Sebenza any good?

Klesk

Klesk

Gold Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2003
Messages
1,105
Caution: this post contains blasphemous content. Those easily upset or angered should move on to another post. Thank you.

I was very excited to pick up my first Sebenza this past weekend. I paid full price for a Large Classic, $350, at a local dealer. This knife is by far the most expensive knife I own; up 'til now, the most I've spent on a knife is about $200.

Well, after carrying, using and playing with it for the last couple of days, I've come to a conclusion: I don't really like it. Don't get me wrong, it's a nice knife, but $350? If it had cost $150, I'd be showing it to all my friends and co-workers, and telling that this is the best bang for the buck in a knife that they could get. And I don't think that I should "grow to love it". At this price range, it should be love at first sight.

The opening is smooth, as other forum members mentioned, and the blade shape is good-looking and useful. But the S30V wasn't all that sharp; my S30V Military and Ronin were much sharper out of the box. The handle looks to be overbuilt and strong and is nicely finished, but so are many less expensive folders. I guess that there's just nothing spectacular about the knife, nothing to make me want to take it out and admire it.

Am I missing something? Is there a level of knife appreciation that I have not yet attained even though I've been collecting for 15+ years? I never thought of myself as a "show-offy" kind of guy or as a knife snob, but maybe the Sebbie is too subtle for me? My current favorite EDCs are a little more extroverted: MOD CQD I, MT LCC, Military, Shabaria and Civilian.

I dunno, am I unworthy of this knife? I'd probably trade the Sebbie for a nice Hinderer Firetac without a second thought. Oh well, one (expensive) lesson learned. :(
 
This is probably a taste thing and the Sebenza is not for you.

How much time did you spend checking it out at the dealers? I would have thought that the things you point to not thinking too highly of would have been evident at the store. The sharpness should have been easy to check.

Have you used the knife? Would the dealer take it back in exchange for one or more other knives that you would appreciate more?
 
HEY THAT'S MY SISTER, GET HER OFF OF THERE. Just kidding.
Back to reality.
Collecting knives is about what you like it.
A lot of people say a Sebenza doesn't get truly appreciated until you use it hard. Maybe you need carry it with you for a month and then see if you like.
My biggest beef with the Sebbie is the lack of ergonomics.
Personally I would rather carry an MOD Trident than a large Sebbie, but maybe it's my own fault, I only own a large Sebbie, maybe I should get a smaller one.
But for now, the Trident goes in my pocket.
I also found the the Buck Mayo to be very much to my liking.
 
Trading it for the Firetac would be the right thing to do.

I will say that for a company, CRK has the very best, and I do mean the very best customer service, period.

However, I feel the Sebenza is aesthetically challenged, and I have a great affinity for the minimalist mentality.

Dress it up how you like - the Sebenza requires a very tool oriented taste. CRK has has very singluar focus on blade design - so your options there are extremely limited.

Good luck finding your perfect knife.:p LOL.
 
The Seb definitely requires a very tool oriented taste. A basic Seb is all about simplicity and utility, down to the identical screws that hold it together. The Seb is the most basic and functional tactical folder you’ll find, made with the highest quality parts. The Seb is a masterpiece.

But…… that’s not all there is to knives. People have different tastes. I love my Seb, but prefer to carry my Military. I’ve just grown to prefer the plethora of features on the Millie. Is it better than a Seb? Nope. The precision of manufacturing isn’t there. The ease of cleaning breakdown it’s there. The rounded spine isn’t there. But the Millie does have some features that are more important to me a this point.

Don’t feel bad. Personal preference is a tricky thing, and has a nasty tendency to change without notice. You can’t predict this stuff. What you don’t find to be your cup of tea today, could be your dream knife tomorrow. Hang onto it for a month or so, and see if it grows on you. It does take some use to fully appreciate the Seb. This is a knife of many subtleties.
 
Thanks, guys. I was expecting some flames, but I got intelligent, insightful discussion instead. I guess I should expect nothing less from the BF membership. At least now I know I'm not nuts, I just have poor taste in knives! :D

Dylan: that's Carmella DeCesare, Playboy Playmate for April, 2003. She's also featured in Playboy's Cyber Club. If you can't find more of her on the 'net, drop me an e-mail. If you're over 18, I can hook you up with more...ummmm...detailed pics.
 
I can't find the original link for the Sebbie! May I get it from you guys? (I want to see what's so special)
 
GarageBoy, check out www.chrisreeve.com . I personally was impressed with the Sebs I saw at Blade, especially the decorated ones
drool.gif
. That said, however, I really can't afford one any time soon. If I ever see a good used one on the for sale forums and I have a little cash I'll be all over it though.
 
Klesk, its sounds to me like the main problem is that the knife is too plain and nothing to get excited about tinkering with it. Try sending her off to Tom Mayo for a tweak and tune job. He will add a WICKED edge to it, make it feel like it glides on glass and some holes for personality. It will definatly make it more speical to you. :)
 
I have thought about the same thing at times. The Sebbie is a great knife, made by a great company from top quality materials. It is also held to the tightest quality standards for "production" knives.

That said it is a very basic, straight forward knife. Nothing real fancy at all about a plain Sebbie. I think that truly it shines when put to work. I have owned a large plain Sebenza for over a year, and used it. It finds its way into my pocket more than any other knife I own. It is a wonderful knife to use for many reasons, one of which is that it is a utilitarian design. Nothing on this knife to easily break or get stained. When it is dirty you can easily take it apart, clean it, and put it back together.

Is it worth the high price? I think that is something you must answer for yourself. Are there nicer knives, or better knives available? Well, I guess that is an opinion too, I think there are better and nicer knives. BUT you have to pay much more for them.
 
You gentlemen have given me something to think about. I have a friend with a small plain Sebbie that I believe I can borrow for a weekend or so to try out. I have handled the knife several times and I've come to the same conclusion that the owner has. It is a nice knife, but not anything special. It seems to me to be $100 overpriced, but I'm still thinking about actually using it to see if my opinion changes. Just for comparison my EDC is currently a Benchmade 705 Forum Knife so the small Sebbie is approx. the same size.
 
In my opinion the Sebenza is the best folding knife made. It is an outstanding design. It has no extra parts. It is easy to disassemble and clean. The lock is very strong. It is made of the finest materials. The quality control, precision of manufacture, and consistency are without equal. The warranty and customer service are great. All the custom knives that I’ve looked at have construction and design flaws. These knives are more expensive than the Sebenza. There are many good production knives that are cheaper than the Sebenza. They aren’t as good as the Sebenza. There are only two companies that I feel comfortable buying a knife from without examining it first. They are Chris Reeve Knives and Microtech. If the knife is from any other company, I have to be careful to make sure I get ‘a good one’. Keep the Sebenza. It isn’t a flashy knife. It’s virtues are subtle. After a while it will be your favorite knife. It truly is the best.
 
Klesk,

Long before I owned my Sebenza, I was a Microtech guy with a modest collection. Soooo damn tactical :D, so sleek, so smooth, and just all around cool. I thought the MTs were all deserving of the $200 to $400 I spent on each.

Then, someone introduced me to the Sebenza and talked me into buying one. My initial reaction was much like yours, *hrmpf* $320 for this piece of steel sandwiched between titanium slabs? Yeah, it was solid and pretty smooth, but it did absolutely nothing for me, and I really only kept it so that I could say I, darth_rifle, own a Sebenza.

But, then as my "user" Microtechs (a D/A SOCOM, LUDT, UT6, M/A Amphibian) began to develop unsightly scratches, the screws seemed to shed themselves from the handles, the locks wobbled about, the blade developed play in both directions, and the thumbstuds came undone I realized that I didn't want to send the knife back to Microtech every few months -- I just wanted something that worked! I own knives to cut things! It became apparent that Microtechs (and lesser knives) could not be counted on to provide years (or even months) of trouble-free service. I do not baby my knives. I try to squeeze every dollar out, but I never abuse them.

I reluctantly retrieved the NIB Sebenza from its home and vowed to carry it for two weeks straight. During those two weeks, I put some nice wounds on the easily-scratched handle slabs and slightly rounded off the tip of the blade through several less-than-careful sharpenings. I took it apart and cleaned it (without voiding the warranty! :D) once.

Two weeks came and went without any sort of noteworthiness. The Sebenza did its job just fine and all was well. I decided an additional two month Sebenza-only carry was in order. I used it for every task practical: whittling, food preparation, the handle slabs for an improvised hammer, opening mail, chipping ice and hotdog sticks, personal grooming, trimming those crummy paperboard ceiling tiles to fit, and yes, even as a beer bottle opener. The only sign of its continued use was the scratching present on the handle slabs.

Before I knew it, I was leaving all of my other knives behind while traveling. The Sebenza did everything -- all the while maintaining a low profile and sheeple-friendly appearance. I hadn't thought of my Microtechs in quite a while. Still, the only wear present was that of the character marks on the handles.

It's been 18 months since I started the trial, and I haven't looked back. Every now and then, I like to carry my "tactical" knives and show them off; but when something needs to get cut or a job needs to get done, the Sebenza gets the first nod.

What I'm getting at is this: while the Sebenza is easily the most dreadfully boring pocketknife in existence, it, IMNSHO, blows away other production knives in useability and plain old toughness. It grows on you, and I believe that every person who keeps a Sebenza owes it to themselves to use this knife to its fullest, without regard to its appearance. Only then will you truly appreciate the thought and superior engineering that went into this finest of knives.

Thanks for your time,

- D. Rifle
 
Okay, okay I'm convinced :D Not that the Sebenza is the best semi-production knife there is, but that I should give it more time. I don't believe that there would be more eloquent, well-thought out praise for any other knife out there. Sure, there are those who cherish certain brands above others, but many of them would have had their flamethrowers out long ago (and I speak from personal crispiness).

If Sebenza owners are any reflection on the knife itself, then it must be one damn fine knife. For now, though, my MT LCC is still the best production knife (sort of) available. I'll give it a couple of months; if I still don't like the Sebbie, I'm sure you'll all hear about it. :)
 
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