Sebenza, is this to be expected

S

svnimrod

Joined
Aug 24, 1999
Messages
17
Hello all,
I just received my new Sebenza and upon inspection I found 3 things of which # 2 and # 3 make me a little uncertain:
1. my grip shows inside the "code" B 99 on both grip plates near the lanyard hole and I noted that there is a about 1" long lowering 1/16" deep of the outside grip material under the clip, I think in order to make the locking piece of the grip a little thinner. Is this normal as I havent seen it on the Sebenza I handled and that one was from the summer of 99.

Now for the more anoying findings:

2. And this bugs me a little, there is a noticable difference in grindlines between the right and left side of the blade. The side with the blued "nob" has a very straight grindline ( the part that's not grinded has a straight line) that ends about 1/8" nearer to the point then the grind on the opposite side which has more "belly" to it ( the none grinded upper part is more curved and the end of the grindline ends about 1/8" further from the point of the blade)
Also looking at the start of the grind ("near" the pivot point) one side is grinded to about 1/16" closer to the pivot hole then the other side (with the nob) and looking strait at the edge one can clearly see the difference in the grindlines/ angles.
Guys as these blades are handground is this normal? and does it fall in the tolerance
level of CR's blades.
3. While carressing and fondling my Sebenza in the evening (doesn't everybody do it) sitting on the couch with some low level indirect light falling on the blade I noticed some purple/brown color blotches on the last inch near the point of the blade on the edge side. One doesn't see them clearly in "normal" light. I tried but they didn't rub of with some WD-40 or Triflon oil and I didn't want to use polish paste on it because this could ruin the pebble finish of the blade.
I (hardly)/don't notice them in normal light but don't know if this is normal or not.
By the way it's the sharpest knife I ever had but I just like to know if the things I noted are "to be expected".
Regards, Nimrod
 
Not normal from what I've seen...the 3 I've had have all been perfect.

-AR

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- AKTI Member ID# A000322

- Intelligent men, unfortunately, learn from fools, more often than fools learn from intelligent men.


 
Interesting. I am sitting here now looking at my New Sebenza. The numbers on the inside, I dont know what those mean. Mine has them also. The grind lines on mine appear to be just about perfect. As for the discoloration, that might worry me. Keep in mind I have no expertise in that field, but could it be from overheating the blade during grinding? You can bet when the right person reads this you will get the correct answer. As for not wanting to use metal polish, I use flitz on mine and it has in no way damaged the blade finish. In the meantime, ya oughta call CRK, I bet they would be more than willing to help you out.
 
If you haven't done so, you should get in touch w/CRK at creeve@micron.net. You can also post (if noy already) at the CRK forum over at Knifeforums.com

I'm not sure I understand #1 but #3 and esp #2 sound like serious problems. Don't know where #3 could have come from but #2 definitely should not get past Quality Control. Haven't seen/heard of either before.

As you probably know, CRK's customer svc is really tops. Anne Reeve has an impeccable record for replying promptly and respectfully.

Glen

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"What's so funny 'bout peace, love, and understanding?" -Elvis Costello
 
I don't remember what my small plain Sebenza had for a code #, but my large plain said
"A 99" and my large Dec. says "C 97." Anne says that the #'s have no significance...but I think the numbers do mean something since they correspond with the year they were "born." -AR

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- AKTI Member ID# A000322

- Intelligent men, unfortunately, learn from fools, more often than fools learn from intelligent men.


 
The lock modification you described is also used on the Tanto Sebenza just released (DOB Sep. 22, 1999)

As for the grind, if you are unhappy with any blade grind, hand, machine, custom, production, what have you, then you should return the knife, enough said. I consider this a major factor in knife satisfaction.

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James
San Francisco, CA


 
As seen below on my large Sebenza blade, the ground (sharpened) area is uneven and does narrow towards the tip. The opposite side of the blade isn't like this, the grind is almost even. Anyone else having this "problem?"

<center><img src=http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=33630&a=208307&p=12535360&Sequence=1></center>

[This message has been edited by the4th (edited 04 October 1999).]
 
Send it back.

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LD
"Every Dog Has His Day"
BFC Member Since October 2, 1998

 
nimrod: Agree these seem like problems, ask about it on the CRK forum on knifeforums.com, or contact CRK directly.

the4th: Your problem is a little different. If you bought your Sebenza mostly as a collector, then if the uneven bevel bothers you, you can always contact CRK and ask them to re-sharpen. If this is a using knife for you, then you'll end up redoing the bevels the first time you sharpen anyway. I'd just use it and pay attention to the edge bevel when I resharpened, most likely.

Joe
 
Nimrod,

Contact CRK's and most likely they'll ask you to send the knife back so they can fix the problems.

As for "problem" #1, I'm pretty sure it's not a problem, but rather a change. Most likely Sebenzas from now on will have it. From your discription I don't know what you're talking about however. Can someone post a pic. James perhaps?
smile.gif




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Johnny
[]xxxxxx[]=============&gt;

 
Johnny, I will try and grab the camera at work tommorow. I will also grab the micrometer to do some readings. Anything else you want to see from the Tanto?

The modification is new, it is not on my large Sebenza born 07/29/99 but is on the Tanto from 09/22/99.

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James
San Francisco, CA




[This message has been edited by stjames (edited 04 October 1999).]
 
Yeah, I'm sure the "problem" with mine will correct itself the first time I sharpen in. IF I ever have to.
smile.gif

 
Johnny, #1 I already expected to be a modification in the design, but I handn't seen it before.
You write that you don't understand the second one, I'll try explain it but bear in mind that Englisch is not my mother language.
With the grind line I don't mean the edge sharpening which will most surely vary between each Sebenza but mine is extremely sharp. I mean the blade grind, the hollow grind or what shall I call it. There is a marked difference, clear to see with "the naked eye", between the flat non-grinded upper part of the blade that "tapers" to the point of the blade, between the side with the blue nob and the opposite side. Also on the side of the nob the grind (hollowed out portion of blade) ends about 1/16" closer to the pivot and has a different "grindline angle" then on the opposite side.
I'll try contacting CR for their opinion.
Please note that I still feel it's a very very good knife, the best I can afford, and I understand that hand grinding the blade form can cause variances but the Sebenza's I admired before did't show any variation in grindline (vissible to the eye).
Bye to way I tried some Puma blade polish last night and the blueish/brown discoloration disappeared so forget about #3, I think it was caused bye the cutting in halves of grapes, I just like the way the Sebenza glides through a grape without any resitance
smile.gif
, and leaving the grape juice a little to long on the blade.

I will try to make some digital photo's to show you #2, bye Nimrod

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[This message has been edited by svnimrod (edited 05 October 1999).]
 
Nimrod,

I do understand #2. Poor blade grind, I would definetively send it back, which is what CRK is probably going to tell you to do. Keep us informed. A poor grind won't affect performance much, but I would be bothered if my sebenza had an uneven blade grind.

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Johnny
[]xxxxxx[]=============&gt;

 
Hi, just an update, I tried making some digital pictures, butdiscovered that it's an art on itself.
I tried to insert some small jpeg files but couldn't. Can somebody give me a quick explination of how to do this?
I faxed CR but haven't received an answer to my fax yet. Cheers, Nimrod


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If you want...send me the pic(s) and I will post them for you...or give you a link to do so yourself.

-AR

------------------
- AKTI Member ID# A000322

- Intelligent men, unfortunately, learn from fools, more often than fools learn from intelligent men.


 
I know we are a bit late in posting on this but I only learned of this thread on Friday and was waiting for Chris to get back from the California Show. Perhaps I should have simply said then what Chris says now "please send the knife back to us and we will replace the blade".

The final check that we give to every knife is very strict and it is most surprising that an asymmetrical blade was passed. Bear in mind that there is a small asymmetry because the blades are free hand ground and also that the distance measured from the thumblug on front and back will be different because of the shoulder.

I would like to make an additional comment here - we are the people who can probably give the best advice on our own knives. Therefore, if you have a question and/or problem, doesn't it make sense to contact us direct? Posting on the Forum is all fine and well but not all the advice offered is correct, even though it might be given with the best intentions. Often enough the problem is not a realproblem at all but a perceivedone. The incident then becomes a major issue and misconceptions appear all over the place. A perfect example is the purple tinge on the blade, which turned out to be grape juice, being interpreted a over heating of the blade during grinding.

Svnimrod - I did receive your fax last Friday, had delayed replying until I could talk with Chris and have now responded directly to you.

Anne Reeve

 
Nice to see you posting Anne. It sure would be nice to have your forum over here. **hint hint**
smile.gif


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Johnny
[]xxxxxx[]=============&gt;

 
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