Sebenza not 4 me

A

audiopile

Joined
Nov 2, 2007
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653
Have tried both a small classic and small regular -there is a lot to like about these tools : 1.) Elegant minamilist design - the only thing that seemed redundant to me was the lanyard ( not exactly a challenge to remove) 2. ) The open back really makes sense for a pocket knife - lint,fuzz and general pocket debri have a good chance of falling right thru instead of gumming up the mechanism. 3.) Boys and girls - I like the way these things look - these are truly a gents folder. 4.) Simple to diss-assemble and re-assemble - even by someone with three thumbs like me. 5.) CRK's customer support are polite- knowledgeable - and hopefully didn't hurt themselves banging their heads into the monitor over some of my weird ideas for their excellent product. 6.) Parts were available, reasonably priced and promptly shiped - can't ask for more.
So what didn't I like : a.) Most minor first -blue rear spacer on regular.Blue eyed ladies -great -blue accent on knife -ehh! Not a big deal- but don't like drawing attention to the tool.Plain and subdued is better. b.) size - For years I EDU'd a Kershaw Boa - it's just plain hard to transition to a smaller knife. Not so much for the blade length - but I just wasn't comfortable gettin a grip on the handle. c.) For the last 6 years or so I have had a personal assistant named Ken who has locked open my knives for me - he does one hell of a consistent job. Not much concerned with speed - but really like knowing the knife is locked damm near every time after thousands of opening cycles.Better than I can do myself with a manually locking knife. d.) I know real men just bear(bare?) the pain - but for me the thumbstuds were just plain un-comfortable. Intended to carry the regular Sebenza for a month to see how I liked it -lasted about 4 days before I went back to my Kershaw 1636. Know that lots of you have no problem with the CRK thumbstuds - but they were a real deal breaker for me. Apparently because of some frostbite years ago my finger tips crack all winter long - these thumbstuds aren't for me.
The fit,finish and design are outstanding - just doesn't work as a EveryDayUser for me. Your mileage will most likely be different.
 
I'm waiting for my large classic to arrive. It will be my first. I intend to EDC it.

I am used to the Spyderco hole. It is absolutely fantastic to use. I am a little worried about the thumb stud and how I will like it. I also prefer tip down carry, but the Sebbies are tip up.

Should be an interesting experiment for me after reading so much good stuff about them.

Time will tell :)
 
most of what you say, i am in agreement with. except for the backspacer, i like the blue.

but the thumbstud is by no means a deal breaker for me, especially in light of all the positives.

thx for the review.
 
Very good review. I would look into a large model. It will be closer to the size of the Boa.

I agree with Morimotom. I like the blue too. Not sure why really.

I'm of the belief that no one likes the thumbstub at first. I know I didn't - and my thumb hurt for the first week or so. After that, you get used to it and it really starts to grow on you. Oddly enough, after a few months of EDC, I actually prefer the CRK thumbstud to any other.
 
Excellent remarks. The good news is you can sell it for about what you paid for it so there is no real loss there. The bad news is I'm sorry it just didn't work for you. Everyone is different and the Sebbie is a remarkable bit of work. It's a shame you'll miss out on all the good things so many of us enjoy about Chris Reeve's folders.
 
I can understand the frustration of having a deal killer on such a small part of the knife. I wonder if there would be a way to modify it to fit your needs better.
 
If the problem is the thumbstuds because of your cracking skin; I don't think a manual is really for you at all. The open hole type opener is going to cause just as much aggravation as the thumbstuds IMO. Check out the ZT lineup from Kershaw/Strider; very easy to open, close and use. Just no where near the CRK quality. I own both FYI.

Blue spacers, yah give me that plus a blue thumbstud and polished Ti and I am very satisfied.
 
I would like it better if the stud were different on the Seb(more like a Benchmade) and I would like better if they would park the blade higher(exposing more blade/stud), but they will not, so I just adapted, humans are very adaptable, I have no problem opening.
Sebenza is like a long term wife, she doesn't get older, she gets better.:thumbup::thumbup:
 
my online friend felt the very same way, loved the knife, couldn't take the tumbstud beign as pointy as it in...I do not have a problem with it, but I cna say if CR offered a replacement stud that was bigger and not pointed I would get one..but its definatly nto a deal breaker for me...But I can see what you mean...
 
I can see why the coned thumb-stud can be a problem for you. I imagine that's why flipper work great for you, & it's good that you found something you really like.

Personally, i don't care for the blue, either. I prefer the gold tone on the inlayed ones. In fact I'm the one who got audiopile's small classic Seb. (Bocote inlay). It's now pretty much my EDC, except when I want to use/carry something bigger.

No knife is perfect & it would be interesting if CRk could put a flatter stud on their blade like Benchmade. Although, interestingly enough, Bradley uses thumb-studs similar to CRK for their "made by Benchmade" Alias.
 
redsst said:
I'm of the belief that no one likes the thumbstub at first. I know I didn't - and my thumb hurt for the first week or so. After that, you get used to it and it really starts to grow on you. Oddly enough, after a few months of EDC, I actually prefer the CRK thumbstud to any other.
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I've read some comments about that before getting my first Sebenza couple weeks ago; and I was a bit worried about it being difficult to open.

Surpisingly; I didn't have any problem opening it from the very first time to now.. mine is a small classic and I place my thumb between to cutout and the thumbsutd, then move outwards, catching the side of the stud instead of the top and ready, knife opened confortably... no problem, pain or sore.

I have had knives with studs, discs, holes, flippers, levers, assisted and automatics... I agree this is not the fastest opening knife, but I found it confortable enough for my use.

About blue hardware; I would liked it, but mine came with golden stud and spacer... looks more elegant !

audiopile: have you tried one of the automatic convertion Sebenzas ?... maybe you liked better for opening.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrcZgjJt8nc
 
I didn't really follow negative comment c) about your assistant locking your knives for you. First off, I didn't really understand it. Second, why is it a negative of a sebenza? Can you elaborate?
 
Well, all plain Sebenzas are available with silver thumbstuds and backspacers too. At first I liked the models with the blue anodizing, but I changed my mind and got a plain with silver stud/backspacer. Not as much "bling" and since they are not anodized the colro won`t wear off as it is the case with the gold or blue versions.
 
MORIMOTOM said:
most of what you say, i am in agreement with. except for the backspacer, i like the blue.

but the thumbstud is by no means a deal breaker for me, especially in light of all the positives.

thx for the review.
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I agree. I think the color gives it a nice accent.
 
I considered changing the thumbstud - it's doable - but was concerned I'd really tank the knives re-sale value if I did that and wasn't happy afterwards.Truelly - my main concerns really came down to two : 1.) handle size - just wanted something with a bit more depth to it to get a hold on /BTW -I have relativly small hands for a 6 ft. tall guy. I never cut anything with the knife ( again afraid to "ruin" it for the next owner) - but the blade design seems very functional to me and enough of ya'll have reported that the things cut - that is not an issue for me. 2.) I've been using one or another of Ken Onion's / kershaws SpeedSafe designs for the last 5 or 6 years straight. A single Boa for most of that time. I honestly don't care too much how fast a knife opens for me - but I want to be able to open and LOCK with one hand and un-lock with one hand. Ken Onion's/kershaws designs have been simply outstanding in terms of being able to depend on them to lock the knife open at the end of the open cycle -time after time -after time -after time ( ah -hell -ya get it). They close easily and consistently too. This is a big deal for me since I'm likely to spend a portion of any given week hanging from a ladder or lift bucket . Let's just say I'm respectful of heights - one hand for the ship ( or in this case the job) and one for me is a rule I abide by.
Actually thought about the auto mods for the Sebenza - in the end - not something I'm willing to do jail time for - my knives are users and sometimes ( in the nature of my work) I'm using them in front of LE.
So far - I'm pretty impressed with the k'shaw 1636 - lose the thumbstud and the on/off roller ( both easily done) and I'm pretty close to happy.Even though they are bigger and heavier than what I want - may try and trade into a couple of Tirades ( or is it Tyrades?) to see if those will do it for me.
 
FoldersForever said:
I didn't really follow negative comment c) about your assistant locking your knives for you. First off, I didn't really understand it. Second, why is it a negative of a sebenza? Can you elaborate?
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I think he is referring to the assisted opening feature of the Ken Onion designed knives he has used. I was pretty confused about this at first as well.

I had a knife that I could have used a personal assistant to help me open, but it was not a sebenza. I have no problems there, they are the smoothest I have found.

schiesz
 
schiesz said:
I think he is referring to the assisted opening feature of the Ken Onion designed knives he has used. I was pretty confused about this at first as well.

I had a knife that I could have used a personal assistant to help me open, but it was not a sebenza. I have no problems there, they are the smoothest I have found.

schiesz
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if so, that is the oddest reference to ken onion i have ever read.



:confused::p
 
Nice review/ explanation of your point of view. Thank you.

I like the Sebenza a great deal and had not noticed the thumbstud issue. I can see where it would be a dissappitment. When my mother was going through chemo, she had problems with her fingertips splitting and being sore. The simplest tasks were made much more difficult.
 
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