Sebenza needs an update

In the knife world, why does perfection need to change ? Really can't say anymore that's already been said. I really think if CRK felt the need to make a change on the Sebenza, it would have been done. It's one of the few knives produced for the consideration of the average person wanting a knife that will last a lifetime, be easy to maintain and a pleasure to own.
If you want to see a fancy Sebenza, go look in the Sebenza picture thread and come back and convince me how the Sebenza needs a change. ;)
 
my personal carry large sebenza was made in 2001.... so no complaints after 16 yrs... the knife is strong as ever
 
They have updated it through the years: Original, Regular, Classic, 21, and 25. I believe the heart & soul remained the same in all but the 25. Obviously others agreed since it's now the Inkosi. They offer the Umnumzaan and Inkosi for something different. I do love the ceramic ball lock/detent on those.

There will never be a one-shot-kill knife; people's taste varies too much. Really, as a manufacture (or collector) do you want one knife that checks all the boxes for all people?

Bottom to top: Regular, Classic, 21, 25
i.ashx


Has anyone else ever noticed that the spine of the Regular Sebenza handle arcs outward and the spine of the Sebenza Classic/21/25 handle arcs inward at the same radius? I wonder why they decided to invert it. They both feel comfortable to me. I don't have an original to compare.

i.ashx
 
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gull wing said:
Beautiful regular!
Why did they ever quit making the Regular?:(
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Well. Because those days people wanted the look of the Original Sebenza back. Many people didn't like the design of the Regular. Many people did not like the ergos of the Regular. Otherwise CRK would not have introduced the Classic Sebenza.

I think there is a tendency for "glorification" of things which are no longer available. People were complaining about vinyl records, about their noises and their handling. Once the CD was invented, everybody appreciated it. Nowadays many people prefer vinyl again. I think this is a kind of romanticisation we all have in our genes :)

Don't get me wrong. I have a number of Regular Sebenza in my collection and I like them. Particularly when it comes to the annual Sebenza. No doubt. But the Classic/21 picked up the original design again and I think the Regular cannot beat them in terms of aestethics. I am happy that we can enjoy variety with Regular, Classic, 21 and Inkosi. Would love to see 21 annual Sebenza with a large inlay covering the complete presentation side. But I would not like to see them producing the Regular again. The signal to the knife market wouldn't be a good one. Like "look, no more ideas. Now they are repeating the old stuff again."
 
There's some obvious flaws in the 21 so don't act like it's perfect. For example, there's the point at which the detent falls off the blade before it locks up (don't have this problem with the inkosi). Also, you have a large hole in the middle of the handle (not on the Inkosi). Some amount of lock stick (not on the inkosi).
 
There's innovation to create better features or a new product and then there's change for change's sake. I see this in knives and in the tools of my carpentry trade. A company approaches market saturation with a product and makes wholesale changes to create a new or "improved" model just to generate sales, sometimes discontinuing a perfectly good tool. This is not necessarily better--just different.

Fortunately, we have companies like CRK which, having created an excellent knife in the 21, keep it the same, with slight tweaks for betterment, and continue to produce it. For new products we have the Umnumzaan and the 25 which has morphed into the re-branded Inkosi. There were many who thought that the 25 was different enough with its adjustable pivot that it wasn't a "true" Sebenza anyway and CRK obviously agrees.

If they made any major changes to the 21, well it wouldn't be a 21 anymore. If you want a different CRK, there are a number of other models to choose from. I've got 3 21s, a 25, a StarTac, and an Inkosi--all larges--along with a Mnandi. I enjoy them all in their own way and say keep the 21 the 21.
 
ChazzyP said:
There's innovation to create better features or a new product and then there's change for change's sake. I see this in knives and in the tools of my carpentry trade. A company approaches market saturation with a product and makes wholesale changes to create a new or "improved" model just to generate sales, sometimes discontinuing a perfectly good tool. This is not necessarily better--just different.

Fortunately, we have companies like CRK which, having created an excellent knife in the 21, keep it the same, with slight tweaks for betterment, and continue to produce it. For new products we have the Umnumzaan and the 25 which has morphed into the re-branded Inkosi. There were many who thought that the 25 was different enough with its adjustable pivot that it wasn't a "true" Sebenza anyway and CRK obviously agrees.

If they made any major changes to the 21, well it wouldn't be a 21 anymore. If you want a different CRK, there are a number of other models to choose from. I've got 3 21s, a 25, a StarTac, and an Inkosi--all larges--along with a Mnandi. I enjoy them all in their own way and say keep the 21 the 21.
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i'm not asking for major changes to the 21. i'm asking for some minor changes to make it more up to date, like removing the hole in the middle of the handle which was needed for production ten years ago but is not needed anymore.
 
Valmak said:
i'm not asking for major changes to the 21. i'm asking for some minor changes to make it more up to date, like removing the hole in the middle of the handle which was needed for production ten years ago but is not needed anymore.
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I don't imagine they're drilling that hole just to make the 21 look authentic now. They're probably still making the slabs the same way. I don't have a problem with it--the 21 has always had that hole. Why bother????
 
I like the hole. It adds abit of character. Just consider it a string cutter. You fish a string through both scales through the hole and guillotine the blade shut. ;)

Honestly, true say, no lie, I like the small 21 better and the large Inkosi better. I find the small inkosi too small for my tastes. The small 21 just fits my hand so much better. On the other hand the large Inkosis and Sebbies are the same size. I never understood the reason for this.
 
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Ref the photo by photoman above, I didn't realise that the regular had that blade shape. That shape was what I referred to in my post above. I would like that shape in a mid sized 21. A size between the large and small. I would be very interested. I like my small and large 21 but I think a mid-sized 21 would be great.
However, I am still saving for my Mnandi. :)
Anthony
 
Lapedog said:
I like the hole. It adds abit of character. Just consider it a string cutter. You fish a string through both scales through the hole and guillotine the blade shut. ;)

Honestly, true say, no lie, I like the small 21 better and the large Inkosi better. I find the small inkosi too small for my tastes. The small 21 just fits my hand so much better. On the other hand the large and small Inkosis are the same size. I never understood the reason for this.
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You mean the large 21 and large Inkosi are the same size, no? :confused:
 
ChazzyP said:
You mean the large 21 and large Inkosi are the same size, no? :confused:
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Yes thank you. Edited my post. Good eye!

It is like this. Small 21 and Inkosi the Inko has a handle that is a little shorter, but the scales are also slighty thicker. The large 21 and the large Inko the handle is the same length and again the Inko is abit thicker.

Does anyone know if there is a reason for this? Why isn't the difference consistent between the two different sizes? Why haven't we seen a medium Sebbie yet? (I bet those would sell like hotcakes) I mean they made the Umfaan and no medium?!
 
Lapedog said:
Yes thank you. Edited my post. Good eye!

It is like this. Small 21 and Inkosi the Inko has a handle that is a little shorter, but the scales are also slighty thicker. The large 21 and the large Inko the handle is the same length and again the Inko is abit thicker.

Does anyone know if there is a reason for this? Why isn't the difference consistent between the two different sizes? Why haven't we seen a medium Sebbie yet? (I bet those would sell like hotcakes) I mean they made the Umfaan and no medium?!
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My first Sebbie was a small 21 with cocobolo inlays. I liked the knife, but it just wasn't a good fit for my old arthritic carpenter's mitts. Three or four large CRKs later I finally sold/partially traded that small for a ZT0450. Now all my CRKs are large except for the Mnandi.

When the Inkosi first came out it was available only in the small model. I read that it was smaller than the small 21 and was both puzzled by that and sure that it wasn't for me. I don't quite get that difference either, as the small Seb sure isn't a big knife. I guess it's just another offering is all.

I've since bought a large Inkosi with natural Micarta inlays and just love that one. Here it is back-to-back with my PlainJane 25.

U2WQuG3.jpg


Of no particular significance, but in light of photoman12001 photoman12001 's post above, notice the concave arcs in the tops of their two handle slabs.
 
If we are going to lust after additional models, a medium and an extra large sebenza would both get my attention. Although a Zaan with a 4" Tanto blade would get me more excited.
 
Yep. Peterbright, go the medium Sebenza :)
I hadn't thought of a XL Sebenza, it sure would be something different.

I wonder if Tim or Anne read this thread?

Anthony
 
Although I own 105 CRK's, I also own other knives with other steels and I think CRK's choice is great. The other steels mentioned work fine but I see no perceptible improvement.
 
peterbright said:
Although I own 105 CRK's, I also own other knives with other steels and I think CRK's choice is great. The other steels mentioned work fine but I see no perceptible improvement.
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They really should do an M390/20cv/204p version tbo. its not too terribly difficult to sharpen and is probably as stainless as s35vn and will keep an edge probably double. but... i in no way am suggesting they replace it completely with those options. i mean if they want to im all for it, but i think s35vn is probably best as the standard option.
 
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