Sencut vs Civivi - Educate me please.

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FrannaM

Joined
Jan 29, 2020
Messages
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I am very confused regarding the new Sencut brand from WE knives. I was looking at getting my first button lock flipper in Micarta the Civivi Conspirator. Now Sencut makes a Sachse model with a button lock flipper and micarta scales. Apart from the obvious difference in blade steel what else is different? There is a big difference in price ($35) and can't only be blade steel?? Is the overall quality better? Does Civivi use better quality steel for their liners, screws and locks?? If the only difference between the 2 is blade steel and nothing else then the price difference makes no sense. What am I missing?
 
I've got extensive experience with both brands, including disassembly and minor mods. I haven't seen any real difference in overall fit or finish. Both seem to use the same ceramic bearings captured in a brass cage. The liners and scale materials seem to be the same. I don't have experience with the Sachse but my other Sencut knives have the same level of liner skeletonization as the Civivi knives. The screws seem to be the same but...

A major difference is that Civivi pivots are captured via a tab underneath the logo. Because the Sencut knives do not use the logo piece, they are free-spinning. I get it but I really wish they would have just gone with a D-shape or something. Honestly, this has not been a problem for me on models with wood or Micarta scales. There is enough friction to seat them. However, their steel frame lock was steel on steel in a place where oil could migrate. Getting it finely tuned was kind of a pain.

There is a difference in steel but you've got to take it for what it's worth. I don't have much experience with their Nitro-V and haven't seen any testing. However, Civivi and Sencut both seem to use the same 9Cr18Mov with the same outstanding heat treatment. That's already a reasonable budget steel but WE takes it to the next level. I'd take it over Spyderco's VG-10 on edge retention and the corrosion resistance is better too.
 
Chronovore said:
I've got extensive experience with both brands, including disassembly and minor mods. I haven't seen any real difference in overall fit or finish. Both seem to use the same ceramic bearings captured in a brass cage. The liners and scale materials seem to be the same. I don't have experience with the Sachse but my other Sencut knives have the same level of liner skeletonization as the Civivi knives. The screws seem to be the same but...

A major difference is that Civivi pivots are captured via a tab underneath the logo. Because the Sencut knives do not use the logo piece, they are free-spinning. I get it but I really wish they would have just gone with a D-shape or something. Honestly, this has not been a problem for me on models with wood or Micarta scales. There is enough friction to seat them. However, their steel frame lock was steel on steel in a place where oil could migrate. Getting it finely tuned was kind of a pain.

There is a difference in steel but you've got to take it for what it's worth. I don't have much experience with their Nitro-V and haven't seen any testing. However, Civivi and Sencut both seem to use the same 9Cr18Mov with the same outstanding heat treatment. That's already a reasonable budget steel but WE takes it to the next level. I'd take it over Spyderco's VG-10 on edge retention and the corrosion resistance is better too.
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Thank you very much for your informative reply. Seems Sencut is definitely better bang for your buck.
 
Sencut is 9crMov vs Civivi NitroV. That’s about all I see. Plus Sencut is supposed to stay around $50.
 
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