Sebenza value?

[mitchfried]

Maybe I didn't express what I meant to say:

1. The Sebenza is a great knife.

2. It SHOULD cost more than an ordinary production knife.
Twice as much as a Benchmade or Spyderco? Having owned the knife, I'd be willing to spend as much as $225.00.

3. In my opinion, $300.00 exceeds the value of the knife, compared to other knives that cost roughly the same.

Would anyone pay MORE than $300.00 for a small Sebenza, and if so, how much MORE would you be willing to pay?

Having spent as much as $300.00 for the knife, would you use and abuse it like a $100.00 folder, or would it sit in your collection for admiration?

 

[shootist16]

Would anyone pay MORE than $300.00 for a small Sebenza, and if so, how much MORE would you be willing to pay?

Good question. I wonder at what point would people stop buying them. $400? $500?

 

[slide13]

Honestly, for a plain small Sebenza I would pay up to $400 if I couldn't get something of equal quality for less (can't think of anything off hand) Beyond that and it would be getting a little expensive and easily into the realm of nice custom stuff. I have a small wood inlay though that I did pay $400 for and I carry and use it every day. I wouldn't say I abuse it, but I don't really abuse any of my knives as it isn't usually needed in my daily life. I use it just as much as I've used any other knife I've ever owned. I don't doubt that the knife could handle the abuse though if it was called to do so.

 

[jayharley]

I think the Sebenza is a great value. I was at the Badger show over the weekend and got to handle a bunch of nice, high end folders (customs from a number of big makers and some high end production stuff also) and while a lot of it was very nice and many were great looking knives, nothing was as solid as my Sebenza. .

About a year ago I bought a large Classic Sebenza (with leather inserts), new, on Ebay for $360.00. I was definately worth it. I am not sure how much more I would have spent to buy it, but $360 was about my limit.

For me, I just wanted it to add to my collection as an upgrade "do everything" knife. I have given up buying "pure" handmade custom folders. With a Sebenza, you have a dependable company standing behind the product. CRK can fix most anything, in a reasonable length of time. My experience with "pure handmade custom" folders is that if something does need to be repaired, it can take too long.

The Sebenza, to me, is the best combination of being a production knife with the same positive attributes, and high quality as a custom knife. Yet it has none of the negative aspects of a pure custom folder.

 

[DaveH]

I payed $410 used, worth every penny

 

[patrickb]

I almost bought a Small Sebenza, but for a few more bucks, I got this. For me, it offered a tremendous value. Materials, workmanship and design IMO were better than the Sebenza. Just my opinion.

As has been previously stated, value is personal and in the eye of the beholder. We're all different, and thankfully there's lots of products at a variety of price points.

 

[DumboRAT]

Like many others have said above, this is totally a matter of personal preferences.....

Is a $100K Mercedes *_really_* all that much better than a $25K Honda? Or a stable of 4 said Hondas?

Hard to quantify, isn't it?



Some of us laugh at those who do not appreciate knives as much as we do as enthusiasts. They'd rather buy 10 of the $2.99 "Made-in-China Paki-steel" clones than they would spend $100 on a good Spydie, BM, or CRKT.

What's exactly the difference between that and enthusiasts who buy $100 knives, but see $300+ knives as wasteful?

I think there's a place for all of us here.



It's what makes this hobby so much fun - diversity.

Allen
aka DumboRAT

 

[fulloflead]

HERE IT IS from a 1st-time Sebenza owner of 4 weeks...

1. If the price of Sebenzas came down more people would buy Sebenzas.

2. The demand would go way up.

3. They (Reeve) would have to increase production to meet demand and to make the same amount of money.

4. People would have to be hired, a middle-management team built, and more machines purchased.

5. Too many things/people are now going on for Chris Reeve to keep a close eye on.

6. Little corners would be cut by middle-managers trying to "make their numbers".

7. Bigger corners would be cut by employees who aren't "committed" to the product when they're not being watched in order to go home early, etc.

8. Quality goes down. Fans complain.

9. Chris Reeve tries to make up money lost from fan-base by soliciting military contracts.

10. Changes are made to the design because some military committee demands it...

SHALL I GO ON?

Hey, it's happening to Microtech. :grumpy:

 

[RGRAY]

THAT'S what I've been saying all-along...The 'Benza is overpriced. For the price of one Sebenza, I can have 3 excellent Benchmade folders!

I would take my small Sebenza over the Benchmades.

I never leave home without it.

It will probably last longer than the three Benchmade too.

When you buy a Sebenza; you buy it for life.

 

[RobbW]

Maybe I didn't express what I meant to say:

Having spent as much as $300.00 for the knife, would you use and abuse it like a $100.00 folder, or would it sit in your collection for admiration?

I have three knives:

1) A Schrade Old Timer that I inherited from my Grandfather. A common, inexpensive knife that will always be with me.
2) A BM940CFD2 that I take camping, and
3) A Small Classic Sebenza for EDC.

I don't abuse the Sebenza by using it as a prybar/screwdriver, etc, but I don't baby it either. I do with it what I would do with a much cheaper knife--only I enjoy the experience of using it more that I would a knife with less fastidious construction.

I was so impressed with this knife when it first arrived that I threw away the original packaging and "birth certificate" so I would never be tempted to baby it or sell it for being a drawer queen. It is a pleasure to use and to sharpen.

I see one more knife in my future. I'm so impressed with the functioning of the Sebenza that I want a Mnandi in Giraffe Bone or Mammoth Ivory for a dress up knife--something with dressy, natural scales that won't scratch as easily as wood or leather scales, but will look better (IMHO) with some wear and mileage on it.

I know there are many here who collect much nicer knives than I'll ever own or even handle first hand, and I respect their interest in the craft of knifemaking. I have learned so much from others who have a different relationship to knives than me. Some are into the sharpening, types of steel or heat treatment, others understand the history and technological development of knives, some appreciate the aesthetics of their beautifully-arrayed collections. I've learned from folks coming from all these different perspectives and it's part of what makes the knife world so interesting.

For me the excitement is the ability to use something built right that fills the measure of what I want it to do, each and every time. The Sebenza does that for me. From price to utilitarian looks to a hundred other reasons, I can understand the why it wouldn't do the same for everyone.

 

[felder]

I think you missed the point. They collect Rolex -value- watches. The poster said they had many watches that cost the same as a Rolex, but had no Rolexes.

This means that the poster isn't above spending a lot of money for a watch. They feel however that the -value- they get when purchasing a Rolex is not as good as when purchasing another comparably priced watch.

Think of it this way. The average Joe may immediately think Rolex when asked about which watch to purchase in the several thousand dollar range. The poster would instead think (insert favorite here...omega, tag heuer, custom...i dunno i'm not a watch collector) instead because they feel those high end watches provide better value.

Perhaps the poster even has knives...customs for example that cost over $300.00.

Some how I doubt that as a watch "collector" he has a case full of G-Shocks.

This is a first for me. I don't think I've ever heard of a Rolex value watch collector calling a Sebenza overpriced. Rolexes and Sebenzas have a great deal in common in terms of philosophy. They both take engineering and craftsmanship to an extreme, beyond what 99.99% of their owners would ever truly understand. The extra work is usually only noticed by people who have enough understanding of the topic to appreciate the attention to detail.

Think of it this way. The "Average Joe" on the street might call a cheap G-Shock superior to a Rolex. The G-Shock will survive a 50 foot drop better than a Rolex and is a far more superb timekeeper. And you can buy MANY G-Shocks with your Rolex money. The same goes with a comparison of my Spyderco Military and Sebenza. I personally find the Military to be light years ahead of the Sebenza in true functionality. But an examination of craftsmanship reveals the Sebenza to be an engineering masterpiece, where the Military is merely an amazing workhorse.

Let’s face it. The extra money spent on a Sebenza is not to achieve a higher level of cutting performance. Neither are the big bucks spent on a Rolex used to attain a superior method of timekeeping. The big money is spent to have a finely crafted tool that will last for generations.

 

[Buzzbait]

Could you rephrase that, please? I don't understand what you're trying to say.

 

[mitchfried]

FELDER: You hit it on the head!!! I've bought lots of expensive watches and lots of expensive knives. IMHO, the Sebenza is worth more than my $100.00 Chinook, for example, but at $300.00 doesn't appeal to me. Remember, I bought the Sebenza, paid the dough, examined it for two weeks, then sold it.

Here's an example from the watch world. I own a Breitling that lists for $4,000.00, but sells for $3,000.00. It's my favorite watch, but at $4,000.00 it's overpriced, and I wouldn't buy it. A Rolex submariner lists for about $4,000.00 and sells for about the same. Fine watch, but not worth it, in my opinion. You can do better for the money.

BTW, Seiko dive watches are the best value in the market, and I recommend them without hesitation. For $250.00, you get reliability, ruggedness and decent quality. Kind of like a Benchmade or Spyderco!

Here's a nice one:

 

[Buzzbait]

I understand your point. I don't agree, but I do understand your point. Don't fret though. My wife never agrees with me about knives either.

 

[stjames]

SHALL I GO ON?

No, you are giving me nightmares as it is...

Waste your money any way you see fit. And let's just face it, fellows, when you compare the waste of $500 on knives it doesn't matter if it's on one, three or fifty. As long as you are happy with the result

 

[Mitchell Knives]

I think the Sebenza is a good value if you like the design of the knife and plan to keep it for a long while. I do feel that at $300.00, the knife is a little over priced. The knife will last forever so, I guess the price balances out. I've handled a few Sebenzas and I thought they were very nice knives. However, they didn't really catch my eye like some of my favorite Spyderco folders. There are a lot of lower priced knives that will be similiar in performance; with the Sebenza you are paying more for the attention to detal. If you like the knife, I say buy it.

 

[Temper]

It seems to me that whenever a discussion arises on the merits of expensive knives when compared to good quality non custom or just plain cheaper (but widely viewed as very similar in performance) Rolex gets thrown into the 'argument'.

I wear my Rolex daily be it for work or play. Everytime I look at it I get pleasure from it. The same way I would think that every time a Sebbie owner either puts his/her hand into their pocket and feels the metal or feels/hears the 'click' as it locks into place. There is just something inexplicably satisfying about it. Would I pay $3~400 for a Sebbie, yes, would I pay $700 for a Damascus (Yes, if it was hand made) The way I value material things is how much skill went into the production. Would I pay that for a non mechanical watch? No chance! Would I pay over $20 for a digital watch? HAHAHA you gotta be kidding right!

Its whatever floats your boat. Guys at the law firm I work in spend hundreds of $ a weekend on meals and drink, every weekend! I don't mind paying for stuff as long at it meets my critera for 'respect' i.e. it took a lot of skill to produce and I know there is no way on this green Earth that I could do the same thing.

 

[spyken]

I hope I'm blown away by the sebbie - I've never handled one, but I'm expecting a mayonised sebbie soon....

 

[dennis75]

i noticed a lot of you guys comparing either buying a CRK Sebenza or a couple of Spydercos/Benchmades/....., but there's something that needs to be said: if you like the 'near-customness' of the CRK but think its overpriced or 'not good value', but you want extreme value for money but you think that does not exist> then by all means, take a look at the AMK SERE 2000 and prepare to be enlightened. (sure, the pocket clip sucks bigtime :barf: , but the rest of the knife is superb! ). surprised nobody mentioned the AMK in this thread.......

 

[Geraldo]

I'm glad there are people who don't like sebs, since it leaves more for those of us who do like them.

I winced when I forked over for my first seb, but after owning and using it for years, BMs and a lot of other knives seem "cheap", not in monetary terms, but in quality. I guess I see it in reverse, for what Benchmades are and their cost, I think they are way overpriced.

If we all thought about it rationally (and we are clearly incapable of rational thought concerning knives), we'd go to the hardware store and buy one $20 pocket knife and be satisfied, like our grandfathers were.