Sebenza vs Custom

M

MarshJr

Joined
Feb 10, 2005
Messages
59
Ive been doing a lot of reading lately on the Sebenza and ive found one that i really like for my first high end knife purchase. Its the sebenza with the american flag graphics, i think its just stunning.

That being said, 450 bucks could buy a lot of custom folders. I dont know very much about the custom knife world and would love to have some input on a similar product (large sebenza sized folder) that i can get in a reasonable amount of time (dont wanna sit on a waiting list for a year.)

Any help would be greatly appreciated,

David
 
IMHO the wait will be worth it........I have 2 CRK "Stars and Stripes" regular Sebenzas; the small is one of my edcs.........but then I didn't wait. I bought both at the same Blade/Atl. show.:D
 
What it realy comes down to is a matter of personal taste and preference. There is no shortage of high quality user knives that can be ad for the under $500 mark. From my own experience the Sebenza compares very favorably with most other custom knives in its price range. It is hard to beat a Sebenza in terms of quality availability, and actual usability.

Where custom knives take a slight lead is in the ability to customize them to your exact needs and desires. With a Sebenza what you see is what you get, with some limited choices as far as decoration is concrened. Lets put aside the options of decorating and inlay materials for the moment as they are rather unimportant to the actual functioning of the knife. By going custom you can get any steel you want for the blade, any blade shape, any size blade, etc. etc. What you should do is seriously consider what you want in a knife, and what features of your other knives you like and dislike. Then come up with an "ideal" knife that has all the features you like from other knives. You can then shop around for custom makers that can build something to your specs.

If the Sebenza appeals to you as it is, and you want nothing significantly different then go for it. It really is hard to beat them in my experience. I owned one for a year or two but ended up selling it only when I started buying customs that combined some features that I prefered, and thus didn't carry the Sebenza anymore. The good news is that even if you do buy one and decide that it just isn't right for you they can always be sold without much trouble, or as much loss as other knives.
 
I have several Chris Reeve knives and treasure each one. But there is a special feeling about helping design a custom knife. I have one custom so far and it is from a maker near me. His wife works at the bank, so its kind of a neat deal.
 
Word is that the Sebenza is the best engineered folder out there. I know they are pretty darn consistant in what you get. I have paid $350 and more for custom folders that don't compare to one of Chris Reeves Sebenzas.

I won't mention names but there are some guys making and selling custom folders for $275 and up that have one lock of .040 titanium and a stop pin through that one piece of metal but no liner on the non lock side. Just a micarta or non stabalized wood handle with a hole for the other side of the stop pin. Now I don't know about you guys but that is just asking for trouble. Heaven help you if you really go to use the knife and put too much force on that stop pin that is only supported by metal on one side that is all I can say.

Don't believe me. Email or PM me and I'll show you in private. If you want one I can even tell you where there is one for sale right now for $275 plus shipping and you'd probably be surprised where.
 
I love the Seb, but personally feel that once you get too customized, for what it winds up costing, it might as well have been a full blown custom from a top maker. I feel the same way when I see fully tricked out William Henrys. To each his own. Then again, with the Seb, you'll always know that when it arrives, it will operate like a champ, due to CRK's continual award-winning QC. I have had many customs that needed to be sent to the maker for a fixup right after getting the knife new from a dealer.
 
Check out Rick Hinderer's FireTacs.
http://www.rhknives.com/Rhknives/Firetacx.html

Very nice knives with a bit more variety it would seem than Sebbies. More blade options too. I own both and prefer my Hinderers. They are a bit cheaper than a large Sebbie now too I think.

Here's a comparison pic:
FireTacCompSebbies02.gif


later,

oily
 
I gotta agree with oily here. I only own 1 folder and it's a Sebbie, but if there is ever to be a second, it will be one of Rick's.

My Sebbie has been Mayonized and now I really have a hard time looking at a Sebbie without holes in it. After carrying it for a year or so you just come to think they all look like that. I would also have a hard time dealing with any folder whos quality and performance is below that of a Sebbie. That would probably be all but a handfull (around that price point) and some pretty expensive customs.

I really love my Sebbie and want to get a small, but when the funds are there I think it will be one of Ricks knives in the same size range of the small Sebbie. Especially since Tom Mayo doesn't re do Sebs anymore.

You won't go wrong with the Seb, but there are other options out there. Just take your time and choose wisely.

If you have the $$$, buy both. LOL

Rob
 
with Sebbies, pefection comes at the cost of customisation (except for those offered by the factory). Perfection - You won't find squeaky ball detents, poor lock up, misaligned scales, blemishes etc. In customs, you do find these things sometimes, altho the makers will definitely fix em up - on the plus side, you can have customised options.
 
Customs are cool, the only thing is in my opinion they need to be handled and looked over carefully. Im a perfection junkie and thats why i love the sebenza, perfection every time.
 
OilMan said:
Check out Rick Hinderer's FireTacs.
http://www.rhknives.com/Rhknives/Firetacx.html

Very nice knives with a bit more variety it would seem than Sebbies. More blade options too. I own both and prefer my Hinderers. They are a bit cheaper than a large Sebbie now too I think.

later,

oily
Click to expand...
hey oily, how does the fit & finish of the hinderer firetac compare to the seb's? i haven't handled one, but if it's even with the seb's i think i have a new fave custom that i might take over a seb; i've always liked the fact that it's larger, stouter, & a bit more artful. also, how's the handle comfort compared to the seb?
 
Garlic,
The fit and finish is the same as a Sebbie, perfect. I'd say it would be an equal playing field with the Sebbies except that with the FireTacs are a little more visually pleasing. Oh ya, and you get more of a choice with blade styles. I'll try to find a pic of my newer one as that one is the shizznitz.

This is a big pic of my newest FireTac with Ebony inlay.

later,

oily
 
Just like customs Sebenzas can also have problems. My small Classic is perfect while my large Classic has an uneven grind and a lock that sticks. The large will go back to Reeve's soon to get tuned up. Overall though I think the quality level of a Sebenza is well above the norm for a production knife.
 
If you've been around BF for very long you should know what I think of the Sebenza..........PURE PERFECTION! From an engineering standpoint, the Sebenza is the most consistently built knife on the market today. I think that some custom framelock makers could take tips from the Sebenza. Now that I've established that, Rick Hinderer is making a framelock that is also PURE PERFECTION!! I've had 4 of the Firetacs (3 Extremes, 1 Regular) and all four have shown the exact same care and dedication to producing as near a perfect knife as possible. The lockup on all 4 hit at the same spot on each one........THATS consistency. The interlocking standoffs make the Firetac very strong and when you take one apart, with Rick's wholehearted approval, and then reassemble it the handles just snap together as neat as can be. The Lock Stabilizer that Rick created is simplicity itself and keeps you from spring the spring when you disengage it, and it also does away with the vertical movement that framelocks exhibit when squeezed really hard. Rick builds these in a couple of sizes; the regular Firetac has a 3.5" blade and is pretty much comparable to the large Sebbie. The Extreme models, my favorites as I have two with a 3rd on order, have a 4.25" blade and are thicker in the blade and in the titanium scales. You also have a textured scale that is standard and is either glass blasted or anodized, and you can opt for an inlay also. Here's the best part;

standard Firetac ..........$325.00
Firetac w/insert ...........$350.00 to $375.00
Firetac Extreme............$425.00
Extreme w/insert..........$450.00 to $500.00

Priced right in there with the Sebenza!


Btw Oily, that Firetac with the Ebony is SWEET!! I've got an Extreme I'll be picking up at Blade Show in June that will have the bowie blade and some primo Koa wood inserts.
 
oilman - thanks for the response, and that knife is damn gorgeous.

art - the firetac extreme is pretty much the ultimate custom, i'll grab one as soon as my budget budges a little. lookswise, it beats the sh!t out of the sebbie, IMO. now you guys are saying that it's got purrfect F&F??!! i'm even more sold than i was before. i figure on using my manix, & just sort of petting the firetac.. that is, unless i can get a spare.. or two.. or three.. oh the dreams this man has :D
 
Say, not to be off topic or anything, but are the stop pins on the Firetac press fit or held in with screws like on the Sebenza?

On topic, I'd go with either a Charles Marlowe knife (for a liner lock), or one of Rick's knives- MAN those are sweet!

Sincerely,
Anthony
 
I don't think you'll be disappointed Garlic. The Extreme is what I always wished CRK would do to the Sebenza. I just like the larger knives and make no bones about it. As I said in my last post it has a 4.25" blade. Blade thickness is .165" and the titanium scales measure out at about .150" thick............quite beefy all around. Another thing I didn't mention is the ability to have it tip up or tip down with a nice titanium insert in the unoccupied slot.

One thing I'd better mention; Rick is flying low under the radar with his tacticals. It won't be long before these probably go up in price. I know that Rick used to make high dollar art knives w/some of them being auto's, and he made his own damascus. I don't think he has been building the Firetacs but a couple to three years, and I could be wrong....wouldn't be the first time! :D :D :D
 
SpyderJon said:
Say, not to be off topic or anything, but are the stop pins on the Firetac press fit or held in with screws like on the Sebenza?


Sincerely,
Anthony
Click to expand...

Good question. Anyone?

Rob
 
The stop pin, along with the two standoffs, is interlocking. They have a sleeve that fits into holes on both sides of the handle and the screw holds them in place. When you reassemble this knife the handle snaps into place over the pin and standoffs. It is an extremely strong way to join two halves together.
 
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