Sebenza or Handmade?

First, I must applaud everyone for actually letting this thread continue long enough to actually be of some use. Rather than turning ugly as too many of these "Sebenza vs. ?" threads do.

As far as choosing a Sebenza or a custom. Well, it kind of depends. The Sebenza was the first high quality folder I bought almost 4 years ago. Still have it. I have gone through many, many customs from some highly respected maker's and have always came back to the Sebbie. The only thing I have found that comes close for EDC was my Darrel Ralph carbon fiber EDC.

Even if you find the style and comfort of the Sebbie really isn't for you. One thing is for certain, you will at least have a very good reference for for precision on any future knife that folds.
 
I've gone the same route as many folks here -- worked up to a Sebbie and then dabbled in customs and got hooked. I no longer have the Sebbie because I never carried it anymore. Everything folks say about CRK's stuff is true. They are mechanically "perfect" and the customer service is beyond reproach.

One characteristic that appealed to me about the Sebbie that I never see mentioned is this: they are easily (but expensively) replaced. The idea of traveling or boating with some of my customs freaks me out. The idea that I could replace my (plain jane) CRK with a phone call always reassured me a little. Not so with many customs.

I'm glad I experienced owning and using the Sebbie for a couple of years as it is a good benchmark for comparing other knives. I do not agree with some folks that you can't find comparable quality in a custom knife. As some have mentioned, I think TNTs are superior in many regards. They are getting harder to find and more expensive to buy. I would also look at Carson's Model 4 or the work of Mike Obenauf (also making framelocks now). There are many others, but these are the first that come to my mind and they are easy to research on the forums.
 
An easy choice for me. I have three Sebenzas, but none can match the design, quality and performance of two Kit Carson Model 4 knives I also own. The Carsons costs a little more, but give more bang for the buck.
 
The Sebenza is as close to perfect as I could expect to find. If I were to have a knife built to my specifications, it would look very much like a Sebbie. I prefer my handles to be straight in line with the blade.
If there is a maker who's work appeals to you a great deal, then by all means go with the custom.

Paul
 
I love customs but Chris Reeve folders are simply so consistently excellent that they make great purchases for someone who has never owned a high-end knife. It has been my experience that even knives by the best makers may have irritating little flaws. In all fairness, some of that may come from the fact that I have picked up a few knives on the aftermarket or in trade. Such knives may been used or handled in ways that weakened them. The good thing, however, is that all the custom makers I know of are great at readjusting or tuning up a knife, even if you are not the original owner. The advantage of the Sebenza is that it comes perfect, they encourage owner maintenance and their customer service is truly second to none. I say buy whatever you want, but if you go custom, stick to makers who have a reputation for rugged working knives like Obenauf/Kit Carson, J.W. Smith, Terzoula, or Darrel Ralph. All of these guys make really sturdy knives that can compete with the lockup of a Sebenza.
 
Don't go with the sebenza. It's overpriced, overhyped, opens in your pocket, can't be flicked open w/o voiding the warranty, etc. It's butt-ugly too. So what if it's got easy re-sale potential, that means a lot of people don't like it. Don't see many Tony Bose knives for sale on this site.

But then, what do you mean by custom? A cookie cutter knife from a hand-made maker for about $200 more than a sebenza? You know the type of "custom", same knife is made each time, maybe different slabs, maybe a few choices of steel or blade profile, oh and the "custom" maker has 3 "helpers" but "I grind each myself and inspect." If that's your other option, go with the sebenza, their cookie cutter knife will probably have better fit and finish. However if your idea of a custom is a unique piece, either with your input or strictly out of the mind of the maker, then go for it.

Something unique with soul trumps any production knife or "cookie-cutter" custom.
 
Originally posted by brownshoe
Don't go with the sebenza. It's overpriced, overhyped, opens in your pocket, can't be flicked open w/o voiding the warranty, etc. It's butt-ugly too. So what if it's got easy re-sale potential, that means a lot of people don't like it. Don't see many Tony Bose knives for sale on this site.
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YMMV but my favorite knife is a large Redwood Sebenza. I bought it second hand in mint condition. It is worth every penny, lives up to all the positive statements, will not open in my pocket, can be opened with a thumb sweep in no time flat, and I consider it to be one of the prettiest knives I have come across.

Obviously everyone has their own needs, desires, and taste but let's just say that I am highly satisfied my Sebenza.

protodoc
 
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