Old Sebenza pair - An advice and insights

[schmuk]

Hi, I need some info from who is able to recognize those blades.
I wish to buy this pair, and the price proposed is $1,750.
Now, what I wish to ask is if for you more experienced than me, this is a good deal or not.
I've never seen such kind of price for a pair of CFK Sebby, so I'm a bit afraid...

I apologize for the image, that is not mine. The kind of damascus is a "ladder" I think.

Any insights will help greatly, thanks for watching

 

[SPNKr]

I'm not an expert but I'll just chip in anyway. The frame is a regular, large I assume? Nice intricate designs on them, I imagine they wouldn't be easy to create; the inlay appears to be obsidian perhaps? Which isn't very expensive.

The blade seems to be a high-contrast ladder damascus by Devin Thomas, judging by the dark colour. The thing is from the picture you can clearly see that the contrast on the blade isn't exactly high, which leads me to believe that either the quality of the photograph is very bad or the it's oxidised.

If you're just buying the knives for what they are $1748 seems on the high side, works out to be $874 per knife. I'd only pay that kind of money if these are special or hand-made editions of some sort. However, none of the P or H Sebenzas are engraved or have damascus steel to my knowledge. Perhaps you should ask for a picture of the birth cards, and I wouldn't definitely want better pictures of the blade.

If you like the designs on them maybe you could just get Lisa to carve a unique one for you? That'd probably cost less.

 

[schmuk]

Thanks so much for the fast and insightful answer. I'm thinking about it since long, and I just cannot decide.
I've been told that the cabochon is hematite and they will be sold as pair of large and small sebby.
I've browsed through the prices of the CRK website and I've seen how you are right.
Asking for a custom made will be cheaper for sure.
My last hope is that someone recognize this pattern and announce some revelation about the uniqueness of the offer.
Even with this ugly picture that is the only one I have, I apologize for that.

 

[김원진]

i think there is some kind of rule about asking about deals without a paying membership. might want to hold off asking questions till said membership is upgraded or you might get in trouble.

*awesome set though*

 

[schmuk]

i think there is some kind of rule about asking about deals without a paying membership. might want to hold off asking questions till said membership is upgraded or you might get in trouble.

*awesome set though*

Thanks for the advice. I thought that a gold membership would be necessary only for sales, anyway I've happily contributed to this wonderful resource.

 

[Pueo154]

Interesting set. Looks like a large right hand and small left hand matched pair of sebbies (since the graphics are always on the mark side, the top would be a leftie). The inlay could be obsidian but to my eye it's more likely to be hematite.

 

[schmuk]

Interesting set. Looks like a large right hand and small left hand matched pair of sebbies (since the graphics are always on the mark side, the top would be a leftie). The inlay could be obsidian but to my eye it's more likely to be hematite.

my bad! Is hematite indeed. I've corrected the previous post accordingly. Thank you

 

[Ajax Ademaro]

Don't quote me on this, but from what i've seen before, I believe thast is Jerry Rados Ladder Damascus on these knives. From what I can remember reading, CRK used his Damascus for a fairly short period of time, which I would think would make these two knives fairly rare by comparrison to other damascus knives.

 

[wolf5391]

the price is high but considering these knives cannot be bought on the primary market and that they have unique graphics and damascus steel the prices isnt too far fetched. I believe these knives in the 21 version would cost around $750 each so its up to you whether the price jump of about $100 for each knife is worth it for something you cant buy anymore. ultimately it comes down to your specific wants and if youve been looking at these for a long time i say pull the trigger. you can always sell them for almost what you payed for them if you decide there not what you want. just my .02

 

[dinokay]

I think any item one is selling is only worth what the buyer is willing to pay for it, If your buying something with the intention of selling, do so at your own risk. If the money is just too much, don't buy it. Like one of the brothers here on the forum said "do you have any idea what this economy is doing to the average person and especially to the cutlery industry" so if these knives are something you can't live without and you have the money to buy them, I say "Full speed ahead dam the torpedoes".

 

[brownshoe]

There should be a certificate for each knife with the details of the knife, build date, type of stone, damascus type, etc. For this price, if the owner cannot produce the certificate, and if you are buying it to collect not use, don't buy. For that price, you should get full provenance.

 

[mike90240]

Don't quote me on this, but from what i've seen before, I believe thast is Jerry Rados Ladder Damascus on these knives. From what I can remember reading, CRK used his Damascus for a fairly short period of time, which I would think would make these two knives fairly rare by comparrison to other damascus knives.

Once upon a time I had a Reg Sebbe with Rados Damascus, don't think it was SS, but it was very unique in appearance, looked rough or textured, especially in the sun. Considering that the regular uniques are unavailable new, that these have that damascus, and a set at that, the price seems in line, only a bit more then some unique, damascus sebbe 21s would cost. If these are: NIB, complete with boxes, and cards (which it seems that you have not seen) I would say price is right, although not a raging deal...

Mike B

 

[schmuk]

Ajax, thank you for your input and I will for sure ask more info to the owner.
wolf5391 and dinokay, I simply don't want to dive yet in my passions. And to avoid that, I've just got a new Umnumzaan without retention disk on the back that makes me really happy indeed. So, I don't have anymore the "sacred urge" to buy them. I'm only sharing them with all of you to be able to acquire a bit of experts feelings.

To answer to brownshoe and mike90240, and thanking them for their insightful inputs, they come with boxes and certificates, they are completely new, and I'm willing to contact again the owner to have the certificates pictured or, at least, have them read to me. So we will be able to better understand what is all about.
Contacting the owner is not so easy as communications with him are scarce due to problems arising from his profession needs.

I'm sorry for my awkward way to proceed, and my need of your inputs, but I'm a real newbie on knifes and this may better explain to you my hesitancy. You are teaching to me how to correctly approach a deal of this kind, and the art to be a blade collector. Thank you very much for this.

 

[schmuk]

I've been able to contact the owner briefly, and for now what I've got is that the damascus is really a Jerry Rados with silver contrast. And from what he can remember, they are S30V damascus. So...they don't rust?
To Ajax Ademaro and to mike90240 my compliments for theirs "eagle eyes", really needed for this awful picture.
I've been promised that "soon" the actual owner will be able to read to me, by phone, what's on the certificates. No more pictures at this moment.

But talking about the rarity of this Damascus, my question is if, in your knowledge, this kind of damascus has been dropped for quality reasons or something else. Why only few blade of this kind exists? Are they really valuable for their blade metal? What has forced Mr. Reeve to change partnership, if may I ask this question without risking to hurt anyone?

 

[Ajax Ademaro]

I've been able to contact the owner briefly, and for now what I've got is that the damascus is really a Jerry Rados with silver contrast. And from what he can remember, they are S30V damascus. So...they don't rust?
To Ajax Ademaro and to mike90240 my compliments for theirs "eagle eyes", really needed for this awful picture.
I've been promised that "soon" the actual owner will be able to read to me, by phone, what's on the certificates. No more pictures at this moment.

But talking about the rarity of this Damascus, my question is if, in your knowledge, this kind of damascus has been dropped for quality reasons or something else. Why only few blade of this kind exists? Are they really valuable for their blade metal? What has forced Mr. Reeve to change partnership, if may I ask this question without risking to hurt anyone?

As far as the reason for using Jerry Rados, I believe it was a result of a lack of availability of Devin Thomas Damascus at the time. Additionally, I do not believe that it is S30V Damascus as the seller indicated. It is far more likely that it is high contrast carbon Damascus, which means that if you plan to make it a user, I will take some additional care to maintain it's beauty. This includes wiping it clean after each use, and applying RIG (Rust Inhibiting Grease) from time to time. Still though, if it is Jerry Rados as the seller indicated, and as those are essentially a matching set of unique Regular Sebenzas, that is a fair price if the birth certificates are included.

 

[schmuk]

Ajax, those are the info that really keep me back.
I've been browsing this forum searching for good news about the use of damascus in an EDC knife, but following your understanding, this pair seems to be "collector only", and not the rugged, zero care, always trusted tools that I'm used to consider a CRK. Hope that someone may contradict me...