Small Inkosi or Small Carbon Fiber Sebenza

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nickj79

Joined
Feb 21, 2016
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My first Chris Reeve will either be a small carbon fiber sebenza or a small inkosi. I cannot decide which one to get. Just when I think I've decided I change my mind. I want it to be versatile. I dress up for work sometimes. Shorts and sandals when not working. I want it to be my EDC but also work for camping w the family. Anyone have experience w both? What are your thoughts.
 
I currently have both. I got the small carbon fiber insingo first, thought it was perfect. Then I got the inkosi, one of the first ones, so I've had it awhile. There isn't a bad decision, they are both amazing but I'm going to sell the cf insingo. The inkosi has something to it that's not empirical, it's more of a feeling or a sense, that it is bigger and beefier than what it is. That is what made me make the call between the two.
 
The Inkosi didn't fit my hand but was typical CRK: outstanding engineering. I have both large and small in micarta and CF w/ Damascus blades and love them.
 
Inkosi. CF scales tend to push blades off center and I can't have a CRK with an off center blade as my only EDC.
 
Was it the grooves in the inkosi that affected it fitting your hand? Because I thought the length between smal sebenza and inkosi would be pretty negligible? Interesting about the cf affecting the centering.
 
I think my small Inkosi is the best CRK I have owned. I like it more then any of my Sebenza 21's or even the Regular I had.

My CF Small Sebenza is properly centered. Most people with CF Sebenza do not have that problem.... Not saying some have not had the issue and that CRK may have told them its normal for CF. I just don't think its normal when so many here and in pictures have CF models that were centered.

If you are buying new send it back to the dealer if its not centered. If you are buying used make sure any CRK is centered before you buy it. The only CRK I have ever had that was not centered was a Mnandi and when I re did the screw torque it was fine. Never even took it apart and was able to correct it. That said the Mnandi just has the pivot and clip screw so maybe its easier to get out of sorts.
 
I like My small insingo more than the Inkosi. Just felt to small and the finger grooves just didn't fit after all.
 
I do t carry my Small CF Sebenza. I thought I'd be all about it being as light as possible but it doesn't have the same balance as my PJ or Micarta Insingo versions and seems dainty by comparison (though I know it's every bit as strong.)


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cut it out said:
I like My small insingo more than the Inkosi. Just felt to small and the finger grooves just didn't fit after all.
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That is a very good reason to look up a dealer and go try it out! I did and kept going back to the Inkosi as my first CRK. Also remember no matter what you might think now, its hard to not keep buying more after you break the ice with the first one. I have bought 8 since February but currently have 4. (Inkosi, Mnandi, Ti-Lock, and CF Small 21).
 
The small Inkosi is awesome. I had a large CF Seb 21 for a week, I didn't care for it.
 
Just buy both and sell the one YOU like less. That is always the best answer in these situations. Otherwise, whichever you buy first, you will forever have the question in your head of "I wonder if the other one is better?"
 
Tough choice. I would make it between a plain Sebenza (all titanium) and the Inkosi. I'm not a fan of the carbon fiber on the Sebenza.

The 21 is a classic Chris Reeve. Hollow grind, pivot bushing, sweet little knife.

The Inkosi is also a nice little knife, it just works. I wish it had a bushing pivot instead of having to loctite it. I'm also not a fan of the notch on the spine, it seems like a cost cutting measure. I like the flat grind (or less hollow, whatever they call it).

I don't think you could go too far wrong whichever one you choose.
 
see....you think asking the question will clarify........ flip a coin, you'll win.
 
Small CF Sebenza.
It's 65gr compared to 88gr of the Inkosi.
The small Sebenza is a slim knife and with the CF scale almost not noticed, when clipped to you shorts.
5mm more blade length may come in handy when preparing food.
The Inkosi is more like a beast compressed into s small package.
Please don't get me wrong it's a nice sturdy, powerful knife.
Please let us know how you decide.
 
ElConquistador said:
Tough choice. I would make it between a plain Sebenza (all titanium) and the Inkosi. I'm not a fan of the carbon fiber on the Sebenza.

The 21 is a classic Chris Reeve. Hollow grind, pivot bushing, sweet little knife.

The Inkosi is also a nice little knife, it just works. I wish it had a bushing pivot instead of having to loctite it. I'm also not a fan of the notch on the spine, it seems like a cost cutting measure. I like the flat grind (or less hollow, whatever they call it).

I don't think you could go too far wrong whichever one you choose.
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Is the pivot bushing really that big a deal? I've heard this a lot. I figured if it was such a staple, it would be the one thing Chris Reeve left alone. I feel like he has been trying to improve on his original design and that was something that changed. Is the action smother on the 25 and inkosi? Is the loctite necessary?
 
nickj79 said:
Is the pivot bushing really that big a deal? I've heard this a lot. I figured if it was such a staple, it would be the one thing Chris Reeve left alone. I feel like he has been trying to improve on his original design and that was something that changed. Is the action smother on the 25 and inkosi? Is the loctite necessary?
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I don't think it matters that much, but my Inkosi is smoother then any Sebenza model I have owned. Smother is blade deployment, smother in locking/unlocking. The 25 and Inkosi come with some loctite in the box. Some people have been happy not using it. In any case its a very weak version and is just to help keep your adjustment from shifting. Its not needed on the bushing models. The friction from the pivot screw against the Ti normally hold it just fine.

I think the hole pivot thing is not what you should care about. What matters more is how it feels to you and how the finger groves and clip fit your hand. If the knife feels too small or causes hot spots then the rest does not matter. It also goes both ways. Some people prefer the feel of the Inkosi over a small 21 and some the other way around. Both are good knives. It takes practice on both knives to take them apart and put them back together. Both will take what ever you throw at it. The Inkosi is smoother with a thicker blade, but if you only had a Sebenza you would not notice or care about it.
 
nickj79 said:
Is the pivot bushing really that big a deal? I've heard this a lot. I figured if it was such a staple, it would be the one thing Chris Reeve left alone. I feel like he has been trying to improve on his original design and that was something that changed. Is the action smother on the 25 and inkosi? Is the loctite necessary?
Click to expand...

Losing the pivot bushing isn't the end of the world but it seems like a cost cutting measure. The cool thing about Chris Reeve knives is/was that you can take them apart and put them together easily. The newer models, 25 and inkosi, need loctite and three allen wrenches. The sebenza can be serviced with a single allen wrench.

I can't help you at in picking one over the other. I'm looking at getting a small insingo or a inkosi for my dad. It's the only Chris Reeve knife he'll have and I keep bouncing back and forth over which one to get.
 
Just for reference, I don't use any loctite on my 25 or my inkosi. Every here and there I will tighten the pivot screw just a hair, as I notice after a couple weeks the constant opening and closing will cause the blade to be ever so slightly off center, so that is when it's time to give a hair of tightening.
I prefer my knives this way honestly. I only carry one Allen wrench, just to tighten her up every now and again, but when the knife needs cleaning, I only need one wrench for the pivot. Yes I need another wrench for the body screws which are a different size, but I never have to use two tools for the pivot screw.
I actually clean all the loctite off my screws with acetone when I get it. Having to tighten the pivot every once in a while is a small price to pay for me, to have a knife that I can take apart and put back together in a minute or two, with no loctite mess, nice and clean, just a bit of grease. Because of this, my CRKs are my favorite of all my knives. I also like being able to choose whether I want the blade to flick out quickly or a bit more hydrolic feeling.
Sure the bushing is nice, but I wouldn't say better at least for me. Just different design. Hope that helps

Dave


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