Please explain appeal of Sebenza to me

Status
Not open for further replies.
They are great knives, I enjoy using them. I think alot of guys expect them to change their lives in some way. They are a very nice, somewhat expensive pocket knife, take it for what it is and forget the unreal expectations.
 
bpeezer said:
There is a BIG difference between design and manufacture. I agree, the manufacturing is not simple at all. I work doing manufacturing process analysis, so believe me when I say I appreciate the manufacturing processes that go into making a Sebenza. I would pay to visit Chris Reeve's shop.

That being said, I stand by the statement that the Sebenza is simple in design.
Click to expand...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QiEnhA3n0A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj6p8p6vfZQ

Maybe this will also help the OP understand the price/value....but i doubt it

I have a couple, and there definitely worth the price when you compare this to injection molded handles and stamped parts and other cheaper production techniques

"you pay alot more for a Ferrari than a Mitsubishi sports car"
 
Oh wait. The OP definitely understands price/value. I own multiple > $3,000 fully custom black rifles, Wilson Combat, Sig, scandium revolver, custom knives, expensive audio gear, have owned BMW, Jag, Mercedes, Audi, etc. I've worked hard and dome okay over the years in a way that I can buy some occasional toys.

In no way am I shying away from a Sebenza in my future so I think you have me wrong. I bid a para 2 cf to $651 on eBay and then bailed out...with some sanity leftover.

Don't get me wrong, I need to play with one in person.
 
The Sebenza is an extremely well made knife, with out-of-sight design and engineering features that make the knife work exceptionally well and last many a lifetime. You don't have to worry about centering the blade if you take it apart to clean it. You don't have to worry about the lockbar wearing out prematurely. The hollow ground blade is a thing of beauty, with a very thin edge bevel that cuts like a laser and is easy to resharpen. The edge bevel doesn't get thicker with repeated sharpenings.

It's not a pretty knife -- which is the main reason for all the doubters -- but it is a time-tested, classic knife that has few peers. And it comes with a rock solid guarantee.

It's a brilliant knife. It set the standard for the blizzard of modern knives that followed the trail broken long before by the genius of Chris Reeve. And, oh yeah, Made in the USA with pride.
 
I have wanted one simply because of all the talk. I handled them at the Blade Show. Still hesitant... I find spending $400 for a pocket knife troubling. I'll rather buy a custom and perhaps pay a little more. Some people have a lot of money to throw around on knives. I was in a custom kick for a while and now I am back to production knives and find them 90% as good (at least). I do like a good knife and won't put anyone down for spending the kind of money it takes for a Sebenza. Who knows? Maybe I'll buy one too but I doubt I would carry it, so what's the point?
 
Twindog said:
The Sebenza is an extremely well made knife, with out-of-sight design and engineering features that make the knife work exceptionally well and last many a lifetime. You don't have to worry about centering the blade if you take it apart to clean it. You don't have to worry about the lockbar wearing out prematurely. The hollow ground blade is a thing of beauty, with a very thin edge bevel that cuts like a laser and is easy to resharpen. The edge bevel doesn't get thicker with repeated sharpenings.

It's not a pretty knife -- which is the main reason for all the doubters -- but it is a time-tested, classic knife that has few peers. And it comes with a rock solid guarantee.

It's a brilliant knife. It set the standard for the blizzard of modern knives that followed the trail broken long before by the genius of Chris Reeve. And, oh yeah, Made in the USA with pride.
Click to expand...

Let me say this. People act like Chris's integral lock is something nobody else could ever come up with, but it was just a copy of Michael walkers liner lock except thicker and not under a scale.

His design WAS revolutionary at the time, but hes been left in the dust as far as his current knives. I dont understand why he would use a poor HT on such a good potential steel (s35vn). It just doesn't make sense.

That being said his tolerances are still great...
 
Blade hq has a shop tour video on youtube... check it out... its in two parts and is quit informative
 
wolf5391 said:
Let me say this. People act like Chris's integral lock is something nobody else could ever come up with, but it was just a copy of Michael walkers liner lock except thicker and not under a scale.

His design WAS revolutionary at the time, but hes been left in the dust as far as his current knives. I dont understand why he would use a poor HT on such a good potential steel (s35vn). It just doesn't make sense.

That being said his tolerances are still great...
Click to expand...

There is nothing wrong with the heat treat on the Sebenza. It's run a little softer then some like, but the point of the heat treat is to find an appropriate balance between edge retention and toughness. Sebanza steel is incredibly well heat treated.
 
Twindog said:
There is nothing wrong with the heat treat on the Sebenza. It's run a little softer then some like, but the point of the heat treat is to find an appropriate balance between edge retention and toughness. Sebanza steel is incredibly well heat treated.
Click to expand...


we will have to agreed to disagree on that one, I'm sorry but if you roll an edge cutting rope, there's something wrong with the steel or more likely the HT.

Chris isn't taking advantage of the higher rockwell that s35vn could take over s30v. Theres a reason that they made s35vn, it was because s30v chipped at higher rockwells so they made a s35vn that was an upgrade that could be heat treated harder but not chip out.

Im well aware of the capabilities of s35vn and CRK is NOT using it properly.



watch these videos. Also do you use your s35vn?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Jm8lt0h6zA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1oq7PzjJkY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JEXdescKfA
 
Last edited:
AmericanEDC said:
I just watched a YouTube video review and I'm just as confused as before. He said there is a large price difference for a micarta inlay on the scale? I'm not disparaging this knife at all. I'm just trying to connect the dots I'm seeing, never having researched this manufacturer. I own a William Henry, wondering if its "like them"?
Click to expand...

Lycosa said:
The Sebenza is a perfect folder design and the quality is outstanding... consistently.
But, it's not the only perfect folder design. The Strider SnG and the Spyderco Military models are also perfect folder designs.
rolf
Click to expand...

That is why there will always be those that like them, and those that don't. None of them are perfect....

I haven't owned one. Yet.. I did spend about an hour at one of our local knife shop playing with the Sebenzas. NO, I didn't hear bells or harps, nor did it immediately make me fell like I had been missing out for many years, by never owning one.


Nicely made knife. Smooth, and I like the feel and sound when the blade locks open. I have read that some people complained the heat treat on the S30V is/was a little soft. Why would a company spend time on fit and finish, but not do the blade up to it's full potential ?

I really don't think that just by handling one in the store for awhile, I can give an honest opinion about them. I may have to get one, and give it an honest try. Like others have said, if I don't like it, they can easily be sold...
 
For the kind of EDC tasks i generally run into, i could take care of most anything with a Delica. That being said. I love the Sebenza. To understand the price tag, you really need to at least get this knife in your hand. If you don't like the knife, sell it. You can get what you paid right here on BF.
 
AmericanEDC said:
Oh wait. The OP definitely understands price/value. I own multiple > $3,000 fully custom black rifles, Wilson Combat, Sig, scandium revolver, custom knives, expensive audio gear, have owned BMW, Jag, Mercedes, Audi, etc. I've worked hard and dome okay over the years in a way that I can buy some occasional toys.

In no way am I shying away from a Sebenza in my future so I think you have me wrong. I bid a para 2 cf to $651 on eBay and then bailed out...with some sanity leftover.

Don't get me wrong, I need to play with one in person.
Click to expand...

If all of this is true then why do you need someone to explain the appeal to you?

You said you were ready to pay $651 for a production knife that cost less than 1/3 of that when it was new and somehow $400ish for a mid-tech knife needs explaining?
 
Referring to Wolf's #53 post:

My Sebenza was made in 2004 -- S30V at 58-59 HRc. It has never chipped or rolled. It's been rode hard, and it holds an edge remarkably well. Chris Reeve was in on the development of S30V and S35VN. It would be pretty amazing if he with all his knowledge, experience and consulting with Crucible that he wouldn't know how to properly heat treat his steels.

If you rolled an edge cutting rope, I'd agree that something is wrong, and I don't know what that's about. But my softer S30V will not roll cutting rope, and I haven't heard of this being a problem with Sebenzas.
 
Twindog said:
Referring to Wolf's #53 post:

My Sebenza was made in 2004 -- S30V at 58-59 HRc. It has never chipped or rolled. It's been rode hard, and it holds an edge remarkably well. Chris Reeve was in on the development of S30V and S35VN. It would be pretty amazing if he with all his knowledge, experience and consulting with Crucible that he wouldn't know how to properly heat treat his steels.

If you rolled an edge cutting rope, I'd agree that something is wrong, and I don't know what that's about. But my softer S30V will not roll cutting rope, and I haven't heard of this being a problem with Sebenzas.
Click to expand...

refer to my post again, I have updated it with more videos from John. I have extensively used Chris's s35vn and it doesnt even compare to most other manufactures low grade steels (vg10) (aus8a) (8cr13mov) to name a few.

Your s30v blade is the same rockwell as the newer s35vn steel he uses, and that was my point. Hes not using the steel to its fullest potential. (stubborn old man syndrome :) )
 
I don't think anyone has mentioned the warranty. If you send the knife into CRK, for 30 bucks they will refurb the knife for you. You will basically get a brand new knife, new birth card, and box. You can't beat that.
 
I had a friend who "likes" knives look at my Sebenza and he asked me as he often does, "...how much it cost", I told they go between $350-$400 and he balked.

Then I asked him, "...You drink bottles water?" He said, "2 bottles a day".

So I did the math, 2 bottles a day at let's say $2 X 365, that's $1460 in a year, that's a helluva a knife.

Is this the end all be all knife, hell no, will it replace every other knife I own, never, do I think it's a great knife definitely, does it sit sage in the drawer or safe, no it sits at the bottom of my pocket and like the name "Sebenza" implies, Its a "work" knife, finally will you like a Sebenza, I can't answer that for you, it's a personal choice that you can only make objectively by owning one, not handling one in a knife shop but by actually using it and putting it through its paces.

Personally I believe if you don't at least give it a good try, I think your selling the knife short but then again, there are those few who can pick a knife up and know instantly that is not for them, to those people, I take my hat off.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top