Sebenza Stiffness

Nathan Ihrke

Nathan Ihrke

Joined
Sep 28, 2008
Messages
864
So i went to go see how i liked the sebenza today at a local knife shop... the first thing i noticed though was how stiff the knife was when opening and closing it... does it ever loosen up?
 
Oh yeah...mine opens smooth as butter. Also, you have to be careful not to press on the locking bar when you open it one-hand.
 
If it was a display model then it's probably been opened and handled a lot... just needed some oil on the pivot. They're very smooth when properly oiled.
 
Mine wasn't stiff and it was brand new. The one you saw might need some lubing.
 
They loosen,it will be fast i have 5 from a old style classic to the new 21's,oil it down and it will be you fav knife.
 
Common issue:

- Opening technique is important, that you are not putting additional pressure on the lock bar.

- Pocket clip can put significasnt extra pressure on the lock bar, I usually bend them out slightly.

- New sebs usually benefit from a disassembly and cleaning/relube.

- they wear in, but you can hurry it along by polishing the washers.
 
I've had mine for at least 6 years now and it opened smooth as silk when I got it out of the box and is still doing so now, and I haven't taken it apart or put a single drop of lube on it.
 
Thanks a lot folks... won't count it out yet then
Just got to handle one for the first time today and was expecting it to be better... there were numerous benchmades at the store that were much smoother than the crk's for sale at this store. don't think they had been opened much
 
Nathan Ihrke said:
Thanks a lot folks... won't count it out yet then
Just got to handle one for the first time today and was expecting it to be better... there were numerous benchmades at the store that were much smoother than the crk's for sale at this store. don't think they had been opened much
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I would be suspicious that the Seb you saw in the shop had been fiddled with by somebody.
 
Well... there were about 16 different sebenzas, large and small, a variety of micarta, damascus, etc... i tried 5 or 6 and all felt the same.
I handled numerous other knives they had, spydercos, sogs, protechs, microtechs, benchmades, william henry's... all seemed normal
 
My brand new Sebenza was very stiff on opening, which was disappointing for me. I asked the forum and per instructions polished the washers with flitz. Now it's very smooth.
 
Thats part of the fun. I tightened mine down a little and just opened and closed it while I watched TV. After a couple days of doing that I took mine apart and cleaned/lubed them. Put them back together and are smooth and silky.
 
Like the others have said, they smooth out with use.

It seems to me that most Titanium framelocks are a little stiff/rough at first but all pretty much break in eventually. I think a lot of it has to do with the ball/detent as much as anything else - the ball has to wear into the blade a tiny bit in order for things to really smooth out (this will be exacerbated if the blade has a rougher finish). Also you have to keep in mind that Ti galls against steel.

Not a Sebenza but the same principle (plus I would have had to disassemble my Seb. to get the same effect:p :D).

IMG_1361.jpg


p.s. I know that you were also thinking about a Strider and they tend to be just a little stiff ;) (read that as: usually even stiffer than a Sebenza/hard as heck to open and close) :D when new as well.
 
good to know, thanks for telling me...
problem is the store i visited had so many gems that i am truly distracted from my original mission to get a sebenza or strider
 
Sebenza Stiffness
Well, that's a new term for it.
 
i sat for like 5 minutes thinking of the problem and that was the most accurate title i could come up with
 
Nathan Ihrke said:
good to know, thanks for telling me...
problem is the store i visited had so many gems that i am truly distracted from my original mission to get a sebenza or strider
Click to expand...

Easy solution to that: Get 'em all! :D

I know the feeling man, I wish I didn't have to pick and choose either but the torment of deciding is part of the fun. ;) :D

I don't know how many times I thought I had my mind made up and then went with something completely different. :D
 
it really starts to add up though... between the strider, sebenza, and like 3 different protechs its like $1200 and im going to college right now
 
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