Sebenza vs Hinderer? (Old Thread)

[halden.doerge]

Owned, used, dismantled and maintained both. I'd take a Sebenza 21 any day of the week. It's just a better knife if you actually cut things, plus it's tolerances are better, it's got 1 single tool to dismantle the entire knife and hey IT"S INCLUDED WITH YOUR PURCHASE. Hinderer need to stop money grabbing and include the tool for their "custom" pivot. The whole hard use thing is so moot, the Sebenza is stupidly strong, the Hinderer just has a fatter tip, in fact i'd argue the Sebenza lock bar is better, way more tension and look at the thinnest point on the Hinderer lock bar, it's still skinny regardless of how fat the scales are. FYI unless you re-profile your Hinderer to at least 18 degrees per side it will cut like a fat axe head...have a go at cutting an apple or slicing something, it's laughable. Just way too much metal behind the cutting edge. Just my honest opinion after using both for some time.

So true. But dammit, I still love Hinderers! (And yes, reprofile them all to 18dps or less!)

 

[colubrid]

Owned, used, dismantled and maintained both. I'd take a Sebenza 21 any day of the week. It's just a better knife if you actually cut things, plus it's tolerances are better, it's got 1 single tool to dismantle the entire knife and hey IT"S INCLUDED WITH YOUR PURCHASE. Hinderer need to stop money grabbing and include the tool for their "custom" pivot. The whole hard use thing is so moot, the Sebenza is stupidly strong, the Hinderer just has a fatter tip, in fact i'd argue the Sebenza lock bar is better, way more tension and look at the thinnest point on the Hinderer lock bar, it's still skinny regardless of how fat the scales are. FYI unless you re-profile your Hinderer to at least 18 degrees per side it will cut like a fat axe head...have a go at cutting an apple or slicing something, it's laughable. Just way too much metal behind the cutting edge. Just my honest opinion after using both for some time.

GREAT POST!

And I used both for a long time as well. I have the same opinion.

 

[Mick_1KRR]

So true. But dammit, I still love Hinderers! (And yes, reprofile them all to 18dps or less!)

They are still very cool tough knives despite the negatives

 

[Aquaholicc]

Owned, used, dismantled and maintained both. I'd take a Sebenza 21 any day of the week. It's just a better knife if you actually cut things, plus it's tolerances are better, it's got 1 single tool to dismantle the entire knife and hey IT"S INCLUDED WITH YOUR PURCHASE. Hinderer need to stop money grabbing and include the tool for their "custom" pivot. The whole hard use thing is so moot, the Sebenza is stupidly strong, the Hinderer just has a fatter tip, in fact i'd argue the Sebenza lock bar is better, way more tension and look at the thinnest point on the Hinderer lock bar, it's still skinny regardless of how fat the scales are. FYI unless you re-profile your Hinderer to at least 18 degrees per side it will cut like a fat axe head...have a go at cutting an apple or slicing something, it's laughable. Just way too much metal behind the cutting edge. Just my honest opinion after using both for some time.

Yeah the Benzas drop point just looks like it would do anything I ask of it with ease and just is beautiful looking man. I'm mainly making slicing cuts when I strip romex and other cables I deal with. So Hinderer gets a -1 for blade thickness for sure

 

[Aquaholicc]

It's funny the longer this post lives..the more the Hinderer fans come out of the woodwork to voice their opinions.

It sounds like one couldn't go wrong with just owning these two knives the rest of their lives. I may be inclined to selling my ZT now just to fund one of these faster ..ugh

 

[Peter Hartwig]

We recently got a knife shop in my city, and for the most part the employees are pretty well informed, and you can tell that they are into knives. But on two different occasions, two different employees referred to thier CR knives as "handmade".

I didn't correct them, I was going to tell them that they're hand fitted, but I didn't want to come across as a knife snob.

Plus now someone can take home a "handmade" Chris Reeve when they buy one from there.

Unless he was selling an H Sebenza Super rare collectable
For those that may not know, the earliest Sebenzas were handmade and were marked with an H, followed by those marked with a P for production. This is all many, many years back(1989).

 

[whitty]

I am a fan of both so I don't think you can go wrong either way. I own a few Chris Reeve Knives but own a lot more Hinderer. I will tell you the same thing I tell every customer that ask about one versus the other. Get the one that appeals to you the most. If you don't you will just be back for the other one sooner rather than later. I certainly understand people having a tough decision between these 2. They are both $400+ knives and they are both very well made. The good news about either is when you get it you will get a great knife!

 

[Aquaholicc]

I am a fan of both so I don't think you can go wrong either way. I own a few Chris Reeve Knives but own a lot more Hinderer. I will tell you the same thing I tell every customer that ask about one versus the other. Get the one that appeals to you the most. If you don't you will just be back for the other one sooner rather than later. I certainly understand people having a tough decision between these 2. They are both $400+ knives and they are both very well made. The good news about either is when you get it you will get a great knife!

Yahhh that's what I figured. Thanks for the input man!

 

[DJC72]

I own and enjoy knives from both companies and believe they are top shelf production knives. I give Hinderer the nod over Crk and agree with some of the criticism that Hinderer warrants.

Crk are not perfect either. I wish they ran their 35vn another point harder to 60-61. I find their ergonomics average and with my dexterity failing with age, Crk feel cumbersome to open and close with one hand. Some might find their design boring.

Please don't take my opinions as Crk bashing. No knife is perfect and my gripes are minor. These are my two favorite top tier production knives and I do see a large Inkosi in my future.

 

[lemonslush]

Both have their pros and cons aside from both being frame lock knives they dont have much else in common. Just buy both and sell the one/s you don't like.

A pictures worth a thousands words. Seeing it in person is worth.. more than a thousand words?

 

[Aquaholicc]

I own and enjoy knives from both companies and believe they are top shelf production knives. I give Hinderer the nod over Crk and agree with some of the criticism that Hinderer warrants.

Crk are not perfect either. I wish they ran their 35vn another point harder to 60-61. I find their ergonomics average and with my dexterity failing with age, Crk feel cumbersome to open and close with one hand. Some might find their design boring.

Please don't take my opinions as Crk bashing. No knife is perfect and my gripes are minor. These are my two favorite top tier production knives and I do see a large Inkosi in my future.

Nope I take everyone criticism as constructive as possible. I could definitely see that some people would find the design/ergonomics of a CRK a bit bland. But half the time it's that simplicity that wins a lot of folks over. Yeah it would be interesting to see how this "softer" s30v will hold up with the task I ask of it. I have a lot of experience with 3v and 3VN, so I'm hoping it doesn't effect the retention tooo too bad. :/

 

[Aussie john boy]

I recently got an xm-18 spanto 3.5" I really like it always wanted one got it from @matt009au the only issue I had was the way it flips funny for a knife that started the flipping craze but Matt gave me sage advice loosen pivot lube it up and do the push button, now I can't put it down, man I'm tragic!!

 

[Phixt]

Case Trapper. Run ya bout $40. And you'd be amazed how well it cuts things.

Aquaholicc, aren't you the guy that was preachin your PM2 over a Sebenza a few days ago, even though you're still waitin to own your first Sebenza?

Hinderer just looks too blocky in the blade to me. I haven't been compelled to grab one yet.

Crk are not perfect either. I find their ergonomics average and with my dexterity failing with age, Crk feel cumbersome to open and close with one hand. Some might find their design boring.

Please don't take my opinions as Crk bashing. No knife is perfect and my gripes are minor. These are my two favorite top tier production knives and I do see a large Inkosi in my future.

What model/s, sir? Sebenza, Inkosi, Mnandi, just one or all above and others?

 

[ourgon]

Sebenza is like Liam Nesson in suit, Hinderer is like Liam Nesson in battle uniform.

 

[dwdickey]

Not really a fair comparison, two different classes of knives really, hinders is a bit tougher but you may lose some slicing ability. CRK is a bit sleeker and more of an everyday knife with decent all around capabilities. Owning both each have their weak points and their strong points so to speak. If you can handle both get the one that feels the best in hand.

 

[DJC72]

Phixt, I own a carbon fiber Sebenza 25 and a Startac. The 25 is a nice knife but I have never warmed up to it. I don't find it very smooth either. The Startac on the other hand, absolutely love that knife. It's one sexy blade!

 

[Aquaholicc]

Case Trapper. Run ya bout $40. And you'd be amazed how well it cuts things.

Aquaholicc, aren't you the guy that was preachin your PM2 over a Sebenza a few days ago, even though you're still waitin to own your first Sebenza?

Hinderer just looks too blocky in the blade to me. I haven't been compelled to grab one yet.


What model/s, sir? Sebenza, Inkosi, Mnandi, just one or all above and others?

I wasn't preaching persay lol, by yes I was just griping about the steel choice vs price point of the Sebenza. But I've come to the conclusion that I NEED to see what the Benza hype is all about lol.

 

[Aquaholicc]

Phixt, I own a carbon fiber Sebenza 25 and a Startac. The 25 is a nice knife but I have never warmed up to it. I don't find it very smooth either. The Startac on the other hand, absolutely love that knife. It's one sexy blade!

I hear a lot of the times the bushings on the Sebenzas are over sized so so thescales end up putting more resistance on the bushing rather than the pivot point. Apparently you take apart the knife, get 2000 grit sandpaper and take off .1 of a millimeter from the "blade side" of the bushing and it's 20x smoother.

I guess this is the biggest complaint with CRK knives. I think it's unacceptable for us the "public" to have to go through this when paying for a "top tier" production folder.

 

[Ajack60]

I hear a lot of the times the bushings on the Sebenzas are over sized so so thescales end up putting more resistance on the bushing rather than the pivot point. Apparently you take apart the knife, get 2000 grit sandpaper and take off .1 of a millimeter from the "blade side" of the bushing and it's 20x smoother.

I guess this is the biggest complaint with CRK knives. I think it's unacceptable for us the "public" to have to go through this when paying for a "top tier" production folder.

And where did you get this information? I don't recall anyone at CRK ever mentioning that their bushings were oversized causing issues. I've yet to get a CRK with sandpaper in the box. They do come with a allen wrench, grease, locktite on some models and a cloth, but never sandpaper.

Maybe you share the source of this info so everyone reading this thread won't be confused and misinformed.

 

[Cory Hess]

I've only handled a couple dozen CRK folders, but each one of them was smoother than any other production folder I've ever handled. Either I'm the single luckiest person alive or somebody's been misinformed about the smoothness of CRK knives.

Hinderer's are also great knives. I've only had the opportunity to handle two of them, one that I owned and traded away for a Sebenza and another that I still own. There is definitely a feeling of quality and a satisfaction that's derived from handling them. I just don't think that they're as practical for daily use, which has been said multiple times before. That doesn't make them any less desirable or legitimate. It's just a matter of what you're looking for in a knife.