Sebenza, Or not?

Eric Isaacson

Eric Isaacson

Pirate
Joined
Dec 19, 1999
Messages
12,547
The title pretty much says it all. Do I start saving to buy a Sebenza(probably Small Plain) or use that money to buy 5 or 6 other really nice knives. I want to hear both the good and bad. I just think that is a lot of money for ONE knife when I could get many very nice ones for that. What do you guys think.
Eric

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Outside of a dog, a Knife is man's best friend. Inside a dog it is very, very Dark.
 
I've contemplated picking up a Sebbie, but I always decide not too. While I have no doubt that it is a very good knife, I can get three other production folders, and have some money left over for dinner. I think it depends what you want...one really good knife, or a variety of knives. Right now I'd like to have variety. Sebenza..sorry not for me (yet).

~Mitch
 
The Sebenza is an excellent knife for the money. It all depends on what you want. A bunch of knives that you might or might not use, or one great one that you can’t help but put to work? A bunch of $50.00 blades that you won’t be able to sell, or one that keeps its about 90% of its value? O slew of knives that will all get scuffed and worn until they are practically worthless to anyone one but you, or just one that can be refurbished like new for less that 10% of the initial investment?

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James Segura
San Francisco, CA
 
I started out buying Cold Steel, Spyderco and Benchmade. I was one that said I would never spend that much on one knife. After I got my small plain a month ago, I wish I would have done it sooner. Not that I won't buy any more Spyderco's, but after a while you just seem to make that natural progression to higher quality and less quantity. I've even sold a couple to partially cover the cost of my small plain. If you already have plenty of knives, you might want to go ahead and get the Sebenza, otherwise just get three or four others instead. Get it out of your system, and then go buy the Sebenza. You won't be sorry.
 
To me a knife is a tool. Its my favorite tool. I only buy tools that I know can get the job done well, and last a long time. That means I usually spend more on tools, but I don't intentionally find the most expensive. What I'm saying is I don't think that a sebenza is going to make enough difference or improvement over a cheaper but still high quality knife to justify its cost. I don't trust liner locks or integral locks as its called either. If you want something more flashy than an endura. Try the custom Buck 110's out. Its still a ton cheaper than a sebenza. You can get the same blade steel. You pick the handle material to your liking. And its proven solid design that will last.Just my opinion, I'm going to go hide from all the sebenza fanatics now
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Fix it right the first time, use Baling Wire !
 
as well you should hide sir!;] seriously; i think you would not regret the purchase of a sebenza. don't put off the inevitable.buy it now!i've been carrying knives since i was 8 years old {30 yrs.}, and the sebenza is THE BEST folder i've ever carried for that price or less.i've got a lg. tanto and a lg. lefty plain on the way.trust me, all the rhetoric aside, if you buy it you'll never look back. hope this helps. russ aka bladezealot.



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i don't have a sebenza (yet) but i find myself gravitating towards more expensive knives. it just seems to be happening and i'm not really fighting it either. when i get my sebenza, it'll probably be my dress knife. i know you guys say that i'll want to use it, but i'll probably baby it for quite some time. for now, i'm into variety, testing different materials, blade shapes, locks, etc. i have ambitions of being a knifemaker one day and want to do lots of real life testing.

matt-as far as locks go, i don't really trust liner locks myself. but an integral lock is a completely different story. i have a BM 750 that i use quite frequently and it never even hinted at moving while i was using it. though they look similar and work off of the same principle, they are completely different animals. try one, you'll probably like it.
 
I have read about dozens of people who got Sebenzas and I can't remember one was disappointed that they bought it.I think most of the negative remarks about it are from people who do'nt have one or never even tried it.I think the Benza is one of the best buys in folding blades.Many of the first time buyers wind up getting another.I'm even thinking about getting the wood inlay (which would be my third).
 
I would say that it would depend on your disposable income. If you can afford the extra initial investment, the Sebenza is the best choice. In the unlikely event that you would not like it you could get 95% of your investment back by selling the knife. In my opinion you would not be disapointed.

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Dale Richmond
AKTI Number A000949
 
Before you rush right out and buy one, you should take two factors into consideration first.
1.) You should handle one before you commit to it. If you drop several hundred bucks on one, sight unseen, then decide you don't like the way it fits your hand, well, that bites.
2.) You need to look at what you are realistically willing to spend on a work knife. If you can afford the high tariff for a Sebenza, then go for it. If not, maybe you should look at another integral lock, like the BM Pinnacle, or the CRKT S-2, or wait awhile and see what comes out in the near future.
Either way, Good Luck with your choice.
smile.gif



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If it's stupid but works, then it isn't stupid!
 
The Sebenza is the Maserati of the knife world....and priced similarly.
I had one but couldn't justify keeping it. Same as my Maserati (kidding)
What it boils down to is pride of ownership. If you want one and can justify having one, get it.
But don't get sucked into the "mom, but all the other kids have one" syndrome.
Like the Maser, it ain't gonna work any better than something for a whole lot less $

Damn, I like being the guy who traded a Seb....kinda like bragging you divorced Michelle Pfeiffer because she wasn't as tall as you thought
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BrianWE

I had no shoes and wept...until I met a man who had no feet. Cheapest pair of shoes I ever bought.
 
An integral lock is basically a liner lock that that interlocks with the tang of the blade right? That is an improvement over liner locks and sounds a lot more reliable, but that isn't the only thing I don't like about them. I really don't understand purposely putting your fingers in the path of the blade while you close it. The lock is to keep the blade from closing on your hand right? So why put it somewhere that you close the knife on your hand anyway? Might as well carry a slip lock.
Heading back to my cave now so you don't hunt me down and show me how sharp your sebenza is
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Fix it right the first time, use Baling Wire !
 
Hey, 343.....watcha got to trade ?



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BrianWE

I had no shoes and wept...until I met a man who had no feet. Cheapest pair of shoes I ever bought.
 
Matt, the Integral lock is similar to a liner lock in how the lock bar meets the blade tang. The difference is that the lock bar is cut out of the handle scale itself, and not just a liner. In use, your grip re-enforces the lock itself, and the lock bar is much thicker and stronger, and makes more contact on the tang. Extremely strong, and the most proven and reliable lock available.

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James Segura
San Francisco, CA
 
I vote for the Sebenza too.
I have a large and small Sebenza as well as an Unfaam. I call them my "Zulu Trio".
They are by far the best knives in my collection.
Oh yeah, I use them.
Bill
 
Eric, Sebenza is a great knife. You've now heard it a dozen times over. But until you see and handle one you won't really know how nice it is! So if you have the chance to see and try one out somewhere, do that. It's the only way to be sure you know what size you will be buying first
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- and of course in the end you'll realize that you need the other size too
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Hugo.
 
I was never really much impressed by the Sebenza - until I handled one. Very impressive. The integral lock seems to me to be much more secure than other liner locks,[excepting perhaps the rolling lock and axis lock which are less convenient] My problem with the sebenza is that at that price I would like a distictive knife, which means a decorated. Now the Sebenza is really in direct competition with the customs. I still haven't decided if I should spring for a decorated Sebenza or whether I should spend just a little more money on a Carson or a Lightfoot, or an Elishewitz, for example. Geez, they're even easier to find.
 
Thank you all, I am hearing a lot of good and really the only bad thing I hear is the price. If I bought one it sure would HAVE to be the last knife purchase for a while(yea right). I just don't know if I can justify spending that much and then actually using it.
 
Just do a search for "Sebenza", then do a search for those other 5 or 6 knives you were thinking about...answer your question?

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-AR

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- AKTI Member ID# A000322
 
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