Should I get an Umnumzaan?

KalEl said:
The Umnumzaan is a very cool looking knife and feels great in hand but after using one I think there are better options out there for the money.

My main gripe with the Zaan was that its very difficult to open. This is not an issue of me being inexperienced, uneducated on framelocks, ignorant, or lacking skill. Its a very difficult knife to deploy due to slippery thumb studs and a strong indent. I couldn't open the knife left handed and if your hands are sweaty you'll likely have to use two hands to open it.

That said its a cool knife and very comfortable to use. I would buy another one myself but only if I got a steal on it.
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Erm, did you get a left-handed version? If not, it's physically impossible to open with your left hand. You need to push beneath the thumb stud going straight up. The lock bar itself actually gets in the way of that, so you literally can't open it with the opposite hand, thus it is not ambidextrous. I also never found it slippery as I had deliberately wet my hand under a faucet and then opened it.

The detent is pretty strong, but I would think you would know that if you had looked up on the oversized detent ball beforehand.
 
bomber258 said:
That is entertaining as I put my 'Zaan' up for sale at a knife meet and was told I was asking WAY too little for it [ 250.00 ].

I did not sell it and had NO bites.

The group are very knife savvy and I guess they were not as impressed as many here are.

I am selling it to a friend ,if he still wants it.

If not I will see how well it is recieved at other sale venues.
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Why would you ask so much less than it costs new? Was it beat all to heck or something? If it is in decent shape I know for fact, it would fly off the exchange here for at least a 100 dollars more. Did you just hate it so much that you'd take a huge loss on it?
 
As already mentioned, if at all possible, handle one and then make a decision.

I've had mine about 5 months now. At first, I found that unlocking it was very uncomfortable. I never had a problem opening it, as I had already heard that you need to push upwards, and not circle it out and up, as in most one-handers. Eventually, I got the technique of unlocking it down, using the pad of my thumb, and now, my thumb pad has a bit of callous on it, and there's no more pain. But until you're used to it, opening/closing are not as instinctive as, say, the Sebenza. But the Zaan feels better and more natural in my hand than the Seb.

I love the Zaan, but YMMV. I carry mine in a leather belt pouch, clip and all.

Jim
 
Noctis3880 said:
Erm, did you get a left-handed version? If not, it's physically impossible to open with your left hand. You need to push beneath the thumb stud going straight up. The lock bar itself actually gets in the way of that, so you literally
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This is not true. I have a right handed umnum, and I'm right handed, yet I can easily open it with my left hand. I do so either by pushing up on the thumb stud, or by first applying lateral pressure to the glass breaker and then transitioning to the thumbstud to open it the rest of the way. I can also close it easily with either hand.
 
As Tetsujin said, it's possible to open left handed by first using the glass breaker to get past the detent and then using the studs. But I really wouldn't buy a right handed model if I were a lefty..

OT: Yes, you should buy one!
 
Tetsujin 140.6 said:
This is not true. I have a right handed umnum, and I'm right handed, yet I can easily open it with my left hand. I do so either by pushing up on the thumb stud, or by first applying lateral pressure to the glass breaker and then transitioning to the thumbstud to open it the rest of the way. I can also close it easily with either hand.
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Its a poor design imo, mine was very hard to open right hand model, the way the thumbstuds set against the handle slabs makes it inconvenient when youre used to opening other knives that dont open the way it does. I sold mine for a big loss I didnt trust it, felt sub par to my others, and I didnt care for the way customer service treated me, but thats another story. Buying one would be more like a risk. IF you do buy one, send it back as soon as you can, if you are unhappy with it.
 
The first one I owned, an early production one, was quite difficult to open. The 12/11 one I bought last year is much, much easier.

KalEl said:
The Umnumzaan is a very cool looking knife and feels great in hand but after using one I think there are better options out there for the money.

My main gripe with the Zaan was that its very difficult to open. This is not an issue of me being inexperienced, uneducated on framelocks, ignorant, or lacking skill. Its a very difficult knife to deploy due to slippery thumb studs and a strong indent. I couldn't open the knife left handed and if your hands are sweaty you'll likely have to use two hands to open it.

That said its a cool knife and very comfortable to use. I would buy another one myself but only if I got a steal on it.
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I really want the new version! I am going to see if I can trade a triple action, fox karambit, blue pm2, nakamura for one. I really think it has style. I am good at opening knives. It only takes a bit before im used to new techniques and its overall ability is just what i am looking for

Anyone know anything about glow rings for the lanyard bar or the thumbstuds?
 
Beyond You said:
Its a poor design imo, mine was very hard to open right hand model, the way the thumbstuds set against the handle slabs makes it inconvenient when youre used to opening other knives that dont open the way it does. I sold mine for a big loss I didnt trust it, felt sub par to my others, and I didnt care for the way customer service treated me, but thats another story. Buying one would be more like a risk. IF you do buy one, send it back as soon as you can, if you are unhappy with it.
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I'm sorry but you think the Umnum is a poorly designed, untrustworthy, subpar knife?

Congratz your thoughts on knives just became completely invalid on bladeforums.
 
Tim616 said:
I'm sorry but you think the Umnum is a poorly designed, untrustworthy, subpar knife?

Congratz your thoughts on knives just became completely invalid on bladeforums.
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This x2. How many of you that hard tough to open Zaan's took the time to adjust the pivot? How about cleaning and greasing the pivot? I find it VERY hard to believe anyone would have that much trouble with any CRK knife, let alone one as great as the Umnumzaan.
 
Funny, all these people that have to sell theirs at such a big loss, just because they didn't like it. I just never see that happening, here or even on the auction site. CRK, bring good money and if you are letting like new models go at a big loss, then you have no one to blame but yourself.
 
To all the people who said they thought the Umnumzaan was not smooth, did you clean it and lubricaate it with flourinated grease? Often times even when they are bought "brand new" they are still a few years old and need a cleaning. That's what happened to me, I was disappointed with the opening when I got mine but after breaking it down, cleaning it completely, and applying a generous amount of grease, it is smooth as butter and has remained so for four months now. I do really want to try the VECP though!
 
I have one of the old left handed Umnumzaans, without all of the "improvements" that the current ones have. It is difficult, but possible, to open right handed--and since I have an older version the lock bar doesn't have the relief cut milled out to allow for off-handed opening.

I don't really see off-handed opening as an issue necessarily.
 
jill jackson said:
Why would you ask so much less than it costs new? Was it beat all to heck or something? If it is in decent shape I know for fact, it would fly off the exchange here for at least a 100 dollars more. Did you just hate it so much that you'd take a huge loss on it?
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It is in great condition,and I have no idea why it did not sell.

Except to say that the group was a VERY knife savvy one and they are really into fixed blades a good deal more than a folder.

It still looks new [ to me ] and has cut VERY little,Just got a HTM DDR 5.5 and now its funny having them sit side by each.
 
Cynic2701 said:
I have one of the old left handed Umnumzaans, without all of the "improvements" that the current ones have. It is difficult, but possible, to open right handed--and since I have an older version the lock bar doesn't have the relief cut milled out to allow for off-handed opening.

I don't really see off-handed opening as an issue necessarily.
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That was the biggest difference I noticed between my very early Umnu and my 12/11 Umnu.
 
Get the Umnum. If it is anything like my large Sebenza in quality you will love it.
 
bomber258 said:
It is in great condition,and I have no idea why it did not sell.

Except to say that the group was a VERY knife savvy one and they are really into fixed blades a good deal more than a folder.

It still looks new [ to me ] and has cut VERY little,Just got a HTM DDR 5.5 and now its funny having them sit side by each.
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No offense intended, but I find it hard to believe that your friends at the meet were VERY knife savvy. Being told you wanted way too much for a knife that is known for retaining its value is simply ignorant. Most true knife enthusiasts will choose to err on the side of humility and caution when it comes to pricing/forecasting value on a piece they know nothing about. Just sayin'
 
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