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I can't remember when or where but I recall hearing something about the Sebenza being damaged by flicking the blade open- urban myth or fact ?
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Reeve Sebenza, bad news flicking ?
- Thread starter ElectricFactory
- Start date
Esav Benyamin
MidniteSuperMod
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Chris Reeve makes a precision cutting tool of great strength and durability in the Sebenza. He is a serious craftsman who does not believe in abusing his tools. He is on record as saying that flicking can damage a folder, since the metal tang and stop pin will eventually no longer fit well if flicked heavily.
This also takes into consideration that one man's flicking is another man's snappy opening. If you flick by thumbing the stud vigorously, the blade may simply click into place. But if you add serious centrifugal force, deploying the blade so powerfully that you hear a loud clash on contact, you are using unnecessary and damaging force.
The Sebenza's materials and construction prevent serious malfunction from an occasional opening this way, but I have seen folders develop instant vertical blade play from playing around with them like this.
This also takes into consideration that one man's flicking is another man's snappy opening. If you flick by thumbing the stud vigorously, the blade may simply click into place. But if you add serious centrifugal force, deploying the blade so powerfully that you hear a loud clash on contact, you are using unnecessary and damaging force.
The Sebenza's materials and construction prevent serious malfunction from an occasional opening this way, but I have seen folders develop instant vertical blade play from playing around with them like this.
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Hmm... really...
Uh-oh...
Looks like I've been having too much fun flicking my newly bought (used/broken in) Small Sebbie.
Uh-oh...
Looks like I've been having too much fun flicking my newly bought (used/broken in) Small Sebbie.
Daniel
Gold Member
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- Oct 3, 1998
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From Anne Reeve
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Reeve Knives
The whole issue of flicking knives has gotten a little away from reality! No, it is not a sin to flick a Sebenza but it is not something we recommend.
Flicking a knife is an activity that has the potential to damage the whole lock mechanism. It causes the parts to slam together, creating unnecessary wear. Flicking the blade open once in a while it is not a problem – in fact, we recommend it as part of the assembly process. It is the compulsive, continuous snapping open of the blade that is a problem; the spending an afternoon in front of the television and flicking-your-knife-open-breaking-the-lock-closing-it-flicking-it-open-again for the duration of a football game, or movie or whatever, and doing it every week.
This is as true for Sebenzas as it is for any other knife – or any hinged mechanism with a stop and a lock. Of all the knives on the market, the Sebenza is best able to withstand flicking because the size of the stop pin/sleeve, and the configuration of the pivot bearing and bearing surface, cause the energy to disperse over a large area.
Here is an analogy that illustrates what we are trying to say:
A man owns a Porsche – it is a well-built car and the whole vehicle has a “bank vault” feel to it. He particularly likes the sound of the doors closing – thunk. To work off his obsessive frustrations about life at large, this man spends hours and hours just opening and closing the door. Eventually the hinges wobble and the doors whistle when he is driving because they don’t close securely any longer. Do you suppose Porsche will replace the doors happily and at no charge?
So in summary, we do not advocate flicking knives at all – it is not in the best interest of the knife – any knife.
Anne
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Reeve Knives
The whole issue of flicking knives has gotten a little away from reality! No, it is not a sin to flick a Sebenza but it is not something we recommend.
Flicking a knife is an activity that has the potential to damage the whole lock mechanism. It causes the parts to slam together, creating unnecessary wear. Flicking the blade open once in a while it is not a problem – in fact, we recommend it as part of the assembly process. It is the compulsive, continuous snapping open of the blade that is a problem; the spending an afternoon in front of the television and flicking-your-knife-open-breaking-the-lock-closing-it-flicking-it-open-again for the duration of a football game, or movie or whatever, and doing it every week.
This is as true for Sebenzas as it is for any other knife – or any hinged mechanism with a stop and a lock. Of all the knives on the market, the Sebenza is best able to withstand flicking because the size of the stop pin/sleeve, and the configuration of the pivot bearing and bearing surface, cause the energy to disperse over a large area.
Here is an analogy that illustrates what we are trying to say:
A man owns a Porsche – it is a well-built car and the whole vehicle has a “bank vault” feel to it. He particularly likes the sound of the doors closing – thunk. To work off his obsessive frustrations about life at large, this man spends hours and hours just opening and closing the door. Eventually the hinges wobble and the doors whistle when he is driving because they don’t close securely any longer. Do you suppose Porsche will replace the doors happily and at no charge?
So in summary, we do not advocate flicking knives at all – it is not in the best interest of the knife – any knife.
Anne
- Joined
- Mar 15, 2000
- Messages
- 3,208
This topic had been beat to death.
I personally think that the Seb could take a lot of flicking but I don't see the point. It's kind of like slamming your car door shut as hard as possible over and over. I've heard people say they have been flicking their Sebs for years without damage and I don't doubt them. I think it puts a lot of unnecessary stress on the locking components. If flicking your Seb does it for you then by all means flick away, but don't expect CRK to foot the bill if you mess it up and don't say,"If the the Seb is so well built it should be able to be flicked." That's a tired arguement.:jerkit:
I personally think that the Seb could take a lot of flicking but I don't see the point. It's kind of like slamming your car door shut as hard as possible over and over. I've heard people say they have been flicking their Sebs for years without damage and I don't doubt them. I think it puts a lot of unnecessary stress on the locking components. If flicking your Seb does it for you then by all means flick away, but don't expect CRK to foot the bill if you mess it up and don't say,"If the the Seb is so well built it should be able to be flicked." That's a tired arguement.:jerkit:
- Joined
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I hate when a friend of mine picks up a knife and flicks it open as hard as possible, its just completely unnecessary...Get an AO or a balisong if you need to feel that kind of force... Well i guess lockbacks are made to take that force too.
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I agree with Scott Dog. The first nice knife I ever bought was a BM Carbon fiber 770. It flicked real nice and I would spend hours watching TV and flicking the knife. I did this almost every day for 6 to 9 months. Now the action of the knife isn't the quite the same as it once was. There's just something different about it. It's not at smooth as it once was and I'm sure it's because of the flicking. It's not a problem that the knife could be sent in to get fixed but you can feel the abuse. I rarely flick knives any more and when I do I make sure I am not using excessively hard force.
C Ben Susrool
Gold Member
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NOT !!!
Famiarize yourself with the lockback construction and you will understand.
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Lockbacks are probably the worst, every once of force that it takes to stop the blade is being exerted on the single pin that is the pivot for the lock. That pin is usually much smaller than any other lock pivot, and it's taking full force.
Flicking a blade is puts uneccessary wear on the blade, lock, and handle, that being said sometimes it feels good.
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Django606
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Yeah, I was in at a Victorinox dealer that sells BMs, Spydercos, Kershaws, and William Henrys. I showed one of the salesmen my large micarta and he flicks it open just about as hard as you can. He was doing the same with the small, decorated William Henrys too :thumbdn::thumbdn::thumbdn:
I wish they would start carrying CRK, I have no where around me where I can handle any.
Why not just buy an OTS (out the side) auto or assisted opener. Plenty of them out there and I own several myself. Microtech, Zero Tolerance and Darrel Ralph all have plenty of these models.
Personally, I would think an auto or assisted Sebenza would be difficult to achieve and provide the same level of locking mechanism. CRK have a good niche market now and shouldn't mess with it. My $0.02
Personally, I would think an auto or assisted Sebenza would be difficult to achieve and provide the same level of locking mechanism. CRK have a good niche market now and shouldn't mess with it. My $0.02
Esav Benyamin
MidniteSuperMod
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It's the toy factor. Any real working knife opens fast enough if it's a manual one-hander. My BG-42 Military is so perfectly set (from the factory) that a light push on the opening hole snaps it open almost invisibly fast. It feels like an auto.
Incidently, Chris Reeve himself is on record against autos, as something that just sets the non-knife people against us for no real gain in knife opening efficiency.
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You are definitely the winner
Beat me to it.
That same logic say's if I buy a Kia and a Hummer and drove them both off a cliff the Hummer would be fine cause I paid more.
Unusual logic, unfortunately doesn't work in the real world.
You are definitely the winner
These car refrences are pointless, we are talking about a folding knife that has one function, to open up and cut things. And flicking a knife open is hardly comparable to driving cars off cliffs. Point being, if you take a h3 and a jeep off road, you would expect the hummer to out-do the jeep, not just because it cost a lot more, but because its a hummer. But when the hummer gets stuck or breaks down and the jeep keeps going, it makes you think about why the hummer would cost so much if it wasnt capable of doing its intended task.
And just like the hummer owner maybe you'll realize your knife is not all its "cut out" to be. But more likely you'll stay in denial because who wants to admit that something they spent a lot of money on can't withstand the same treatment as something 1/8 of the cost.:thumbup: