Sebenza / Acies -- Comparison Pics

Just got my Acies. Not the fit and finish I was expecting. I like my small sebenzas (both 21s) and my Umnumzaans it makes me better understand the amazing level of fit and finish CR attains.

My Acies- My lock sticks when trying to unlock the frame lock. And when the lock is engaged the clip (tip up) clicks as you use the knife. This if from the clip not being placed on the lock bar. It is just slightly positioned on the frame and then "clicks" off the frame to the lock bar during use.

Also, the grind on the knife blade where the lock bar locks into position, looks black. It appears to have burn marks.

What I like- flat grind, dual thumb studs, deep pocket clip.


My opinion- Interesting knife. I don't think it is worth the price. I think it should retail for $300.00 due to the lack of fit and finish. It does not feel like the same quality as my Chris Reeve knives.


Rob
 
fleegs said:
Just got my Acies. Not the fit and finish I was expecting. I like my small sebenzas (both 21s) and my Umnumzaans it makes me better understand the amazing level of fit and finish CR attains.

My Acies- My lock sticks when trying to unlock the frame lock. And when the lock is engaged the clip (tip up) clicks as you use the knife. This if from the clip not being placed on the lock bar. It is just slightly positioned on the frame and then "clicks" off the frame to the lock bar during use.

Also, the grind on the knife blade where the lock bar locks into position, looks black. It appears to have burn marks.

What I like- flat grind, dual thumb studs, deep pocket clip.


My opinion- Interesting knife. I don't think it is worth the price. I think it should retail for $300.00 due to the lack of fit and finish. It does not feel like the same quality as my Chris Reeve knives.


Rob
Click to expand...

To me it's knda like this, why would I want to buy an imitation for the same price as I could buy the real thing? ;) Know what I mean? !!
 
Maybe because you want a ZPD-189 blade, instead of CRK’s soft S30V, a more ergonomic handle, (without a useless eyesore hole in it), and useful dual thumbstuds?

Or maybe, Sebenza’s just bore you to death?
 
I'd like to handle an Acies.
Speaking of Frame-Locks, this little Spear Point Sting is one of the nicest F&F folders that I own... hands down!
 
fleegs said:
My opinion- Interesting knife. I don't think it is worth the price. I think it should retail for $300.00 due to the lack of fit and finish. It does not feel like the same quality as my Chris Reeve knives.


Rob
Click to expand...

Well, you know what the wonderfull thing is about it? You can send it back...Even if you used it.

That's the nice thing about AG Russel's shop.
 
bearcut said:
Maybe because you want a ZPD-189 blade, instead of CRK’s soft S30V, a more ergonomic handle, (without a useless eyesore hole in it), and useful dual thumbstuds?

Or maybe, Sebenza’s just bore you to death?
Click to expand...

I'm not interested in a ZDP-189 blade myself. Read way to much about it not being all that much better than VG-10 and a lot harder to sharpen. CRK uses soft S30V? Not in my opinion! The S30V in my Sebenzas are so hard they feel like they are cutting my white ceramic Spyderco stone when sharpening rather than the stone cutting them! A more ergonomic handle? I guess a Sebenza could have a little more rounded handle in some areas but it has never bothered me during hard use so I can't complain. Oh and the hole, I think it gives the knife "character", But that's strictly an opinion. Useful thumbstuds? Mine work just fine. Place thumb on stud-push blade open. What more do they need to do? I'm sorry but I have to go with the Sebenza over the Acies. :D
 
vwb563 said:
I'm not interested in a ZDP-189 blade myself. Read way to much about it not being all that much better than VG-10 and a lot harder to sharpen. CRK uses soft S30V? Not in my opinion! The S30V in my Sebenzas are so hard they feel like they are cutting my white ceramic Spyderco stone when sharpening rather than the stone cutting them! A more ergonomic handle? I guess a Sebenza could have a little more rounded handle in some areas but it has never bothered me during hard use so I can't complain. Oh and the hole, I think it gives the knife "character", But that's strictly an opinion. Useful thumbstuds? Mine work just fine. Place thumb on stud-push blade open. What more do they need to do? I'm sorry but I have to go with the Sebenza over the Acies. :D
Click to expand...

On S30V, if you ask people who actually own a BG-42 Sebenza and an S30V Sebenza, I bet you won't find anyone who prefers the S30V blade. The BG-42 blades are a couple of points harder on the Rc scale and it shows in real world use.
 
JNewell said:
On S30V, if you ask people who actually own a BG-42 Sebenza and an S30V Sebenza, I bet you won't find anyone who prefers the S30V blade. The BG-42 blades are a couple of points harder on the Rc scale and it shows in real world use.
Click to expand...

I'd like to have a BG-42 Seby. Anyone have one they want to sell?
 
So a half a month has gone by and the Acies has had some time to ride in my pocket. I dig the knife alot. The steel hasn't really been tested hard yet. The hardest use it's seen was that I used it to cut some small branches off of a bush that was blocking the stairs to our townhouse. The blade made short work of the branches and was still shaving sharp. I cut up a bunch of boxes we had to get rid of in the basement and after all the cutting the blade was still shaving sharp. No nicks, chipping, or rolling of the edge. Haven't sharpened or stropped it since I first received it and it still shaves.

The lock up is solid as hell even when I thought the blade had become loose. The blade isn't loose, but is now properly broken in and pretty much flies open with a flick of the thumb. I haven't had to tighten the pivot screw at all. The blade has stayed centered upon closure. One interesting thing is that I have no rubs or marks on the Ti scales yet. I figured that this would be the first wear I would see, but as of yet there isn't a blemish that I can see. The same goes for the blade. After the branches and the boxes there were what appeared to be scuffs all over the blade. I wiped the blade down with a chamois and the scuffs were gone. The blade looks pretty much new!

I have read that a few people have had a problem with the fit and finish. I'm not seeing it on mine. Perhaps I got a peach of the bunch, but the fit and finish on mine are on par with a CRK Sebenza. They could have chamferred the inside of the lockbar. As a matter of fact, they could have chamferred the edge all the way around on the inside of the scales, but they didn't. This is no big deal to me as I've found the edges aren't really sharp.

I do have two problems with this knife.

First is the pocket clip. If the two screws aren't really really tight the end of the clip can swing a few degrees either way. I believe this is due to the deep pocket design and the fact that it uses two screws (one on top of the other) to attach the clip. While this design won't allow the clip to slide up or down it does allow it to swing side to side. Again, not a big deal as I used Lock-Tite and then really cranked down the screws. No play in the clip now.

The second problem is that the frame comes to a sharp point above the lockbar when the blade is in the open position. If you look at my closeup picture of the lockup you can kind of see what I am talking about. Right above the lockbar near the pivot on the locking scale. That comes to a sharpish point that can dig into your finger while using the knife for extended periods of time. I'm thinking about rounding this out somehow. This brings me back to the chamferring of the inside edge of the scales. If they would have done this, the problem I'm speaking of wouldn't have been an issue. I do admit that the ergonomics of the Acies handle is more refined than the Sebenza. It's just less boxy and feels more comfortable in the hand.

Overall I'm very happy with my Acies. After cutting the branches and cardboard I was delighted at how sharp the blade still was. We all know what cardboard can do to steel sometimes. Again, I will say that the Acies is the Acies and the Sebenza is the Sebenza. The two are not interchangeable. They may both have Ti framelock handles with a lanyard hole, but that's where the similarities end. IMHO the Acies sports the superior steel. The Sebenza offers slightly better fit and finish and the pivot bushing. They both make a great EDC.

CRK fans will undoubtedly call it a copy, a clone, or a ripoff. It isn't. The Acies is another high quality Ti framelock just like the dozens of others you can find on the market. It offers lovers of Ti framelocks the chance to own one with the super high quality steel that is ZDP-189.

I'm a big fan of CRK knives. I'm carrying one of my Sebenzas right now and I just traded a Strider SnG CC for another Umnumzaan because I missed mine so much. It's just that I have an open mind and can't commit myself to one maker because there is so much great stuff out there to check out and more new stuff coming out all the time. So in my eyes I never really saw the Acies as a "Sebenza copy". I saw it as an awesome looking knife that I had to add to my collection. I'm glad I did.
 
fleegs said:
My Acies- My lock sticks when trying to unlock the frame lock. And when the lock is engaged the clip (tip up) clicks as you use the knife. This if from the clip not being placed on the lock bar. It is just slightly positioned on the frame and then "clicks" off the frame to the lock bar during use.
Click to expand...
Technically, this isn't a problem, just a quality of the nature of titanium.
One very easy solution is to rub a pencil tip on the top of the Ti bar.
should fix very quickly for you.
 
fleegs said:
Just got my Acies. Not the fit and finish I was expecting. I like my small sebenzas (both 21s) and my Umnumzaans it makes me better understand the amazing level of fit and finish CR attains.

My Acies- My lock sticks when trying to unlock the frame lock. And when the lock is engaged the clip (tip up) clicks as you use the knife. This if from the clip not being placed on the lock bar. It is just slightly positioned on the frame and then "clicks" off the frame to the lock bar during use.

Also, the grind on the knife blade where the lock bar locks into position, looks black. It appears to have burn marks.

What I like- flat grind, dual thumb studs, deep pocket clip.


My opinion- Interesting knife. I don't think it is worth the price. I think it should retail for $300.00 due to the lack of fit and finish. It does not feel like the same quality as my Chris Reeve knives.


Rob
Click to expand...

Rob,

I will be happy to try to find you a knife that would suit you better or to refund your money. thanks for writing

A. G.
 
It looks like a really interesting knife. Thanks for the pics and review - both are really helpful to get a feel for the knife. To me...

Pros
  • Flat grind
  • ZDP-189 (love the stuff)
  • Better thumstud
  • Tip down carry
  • Deep pocket carry

Cons
  • Leaf shaped blade (just not my favorite style)
  • Stainless clip
  • No graphics options for the scales
  • Size (it's just too big for my needs)
Overall, it seems like a great knife, but the size is the deal killer for me. AG, are you planning on making one the size of a small Sebbie?

- Mark
 
Mark J said:
It looks like a really interesting knife. Thanks for the pics and review - both are really helpful to get a feel for the knife. To me...

Pros
  • Flat grind
  • ZDP-189 (love the stuff)
  • Better thumstud
  • Tip down carry
  • Deep pocket carry

Cons
  • Leaf shaped blade (just not my favorite style)
  • Stainless clip
  • No graphics options for the scales
  • Size (it's just too big for my needs)
Overall, it seems like a great knife, but the size is the deal killer for me. AG, are you planning on making one the size of a small Sebbie?

- Mark
Click to expand...

Sorry Mark,
I do not know the size of the small Sebbie, I have one in the plans for a blade about .002 under 3 inches. The exact design as the Acies.
 
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