Sebenza

[James Y]

For those defending the Sebenza, is a lock that fails under hand pressure alone acceptable to you?

I have never had a CRK knife fail, including under hand pressure. The only frame lock I've ever had do that was a Kershaw Vapor that I was examining at a Wal-Mart. I asked to see another one, and that one, too, closed as easily as a slip-joint folder, which meant I ended up not buying one.

I have an Emerson CQC7-A in which the liner lock will 'pop over' towards unlocking under hand pressure, but it's never actually come unlocked.

I say this as a person who has had a few criticisms of Sebenzas in the past. I would not consider myself a ''defender' of the Sebenza; but I like what I like, and my CRKs have worked for me with no problems.

Jim

 

[bghorn]

It's not the design's fault, it's the user's fault.

Sometimes it is bad design. I've seen plenty of tools break while being used "properly".

For example, folder, with one of the weakest locks I've ever had a pleasure to use, is advertised by manufacturer as:
"This heavy-duty piece of equipment is the folding knife's answer to the traditional fixed blade. Sturdy construction and pure heft ensure this knife will withstand any test you dare put it through."


Back to Sebenza. It's more of a jewelry piece than tool. A $400+ tool should do better.
Would you pay that kind of money for a screwdriver which strips heads? Most wouldn't. But hey, it has perfect fit and finish.

 

[bld522]

Glad to see Coldsteel is staying classy, don't have to worry about browsing their catalog anytime soon.

Yep. Browse this one instead:

http://www.18-xray.com/Brouchre/EXTREMA RATIO/files/extrema ratio catalog - january 2010.pdf

Pay particular attention to the description of the RAO on page 27, to wit:

"The result of our research is a knife called RAO; a survival knife that is not a big folder but a compact field knife with a strong, heavy blade and a very safe locking system that is assisted by an extra safe device which transforms the folder into a fixed blade knife." [Emphasis added]

If you see what I see, you just met the folder that the Tri-Ad lock cannot compete with . . . virtually or actually.

 

[Ccc]

Sometimes it is bad design. I've seen plenty of tools break while being used "properly".

For example, folder, with one of the weakest locks I've ever had a pleasure to use, is advertised by manufacturer as:
"This heavy-duty piece of equipment is the folding knife's answer to the traditional fixed blade. Sturdy construction and pure heft ensure this knife will withstand any test you dare put it through."


Back to Sebenza. It's more of a jewelry piece than tool. A $400+ tool should do better.
Would you pay that kind of money for a screwdriver which strips heads? Most wouldn't. But hey, it has perfect fit and finish.

I feel like your analogy misses the mark. It compares one tool's feature to another tool's primary purpose. A more accurate analogy would be purpose/purpose or feature/feature.

A knife with a lock that slips under abnormal pressure would be like a screwdriver with a handle that would break if you hammered the back of it.
The purpose of a knife is primarily to cut and not to lock, just like the purpose of a screwdriver is to fit and turn a screw and not to be struck from the back.

Both tools have versions that excel at either locking or handling rear impact, but those special features do not define a fine knife or screwdriver.

I don't purchase my knives based upon lock strength at all, or else I would never purchase traditionals or SAKs.

 

[bhyde]

For those defending the Sebenza, is a lock that fails under hand pressure alone acceptable to you?

It failed under hand pressure AFTER spine whacking and the strength test..I will also add had those two tests been reversed, the results may well be different...Don't think Demko knew this?
As in math, order of operations.

 

[bghorn]

I feel like your analogy misses the mark.

It doesn't

The purpose of a knife is primarily to cut and not to lock

And what is the purpose of a lock? That's right...

I don't purchase my knives based upon lock strength at all, or else I would never purchase traditionals or SAKs.

Well, one of my buying criteria is lock strength if I'm buying locking folder. If lock strength would be irrelevant, I would purchase slip joint instead.

 

[pvicenzi]

Cold Steel makes tough knives. (I own a few). They are sharp, and tough, but if you wish to slice a potato, apple, or carrot. you need to baton them. A 10 dollar Opinell does better.Further, I'm not sure that little ring lock would perform worse in these tests. What is the point?

 

[bld522]

Well, one of my buying criteria is lock strength if I'm buying locking folder. If lock strength would be irrelevant, I would purchase slip joint instead.

For heaven's sake, don't buy a slip joint. You might actually have to learn how to use a knife safely relying only your common sense. The horror! The horror!

Of course, if you do learn how to use a knife safely using only your common sense, the lock it contains may not have quite as much significance for you as it does now. That would be a pity.

 

[Kwon Kwang]

Nah. Let's see Cold Steel take on somebody its own size.

Like a lauded midtech knife maker known for making folding knives widely considered "the best"?

Not really any more disrespectful than those who refer to all CRK users as "butthurt fanboys".

Jim

That's also disrespectful, but it doesn't change my point.

 

[Ankerson]

I tested and reviewed the Sebenza 25 in the July/August Knives Illustrated and it held up fine to all I put it through.

 

[Ccc]

It doesn't

But for real though, it does...

And what is the purpose of a lock? That's right...

The purpose of a lock is to lock, the purpose of a knife is to cut.

A knife can still be a knife if it doesn't lock.
A knife can NOT be a knife if it doesn't cut.
Mark = missed.

Well, one of my buying criteria is lock strength if I'm buying locking folder. If lock strength would be irrelevant, I would purchase slip joint instead.

We differ on our preferences. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[evilgreg]

It failed under hand pressure AFTER spine whacking and the strength test..I will also add had those two tests been reversed, the results may well be different...Don't think Demko knew this?
As in math, order of operations.

He tests the normal operation of the lock after the spine whacking on all of them the same way, though, as far as I've seen.

Their tests, goofy or not, are at least pretty consistent. They front and back whack, and switch knives for the strength test to a brand new one.

I can't tolerate their videos enough to watch anything but the testing videos, and even those I've only seen a handful of, but I don't think I've seen another knife fail earlier on the weight test than the Sebenza, which is weird. Usually knives are failing at 150 - 200 lbs, not at 40 or whatever it was.

 

[jill jackson]

I tested and reviewed the Sebenza 25 in the July/August Knives Illustrated and it held up fine to all I put it through.

The cold steel crew will ignore anything positive, they're only interested in tests done by their own.

 

[bld522]

That's also disrespectful, but it doesn't change my point.

Nor does it let you sit down comfortably.

 

[evilgreg]

Nor does let you sit down comfortably.

lol**

 

[bld522]

The cold steel crew will ignore anything positive, they're only interested in tests done by their own.

And apparently, they won't test knives they know they can't beat either.

 

[bghorn]

For heaven's sake, don't buy a slip joint. You might actually have to learn how to use a knife safely relying only your common sense. The horror! The horror!

No need to be so condescending.

Of course, if you do learn how to use a knife safely using only your common sense, the lock it contains may not have quite as much significance for you as it does now. That would be a pity.

If you'd have some common sense you'd understand that lock makes possible to use knife in safe manner which isn't possible with non-locking knife.

 

[evilgreg]

And apparently, they won't test knives they know they can't beat either.

Isn't that thing like 12 ounces and not exactly convenient to open or close, though (unless I'm remembering wrong, doesn't it have to be assembled after opening by adding a pin or somesuch)?

That said, they did beat on one of those Wildsteer WX knives with the double lock--it did pretty terribly, as I recall, and it had the same sort of marketing "becomes a fixed blade" stuff, so maybe CS will take a stab at the RAO. Then again, maybe you're right and they already did, but they couldn't beat it so the video never saw the light of day . . .

 

[bld522]

If you'd have some common sense you'd understand that lock makes possible to use knife in safe manner which isn't possible with non-locking knife.

And if you had common sense, you'd realize that the best use of any safety system is not having to rely on it at all.

 

[Ankerson]

The cold steel crew will ignore anything positive, they're only interested in tests done by their own.

All I know is I gave it a real workout.

I carry that exact knife I tested everyday. :thumbup: