Oldest Sebenza?

sdw · Dec 26, 1999

Who out there has the oldest Sebenza?
Mine was just made in 1999 and gets used daily.The lock has bedded in but never has gone all the way over to the other scale even when I have to cut something with alot of force,I'd imagine that it never will.
Does anyone have one of the originals?how has the lock held up as far as wear goes?
thanks
scott w

JoHnYKwSt · Dec 26, 1999

My Sebenza is not very old, but I have a bad habit of opening and closing the knife obsessively. It's been through about 9000 opening and closings. The lock bar is less than 1/32" from the other handle slab and it does not look like it is going to budge. The titanium lock bar does not really wear, the only thing that really wears is the stop pin, that gets flattened. It gets flattened pretty quickly, so after it is flattened, the lock bar pretty much stays put.

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Johnny
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sdw · Dec 26, 1999

My lock bar is appx. 1/16" from the other side but will move over a taste more when heavy force is applied.I try not to open and close it excessivey and when I do open it I use just regular opening force and try to never hammer the stop pin.I let a fella check it out the other day and he opened it halfway and then did the ol'wrist flick pretty hard.I hate that.
I understand that the stop pin can be rotated so after some routine flattening you can rotate it to fresh material.
How about the older ones,how are they holding up?
scott w

bodeen · Dec 27, 1999

I own a large plain Sebenza born on Nov.26,
1997.I keep the edge maintained with a Spyderco Sharpmaker 204,and an old leather
belt as a strope.The handle has numerous scars that add character to the knife.
The lock-up is as solid as a new Sebenza.

JoHnYKwSt · Dec 27, 1999

1/16" from the other handle slab is where the lock bar should be. When you grip the handle, the lock bar should move over slightly, so that is perfectly normal.

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Johnny
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sdw · Dec 27, 1999

The cool thing is that when the bar does go over a little more during force ,it is still easy to unlock.There is no jamming.I've had to pry other knives locks open with a tool or coin before.
scott w

Nabok · Dec 27, 1999

Beleive it or not I bought either #8 or #9 (can't remember the number right now) in a pawn shop a few years ago and gave it to my nephew. When I looked at it this fall it is still in fine shape, only a small ding on the blade where the previous owner did something dumd (besides pawning it). As Paul Harvey would say there is more to this story but I need to decide what I can say about it.

Todd

bill u · Dec 28, 1999

I bought a sebenza new in April 1993 that was made March 15 of the same year. At that time there was only one model. I've used it often since, whether in my pocket or on a shelf in the kitchen. It is now in an excellent Graley sheath.

I never flick it open, so there is no flattening of the stop pin. The lockup is just as secure and strong. The lock bar is about 1/16" from the other scale. It's been a great knife these last six years.

DonL · Dec 28, 1999

Mine is a young pup for a Sebenza, DOB June 1997, and still tight as a drum. It has a tad over 1/32" between the lock bar and inside of the handle slab, was like that when I got it (previously owned), and hasn't changed within my possession of it. I use it daily, too. It actually seems to have gotten smoother over time, yet there is no kind of perceivable play or loosening up. A great knife design.

ROBB · Dec 28, 1999

Mine has to be close to 10 yrs.old.It's the original design and I think it's acually smoother than the newer ones(which I have also).It has the nylatron bushing instead of the copper-bronze? Anyway I have'nt put it through any hard work.Just opening boxes and cutting paper etc.I never sharpened the blade,stroped it a few times and it's as sharp as the day I got it.I must of opened and closed at least 1000 times and I don't think the lock bar has moved at all.It goes over half the back of the tang by the slightest bit.
It also has a P147 just to the right of the Reeve logo.

CD Fleischer · Dec 29, 1999

I have an old style small, so it has to be circa 1996 or before (per James' excellent FAQ).

I'll bite, Nabok: what is the rest of that story...?

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Clay Fleischer
clay_fleischer@yahoo.com
AKTI Member A000847

Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the recipient who doesn't get it.

Nabok · Dec 29, 1999

Clay, I got the Sebenza (an old style large I forgot to put in my first post) and a Shadow IV (also numbered if I remember right) for about $120.

I have some idea of the origonal owner and that part is best left, er, burried.

Todd

markusblattner · Jan 5, 2000

I have one which is marked H31 I believe it is one of the original handmades!
Chris, Anne how many were made with this marking?

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Markus Blattner