Just recently picked up my first CRK, a small sebenza 21. I have read that these knives are perfectly centered due to their design but mine is not. It is extremely close, I can fit a business card on the non locking side, but the lock side it will not fit. I have taken the knife apart and reassembled but no change. Any ideas??
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Sebenza not centered
- Thread starter Kyle_4
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- Sep 27, 2011
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Kyle... Welcome to the CRK family. Did you purchase the knife new from an authorized retailer? Or, was it bought used off the forum?
The knife was purchased used. I am well aware of the fakes floating around, I can assure you this is a real sebenza 21 if that is what you are asking...
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- Sep 27, 2011
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Uh, no... Not what I was getting at.
Did the seller disclose it's condition? In general, Sebenzas ARE perfectly centered, although I have had 2-3 that were a hair off.
You have a couple options: request a refund and send it back if seller did not disclose it was off-center OR send it back to CRK and they will do their best to get it perfectly centered.
Otherwise, just keep it, use it, and enjoy it.
In the picture, it looked centered. I am enjoying and using it right now BUT I am asking if anyone has suggestions for fixes. I will not be sending it to CRK...
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The 25 has an adjustable pivot because it does not use the bushing system as the 21 does. You should be able to center it very easily by adjusting the pivot tension, getting it dialed in and centered.
The 21 uses a bushing system that is not adjustable--a beautiful and effective system that makes it super easy to manage and maintain. However, when the blade is off-center it makes it a little more difficult to remedy and may require sending it in.
A couple suggestions:
1. Disassemble and reassemble--paying close attention to the side the washers are oriented and the bushing is oriented and reassemble in the same pattern.
2. Try turning the washers around as well as the pivot bushing. Try different orientations and see if anything changes.
The 21 uses a bushing system that is not adjustable--a beautiful and effective system that makes it super easy to manage and maintain. However, when the blade is off-center it makes it a little more difficult to remedy and may require sending it in.
A couple suggestions:
1. Disassemble and reassemble--paying close attention to the side the washers are oriented and the bushing is oriented and reassemble in the same pattern.
2. Try turning the washers around as well as the pivot bushing. Try different orientations and see if anything changes.
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- Aug 2, 2004
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- 18,850
I'm not sure I'm getting what your meaning with a business card fitting on one side but not the other ? If you look at the point of the blade when the knife is closed does it sit obviously to one side or the other ?
The lock side scale will always have less clearance along most of the blade length when in the closed position because the detent sits in the recess on the blade causing the lock bar to sit ever so lightly lower than the washers have the handle slaps sit. I can only presume this is what you mean as you could fit about 5 cards on either side of the blade and the tip.
As always pics are the best way to solve any sort of confusion.
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- Dec 1, 2012
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- 1,379
You can also swap sides with the washers and fasteners. I've had a perfectly centered Sebenza become off-centered after disassembly/cleaning/ relubing, and I know it can be perfectly straight because it started that way.
So I fiddle around with different combos, turning fasteners around (they have a male and a female side) and putting tension on the scales from different sides until I've gotten them perfect again. Swapping washers from one side to the other can help, too.
Mine (I have 6) are now all perfectly centered and have stayed that way.
When I disassemble them in the future, I will place the fasteners very carefully on a rag when taking each one apart so I can reassemble them exactly as they were and I can have them straight again.
Off-center blades are a huge pet peeve of mine, but I tend to be a perfectionist. A curse I received from my mother, but my blades are all centered on all my knives.
So I fiddle around with different combos, turning fasteners around (they have a male and a female side) and putting tension on the scales from different sides until I've gotten them perfect again. Swapping washers from one side to the other can help, too.
Mine (I have 6) are now all perfectly centered and have stayed that way.
When I disassemble them in the future, I will place the fasteners very carefully on a rag when taking each one apart so I can reassemble them exactly as they were and I can have them straight again.
Off-center blades are a huge pet peeve of mine, but I tend to be a perfectionist. A curse I received from my mother, but my blades are all centered on all my knives.
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2005
- Messages
- 4,271
I'm not sure I'm getting what your meaning with a business card fitting on one side but not the other ? If you look at the point of the blade when the knife is closed does it sit obviously to one side or the other ?
The lock side scale will always have less clearance along most of the blade length when in the closed position because the detent sits in the recess on the blade causing the lock bar to sit ever so lightly lower than the washers have the handle slaps sit. I can only presume this is what you mean as you could fit about 5 cards on either side of the blade and the tip.
As always pics are the best way to solve any sort of confusion.
This is what occurred to me as well. With a lock design like a Sebenza, the lock bar is going to sit slightly closer to the blade because of the detent. The tip of the blade is what will show the centering rather than the space down each side of the blade.