Sebenza - I just couldn't do it...

[T. Erdelyi]

If you prefer 30-150 knives, there's nothing wrong with that.

To me Sebenza is iconic and has stood the test of time. Sure there's nothing wrong with a Timex and will perform more accurately, but some may prefer a Rolex.

Exactly, it's an icon, it's a standard, it's an excellent example of the Cutler's art, even if it's made with a CNN milling machine, QC is second to none.

I felt the same way, but then I got one in a knife for a knife trade. So, the money thing didn't hit me as hard. Then I started using the knife and I was hooked. Granted the knife was slightly used and totally broken in. So, I didn't have to go through some of the things you hear people complaining about when they get a new one ("tight/stiff" action for example). I got a knife that was everything it was hyped to be. Since then I have bought one new one and several other used blades. I actually prefer lightly used CRK's.

That's how I got mine, it took 25 years for me to pull the trigger and I still couldn't buy one retail, I had wait the perfect trade, that said if and when I can afford another,I will get one, either a large 21 or a Mnandi to go with my William Henry H10-P Pearl Lancet, another expensive production folder of exacting tolerances.

I have found that folks who buy CR knives usually fall in one of two categories. Either they can easily afford them as a status symbol or they find a way to afford them as they appreciate the aesthetics, fineness of fit/finish, and function. As a retired college instructor, I fall in the latter category...Stainz

As do I.

I love the Sebenza and the Sodbuster equally.

Apples and oranges and I like both apples and oranges just differently.

At the risk of repeating myself, here's the problem. Whenever anyone wants to compare a folder to the industry-standard, they invariably find themselves confronting the Sebenza. There's really no way around it. They simply won't know how good their folder is until they've got a Sebenza to compare it to. Believe me, I resisted this reality for years until I finally gave in and bought one. Now I get it.

It took a long time before I could justify spending that kind of money, (actually like I mentioned earlier, I traded for it)but like buyin' a quality firearm ya get what ya pay for.

I'm going to have to side with the group who feel they are overpriced for what they are.. For me, a knife is a tool, I can no more spent $300 on a pocket knife then I can spend $5k+ on a Rolex... I have had good quality sub $100 dollar knifes serve me very well for many years...

Sort of like the Craftsman vs. the Snap on tool debate of years gone by, there both(at the time US made) and both had life time warranties... so Why spend 3 times the cost of Snap on.. and now look at them, both are made over seas...

Ya ever compare Craftsman and Snap-On, Craftsman? Craftsman bulkier, and the ergos can't compare to Snap-On or the old Williams tools from back in the day, ya get ya pay for. I'm not sayin' Craftsman don't make a good tool but ya walk into professional garage I bet you'll find more Mac Tools and Snap-On tools than Craftsman.

Bottom line, there's nothin' to get, its a quality tool and as such ya pay for that and why would ya but a quality and be afraid to use it?

Just my 2¢ worth as a mechanic and knife enthusiast of the last 40 years.

 

[SomeNewGuy]

I'm going to have to side with the group who feel they are overpriced for what they are.. For me, a knife is a tool, I can no more spent $300 on a pocket knife then I can spend $5k+ on a Rolex... I have had good quality sub $100 dollar knifes serve me very well for many years...

Sort of like the Craftsman vs. the Snap on tool debate of years gone by, there both(at the time US made) and both had life time warranties... so Why spend 3 times the cost of Snap on.. and now look at them, both are made over seas...

I feel you, my 60$ gshock works fine and is plenty replaceable when something like i slip and grind it on the cement like i have to other watches.. and all my knives are like that too.

 

[getout87]

I feel you, my 60$ gshock works fine and is plenty replaceable when something like i slip and grind it on the cement like i have to other watches.. and all my knives are like that too.

i smack my breitling on stuff every single day. there is not one scratch on the crystal. everything else can be re-finished.

there is something about knowing that there is something whirring away on my wrist in such a precise and exacting manner that makes me appreciate it. some people won't get it, just like the people that can pick up a sebenza and not fall in love immediately. form and function make the package for me, while for some, function is all that matters.

 

[HwangJino]

I just bought a sebenza yesterday, small 21 with wood inlays.

Yes it's a gorgeous knife, but at $478.00 out the door, it does not 'seem' any better than any decent folder I have.

But the wood is so cool looking.

Fantastic knife, but next time I'm getting a Japanese made Yanagi for this price...

 

[Millie Maniac]

What? You don't like Mr. Forehead? It took me years to find him.

OK. I'm getting a little tired of him too. ll see what I can do . . .

He looks like a 40 year old Beavis lol. I must admit in my opinion the Sebenza is a wonderful blade, but not everyone has the same wants or needs. Me I carry a Benchmade Grip and it suits me just fine.

 

[timberweasel]

The Sebenza Insingo represents everything I want in a modern folder and absolutely nothing I don't. YMMV I say if you like the looks, it's worth the gamble; if you try it and don't like it, you can always sell it for a minimal loss.

 

[Sonnydaze]

I've had a bunch of Sebbies...and I guess they are special. I prefer the large, as my hand is quite large. The small is a bit too small for my hand. The skills necessary to the fit and finish of a CRK are untouchable by nearly any other maker, unless perhaps Hinderer, and I don't think that even he runs the required mass of machinery necessary to build a folder to the tight tolerances (1/10,000 inch) that CRK does on a daily basis. Being able to bring knives of this precision to the public table is just as much a matter of mechanical genius and experience as it is a matter of expensive experimental processing tests and production machinery that costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. I've had two Hinderers; very nice folders. A 3" slicer grind XM-18 that was very nice, but small for my hand like the small Sebenza. The other of the two flippers was the XM-18 Spanto blade; an excellent knife that fits my hand quite well, but too large, too bulky, too heavy for my casual brand of EDC. Sold them both after two weeks.

 

[DShiflet]

There is nothing a Seb can do that I can't do just as well with a Spyderco that costs a quarter of the price and looks better in the process of doing it...so that makes the decision really easy for me.

 

[matt1987]

There is nothing a Seb can do that I can't do just as well with a Spyderco that costs a quarter of the price and looks better in the process of doing it...so that makes the decision really easy for me.

Have fun trying to get a broken/worn out blade replaced or having them pick up the phone or answer your emails or doing a take down and kissing your warranty good bye. Don't get me wrong, I love Spyderco knives but there's more to buying a knife than just it's cutting ability.

 

[ShooterMcgavin]

Have fun trying to get a broken/worn out blade replaced or having them pick up the phone or answer your emails or doing a take down and kissing your warranty good bye. Don't get me wrong, I love Spyderco knives but there's more to buying a knife than just it's cutting ability.

For you and many others, there is more to a knife than just it's cutting ability. For some, a knife is ONLY worth its cutting ability. For me and many others, it's something of a mix Nothing wrong with any points of view.

 

[blevinsknives]

Have fun trying to get a broken/worn out blade replaced or having them pick up the phone or answer your emails or doing a take down and kissing your warranty good bye. Don't get me wrong, I love Spyderco knives but there's more to buying a knife than just it's cutting ability.

I believe that is kinda the point here. They don't have to hassle with having a broken/worn out blade replaced when they can simply buy three or four more knives new anyway for the same price.

 

[cncpro11]

I have one CRK large Sebenza. Beauty of a knife, love everything about it.

My little guy just earned himself enough money to buy a Mnandi with the same wood inlays. I tried to talk him into a small, but there is no other knife he wants, oh, except for an Umnumzaan.

We have all the major brands in our collection, but I suppose he appreciates fine quality and craftsmanship as much as his old man.
Nothing like an 11 year old knife snob.

 

[Tony8179]

There is nothing a Seb can do that I can't do just as well with a Spyderco that costs a quarter of the price and looks better in the process of doing it...so that makes the decision really easy for me.

It can be disassembled and reassembled with a single tool that is provided by the company.

Looks are subjective. A lot of folks hate that hump with a hole in it.

Have you guys never said the magic words around a Sebenza? It can do all sorts of amazing stuff when you say the magic words. By the way, it all boils down to buying what you like.

 

[T. Erdelyi]

I've found this out about Sebenzas, in the is it for you category it's like an SAK, you either love 'em or ya don't buy until you've had one and carried one for a while you'll never know.

Took me over 20 years to finally get one, I could never see spending the money, I could get a another pistol or a nice varmint rifle for the price of a Sebenza, he'll I could take the Old Lady out for a nice night in the city for that kinda money.

Eventually I traded for a small 21, now I get it, this is my new favorite and I doubt I'll ever get rid of my first one, I'm still too poor to justify droppin' $400 for a knife, (if I ever get back to work in my field/trade I'll reconsider but for now tradin' is an alternative that can get me another one to add to my current collection of one) luckily 40 years of collectin' knives has left me with enough that tradin' will always be a way for me to continue to enjoy my hobby.

First Sebenza I ever tried was from a passaround held by Dave H. (RIP Dave) here on the forums, got to play with it for about 10 days, enough that I knew I liked it and needed to eventually add 1 to my collection.

 

[DShiflet]

Looks are subjective. A lot of folks hate that hump with a hole in it.

Yeah, I dislike the Spyderhole myself. I still think it's better looking that the hideous Sebenza though.

And in response to that other guy, if I ever NEED to replace a worn out/broken blade, it's real easy-I'll buy a new knife, cause I can buy FOUR of them for the price of 1 Sebenza, and you know what? Blades don't wear out or break fast enough for it to ever be a better deal to get a Seb than a Spyderco(and I'm just using Spyderco as an example, you could slot in Kershaw or Benchmade or whoever you like as well).

 

[dkb45]

Benchmade reblades knives. So does Kershaw.

 

[Cynic2701]

Benchmade reblades knives. So does Kershaw.

I've called into Benchmade to see if they would replace a blade on an old AFCK. They wouldn't. It's probable that they do reblade a lot of other knives though, but you can't just make a blanket statement that they will always reblade it. Admittedly, CRK won't reblade with the same blade steels if you have one of the older versions (e.g. in ATS-34 or BG-42).

Call me out when Kershaw makes a left handed framelock and I'll eat my words.

When discussing knife price hierarchies, at some point you are paying for the sophistication of an object beyond merely its functional value. If functional value were everyone's sole concern, we'd be arguing over how thin, hard, wear resistant, tough, and cheap a knife should be.

 

[Sonnydaze]

When discussing knife price hierarchies, at some point you are paying for the sophistication of an object beyond merely its functional value. If functional value were everyone's sole concern, we'd be arguing over how thin, hard, wear resistant, tough, and cheap a knife should be.

An excellent summation. I mean, WTH, buy a KIA. Look at all the money you saved.

 

[Locutus D'Borg]

Why do people who only use cheap knives post negatively about high-end knives? You like cheap knives? Fine. But don't waste our time criticizing people who appreciate high quality knives, or the knives themselves. It is kind of self-righteous, like you are patting yourselves on the back for not wasting money on Sebenzas or Hinderers. We don't criticize your choices; please don't question ours.

PS: This is not directed at the OP, but at some of the follow-on posters.

 

[DShiflet]

Why do people who only use cheap knives post negatively about high-end knives? You like cheap knives? Fine. But don't waste our time criticizing people who appreciate high quality knives, or the knives themselves. It is kind of self-righteous, like you are patting yourselves on the back for not wasting money on Sebenzas or Hinderers. We don't criticize your choices; please don't question ours.

LOL@"we don't criticize your choices". I see people here looking down on people who only use cheap knives all the time, so I call BS on that one bro. And why do we post negatively about high end knives? Well, I can't speak for anyone else, but I do it cause it's a knife board, we talk about knives here, that's sorta, you know, the reason the board exists. Didn't know we were only allowed to offer unwavering praise for what we post about.