Sebenza Lock; No Longer Vault-Like

I've had my large Sebenza for almost 3 years and I must say I think it's the best $ I ever spent on a knife. It has been my constant companion in my back pocket.
It's been back to Idaho twice.
Once for a refinishing/tune-up, and once for my initials to be cut into the back.
The knife has been perfect since I bought it; until recently.
I've noticed the lock bar travelling virtually all the way over to the opposite handle side. Also, the lock up hasn't been vault-solid recently. I figured it's time for another trip to Idaho, perhaps the stop pin is worn and needs replacing.
Well, the other day, I called them up and was told that they would call back soon, as they had all just gotten back from Christmas vacation. About 1/2 hour later, who should call but Mr Reeve himself. Uh-oh, this couldn't be good news I thought to myself.
Mr Reeve explained that the knife was fixable, for $100. WHAT THE...?
He went on to explain that the lock bar was very worn and asked me how often I FLICKED THE BLADE OPEN? I told him that maybe I did it twice since I bought the blade NEW. I take very good care of my things, especially knives that cost over $300. We were both at a loss as to what caused the accelerated wear. Anyway, I reluctantly gave him my VISA # and told him to go and replace the lock handle. I guess he felt a bit bad and offered to replace the blade with a very lightly used one. Apparently, my blade was also slightly worn (never noticed it). That was nice but I was still bummed about the $100 to replace the lock.
My questions are: Would you be upset if this happened to you? Would you expect better warranty service knowing how much you spent on the knife and how you took care of it? Please realize, $325 is a lot of money for me. I live a frugal life and am a user, not a collector. The Sebenza is the ONLY good blade I own. I expected better service from Mr Reeve. But in his defence, he has no idea whether I am telling the truth about my "flicking the blade open" habits.
What's your take on this whole thing?
Thanks,
Lenny
 
The General

The General

Joined
Jun 6, 2000
Messages
3,625
A tough one this. One of the reasons for me buying a Sebi was the unrivaled support from Chris and Anne. I remember Anne saying that only once had Chris refused to replace a blade. I am in a similar fiscal position, but spend a lot on knives as working and collecting blades.

I am somewhat surprised you were charged, but let me tall you a little story.

I am the assistant Manager in a small indipendant electrical retailer and am at University full time.

A woman claimed she bought a £67 blue 14" TV from us a couple of weeks ago. It was put into storage in the back till nearer X-mas. She had lost her recipt. Unfortinatly the Manager was sacked for theft 6 weeks before she came in. She claimed he had sold her the telly. Well at this point her time scale for purchas was 4 weeks out right away.

To recap- she claims she bought a telly, paid cash (so no way of proving a sale on any day was by her, her witnis was her 10 year old daughter who said TV was x-mas present). My point? If we gave a TV or whatever to anyone that walked in the door, with no proof of any kind, we would be out of business in a week as everyone would try it on.

CRK have to look at the wear in the knife, the natural assumption is that you were 'flicking' the blade open. I was lucky enough to try Nemo`s Sebi before buying mine. I still have it as I am waiting on a digi camera (I will have to buy one now, next 2 weeks). This knife has been used by Fred Perrin and Nemo so it has taken some serious use. It is tighter than a drumhead and smooth as a greased imp. It is at least 3 years old. I have examined it with a microscope. Appart from a couple of dinks on the edge, and slight handle wear it is near mint. So it is no wonder Chris was surprised at the wear on your knife. I think Chris has gone half way with you and dealt with you in person, he did not pass the buck. I would have prefered a free fix, but... In the real world?

Just my pointless ramblings!

W.A.

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"To strive to seek to find and not to yield"
Tennyson
Ranger motto
 
General,
I understand your point, but that doesn't help me in my specific situation.
I've heard similar tales of people sitting in front of the television opening their Sebenzas hundreds of times in a night.
Also, tales of very hard use.
I have used my Sebenza, that's why I bought it. However, I know the damage flicking can cause to a liner lock or integral lock knife. That's why I only did it maybe 2 times. Both times were in an unthinking mode and I immediately regretted it. I don't understand how these 2 times could've caused so much wear on such a thick piece of titanium.
I'm just a bit upset after having spent so much on something I considered the "cream of the crop" only to have to spend another $100 to make it right again.
Perhaps I purchased that 1% knife that slipped past quality control at the Reeve facility. Just my luck.
Lenny
 
OK, forgive me for being not up to speed here. By flicking a knife open, it's meant that you may use your thumb to open the blade a little, them use a wrist flick and inertia to open the blade fully so that it makes a resounding THOCK!, correct?

It doesn't mean using your thumb to push and follow the lug up until is locks.

DaveH
 
I hope it doesn't mean using your thumb to push and follow the lug up until the blade locks.

If so, I've been "flicking" knives open for years, without ever damaging or causing excessive wear on one...
 
I'm waiting to see what Anne has to say.

We are only hearing one side here.

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Rick Gray - Left Handers Unite
 
As a new convert, I am sorry that this would happen to anyone here! Honestly, I am just trying to see both sides. I would have expected a company like CRK to have replaced it free of charge, but as Americans say, where does the Buck stop? MDK got hammered for an unrealistic warrenty. Perhaps we all need to accept that any product can and WILL fail with enough use and 'abuse'. I am not saying you abuse a knife! I belive you got a duff blade! Honestly I do, bad luck. It happened with a AFCK with me. Hope this gets cleared up properly to your and CRK satisfaction.

The opening hundreds of times is an attempt to accelerate 'breaking in'. My Sebi was very very hard to open one handed at first. I stripped it and oiled it, no effect. I did it again and used Finish Line White PTFE grease and dry film PTFE product. The knife is now VERY VERY smooth with about 70 opens and closes since. A great product!

This is NOT abuse just breaking in.

W.A.

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"To strive to seek to find and not to yield"
Tennyson
Ranger motto
 
I followed the Mad Dog warranty claim travesty. If I remember correctly, someone wanted a free knife cuz he broke the tip off of his ATAK while digging with it in rocky soil. Give me a break!
My request for compensation is much more benign. I honestly believe there were some tolerance or material problems in the locking bar. The knife did lock up vault solid when it was new. However, the lock bar moved over to the other handle side soon thereafter, which I thought strange. It still locked solidly though. Only recently did the blade exhibit play when locked up. Again, I only flicked it open twice since I bought it new. If you know the knife, you'll know that flicking it open isn't that easy, specially if you're as uncoordinated as me.
The way I feel now, I just want my Sebenza back. I miss it. I also miss the extra $100 that it took to make it right.
Lenny
 
Again, let us see what Anne has to say.

Sounds strange to me, if as you say a couple of times was all that you flicked, that should not matter at all as we have been encouraged to more or less "flick" or open sharply after reassembling.
Perhaps Chris can or has tested the hardness of the lock bar tip.
If I where to look at it and found deformed stop pin, lock bar tip, and the rear of the blade(?), I would definitley suspect abusive "flicking".
However a new lock bar and newer blade both for $100 sounds like a good price.
I have one I bought from Russ and it was made in 1997, it is still rock solid.
Maybe someone is "flicking your bic,,er Sebenza" when you aren't looking
smile.gif


ThomM

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John 3:16

[This message has been edited by C Ben Susrool (edited 01-05-2001).]
 
As a new sebenza owner I have to say that I am disappointed with the way this particular situation was handeled.I think that asking you to pay $100 for the repair is too high.(one-third total cost)Especially since your knife was not abused.If the lock on my sebenza doesn't last longer than 3 years I will be very disappointed.I have benchmades and spydercos that have indeed been abused and still lock up tight without the excessive blade travel you spoke of.I am wondering how often sebenza's with only a couple of years use are in need of this costly repair? I am not trying to bash the sebenza,In fact I really love mine.I would just like to know how common it is for a sebenza lock to wear out?

[This message has been edited by matt (edited 01-05-2001).]
 
Originally posted by C Ben Susrool:
Again, let us see what Anne has to say.

Sounds strange to me, if as you say a couple of times was all that you flicked, that should not matter at all as we have been encouraged to more or less "flick" or open sharply after reassembling.

Who encouraged you to "flick" your Sebenza open?
Lenny
Click to expand...
 
How's about them just making you an oversized stop pin sleeve and charging you 15 bucks? That should solve your lock woes, provided you're talking about vertical blade play.
 
Lenny,
I'm sorry to hear about your situation. I don't know why CRK worries so much about flickers. I'd say that my Sebenza isn't really a flicking knife anyway, the blade action is very smooth, but mine has always felt very "viscous." I tried flicking it once, but it only opened part way due to dynamic friction.

Greg's solution of a slightly oversized stop pin is a valid and simple one. However CRK is a manufacturing shop, not a custom shop. It would probably take a machinist an hour start to finish to make a stop-pin to the specified size...at a shop time of say $75/hour, that's one expensive custom stop pin.

CRK is a bussiness and bussinesses must be profitable to survive. When I sent my Sebenza in for refurb, I was a little taken back when I owed them $75 out the door (re-blast the handles, clean-up the blade and put a dual thumblug, sharpen, and replace some screws). Everyone has to put food on the table.

It was nice that Mr. Reeve called you in person. Great customer service does not mean always doing repairs at no charge, it means serving your customers. I respect that.

~Mitch

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My Hobby Page
 
Lenny,
I don't think "flick" was ever used, something like "forcefully" to seat everything.
From Anne or one of the CR folks-do a search and you should find it.
ThomM
 
Lenny, with the knife being sent in twice already, I wonder if they had sandblasted the handles each time? as that removes a thickness each time it's done and could certainly contribute to your premature wear...if that is the case, my take on this is Chris Reeve should take in account the number of times it has been to his shop for repairs/extras and know that might have some play in this problem...I'd say the onus would be on Chris Reeve in this instance and seeing that he doesn't get a flood of knives like this returned it should be a fluke and not really abuse?

Hope that makes some sense, I'd surely hate to have my knives develop this problem.

G2

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"The Road to Hell is Paved with Good Intentions!"
Take the time to read your Bible Now, don't be left behind...
 
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