Small Sebenza or Darrel Ralph Small Apogee?

K

K man

Joined
Nov 26, 2000
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515
I was looking to buy a Small Sebby but the Apogee also looks good. It needs to be the do everything EDC that will last.
Suggestions?
 
According to Darrel Ralph's newsletter, he is discontinuing the Apogee, so if you want one, you'd better get it before they're all gone.

Doug
 
I have owned a couple of small Sebenzas and I still own a small Apogee. They are very different knives. Don't let the lock similarity fool you. The Sebenza is more heavily built with blade style that leans more to use in skinning/hunting applications. The Apogee is thinner and lighter, it has more of a tactical feel instead of utility like the Sebenza. Blade steel is a consideration, the Sebenza is Bg-42, an excellent steel, and the grind on Sebenzas is very easily sharpened. The Apogee is 420V, 420V holds an edge longer than BG-42 but it tougher to sharpen (this is what I hear, my Apogee has not yet needed to be sharpened). One consideration might be size, the small Sebenza is about the size of Spyderco Calypso with a blade well under 3". The Apogee has an overall length between, say the Native the Lum Chinese Spydercos, and its blade is a shade over 3". If you are very mindful of carry laws in a 3" jurisdiction, that could make a difference. Finally, price is a factor, the Sebenza can be had new for slightly over $300, a basic small Apogee will run $395 before shipping. If you do want an Apogee, contact Darrel Ralph and see if he has some made for shows that he hasn't sold. That's how i got mine and that's way quicker than waiting for a busy maker to whip up one special for you. BTW, if you are willing to spend custom money, you might consider a Mayo TNT, he makes them about the size of a small Sebenza.
 
Yep that is what DDR told me at the Cambridge show when I picked up the last small he had. You can see it at the link below...
 
Tallpaul, you get all the good knives, don't you? :D

If price is a factor (OK, yes, price is a factor ...) I got a small classic Sebenza under $300 from a fellow forumite and it is now my daily carry. Check out those sale forums before you spend money you don't have to! This Sebenza scarcely even got looked at between CRK and me.

Not that you'll find many Apogees ... but there was a large a while back, real cheap, too.

I've never handled a TNT myself, but anyone who owns as many watches as Tom must be doing something right !!! Check out his website.
 
I have a Lil Sebbie (my EDC) and I have gooed over the Apogees. While I think the DDR's look the best of the bunch, and the CRK offers the most value, if I was willing to spend that much, the lil TNT would get my vote.

jmx
 
Personally, I would go with the DDR, I think that Darrel makes amazing knives (I have several), its a custom knife, that you can get in several styles, with other options. He makes several models with 3in. blades. Sebenzas are nice (I have had one) but DDRs are amazing in my book.
mmtmatrix
 
What a decision to make !

Both are superb knives.

Both are backed by excellent customer service.

There is a "small" price difference between them. . .plain jane small sebbie $305. . .DDR Apogee at a mere $395. . .

The sebbie is a "production" knife ( definitely a high-ender ) whereas the Apogee is a "custom."

The sebbie is rather "plain". . .while the Apogee "isn't plain."

I'd have no problem throwing down the dough for either of them ! But, if I had to pick "one". . .I'd have to go with a Apogee !

Simply, when having to make the tough choice of one-of-two knives. . .and there isn't that much difference between them. . .go "custom."

Let us know what you get K man.
 
I have one of the Talonite Apogees from TheEdge. It's a great, great knife. I have a small plain Sebbie, with dual thumblugs. I have a small TNT. I'd hate to decide between the Apogee and the TNT, but if one knife had to go it would be the Sebbie in a heartbeat.

I love the Sebbie, but it has nothing over the other two IMHO. (Well, price...)

Not to confuse the issue, but I would give serious consideration to Darrel's EDC in the 3" size as well. The 3.6" EDC is huge compared to the three knives above, but the 3" is now available in CF or Ti.

In an effort to be helpful, I'll admit that the TNT sees more pocket time when I'm wearing dress clothes, and the Apogee sees more night/weekend duty. The TNT has the finest clip design I've encountered. Darrel's new clip for the EDCs is nearly as good, and much better than the clip on my Apogee. Fit and finish on all three, at least mine, is just as good as CRKs. You can't go wrong in this group.
 
92Degrees, you're driving me crazy every time you post and start talking about TNT's and Apogees. I would LOVE to get a gander at them sometime and I live just up the road in Leverett. Come out to my shop some weekend soon and have a beer and I'll show you my new framelocks and a couple of sweet customs such as the first Mad Max with nuggetting on it. My number is 548-9948 if you want to give me a ring, and my email is below. :)
 
FWIW (probably not much ;) ), I considered the same two choices a little over a year ago and decided to go with the Apogee. I've never regretted the decision.
 
92degrees... I am trying to get a comparison size wise between the small talonite Apogee (from The Edge) and small regular Sebenza. Since you have both can you give me a quick run through?

Which one is thicker? Which has a longer blade? How about the handle length? Any other size comparisons you can give me?

Thanks...JT
 
JT, I have the small Apogee with me today. I'll try to pick up the Sebenza at lunch and post a picture for comparison.

My small Apogee has a 3 1/8" blade and a 4 1/8" handle = 7 1/4" OAL. It's 3/8" thick.

The Sebenza has a 2 7/8" blade and a 4" handle = 6 7/8" OAL.

I can't say that I notice any great difference in size in my pocket. The blade shape and feel-in-hand is dramatically different, though. The Apogee is much more comfortable in hand, for me anyway. I prefer the blade on the Apogee for most of my edc chores, but I'm not particularly tough on knives of this size.

The Sebenza screams "stout." The Apogee is a fluid, lithe, pocket razor.

With a gentle flick of my finger on the underside thumb stud, the Apogee glides open and locks. I still haven't gotten my Sebenza broken in to that point, and it's been with me a lot longer.


One thing that photos don't show well is just how much blade vs. handle the Apogee offers -- same with the EDC.
 
Thanks for all the great replys!
I thought that these 2 knives were almost the same, now I know better. I am looking for more of a small, stout hunting knife that will see some time as EDC instead of a small, less built EDC that will see some time hunting. I think the Sebenza is best for me.
 
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