Robust Knife, not sebenza

S

SuzukiGS750EZ

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Dec 30, 2008
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Hey guys. I'm looking for a strong work knife. I've been carrying my Large CF sebenza 21 for about two years now and want to switch it up. I love the simplicity of it, how easy it is to clean and disassemble, but i want a more robust knife. I don't pry with my knives, but i want a bit of heft to it. Not drop my pants down to my ankles heft, but something like a strider. Maybe even a strider. I'd be willing to pay up to 500$ for said knife. i do a lot of fishing, hiking, some hunting. I'm also a mechanic by trade so dirty hands will be touching the knife. Any ideas?
 
How about an Umnumzaan?
It's much different that the Sebenza, and more robust IMO.

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I picked up a Fantoni HB02 about a month and a half ago, and I am absolutely thrilled with it. It's grippy, solid, light, and I like the looks of it. If you wanted something bigger you could look at the larger version the HB01. I have another knife I'm planning to review, but right now I just love the Fantoni too much to carry another knife. I really think it is just the bees knees.
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abbydaddy said:
I picked up a Fantoni HB02 about a month and a half ago, and I am absolutely thrilled with it. It's grippy, solid, light, and I like the looks of it. If you wanted something bigger you could look at the larger version the HB01. I have another knife I'm planning to review, but right now I just love the Fantoni too much to carry another knife. I really think it is just the bees knees.
Stereotypical%2Bknife%2Bwith%2Bgun.JPG
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I saw this brand I believe on knifeart, but I'm not too familiar with them. Are they newer? Pivot system? Smooth?
 
Blues Bender said:
How about an Umnumzaan?
It's much different that the Sebenza, and more robust IMO.

58F22BBA-D28C-410E-A5FD-D9978C401155_zpseoyt5ful.jpg
Click to expand...

I've been entertaining that idea as well. Maybe a Wilson combat, but what I love about the sebenza is the set it and forget it pivot. How much of a pain is it to find the sweet spot of the umnumzaan?
 
And don't forget the Sebenza 25! It pretty much combines my favorite aspects of the 21 and the Umnum. I've had plenty of CRK's and Striders, and the 25 seems to be best compromise of cutting ability and durability of any of them. The Ferrum Forge Ferox in CPM-4V would also be a solid choice if you can still get one (by far the most robust knife I've ever owned), but weighs in at just over 6oz.
 
When I want something with some ass, I carry my zt0550. It's stouter than my sebbies but also not as good at fine cutting either.
 
Check out Three Sisters Forge or Grayman Knives. I'm not familiar with their larger blades, the smaller ones are really hefty and well-made.
 
SuzukiGS750EZ said:
I've been entertaining that idea as well. Maybe a Wilson combat, but what I love about the sebenza is the set it and forget it pivot. How much of a pain is it to find the sweet spot of the umnumzaan?
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I know exactly where you're coming from, I was a little concerned about the pivot on the Umnumzaan also. Once I got it, I reset the pivot to my liking and it was really easy. The Umnum comes with loctite so you're covered.

It's not as simple as the Sebenza (due to the lack of the pivot bushing) but it's much simpler than other knives that require adjustment. There is a pretty large "sweet spot" where the blade centers and maintains consistent action with no blade play. It's a great knife.

Mine is fairly new so I'm still warming up to it, but I kinda like it more than the sebenza so far. I don't think you'll find too many knives with a pivot like a Sebenza; unless it's a sebenza:)
 
SuzukiGS750EZ said:
I saw this brand I believe on knifeart, but I'm not too familiar with them. Are they newer? Pivot system? Smooth?
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They actually aren't really new, they are just new to selling knives in the US under their own name. They produced knives for Lone Wolf and Beretta among others. I have a Loveless designed Lone Wolf integral hunter made by Fantoni, that I think is just gorgeous.

Here's my first impressions review if you wanted to take a look at it. http://centergnome.blogspot.com/2014/12/fantoni-hb-02-review-first-impressions.html

I really don't know what to say about the pivot. I have not taken the knife apart. I've been enjoying getting to know the knife as it came. The washers are PB. The action is smooth, but the detent is crazy strong. When I griped about that a little in my review, Bill, the designer, said that he was happy to hear that the detent was really strong because he designed it that way on purpose. I can't compare it to a Sebenza because I've never handled one, and the knife feels like a different beast than any of my other knives.

The only change I've made to the knife since I got it was to switch sides on the clip, because I just could not get used to carrying in my front pocket. I'm a creature of habit, and my habit is that knives go in the back pocket. The detent is strong enough that it is hard to imagine the thing opening accidentally in my back pocket, but I like to have the point resting on a seam anyway.
 
Plenty of choices for sure. I've had several Sebenzas and all great. I've had a few ZTs, again all great. I now have a knife that I feel 100% comfortable with doing tasks that I just didn't do with the CRKs for whatever reason. The ZTs were plenty capable, but heavy. The knife that I never though I'd like or buy turned out to be one of the best feeling, performing knives I've owned. The ever polarizing Strider SnG. I have the CC/FFG/CPM154 version and at 4.2oz it's easy to carry and a tank at the same time. I used this knife to notch out a dozen weather treated 2x10s while building a deck and it was comfy through the process. The Strider choil is a beauty of function. Best stonewashing I've seen also. If you get a good one and there are plenty of armchair quarterbacks that will holler "if" then it's one hell of a knife.

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Spyderco Schempp Tuff will do anything any folder out there will do. Beefy giant cpm 3v blade and super overbuilt.

Grayman also makes a nice beefy knife that'll last you a lifetime.
 
Strider SnG with a FFG, Lego will have better grip than the concealed carry. Along with my CRK, I als carry a Strider. Problem fixed!!!!
 
If you don't mind waiting you could look at the upcoming Cold Steel 4-Max. But who knows how long until it hits and, at better than 9oz, it might be a bit too heavy. Maybe a Benchmade Adamas?
 
There was a bench made I saw a while ago I believe it was a gold class. Carbon fiber, beefy knife, I think you slid the scale to undo the lock or something. I saw it in a YouTube video on a bench made tour. If someone could figure that out that's what I really want.

Bench made 7505-132
 
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That new Spyderco K2 looks nice for working. HUGE knife though, 10 inches overall I believe? Titanium framelock with CPM 10v though!

*By the way has something happened to quick reply or have I goofed something up?
 
I would go for the grayman satu for a big knife. It is HUGE and heavy, but will last two lifetimes. If you want bigger but more refined, I would recommend a crk zaan or 25. Yes, they don't have a pivot bushing, but adjusting it and finding the perfect place is pretty simple. (And part of the fun)
 
I bet the new Cold Steel Recon1 with cts-xhp steel is going to be an interesting knife. I ve never had a Cold Steel, but the upgraded steel and the reputation for toughness make them an attractive choice for the price. Why spend 500 dollars on a hard work knife if you can get a strong well made one for 150.
 
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