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

Brand new to knives and to this site. Ordered a fixed blade from here from Mudbugg007. Now after looking around for a few days ordered a small Sebenza. All I needed was another expensive hobby. Oh well. I'm really liking this site.
 
mostel said:
I am not saying that the Seb is cheap. But folks waste so much money on stupid, fleeting crap like Soda in 32 oz cups that cost a buck fifty, and candy bars that cost a buck or more, and McDonald's dinner for 7 bucks... all wasted money, here and gone, for pure junk, and there's a million examples of that sort of waste. What about going to Chili's for a burger with the family? 60 bucks...

Starbucks coffee and a snack... 8 bucks.

The Seb is something made by hand that lasts for a lifetime, and it is genuinely well made. My argument isn't about preference or taste, just something of real value vs. all the wasted dollars on fleeting junk, overpriced crap that's 'done' in half an hour or less. That junk adds up fast as we all know...

Maybe it's true that you could get a very nice knife for under 150 but let's face it--it will NEVER be of a Seb's quality. Will it do work for you? Will you love it? Sure. But there's a lot of really crappy knives out there... some pretty good/very good ones, but very few excellent ones.
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I just came back from a bike ride to get gas and I bought a 12oz bottle of Poland spring water cost $2.50 and it don't even come from Poland, at a bottle a day that's over $900 that's a helluva Sebenza and you folks are kibitzing over $400+?
 
paltak said:
Like many of you, I have a problem with the Sebenza as well. I can't stop buying them.
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Gosh, do I ever understand that one!!! I have three SMALL Sebenzas and I won't carry a small. But they surely are pretty. :)
 
T. Erdelyi said:
I just came back from a bike ride to get gas and I bought a 12oz bottle of Poland spring water cost $2.50 and it don't even come from Poland, at a bottle a day that's over $900 that's a helluva Sebenza and you folks are kibitzing over $400+?
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A very good point, sir. Think about the monthly cost for a smart-phone...for everyone in the family... Bring on the Sebbies...
 
Don't regret it man. I bought one and the same day I traded it. Nothin wrong with the knife, just not 410 in my eyes.
 
T. Erdelyi said:
I just came back from a bike ride to get gas and I bought a 12oz bottle of Poland spring water cost $2.50 and it don't even come from Poland, at a bottle a day that's over $900 that's a helluva Sebenza and you folks are kibitzing over $400+?
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Exactly, that's why I really don't think knives are really that expensive.

I get if someone doesn't like a knife, but when they start talking about how expensive they are then well......... ;)
 
I pissed $200 of booze the morning after a bachelor party I attended this weekend. I have zero problems justifying the cost of nice edged tools.
 
orixa said:
I agree with the "lightning insurance" analogy.
I'm new to knives as a hobby, after buying a few knives I bought a Sebenza because of everything that was said about it. I like the knife but I can't say I buy the "tight tolerance" pitch. Apparently the tolerances are the result of millions of dollars worth of machinery in the CRK factory (I watched the video); buy the more I read the forums it seems that tight tolerances is not really a unique quality, there are custom knife makers who seem to be able to produce such tolerances with hand made knives in their garage. Look at custom scales on Sebenzas, nobody seemed to be bothered that they're not milled to "THOUSANDS of an INCH" within spec! CRK just beat out the competition by sheer quantity.
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Please come back after you've owned many customs. I've never seen or handled a single one that matches his tolerances. You don't know what you're talking about.

And most after market scales DON'T match the tolerances either. The knife doesn't come back exactly like it did with the factory scales. I've had two aftermarket scales made for random Sebs from two different pimpers. Neither came back like it did from the factory.
 
I think we are all forgetting the fundamentals of our beloved hobby: happiness. If a $40 knife makes you happy then awesome. If a $400 knife makes you happy then even better. It's a measurement of our happiness. Let's face it, when you have more knives than you need then it's a hobby.

You do get excellent craftsmanship from a $400 knife, excellent fit and finish, and sometimes better blade steel. You get SIMILAR aspects from a $100-$200, but similar is not the same. Whether or not you feel that those $400 aspects are important that's up to whatever makes you happy. Remember, quality is in degrees. You can get good quality, great quality, or excellent quality. The world has always have a quality to price ratio. There are some knives that doesn't live up to that standard, but why should you care if you're not buying it?

Don't forget you're not paying for my knife or anyone else's knife, so why should you care how I or someone else spend their money? Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That's all there is to it. We are constantly forgetting the fundamentals.
 
Hairlesstwinkie said:
I think we are all forgetting the fundamentals of our beloved hobby: happiness. If a $40 knife makes you happy then awesome. If a $400 knife makes you happy then even better. It's a measurement of our happiness. Let's face it, when you have more knives than you need then it's a hobby.

You do get excellent craftsmanship from a $400 knife, excellent fit and finish, and sometimes better blade steel. You get SIMILAR aspects from a $100-$200, but similar is not the same. Whether or not you feel that those $400 aspects are important that's up to whatever makes you happy. Remember, quality is in degrees. You can get good quality, great quality, or excellent quality. The world has always have a quality to price ratio. There are some knives that doesn't live up to that standard, but why should you care if you're not buying it?

Don't forget you're not paying for my knife or anyone else's knife, so why should you care how I or someone else spend their money? Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That's all there is to it. We are constantly forgetting the fundamentals.
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I totally agree.

I think my hold-off on Sebenza purchases goes like this... I have such good quality and satisfaction in my <$200 knives - I am already quite happy. No need to try to keep up with anyone else :) In the end, "you" are only ever buying a knife/car/tool/etc. to impress "you".
 
Shooter, you are right on the money. You have to buy it for yourself, not for what you think you need to keep up with anyone else. Personally, I read all the good and bad comments about any knife I consider buying. But ultimately my desire for a well built, tight tolerance, user that fit in my pocket without a lot of bulk drew me to Sebenzas. I was able to handle it before I bought it. I wouldn't spend that kind of money without getting my hands on one. I may buy a SNG or a Hinderer someday, not to find a better knife, but to add variety with another high quality knife.

To each there own.
 
ShooterMcgavin said:
I totally agree.

I think my hold-off on Sebenza purchases goes like this... I have such good quality and satisfaction in my <$200 knives - I am already quite happy. No need to try to keep up with anyone else :) In the end, "you" are only ever buying a knife/car/tool/etc. to impress "you".
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The sweet spot is in the $130 - $200 range as far as price vs quality goes.

Moving into the next level above that a person has to really want what that gives them.

That's understanding that the next level isn't going to move mountains, cook dinner, drive you to work etc.

My two most carried and used folders:

DSC_37251.JPG
 
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ShooterMcgavin said:
I totally agree.

I think my hold-off on Sebenza purchases goes like this... I have such good quality and satisfaction in my <$200 knives - I am already quite happy. No need to try to keep up with anyone else :) In the end, "you" are only ever buying a knife/car/tool/etc. to impress "you".
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Which is exactly why I don't own a Seb anymore. I'm not trying to impress anyone.

I keep my Sng and XM-18 because I like them so much more than Sebenzas. 99% of my friends have no clue how much they cost so they aren't used to impress them. The knives impress ME with their attributes.

I just bought a Spyderco Leafstorm and, for less than $150, it impresses the heck out of me. I'll keep this one. Very cool, fun knife. BTW, I bought 3 other knives along with this one and paid about what 1 Sebenza would have cost. Which is more gratifying? Hmmmmmm......

I like interesting knives, no matter what they cost. I don't like boring knives.
 
Never owned a Sebenza (or any CRK), but it was already at the top of my list before reading this thread. After reading 8 pages, it's still at the top of my list. Large Sebenza Eyes is what it'll be. :)
 
bearcut said:
I just bought a Spyderco Leafstorm and, for less than $150, it impresses the heck out of me. I'll keep this one. Very cool, fun knife...
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I kept my Leafstorm for over a year because of it's cool design, high end fit & finish and size, however if you actually use it to cut stuff it has a HUGE flaw. That giant cutout at the back of the blade will catch absolutely everything! Not just my opinion. In this case I'd choose boring over cool all day long.
 
kawr said:
I pissed $200 of booze the morning after a bachelor party I attended this weekend. I have zero problems justifying the cost of nice edged tools.
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hahaha amen, my brother. In the end, it's only money.
 
RetiredGuns said:
I kept my Leafstorm for over a year because of it's cool design, high end fit & finish and size, however if you actually use it to cut stuff it has a HUGE flaw. That giant cutout at the back of the blade will catch absolutely everything! Not just my opinion. In this case I'd choose boring over cool all day long.
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Which is why I used a box cutter for opening boxes and cutting cardboard. Bet that's what you were talking about, that or wood.
Even a Seb or XM doesn't work as well as a razor knife. In fact, not one knife I own, no matter how much it costs, works as well on cardboard as a box cutter.

Best tool for the job and all that.

The Leafstorm has never hung up on string, tape, ties or any non-solid, which are most of my EDC daily tasks. If I were cutting reams of solids I would definitely use something besides the Leafstorm. I certainly didn't buy the knife thinking that it would work well in that capacity. Sorry you got fooled.
 
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