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Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
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Sebenza 21 large or 25 mirror polish blade
- Thread starter Busse
- Start date
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- Jan 8, 2013
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You can hand rub a mirror polish on a CRK blade. It's been done before, and pics posted around. It would take several hours of effort, I'd estimate.
While I like the look of a mirror polished blade, I also appreciate how well CRK's stonewash holds up to use without showing scratches. A mirror on a Mnandi might last a little longer than on a Sebenza, the way I use them.
While I like the look of a mirror polished blade, I also appreciate how well CRK's stonewash holds up to use without showing scratches. A mirror on a Mnandi might last a little longer than on a Sebenza, the way I use them.
- Joined
- Nov 22, 2009
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Study up on the subject before you attempt it.
It can and has been done, but it's one of those things that requires meticulous work, because anything short of exceptional looks pretty bad. I'm trying not to be a jerk as I say this, but I have seen a lot of mirror polished blades over the years and with the exception of a few exceptionally well done custom knives, the flaws in the work were obvious.
This wouldn't be so sad if the people hadn't worked so incredibly long and hard only to have results that only looked good if photographed carefully. It's a lot of work that often ends in aggravation and frustration, and even when flawless, it's still a look that many will shy away from.
Good luck to you and your endeavors.
It can and has been done, but it's one of those things that requires meticulous work, because anything short of exceptional looks pretty bad. I'm trying not to be a jerk as I say this, but I have seen a lot of mirror polished blades over the years and with the exception of a few exceptionally well done custom knives, the flaws in the work were obvious.
This wouldn't be so sad if the people hadn't worked so incredibly long and hard only to have results that only looked good if photographed carefully. It's a lot of work that often ends in aggravation and frustration, and even when flawless, it's still a look that many will shy away from.
Good luck to you and your endeavors.
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2014
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- 1,255
If I remember correctly, there was a number of P Sebenzas with highly polished blades, as CRK tried out a few different finishes, though I don't know if they were completely "mirror".
There is a polished blade option for the Sebenza 21, though it is a high polish satin with stonewashed flats, not a mirror polish.
There is a polished blade option for the Sebenza 21, though it is a high polish satin with stonewashed flats, not a mirror polish.
- Joined
- Sep 27, 2014
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Their high polished satin finished looks damn good. I wouldn't want anything else, personally.
Sure more "work" to give it a polished finish means less $ for CRK
Less labor intensive finishing steps is a historical technique to maximize the profit margin in knife manufacturing. I like shiny pretty knives, so I paid the extra for a CG with the shiny blade 
einsteinjon
Platinum Member
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- Dec 22, 2008
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Sure more "work" to give it a polished finish means less $ for CRK
I think by "Sebenza = work" he meant that the Sebenza is made to do work and be a working knife. Even the ones with the high end inlays, graphics, etc. could be working knives, they just usually get delegated to safe queen duty by collectors. CRK charges more money for a polished blade than a tumbled blade, so if they wanted to offer a mirror finish, I'm sure they would do that also for an upcharge. Saying they don't offer a mirror finish because they want to increase profit margins just doesn't fit. It seems it is just an aesthetic choice by them to not want to offer mirror finish blades.
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I couldn't agree more. My first Sebenza had a polished blade, but I didn't connect with that knife, and I sold it. I now have a Large Polished w/ Gold hardware on order with CRK to replace it. I also just got in a Large Regular UG, which has the polished blade. The coolest thing about CRK's polish is that light seems to reflect twice off of the deep hollow grind -- quite stunning in person.
Thanks. Really appreciate your advice. I wish I even knew how to go about attempting to "hand rub a mirror polish". I am prepared to give it a go. It's a circa 400 dollar screw up of I fail, but potentially worth the go.
einsteinjon
Platinum Member
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- Dec 22, 2008
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If you mess up the blade, CRK does sell new blades for something like $135 if my memory serves. Maybe email them first to ask that if you mess up the blade while trying to polish it, will they still sell you a new blade. I would think they would, but best to ask them.
There's nothing about a polished blade that stops it from being a working knife. My CG with polished blade stands up to abuse and use. Even the polished Ti handles don't scratch that much and don't look bad with a few scratches. The polished titanium actually looks better than the unpolished side after 5 years of use. So you can believe it's an aesthetic choice, but for the price of Sebenzas, not doing the extra finishing on the blade and handle also puts money in CRK's pocket, both in equipment investment and labor, compared to another manufacturer that has a higher level of blade and handle finish.
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Just because a knife is able to do "work", doesn't mean everyone uses them for work. The Sebenza is also a very collectible knife and some people dedicate their less expensive knives to hard use and just admire their Sebenzas. There are many different types of knife people now a days so you can't just label a $400+ knife as strictly a "work" knife. I'm sure some people go out and stomp on their CRKs everyday, but I would bet my last dollar that now a days these knives get babied and lightly used more than taken out to do heavy cutting jobs. Edc gear becoming popular has brought a higher end more professional person into the knife hobby, and those peoples cutting jobs are usually no more than opening envelopes or packages. These types of people get just as much enjoyment out of owning a CRK as the guy that goes out in the woods everyday and batons logs.