question on small 21 sebenza lockup percentage

colubrid

colubrid

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Nov 26, 2005
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I asked this on the Chris Reeves forum this morning and no one answered so I thought I would post here.

This is my brand new small seb 21. I have only had it for a week and the lockbar seems (to me) to be too far over to the right.

Can anyone answer if this is normal for a sebenza or is this something i should send back to warranty?

Also if something like this happens, does warrenty still charge me an extra $15. for return shipping on a new knife??


DSC09568.JPG
 
As Dave says, you can always call or email and find out.

Without wading out too deeply into the poo, just speaking from personal experience here: I really do not see what the big deal is with this. The end of the lock bar is case-hardened. Once it's seated properly, it's not going to wear at an appreciable rate. I have Sebenzas I've been using for years... 10 years in one case. That knife has been cycled many thousands of times. I have not noticed any change in the position of the lock bar at all - certainly not a degree of change that would consume the gap shown above. I also have a Sebenza with a gap pretty similar to what you show above, that's just about one year old. Have used it most of those days, probably cycled it a couple thousand times - no movement noted.

I exchanged a few emails with Heather on this subject a few months back. Was talking with her about other stuff and got into this. She basically characterized it as a non-issue, and said CRK sees very few problems of this nature, so I have to assume most of the Internet chatter in this regard is just that. Also have to assume that CRK understands how to enforce QA/QC on its own specs, and presumably realizes that it's better to nip problems in the bud than it is to send out faulty knives. My guess is that more than likely, if you send the knife in, they're just going to send it back with a note saying it's fine. They aren't going to give you a free blade or backslab just to cater to your personal taste in lock-up. Although I expect they would probably indulge you at cost.

One other thing that's crossed my mind on this subject: None of my CRK folders have any lateral blade play - I mean *no play*. If you rotate the blade about the pivot, and wiggle it in different positions, it does not deflect laterally in any of those positions. Okay... so when the lock bar engages the tang, there is no change in the angle of attack between the two. There is no grinding action between the two surfaces. This isn't necessarily the case with all frame and liner lock designs. With many of the liner locks I've handled, there's no lateral blade play when the knife is locked, but there is some when the lock is disengaged... and the lock bar/liner is not necessarily as hard as the tang.

Just trying to offer some thoughts. :)
 
just speaking from personal experience here: I really do not see what the big deal is with this. The end of the lock bar is case-hardened. Once it's seated properly, it's not going to wear at an appreciable rate
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When I received the knife a week ago it was not like this. After a few opening and closing it started to get lower. Now it bothers me because it is harder to move the lockbar that distance. With a small knife it is already hard to move , but now that it takes that much more movement it really bothers me.
 
colubrid said:
When I received the knife a week ago it was not like this. After a few opening and closing it started to get lower. Now it bothers me because it is harder to move the lockbar that distance. With a small knife it is already hard to move , but now that it takes that much more movement it really bothers me.
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A change in position of the lock bar would get my attention, and yes, it would bother me. If the lock bar came to rest in the position you show above after break-in, that in and of itself, would not bother me, though. My old BG Small Sebbie is farther left than that. I bought one for my brother in law years ago that locks up about like yours, and it's not any harder to open than mine. It also has not moved to the right, as I recall.
 
That looks right!

All mine are at 75% or more, and I like it like that ;) I bought a new 21 a few months ago and it moved over. It's the lockbar breaking in and setiing it's self. I would bet that your lockbar will not move over any more. Well at least for 5-10 years...

Then maybe it might move a little. As my 11 year old BG42 regs have about 80-90 tang covered and have not moved in years. Yes that a good thing ;) and when it hits the other scale in another 10-20 years I would bet CRK will help me out :thumbup:
 
Here is a better pic of her. I was hoping for the extra $ a graphic, they would pick a lockbar with more room. My last Seb had a lockbar that was sticking and I didn't like that either, so i don't have it anymore:

IMG_0001.jpg
 
I just read a post above mine where somebody got a user sebenza and the lockbar seems to still be 50%. Here is a pic i stole:

DSC02349.jpg


I guess i want one like this. For the price point I think I am right.
 
colubrid said:
I just read a post above mine where somebody got a user sebenza and the lockbar seems to still be 50%. Here is a pic i stole:

DSC02349.jpg


I guess i want one like this. For the price point I think I am right.
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For the price point I think I am right? :confused:

You seem like your going to think your "right" no matter what anyones else has to say.;) Just send it in.

BTW I have had $900 Damascus Sebbie with the same lockup! Would you like pictures? A graphic sebbie is the same build as a plain one. They put out the their best "quality" in evey knife that leaves CRK! ;)

Yours in the OP looks FINE! Looks great... In fact I would say it's "perfect!"
 
Can I ask one thing?

Why would you NOT want the tang covered the way it is :confused:

It makes for one hell of a lockup!
 
They are supposed to ship out between 50 and 75 %. Looks OK to me. I have never had a Sebenza lock bar move over that much in a couple of weeks. Have the stop pin and back spacer screws loosened up ? This will cause a change in lock up position.
 
So-Lo said:
Can I ask one thing?

Why would you NOT want the tang covered the way it is :confused:

It makes for one hell of a lockup!
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yes you can. I have a tendency to handle my knife.. A LOT! But just opening and closing it. Like when i am on the phone, watching TV,, ect. -With a lockup like this it will not last long. I wore down striders in no time just playing with them. This is why i want a little wiggle room. NOT the bare minimum. And with a $450 knife that is expected and not the bare minimum.
 
I flick... (read Knifesterbate) a lot also.

I would still say that if mine have held up over the years without moving once the lock has set it's self yours would do the same. Now that it's set... Your sebenza is FINE. :cool:
 
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As for you wearing a Strider out..

I would bet you bought it new or "lightly used," and the lock set it's self. Meaning the bar moved over much like this sebbie and you thought it was going to keep moving.

Not the case with high end framelocks (IE sebbies, SMFs SNGs, and most customs)

Once they are seated, the movement will stop. Or at least that has been my experances.
 
Like everyone is saying - if you're not satisfied with it, send it in. Or at least send a photo.

I think what you are going to hear though, is that CRK does not see this as a problem. The lock bar is not going to move inboard quickly, but if it does, then there is a problem, and then they will fix it.

If you want to be able to select a specific lock-up overlap, then my advice would be to buy only knives you have personally handled, or maybe seen good photos of.

FWIW, I have an EDC that's about 5 years old, and locks up further out than the "50%" one you show above. Then my 1 year old is a little further in than your initial photo. They both work fine. There was a time when I wished the "innie" locked up more like the "outie", but now that has sort of reversed itself.
 
So-Lo said:
As for you wearing a Strider out..

I would bet you bought it new or "lightly used," and the lock set it's self. Meaning the bar moved over much like this sebbie and you thought it was going to keep moving.

Not the case with high end framelocks (IE sebbies, SMFs SNGs, and most customs)

Once they are seated, the movement will stop. Or at least that has been my experances.
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Okay Thanks So-Lo for answering all that. I feel better now about my sebbie and will use it until. If it wears down some more in the next year i will repost my thoughts then.
 
tsiloics said:
Like everyone is saying - if you're not satisfied with it, send it in. Or at least send a photo.

I think what you are going to hear though, is that CRK does not see this as a problem. The lock bar is not going to move inboard quickly, but if it does, then there is a problem, and then they will fix it.

If you want to be able to select a specific lock-up overlap, then my advice would be to buy only knives you have personally handled, or maybe seen good photos of.

FWIW, I have an EDC that's about 5 years old, and locks up further out than the "50%" one you show above. Then my 1 year old is a little further in than your initial photo. They both work fine. There was a time when I wished the "innie" locked up more like the "outie", but now that has sort of reversed itself.
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Actually a pic or handling this knife would not have helped as the lockup was at about 60% a week ago. It looks to be down to 80% now.
 
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