Small Inkosi Insingo & My thoughts

[Tseg]

I'll bring back this slightly ripe zombie post to offer my 2 cents, having recently purchased a small Inkosi. I also had concerns about fit in the hand. I have large but somewhat slender hands. If I push my front finger all the way up the front grip my pinky is just able to grab ahold of this small knife. I actually find it more comfortable than my Umnumzaan (which I love) as that knife can create a slight hot spot on my hand with the tip of the clip. The clip on the small Inkosi disappears in my hand. Finally several days in I am mastering the slow open with the small Inkosi, using the thumbnail wedge technique. The soreness in my thumb is finally starting to go away. I'm still quite a ways away from being able to accomplish any single motion flip open action. Meanwhile, my single flip action with my Umnumzaan is second nature to me. These 2 knives open completely differently.

I ended up getting the small Inkosi because the Umnumzaan just seems so huge. The ability to use discretely in public is not really an option with the Umnumzaan. This small Inkosi just seems so much less threatening I anticipate it getting lots of pocket time. For me now it is about managing the break in. At least I'm past the first hurdle of inflicting pain on myself. This little guy is built like a tank. I'm pretty sure I'll be happy I got it... maybe a slightly different perspective than I had in the first 24 hours as the thumb stud invariably kept piercing under my thumb nail. Two items I'll keep my eye on... whereas my Umnumzaan has about 50%-60% lock up, the Inkosi is about 90% but I literally cannot push the lock further with fairly substantial pressure applied. Secondly, whereas my Umnumzaan pivot screw has about a 1/4 turn leeway from completely tight and still keeps the blade centered, this Inkosi needs to be just about completely tight else the blade starts leaning left slightly. I've seen a post or two that suggests as the ceramic ball starts to wear in a groove in the blade tang there is less pressure pushing the knife off center when closed. Anyway, for now it is inhibiting my loosening things up a bit to better enable flicking this little guy open.

 

[Lapedog]

I wanted to throw up a thread to help anyone that might be on the fence like I was about picking up a small Inkosi because of its size .
I was very worried with my medium size mitts and maybe a little wider then your average medium size hands. Well let me tell you it fits like a glove and I'm simply amazed that Chris Reeve was able to do that with a small knife like this. I kept looking at the specs and then getting my tape rule out multiple times and thinking no way this knife is just to small feel good in hand.
Boy was I wrong I can't believe how great it feels . The inkosi which is my first BTW and its exceeded my expectations on how smooth the action is and how easy it is to disengage the lock bar. Solid little knife that's built like a tank with great ego's.
Anyway thought I'd share my thoughts and not that no one has seen one before but this one is mine

Great knife. CRKs really are the top of the line when it comes to build quality. I had been surprised to learn very few custom knives are build as well as them.

I almost picked a small inkosi drop point up. I have long owned a small 21 that fits my hand quite well. For some reason the fact that the small inkosi is a tiny bit shorter handled than the small 21 made the knife feel awkward in my hand. No denying it is an awesome knife.

So for whatever reason I prefer the small 21 and the large inkosi. I have put my large inkosi side by side with my large 21 and they appear to be the same handle length. So I’m not really sure why they decided to make the small inkosi abit shorter.

 

[353]

Looks beautiful, looks nicer than the small Sebenza Insingo. don't know why just does(to me at least.)

 

[JB in SC]

I've been a big fan of the small Inkosi for several years. I developed some issues with my hand that were aggravated by where the handle hit my palm. I'm carrying a small sebenza now and enjoying it.