Small Sebenza 21 - Blade Too Tight?

B

BeantownJ

Joined
Dec 17, 2012
Messages
275
Hi all,

Hoping you can help me here. I finally took the leap and purchased my first Sebenza. It being the first one I have ever handled, I really don't know what to compare it to. I am very surprised how tight the blade motion is. It is smooth, be definitely doesn't have that buttery smooth opening of the PM2's I have handled. I just want to make sure this is normal for a Sebneza. Maybe it's just because it's brand new? It just feels very tight so I'm hoping some of you can put my mind at ease and tell me it's normal

Thanks in advance!
 
Beantown--let me congratulate you on your purchase of one of the finest folding knives made. The action will loosen up over time as the washers get worn and polished by the blade action--just give it a little time. Also, depending on how long the blade was sitting on the shelf, the grease could have hardened up a bit. It may be wise to disassemble, clean, re-grease, and re-assemble. There are plenty of videos and posts with good instruction on how to do this--your Seb came with a tool and is intended to be user serviceable.
 
MostMenAreRuthless said:
Beantown--let me congratulate you on your purchase of one of the finest folding knives made. The action will loosen up over time as the washers get worn and polished by the blade action--just give it a little time. Also, depending on how long the blade was sitting on the shelf, the grease could have hardened up a bit. It may be wise to disassemble, clean, re-grease, and re-assemble. There are plenty of videos and posts with good instruction on how to do this--your Seb came with a tool and is intended to be user serviceable.
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^ I couldn't agree more. Give it a little love and it'll treat you right, once it breaks in a bit you'll be very happy with it.
If you are not the first owner and it feels really tight there's a chance that somebody else may have pinched a washer upon reassembly, a quick takedown and cleaning will have you good as new again if that's the case.

Enjoy you're first CRK, it won't be your last.
 
Thank you very much. It is brand new with the birth date being just over a month ago. I took it apart earlier to put in the lanyard and unfortunately, the reassembly didnt do much in the way of loosening the play. I am going to assume it just needs to be broken in more (beyond the 200 or so opens and closes I gave it tonight because I cant put the damn thing down). I also have some of the lube for Chris Reeve coming in the mail. I am hoping some of that on the pivot and lock will help as well.

Just so I have a frame of reference since this is the first Sebenza I have ever handled - should I be able to flick it open? I know they dont recommend it, and I am not big on that, but I am just using that as a frame of reference for how loose it should be. There is NO WAY I can flick this open. Also, if I open the blade to about 90 degrees, I have to give it a significant flick of the wrist to get it to lock open. Again, just trying to get a feel for how a new one should feel.

Thank you guys again for the kind words and advice. This forum is awesome.
 
The tolerances are pretty tight. I've found I can't quite fully tighten the pivot and stop pin screws on my Sebenza.

My suggestion:
Loosen both the pivot and stop pin screws. Then snug them back up lightly. It should really help with the tightness.

Once you break the pivot in over time, you'll be able to tighten them down more.
 
Loosen the pivot.
Then re-tighten it until it simply stops, do NOT torque it to be as tight as possible.
This may fix the stiffness a little.

Other than that, it's new and needs to be broken in. My Large and Small are ridiculously smooth.
But they've been worn in.
 
BeantownJ said:
Just so I have a frame of reference since this is the first Sebenza I have ever handled - should I be able to flick it open? I know they dont recommend it, and I am not big on that, but I am just using that as a frame of reference for how loose it should be. There is NO WAY I can flick this open. Also, if I open the blade to about 90 degrees, I have to give it a significant flick of the wrist to get it to lock open. Again, just trying to get a feel for how a new one should feel.
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I am not a "flicker", but my worn in small Insingo can be flicked with a good amount of thumb pressure. My newer ones that don't see as much carry/use time cannot be flicked.
 
That seems a little tight to me, I'd do as suggested above and loosen then reset the pivot and stop pin screws to snug, not overly tight, they shouldn't work loose, mine never have. If that doesn't get it I'd suggest you take it down completely to assure that you didn't pinch a washer. Upon reassembly I find that it helps me if I put in all of the screws with the blade at 90 degrees, screw them in until they almost touch the scale, then put the spine down on a table and push both scales into the table while you tighten the rear stand off. Next is the stop pin while pushing the spine into the table by pushing with two fingers equally on the high spots of the choil- not the lock bar- this is to square the knife up as much as possible even though there isn't a lot of wiggle room. Finally just snug up the pivot, you don't need to over do it, it'll stay tight.
And if that wasn't three handed enough you'll need to keep the knife squeezed together so that you don't pinch a washer the whole time that you're working on tightening it.
It sounds tedious but its never failed me.

Good luck. If that and time don't fix it then give CRK a call. No one is perfect, although they're really close.
 
Abom--that's taking it to a whole nother level sir!

To be candid, I have never noticed a difference in my Sebs regardless of what order I put the screws in or how the knife was oriented when I did it. I have found the tolerances to be so exact that there is very little, if any, adjustments that can be made by my manual manipulation. Scales are tight, blade is centered, and knife is smooth.

Beantown--we don't want to scare you off brother! Sometimes us CRK-ites can be quite ritualistic in how we do things. We love and are obsessed with our Sebs and develop a personal relationship with each one we own. We need professional help. We need a psychiatrist to moderate this forum. Bottom line: use it and enjoy it.
 
Haha - thanks again for the advice. I went ahead and loosened the screws and then tightened them again ensuring to only make then tight and not overly tight. Still seems a bit tight to me - even the noise, it's not horrible, but it sounds like there is too much friction. My Alias 2 (poor mans sebenza) was like butter. I am hoping the lube will help - called Reeve's and they were nice enough to send me some right away free of charge. Here is a really dumb question - how do I know if I "pinched" a washer?
 
MostMenAreRuthless said:
Abom--that's taking it to a whole nother level sir!

Tell me a about it! I definitely need some help, or so I'm told, I if course think I'm fine :D

To be candid, I have never noticed a difference in my Sebs regardless of what order I put the screws in or how the knife was oriented when I did it. I have found the tolerances to be so exact that there is very little, if any, adjustments that can be made by my manual manipulation. Scales are tight, blade is centered, and knife is smooth.

True, the variances are so minor that you really don't notice much. The system does work very well for me though so I figured that I'd try to help if I could.

Beantown--we don't want to scare you off brother! Sometimes us CRK-ites can be quite ritualistic in how we do things. We love and are obsessed with our Sebs and develop a personal relationship with each one we own. We need professional help. We need a psychiatrist to moderate this forum. Bottom line: use it and enjoy it.
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If you had pinched a washer, which I highly doubt, the blade would be exceptionally tight. It happened to me a few times when going to fast putting my knives back together, I avoid it now by using the CRK grease to hold everything in place while I assemble it.

Give it some time and love, it'll treat you right.
My Seb 25 was basically a two handed knife until I loosened the pivot a tiny amount two different times and put a drop of quick release in with the grease, now it's the smoothest one I've ever owned.
 
All of my new Sebenzas have come a bit "tight''. Open and close it as much as you can and it will smooth out. I haven't had one that hasn't yet. Relubing/greasing won't hurt either.
 
^this. & make sure the detent ball and blade tang where the ball "races" are lubed... todo los dias.
 
hi friends, I'm not trying to start a fight here or be belligerent...but I'm going to challenge this dialogue a little, I hope it can be friendly, I do come in peace with a smile on my face.

I purchased a small Insingo because I love the blade design and because of this forum's high appreciation of the Sebenza. I still love the blade design.
This is my second knife after a WH E10 and I have purchased about 6 others since, folders in the $300 to $1,000 range, including a few handmade (customs).

I too was surprised at how tight the blade motion is, and a bit disappointed. It is in fact the stiffest opening of all my folding knives. Every other folder I have is significantly smoother like glass right out of the box.

2 responses seem consistent, tight tolerances and it's designed (almost meant) to be taken apart and adjusted. I fail to see how a design built to exacting tight tolerances should be justification for acceptance of a stiff opening? If it's built to tight tolerances, why wouldn't the expectation be a smooth opening out of the box? Same applies to taking the knife apart or loosening a pivot, why should I be required to do that for such a high quality and higher priced design?

Yes I get that many of you like to take it apart and adjust it and clean it etc etc, the ability to do that is there.

Perhaps my expectations were too high or I'm too critical, but it seems like we are accepting of less than excellence?

Just FYI, my background credentials that allows me to begin this dialogue are I've worked in manufacturing engineering for over 20 years, and more specifically, Cad/Cam and CNC aerospace machining, so I know a little about design, tolerances, machining and assembly.

I've learned so much on this board thru the collective wisdom of you all, I welcome your responses,
warm regards
 
I have a 2011 small sebenza. It can't be flicked open and it does not open as quickly as any spyderco I own, especially the new Starmate. However, this is not due to a tight pivot, but due to the tension of the lock bar on the blade. If I push the lock bar over so the detent ball no longer touches the blade, the blade swings freely. If it doesn't, I know the pivot area is gummy and a quick soap/water brush and wash with blow dry restores the free swinging blade.

So, personally, I don't think you should mess with the Sebenza if it opens "tight", because the great lock is what makes it open smoothly but not freely...you need to use your thumb. If you want a quick opener, buy a flipper with IKBS (try the CRKT Eros) and it will be lightening fast...but not a sebenza :)
 
hsc3_90293 said:
hi friends, I'm not trying to start a fight here or be belligerent...but I'm going to challenge this dialogue a little, I hope it can be friendly, I do come in peace with a smile on my face.

I purchased a small Insingo because I love the blade design and because of this forum's high appreciation of the Sebenza. I still love the blade design.
This is my second knife after a WH E10 and I have purchased about 6 others since, folders in the $300 to $1,000 range, including a few handmade (customs).

I too was surprised at how tight the blade motion is, and a bit disappointed. It is in fact the stiffest opening of all my folding knives. Every other folder I have is significantly smoother like glass right out of the box.

2 responses seem consistent, tight tolerances and it's designed (almost meant) to be taken apart and adjusted. I fail to see how a design built to exacting tight tolerances should be justification for acceptance of a stiff opening? If it's built to tight tolerances, why wouldn't the expectation be a smooth opening out of the box? Same applies to taking the knife apart or loosening a pivot, why should I be required to do that for such a high quality and higher priced design?

Yes I get that many of you like to take it apart and adjust it and clean it etc etc, the ability to do that is there.

Perhaps my expectations were too high or I'm too critical, but it seems like we are accepting of less than excellence?

Just FYI, my background credentials that allows me to begin this dialogue are I've worked in manufacturing engineering for over 20 years, and more specifically, Cad/Cam and CNC aerospace machining, so I know a little about design, tolerances, machining and assembly.

I've learned so much on this board thru the collective wisdom of you all, I welcome your responses,
warm regards
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Every Sebenza, Mnandi, and Umnumzaan I have owned has been smooth and "hydraulic"--as Brownshoe stated above--they do not swing freely by design. There are literally hundreds and thousands of pleased Sebenza owners who will attest to the smoothness and hydraulic feel to their Seb.

BeantownJ--I repeat and standby what I stated in my first post "let me congratulate you on your purchase of one of the finest folding knives made."
 
hsc3_90293 said:
Just FYI, my background credentials that allows me to begin this dialogue are I've worked in manufacturing engineering for over 20 years, and more specifically, Cad/Cam and CNC aerospace machining, so I know a little about design, tolerances, machining and assembly.
Click to expand...

I would first respond that this is not aerospace machining. It's knife making. Second, Chris Reeve is known for doing things "his way" ...that is, different from "the rest." Paying $400+ for a knife is more than believing some (potential) jackasses opinion on a forum or YouTube. It's a leap of hope and of faith. CRK does not state or pretend to make liquid fast opening knives. They state that their knives are "the best." What a given person is used to vs. what is made more or less "ideally" = one person's opinion/ideas vs. tested, proven, tried and true. I've owned maybe 80 higher end folders, not including around 15 Sebenzas. ALL my Sebs have had a certain, buttery "resistance" in the pivot (which does lessen over the years). I've had smoother/looser. Ive had tighter/stouter. I still definitely consider the Sebenza to be the best overall folding knife.
 
Take the washers out and rub them flat and lightly on some 600 or 800 grit sandpaper. Lube and reassemble. Should help the break in period. Cheers!
 
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