Sebenza, I just don't get it!!!

I think maybe because it does everything well. It takes everything you like about the other knives and puts them together in one package. Standard models are also readily available -vs- custom folders with 6+ month wait times (that was a big plus when I bought mine).

Actually, comparing the large Sebenza to the BM750, I _prefer_ the BM750. I think it's a great knife, but it's a little larger than I like clipped inside my pocket, so I gave it to a friend.

If Benchmade made a small-sebenza-sized Pinnacle, I'd have bought that instead. Since they didn't, I bought a small sebenza. At $300 it's a pretty good knife. It's sure not a "steal" or a "bargain" -- it would be an AWESOME deal at $200.

I bought a $200 custom that feels like a $300 knife, and a $300 custom that "feels" like a $400+ knife. The small Sebenza, to me, feels like a $300 knife -- so at least you get what you pay for.

As an aside, I currently view my $500 medium TnT the same way. It's about "right" for a $500 knife -- it's damned good, but it should be at that price. Now if I could have gotten it for $300 - $400, I'd have thought it was a steal!

Mike
 
The first thing you have to do, to answer your own question, is to handle a Sebenza. It goes beyond "fit and finish" to total precision. The combination of simple design, blade geometry, materials, and manufacturing excellence makes it a most effective cutting machine and puts it on a level with many custom knives.

It's not sleek enough for some people. It costs too much for others -- although anyone willing to pay $100 for his knives could hold off on a couple of them and have a Sebenza, instead. Darrel Ralph and Tom Mayo make very good-looking, similar knives that cut as well, and can be made to your specifications -- but they cost more.

Given that a Sebenza will hold up under heavy ordinary use, stays sharp and resharpens easily, and even retains value because CRK will renew it for a small fee, it's almost a bargain. :D
 
Others will probably be able to wax on more eloquently, but I bought one because I had to see what all of the fuss was about. I expected to be blown away when I opened the box. Frankly, I wasn't. It was nice, but I just didn't get what everyone was so excited about.

Then I carried it.

I got more excited about the Sebenza every day I carried it. I carried it to the near-exclusion of everything else.

I sent it back for service a week ago -- add a thumblug, polish the blade -- and I'm literally in agony waiting for it to return.

You've got to use one to understand what the big deal is.
 
As with certain other special things in life, you won't "get it" until you get it.;)
 
When I first started looking at the Boguszewski Cobra, I sat down with my existing knives and tried to find something I could sell to make up some of the difference. The _only_ knife that surfaced was my small Sebenza. Partly because it's worth more than most of my other knives, but mostly because I have this new medium TnT.

It's possible the TnT won't stand up to the kind of abuse the small Sebenza would (I don't know), but I really don't use my knives that hard anyway. The TnT does everything I would ask the small Sebenza to do -- better!

Mike
 
actually....the TNT will stand up to the WORST abuse you can send its way.....I know because I did it to the one I carried for one and a half years...including dropping it on the cement from 3+ feet more times than I could count (on purpose to show everyone watching how strong it was)...whacking a table at some sports bar in atlanta until hossom was afraid we were going to get thown out (lock never failed- had more than one beer that nite!!) and using if for everything imaginable for all that time....it now rests in NC BLades safe and still looks VERY good.
back to the sebenza_ OUTSTANDING KNIFE-
you really have to BUY one and use it.....carry it....for a while before you will ever understand...end of story!! :):):)
The used ones are cheaper....and still are near perfect.
 
For some reason I had wanted a Sebenza for years. This was long before I found this place or the other Forums. I finally bought one a couple years back after owning a slew of Benchmades and comparable folders. I couldn't stop grinning the moment after it hit my hands. I did not have any expectations of the Holy Grail of knives now being in my hands, as I had not had the insight into this knife that these forums can provide. I had never even heard someone exclaim how great they were. What was immediately evident is the amount of time and work that went into the design and manufacture of this piece of cutlery. The blade exhibited perfect grinds and symmetry, had a razor sharp edge, the spine was nicely rounded, the stonewash finish was very even and well done and rides on a bushing supported by bronze washers. The handle was comfortable over the long haul (not just that "wow, this is comfy to hold" type that never seems to feel quite right when being used), has no sharp edges anywhere, provides extremely positive lock-up (that "fixed blade" feel) and is virtually indestructible. When using this knife you just get the impression that every part is working together to provide a total package designed to do one thing, cut. It is also nice to actually see a manufacturer encourage the owner to take his knife apart to clean it. The tolerances are so tight on this knife that it is impossible to not get it right putting it back together. It either fits or it doesn't. You just don't have to worry about the blade not lining up perfectly. I strongly believe the reason that some people buy a Sebbie only to sell it later on is that they had overly high expectations of the knife. Is it the most impressive knife in the world. Hardly. Is it the most beautiful knife in the world. Nope. Is it a superbly built and engineered piece of cutlery. Yes it is. It is also the type of knife that you learn to appreciate more and more only through using it. Don't buy one with the intentions of admiring it and never using it. You will hardly find it worth the asking price. Buy it to use and I believe they are worth the money. Of all the folders I had at the time I bought my Sebenza, how many do you think I have left? None. While I do not carry my Sebenza everyday, I still do use it and have never considered getting rid of it. It is simply a great knife.
 
Simplicity in its form. PERFECTION in the fit and finish dept. I also like the idea that I can send it back to CR Knives and have it made to look new. Where else can you do that besides a custom maker.
 
After recently getting in to the more expensive folders, I got the chance to handle one for about 30minutes... then I was forced to put it back in the case. It will be my major purchase of the next yr. Possibly a grad gift!

After getting one up here, it's 450+taxes... the LCC D/A is only 500, and the Sebenza appeals to me more.

I handled the display and a new one(not worn in), and the handling was the same. The yr or so of handling the display hadn't loosened it up.

This will be one of the few non-spydie purchases, only because it is simplicity at it's finest.
 
No matter what others may tell you, there’s nothing magical about the Sebenza. In fact, it doesn’t even feel magical in the hand. The cold truth is that the Sebenza is an extraordinarily precise instrument. It’s the small things that add up to a huge value. The lockup is PERFECT. The grind lines are PERFECT. The balance is PERFECT. The blade play is NON-EXISTANT. I thought I’d held knives that displayed these same traits, but didn’t understand what they were until I first got my Sebenza. It actually feels like a fixed blade when you hold it open. The grind is perfect (I keep using that word here) for both small and large chores. The Sebenza handles a wide variety of grips. It can be completely field stripped with a single allen wrench.

The difference between the Sebenza and a similarly made production knife is a long-term deal. The quality of every single piece is intended to outlast that flawed little body of yours. It’s made for a few lifetimes of everyday use.

To tell you the truth, I was disappointed the first time I held my Sebenza. Something felt wrong. There was no single characteristic or gadget about the knife that immediately said “I’m the great feature that makes me so much better”. It was only careful scrutiny and a lot of hard use that revealed its value. It’s sad to say, but the Sebenza has ruined me on tactical folders. I now judge every tactical production folder by my Sebenza, and nothing else seems to meet my new requirements. I just don’t buy tactical folders anymore because I know I already have the “pinnacle” of perfection in the art. The Sebenza design is absolutely flawless in its execution.

There’s nothing artsy fartsy about a plain Sebenza. There’s nothing gadgety about a plain Sebenza.

The best way I can think of to describe a Sebenza is this. The Sebenza doesn’t look or feel like a tactical knife. It looks and feels like a tool. Every ounce of material put into it has the same purpose. That purpose is to cut without failure.

The Sebenza is not for a person who wants something to show off to others. The Sebenza is for the individual who wants a knife clipped to his pocket, which will survive any occasion that he happens to befall him. If I were headed for an extended stay in the wilderness, with only a folding knife to survive on, I wouldn’t think twice about which one to carry.

I do carry a custom Buck 110 when I’m at my camp in the Adirondacks. It’s only because of the good quality and outstanding tradition of carrying and using such a special and beautiful knife that my Sebenza gets a rest. That Buck 110 is backed up by a fixed blade Dozier. My Sebenza sits in my pocket every single other moment holding its own without need of help.
 
What's the big deal
with the Sebenza?!?!??
Click to expand...

Actually, it's the price. People often refuse to give tangible comparisons of this knife's performance vs. other knives, instead citing vague things like "fit and finish", etc. With the knife costing so much more than other good knives, I get the impression that people believe that this automatically makes the knife better, period. I guess it's the extrapolation of the erroneous cliché "You get what you pay for", so some people figure since the knife costs so much more, it's automatically better, no questions asked. I also believe this plays upon peoples' insecurities, as perhaps some may think that paying such a high price for a knife somehow makes them more of a knife enthusiast.
I've also noticed, as you probably will, how defensive the Sebenza owners get when people question the price of those knives, or refuse to automatically accept that these knives are the greatest.
Anyway, good question BlackRazor.

JK
 
Jedi - I'm not so sure that your hypothesis is correct. There are many people here on BladeForums that have spent a lot more than $350.00 for a knife. Actually, compared to many custom built knives, the Sebenza is a drop in the hat. It’s quite expensive for a production knife, but dirt cheap for a custom. The plain Sebenza is a “no-frills” tool.

I also thought, after acquiring many great production knives, that the Sebenza couldn’t be that much better. I had the extra cash, so I bought a Sebenza just to see what all the hype was about. I can afford to lay out $350.00 and make a mistake. I have a drawer full of knives that I never use anymore, adding up to many times the cost of the Sebenza.

My first thought after pulling the Sebenza out of the box was, “Damn, this knife is ugly!!!!! This isn’t all that hot.” Then I used it.

Sure I wish that the Sebenza were cheaper. I think it should be cheaper. That doesn’t change the fact that I’d pay the full price for another one if I ever lost mine. I want this level of quality. Most other knives have a better quality/price ratio. You can get 80% of a Sebenza’s quality for half the price. But you have to spend the big bucks to get the whole 100%. My advice to anybody thinking about purchasing a Sebenza would be this: Don’t buy one unless you absolutely demand everything that you could reasonably ask for in the functionality of folding knife. Only the most demanding customers will reap the benefits of a Sebenza. A Sebenza is for knife users, not knife enthusiasts in general. Your basic knife enthusiasts will be left cold by the plainness of the Sebenza design. It’s not a particularly “fun” knife. It’s a tool. If you don’t push your folders to their limits, you’ll never need a Sebenza.

As for how well it performs, what’s to say? It does everything I’ve ever asked of every other folder combined. It does most of what I ask of high quality fixed blades.

1. It cuts well.
2. The lock has never failed.
3. I seldom need to sharpen it.
4. It’s never rusted on me.
5. It stays securely in my pocket

These are the signs of an outstandingly well-made tool. More likely is that it never occurs to Sebenza users to point out how well it works. It just works every time that you ask something reasonable of it.

Well, at least that's the way I see it. I'm not some veteran knife collector. I've just spent many years using tools. :D
 
I do like my small Sebenza. As I mentioned it will probably be among the first to go if I ever sell any of my knives, but it's cool.

Complaints:

Clip is sharp -- scraped the paint on my new truck.
Clip is mounted directly over the frame lock, making it more difficult to close.
Clip snags on my jeans, both putting it in my pocket and taking it out. Awkward.

The frame-lock cut-out seems too small as well, but that may be because you have to press so hard to overcome the clip.

The thumb-stud is sharp, and it was quite difficult to open when new. It's broken in a little better -- now that the anodizing has worn off the thumbstud.

Hmm, maybe it's the clip I don't like, not that knife!

I'll say it again, my TnT displays none of these problems. I do wish I had the Sebenza-shaped blade on my TnT (instead of the particular blade shape I purchased), but I'm sure that could be fixed. :-)

Mike
 
BlackRazor, I wondered the same myself and started to get one just because of the talk on the forums. But after going to the store, handling it a bit and thinking about why I should get it or not, ended up not - at this time.

I like a slightly longer handle on a folder, so that was a minus for me, the handle also isn't the most ergonomic, the blade was was nice but I have a bunch of knives and the Sebenza blade shape and detail didn't impress me above other knives, and the cord wasn't a turn on either. I have the pinnacle and in fact have it on today. I would like a Sebenza sometime, a decorated one, but probably just for show. I want a custom folder, I like the integral lock, and am looking at the TNT and others for the right combination of form and function that'll please me, not just make me a member of the particular knbifemakers fan club.

I have bought knives that had a "coolness" factor but ended up displeasing me, now I judge them by will I really really like and use this one 6 months from now.
 
A friendly and knowledgeable staff is what makes for great customer service. As far as warranty, CRK is among some of the best in the industry.

However, I have not carried much nor any longer carry my Sebenza at all. While it is indeed an excellent cutter and has one of the strongest locking mechanisms in the cutlery industry, it is sadly, in my experience and personal opinion, a tip up carry folder. Please this is not a debate on the merits and minuses of tip up vs. tip down carry. It simply does not work for what I need it for.

I have contacted CRK and they said they would not convert it to a tip down carry. End of story. I could have it reworked my self but then any warranty would be void and nil. So it rests collecting dust.

I wholeheartedly believe that if CRK would convert it to a tip down carry, without a question it would be my primary carry folder.

As for the Pinnacle (TIP DOWN! :)), well its steel isn' t as good and its edge grind is a bit steep. But it is one of the folders I carry in my rotation where reliability is on top of the list. Its pocket clip makes for extra finger support when deactivating its lock. In these regards, I prefer the Pinnacle over the Sebenza.

Pinnacle well worth its approximate $100 price. Sebenza,...

Nakano
 
To me, the magic thing about the Sebenza are the production tolerances. I think it is the most precisely functioning knife I have ever held in my hand. All the grinds and milling cuts are perfectly made, and perfectly rounded. But that is where the magic ends for me. I don't find the handle very comfortable for hard use without gloves, the blade is wider than I prefer, and the blade, though it has a great cutting edge, is still a stainless steel blade with a thin edge. Slab sided, bead blasted Ti handles are not very appealing to me.

The Benchmade 710 McHenry and Williams, on the other hand, may not be a paragon of precise production, but it is the right shape for me, and it is very tough in M-2 steel. And the Darrel Ralph Appogee is nearly as precise, comes with a tougher blade, and is a lot prettier.
 
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