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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Senbenza or Van Gogh?
- Thread starter Architect
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 11, 1999
- Messages
- 669
I think it is pretty well known that we go to pretty considerable lengths to do what our customers want. By our way of thinking, it is the only right way to do business. We love to hear the compliments and are willing to stand by while we get criticized. We know that it is not possible to please all of the people all of the time. Because there is a big picture out there, one that encompasses customers all over the world, we have a few policies to which we adhere.
One such policy is that we have exclusive distribution agreements with a few countries - England, Netherlands, Italy and Germany. These agreements have been in existence for several years and they preclude us from selling knives directly to customers in these countries. We offer customer support to customers in these countries, and will quote prices at which we would sell the knife, discuss options on knives and will work directly with the customer on repairs and refurbishing but, when it comes to purchase of new knives, we will direct the customer to our representative in that country. Adrian, I can't comment on your interaction with True North Knives because it is between the two of you. I can say that Bridget was correct in telling you that we could not send a new knife directly to you. With reference to the stars and stripes Sebenza that you mentioned, this was an order discussed but never confirmed. Yes, Bridget should have referred you immediately to Framar in the UK but she was trying to help you sort out exactly what options were available. We can continue to service your knives as we have done in the past but we can't sell knives directly to you in the UK.
Then there is the issue of options on knives. We are happy to provide the service and work with our customer as he/she decides on details of the options that can be chosen for a knife most of these on Sebenzas. Daily, we work through the choices like ... new knife or upgrade an existing one, a custom graphic, should there be an cabochon inlaid and if so, what should it be, with a swedge or without, serrate the blade or not, polished blade or not, double thumblug or not, color of the thumblug and/or spacer, which wood to inlay, damascus or S30V, what kind of damascus, what color damascus, how much is it all going to cost, how long will it take, how should it be shipped, when was it shipped I am sure many of you know the number of calls or emails it can take.....and we don't mind.
So when we decide that we will not offer a certain option, we ask that you respect our decision. There are not many areas where we wont agree to a particular request and, although there might be more, here are some that I can think of right now:
- We wont put a saw back on any of our one piece knives except the Aviator.
- We wont put a tanto blade into any folding knife other than the NICA series.
- We won't polish the handles of a plain Sebenza.
- We wont add an anodized graphic to an already sandblasted handle.
- We won't retrofit a pocket clip on an older Sebenza that does not have the recess.
- We will not make a Green Beret without serrations on the cutting edge, nor will we coat it another color.
- We wont offer options on exclusives, unless these have been predetermined.
Because it is generally intended that all knives offered in an exclusive agreement should look the same, we decided not to offer the option of a polished blade on the NICA Sebenza - nor would we offer a damascus blade or color the handles or polish them differently. We are not willing to exchange the plain back spacer for one with file work. It is not NICA that insists on this, it is our decision to keep the integrity of the exclusive. I dont know the details of the double thumblug to which Jsun refers but it probably should not have been done.
I hope this helps you understand some of our philosophy and you can be assured that we will continue to offer everyone the best service we possibly can.
Anne
One such policy is that we have exclusive distribution agreements with a few countries - England, Netherlands, Italy and Germany. These agreements have been in existence for several years and they preclude us from selling knives directly to customers in these countries. We offer customer support to customers in these countries, and will quote prices at which we would sell the knife, discuss options on knives and will work directly with the customer on repairs and refurbishing but, when it comes to purchase of new knives, we will direct the customer to our representative in that country. Adrian, I can't comment on your interaction with True North Knives because it is between the two of you. I can say that Bridget was correct in telling you that we could not send a new knife directly to you. With reference to the stars and stripes Sebenza that you mentioned, this was an order discussed but never confirmed. Yes, Bridget should have referred you immediately to Framar in the UK but she was trying to help you sort out exactly what options were available. We can continue to service your knives as we have done in the past but we can't sell knives directly to you in the UK.
Then there is the issue of options on knives. We are happy to provide the service and work with our customer as he/she decides on details of the options that can be chosen for a knife most of these on Sebenzas. Daily, we work through the choices like ... new knife or upgrade an existing one, a custom graphic, should there be an cabochon inlaid and if so, what should it be, with a swedge or without, serrate the blade or not, polished blade or not, double thumblug or not, color of the thumblug and/or spacer, which wood to inlay, damascus or S30V, what kind of damascus, what color damascus, how much is it all going to cost, how long will it take, how should it be shipped, when was it shipped I am sure many of you know the number of calls or emails it can take.....and we don't mind.
So when we decide that we will not offer a certain option, we ask that you respect our decision. There are not many areas where we wont agree to a particular request and, although there might be more, here are some that I can think of right now:
- We wont put a saw back on any of our one piece knives except the Aviator.
- We wont put a tanto blade into any folding knife other than the NICA series.
- We won't polish the handles of a plain Sebenza.
- We wont add an anodized graphic to an already sandblasted handle.
- We won't retrofit a pocket clip on an older Sebenza that does not have the recess.
- We will not make a Green Beret without serrations on the cutting edge, nor will we coat it another color.
- We wont offer options on exclusives, unless these have been predetermined.
Because it is generally intended that all knives offered in an exclusive agreement should look the same, we decided not to offer the option of a polished blade on the NICA Sebenza - nor would we offer a damascus blade or color the handles or polish them differently. We are not willing to exchange the plain back spacer for one with file work. It is not NICA that insists on this, it is our decision to keep the integrity of the exclusive. I dont know the details of the double thumblug to which Jsun refers but it probably should not have been done.
I hope this helps you understand some of our philosophy and you can be assured that we will continue to offer everyone the best service we possibly can.
Anne
Thanks for the post Anne.
I will say that I have a good understanding of why modifications would not be done to an "authored" piece like the Harsey-designed Green Beret knife.
Anyhow, probably what this all really comes down to is that CRK has chosen to limit the number of generally available folder blade shapes to 5, with the exception of the Tanto bladed exclusive.
These 5 shapes all have fairly similar design characteristics. Certain blade shapes are simply better for some uses than other - one shape does not truly fit all functions.
Part of the frustration for some of us that truly like CRK knives (that already have way too many knives) is that we cannot get the shape we want (say, a wharncliffe) in the package we want (Sebenza handle and pivot design). So, that is really a complement, although not quite a direct as one might like.
(For those that would say "Get a custom...", well, I have been down that road many times and like many, I keep getting CRK knives because there are some things they do better than anyone on the market, large or small).
I will say that I have a good understanding of why modifications would not be done to an "authored" piece like the Harsey-designed Green Beret knife.
Anyhow, probably what this all really comes down to is that CRK has chosen to limit the number of generally available folder blade shapes to 5, with the exception of the Tanto bladed exclusive.
These 5 shapes all have fairly similar design characteristics. Certain blade shapes are simply better for some uses than other - one shape does not truly fit all functions.
Part of the frustration for some of us that truly like CRK knives (that already have way too many knives) is that we cannot get the shape we want (say, a wharncliffe) in the package we want (Sebenza handle and pivot design). So, that is really a complement, although not quite a direct as one might like.
(For those that would say "Get a custom...", well, I have been down that road many times and like many, I keep getting CRK knives because there are some things they do better than anyone on the market, large or small).
- Joined
- Dec 31, 2000
- Messages
- 215
Sorry Anne/Bridget
It wasn't really aimed at you, and I appreciate all the modifications/repairs you have done to my knives in the past.I was more hacked off that one of your suppliers agreed to supply the knife, even down to taking all my card details and then pulling out at the last minute due to some marks on the handle.I loved the look of this knife but could not find it elsewhere hence I contacted yourselves.It is really not worth me having the knife made through Frank as the price would probably double as apposed through buying it from a US dealer.Sorry if you thought it was a slur but I really did not mean it in that way and I especially apologise to you Bridget as you are the best customer services employee I have ever come across!
Take care
Adi
It wasn't really aimed at you, and I appreciate all the modifications/repairs you have done to my knives in the past.I was more hacked off that one of your suppliers agreed to supply the knife, even down to taking all my card details and then pulling out at the last minute due to some marks on the handle.I loved the look of this knife but could not find it elsewhere hence I contacted yourselves.It is really not worth me having the knife made through Frank as the price would probably double as apposed through buying it from a US dealer.Sorry if you thought it was a slur but I really did not mean it in that way and I especially apologise to you Bridget as you are the best customer services employee I have ever come across!
Take care
Adi
Chris Reeve Knives said:
Thanks for the post Anne. I understand much better CRK's stance keep the NICA exclusive in look. (I still think it's a shame that someone's own personal NICA couldn't receive a polished blade - it sure would look nice!).
I'm doubly chuffed to have managed to get a doublelugg'd Tanto now
I'm with Architect - a wharncliffe Sebenza would definitely make me reach for the wallet once more.
I wonder how many people would commit to one?
