Sebenza or other titanium folders?

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celticpride2133

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So I just wanted to get the opinion from some sebenza owners, if you "flick" the sebenza will the knife become damaged? I have seen many people comment about not flicking the sebenza, also if I enjoy opening and closing my knives would this cause the frame bar to rub down? and is their a titanium folder you can flick? thanks guys
 
I have a few a couple of sebs and a zaan. I can flick the zaan but don't flick it very often. My sebs are smooth but not smooth enough to flick.

Chris Reeve said in a post a few years ago Not to Flick sebs......it's hard on them. I think he also said if a knife if sent in for a repair that he can tell

if a knife has been flicked.........................

I know it doesn't do the lockface and the tang any good to be slammed into each other.
 
Since you find enjoyment out of opening & closing/flicking knives I would say that a $350-$450 Sebenza is not the best choice of knife. Despite all the hoopla lately, Sebenzas are not made of tin foil or dissolve if flicked. It just wasn't designed for flicking. There are other frame locks that can take more abuse but there is still going to be wear. I'm not sure if any of those knives are 3.2oz if weight is something to consider.
 
Not to be off the wall, but have you ever owned a balisong? they are the ultimate knife/toy hybrid.

I think that a sebenza would do you good but maybe you might be better served by a grayman dua. About half the price and custom to boot, they are just fun knives to play with and incredibly rugged. http://graymanknives.com/dua.html
 
I have or had both the Sebenza and Zaan. Most CRKs have a "hydraulic" like action or dampened type action and are not the best flickers. They are super smooth but not loose enough to flick in most cases, from my experience anyway.

In fact, I prefer the experience of feeling that action from beginning to the lockup personally ;) It feels good :D
 
Chris Reeve himself recently flicked a Sebenza 8,000 times (with some help) with no damage at all. Flicking does NOT hurt the knife at all, per CRK.
 
You have to have a very strong thumb to flick open a Sebenza. But flicking it open will deprive you of that "ahhh" feeling as the blade slides into place and that satisfying ka-click sound as it locks in.... I just love the smoothness...
Of course, it's also fun to flick the ZT 0550 which is built like a tank. But it doesn't have the buttery smooth opening feeling of the Sebenza. MY ZTs feel "loose" compared to the Sebenza, even though they are rock solid... Get yourself a ZT and flick away!
 
The lock face is Hardened so it doesnt wear, take a flashlight and look and you will see where its been hardened. Also the blade stop pin can be rotated , incase a flat spot ever did develop.
 
What Chris Reeve said was that he will not stand behind knives with a warranty if they have been wrist-flicked. Using the thumb studs will not void the warranty. I've had both a seb and a zann, and flick them open very easily using the thumb studs. No damage, solid performance, top notch knives. I do own (and appreciate) my 0561, but for the price, nothing beats a sebenza IMO.
 
Thumb flicking seems to be fine (as a few posts by CRK intimate), but wrist flicking is a no-no. For any knife.
 
If you really want to flick, a Benchmade Axis lock might be the right knife--a Griptillian or Mini-Grip.
 
I flick my Lg Sebbie quite a bit and have not noticed any lock bar travel over the last year.
I have 2 Umnumzaans and they have a ceramic ball at the end of the lock bar that does double duty as a detent and is what actually touches the locking surface of the blade, saving the titanium from the lockbar from premature wear. Took it apart recently and looked at the Ceramic under a 10x loupe... seems to have no wear at all.

My Titanium Military has a steel lock bar insert..... I flick that one way more than any other, haven't noticed any lock bar travel on that one either.
 
Just go with a balisong, if you just want to open and close the knife you cant go wrong with that one.
 
CrimsonTideShooter said:
Chris Reeve himself recently flicked a Sebenza 8,000 times (with some help) with no damage at all. Flicking does NOT hurt the knife at all, per CRK.
Click to expand...

No offence Crimson but this is difficult to believe as CR himself practically asked me to leave his table area at the CA Custom Knife Show a few years ago because i had questioned him about how hard that this particular Seb i was fondling was to open, he said that all of them were like that and that eventually the knife would ease up, i showed him the indent on my thumb as the thumb stud nearly punctured through my skin, then i showed him my titanium Brian Fellhoelter custom and how smooth and flickable can still be solid, easy and not have blade play. He started squinting at me and said that his knives were not for just anyone and that he prefers buyers who can apppreciate a well made knife. I agreed, the CR Seb is rock solid and perfect in f&f, no doubt but he was right, his knives were not ment for me. I walked away and never looked back. Knowing how he felt about flicking, I'm curious why he would flick it open 8000 times???

I flicked a Buck Cross lock back in late 90's, probably 100-200 times a day for at least a year, i still have that knife, i dont use it anymore but it still works fine.
 
CRK is talking about using your wrist and thumb, flicking it normally with just your thumb will be fine, the lockbar face is heatreated so there is fine layer of very hard ti so that it won't wear out prematurely. Thats part of the reason they can last 20+ years:thumbup: I have many Ti folders and my Sebenza's are easily my favorite. If you can't justify the $ the Sage 2 is also a great knife. I am fond of the buttery hydraulic feeling that comes with opening a Seb so I prefer to open without flicking but to each there own
 
I agree with everyone about the buttery hydraulic feeling. It is the smoothest knife I own, while maintaining
rock solid with no blade play in any direction. The sebenza is the best made folder I have ever handled and
even though they aren't inexpensive, I think they are still great value considering the tolerances and machining.
 
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