Sebenza/Umfaan design question

Longden · Dec 23, 1999

Spacers again.

I've been told by CRK that that a spacer "option" wasn't available now or in the foreseeable future, and this puts a crimp in my desire to buy one.

I'd really like a spacer to help keep out the loose pocket change for clipless/sheathless pocket carry (ala an ordinary pocket knife).

I obviously don't have either knives, and just wondered if CRK knife fans know of an obvious design purpose why this isn't done. My guess is weight ... but then, why not do so on the light Umfaan? Is this a significant modification, or one that I can maybe have a custom maker add-on for me (and will this void any warranty). Thanks.

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Longden Loo - Ventura, CA
Technology's the answer, what's the question?

stjames · Dec 22, 1999

Longden, there isnt much room for a spacer in the small Sebenza. The blade fills up most of the handle when closed, there is maybe 1/8th of an inch of clear space between the cutting edge of the blade and the outside edge of the handle slabs. I just don't think you can fit in a spacer. The situation is magnified on the Umfaan, as it is basically a scaled down version of the knife.

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James Segura
San Francisco, CA

Longden · Dec 22, 1999

Thanks James. I wasn't aware that the remaining space was so small. I just came back from a knife shop and had noted then that the Sebenza blades were wide (edge to spine) and it hadn't occurred to me to see how that affected the clearance to the edge of the handle.

Guess I'll have to pass on CRKs for a while till I decide to change my mode of carry.

Spidey · Dec 22, 1999

I throw my small in my pocket -- I wear a suit all day and I don't want to leave it hanging out via the clip. No problems to speak of, but then I don't usually carry change, etc. Maybe I'll have the car keys in the same pocket, but I try to avoid throwing other stuff in there.

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...the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives (Joshua 5:2)

ThomM · Dec 22, 1999

I'm pretty sure a guy like Corduroy could make you a spacer. Shouldn't effect warranty as the knife is made to take down, and you could interchange spacer to (stock) spacers anytime.

Gary W. Graley · Dec 22, 1999

I carry my William Henry Lancet in my right hand front pocket all the time now, no change in the pocket only other thing there is an M2 AFCK clipped to the top, and yet there still are annoying burnish marks, not full fledge scratches but it is still visible marks on the bolster ends, I'd have to remove the bolsters to polish them because I wouldn't want to remove the blue on the titanium liners, so I'm stuck with that but it taught me a lesson, slip sheaths that don't come up higher than the knife don't do the trick.

The spacer thing, don't know if you could have Drew make something, since the one spacer is the blade stop and with the blade closed the edge comes in to about midway, at least on the Umfaan I'm looking at right now. So that leaves only one spacer, if he drilled another hole to secure it, it might go against the warranty?

G2

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"There are no dangerous weapons;
there are only dangerous men."
.......... Robert A. Heinlein, 1959

G2 Leatherworks

JoHnYKwSt · Dec 23, 1999

You should really drop Drew an email. The last time I talked to him, we talked about modifying my sebenza. He suggested a spacer, but I declined. Maybe there's hope after all.

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Johnny
[]xxxxxx[]=============>

Humpty · Dec 23, 1999

Hmm, what exactly does a spacer do? Where is it at? What is it? Thanks

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-Humpty

AKTI Member # A000984
Proverbs 23:2

Longden · Dec 23, 1999

Lots of good feedback and information.

Humpty: The spacer I'm referring to is usually a long piece of plastic or metal between the liners of the handle, and usually covers the open slot on the same side of the handle as the stop pin. The spacer often provides added structural support for the handles (obviously unnecessary on the Seb), and when the blade is closed, serves to keep foreign objects (like coins and dirt) from intruding into the blade area from the slot.

Johnny, Gary and ThomM: I'll drop Drew a line when he's not so busy. Heartening to know that he had made the suggestion himself before. A nice gold spacer with Drew's custom filework .... He's already doing another weird customization for me on my BF Native as we speak.

Gary: I don't doubt that there may be design issues with the mod. I'm not concerned about voiding the warranty, as long as the mod looks sound to me ... something I'll deal with when the opportunity comes.

I'm not much for collectibles, and excepting my Buck 532MS, all my other knives have the usual dents, dings and scratches that I'd expect a knife to endure as part of its "karma". True, there are ways I can arrange my carry to suit the knife, but the knife has more value to me the less it limits my options. Thanks.

Sebenza/Umfaan design question

Longden

stjames

Sebenzanista

Longden

Spidey

ThomM

Gary W. Graley

“Imagination is more important than knowledge"

JoHnYKwSt

Humpty

Longden