better for whittling. Its the smallest of the three and the lightest too. This is why perhaps it sits in my pocket everyday for few years now

 

[zyhano]

Hey zyhano,
Thanks for referring me to your comparison video, I enjoyed it.
I handled Sebenzas before - Classic" model, rather than 21. I guess they are close enough though. I agree on every point you made. Both are great knives. Somehow I can not warm up enough towards Sebbie.
I think that the less comfy grip of xm which you noticed is perhaps due to the clip being on the "wrong" (for me anyway) side. Once you move it around for a tip-up position it will not interfere with the grip anymore. At least this is what I felt after I re-positioned the clip on my Hinderers.
BTW while watching your vid I could not help but think that Strider PT is perhaps a middle ground between the two, as it has the toughness of the xm, while the blade geometry is somewhat better for whittling. Its the smallest of the three and the lightest too. This is why perhaps it sits in my pocket everyday for few years now

Good to hear you enjoyed it:thumbup:
That's a great point you make about the clip position, i still haven't found the tool for it, actually havent searched for it.
Will do that for sure now, tnx

I'll give my pt some more pocket time as per your recommendation and after having more xp with both the seb and xm

 

[Ellis Wyatt]

For me, the Strider is the low man on the pole. I EDC an XM-18 and a small Chris Reeve Insingo. I love the XM for its strength and the flipper is so easy to open, even if I have on some thick leather gloves at work. The Sebenza Insingo is just an outstanding quality knife. It stays sharp, and I mean sharp. I use it more for peeling an apple in the afternoon than anything else regularly, but it is just a joy to use. So smooth and sharp. Both knives lock up solid and feel great in my hand. I had quality issues with my SNG and just did not like the knife in general. I still have one of the original Strider RC knives, and I love it, it just doesn't appeal to me as much as the Sebenza and XM-18.

That's why there are so many brands out there. Everyone has their own opinions and uses for blades. I think I need to give a small Strider another try. I must have gotten a lemon before.

 

[Gress]

jdraizor,
I think I need to look at Insingo
As for Striders, some come perfect, some not so
My PT had no issues other than a loose pivot, so I adjusted and loctited it. My SnG although it came with perfectly made and centered blade had loose blade stop pin which also was longer than the width of the handle (so the pin would stick out somewhat beyond the grips), dirty washers and also loose pivot screw. I have no problem fixing this type of issues, so I took the pin out, filed down it shorter, put few more notches and pressed the pin back into the blade. Its solid as rock now I also cleaned and militec-1 lubed the washers, adjusted and loctited the pivot. Now it is almost as smooth as Hinderers. I have it for about 2 years now and I have no issues with it whatsoever. Its better than new. Seriously. :thumbup: However, there are many perfect Striders stright from the factory too.
Now good news is Hinderers are really a step up in the quality, so no such issues with them.:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

 

[Gress]

Good to hear you enjoyed it:thumbup:
That's a great point you make about the clip position, i still haven't found the tool for it, actually havent searched for it.
Will do that for sure now, tnx
....

What do you mean? What you need is just a small phillips screwdriver or a small phillips bit

 

[MORIMOTOM]

Since we already got couple of really good comparisons, this one is not so much to compare the knives, but rather show them in perspective

This is the line I made for now and believe every knife in this line up has its own place and purpose.

sorry, ill have to respectfully disagree.

the big orange one has no place in your collection, nice as it is.

it does, however, have a worthy place in mine.





when did they switch to the phillips screws? my xm18 had hex screws on the clilp and insert.

 

[Ellis Wyatt]

My Gen II has hex screws on the clip but my Gen III has the phillips head screws. I never noticed until just now that they were different.

Gress, I will take another look at Striders. It is going to be hard to go back now that I have the XM-18 though. It will be hard for them to measure up to the level of fit and finish I am now accustomed to.

 

[Gress]

sorry, ill have to respectfully disagree.
the big orange one has no place in your collection, nice as it is.
it does, however, have a worthy place in mine.

when did they switch to the phillips screws? my xm18 had hex screws on the clilp and insert.

You will be then 3-rd in line to cut my lineup one knife short
All my gen 3 xms have phillips heads.

 

[Gress]

My Gen II has hex screws on the clip but my Gen III has the phillips head screws. I never noticed until just now that they were different.

Gress, I will take another look at Striders. It is going to be hard to go back now that I have the XM-18 though. It will be hard for them to measure up to the level of fit and finish I am now accustomed to.

jdraizor,
I did not know those were hex. you may want then to give the allen head # to zyhano.
I agree with what you said about Striders. They wont be able to compete for fit and finish prize But they are still darn good knives

 

[zyhano]

What do you mean? What you need is just a small phillips screwdriver or a small phillips bit

This is my three inch xm. It has smaller screws for the clip than the other allen screws, smaller than any of my knives have.. So i need a seperate tool for this knife. In the vids i talk about this and its my only beef with this awesome knife, that i need three or four different tools to break it down completely.
Good to see things changed

 

[Gress]

zyhano, like I said I did not know they came with hex. Anyway, if I remember it correctly the grip screws are 5/16 and usually standard allen set goes two more down - 1/16 and 0.05" Most probably it must be one of the two then.

 

[Gress]

As for the flipper on 3" one, I started appreciate it more.

Not sure yet should I or not try exchanging it for a non-flipper One thing for sure though, I'd like to see the little mark on the blade (in blue)