Strider folders -- your opinion please?

I agree that you can't directly compare the two. The Sebenza deffinetly has the better fit and finish. It's a highly engineered knife with a great pivot assembly and flawless F&F. The Strider is all about being tough and I mean bomb proof, drive over it with a truck type of tough. The fit and finish is decent, but not in the same class as the Sebenza.....and it was never designed to be.

I think both are hard use knives. If I wanted something to cut my way into a 50gal drum I would pick the Strider without hesitation. The Sebenza is a hard use knife made for cutting....the Strider is a hard use knife made for prying and cutting things you wouldn't think of cutting with other knives.

Personally, I had a SNG for a while and was impressed with the feel of strength that it has. It's a great knife that is deffinetly worth the cost if that is what you are looking for. Me personally, I didnt care for it to much for my needs and I preferred my Sebenza. Of course my daily use tasks are cutting cardboard, opening letters, etc. If I had other uses my choice very well may have been different.

I also truly appreciate the fit and finish of the Sebenza. That is something I look for in all my knives and it appeals to me. Other people are more interested in the purely utility aspects of the knife.

Basically, both are worth the money. Some people will lean one way and some the other. They both serve their purpose to the best of their ability and they are the two premier examples of how good a production knife can be.
 
I usually carry both of them. At work about a year ago I had to cut a javalina out from under a members car. Even though I had a Lg Sebbie on me I went straight for my SMF. While hacking at this mutilated pig, the blade was continually hitting metal frame parts and cutting through bone and joints. Although theres no doubt that the Sebenza would've handled it, there is also no doubt that there would've been pretty heavy duty damage to the blade, probably requiring a trip to CRK. With the SMF I steeled and stropped it and it was back to perfect (minus some scratches and scuffs to the finish). I still carry both and probably always will, but both have their place and intended usage and both are well worth the money.
 
OK, First of all, AJ, get your ass back over there. :)

I was once one of the guys who said Striders were overpriced, lacked refinement, and, often times, were just plain poorly made, and, that was only about a year, maybe a year and a half ago, have they changed so much in a year and a half? Yes, they have, and, so have I.

My first experience with Strider folders was when I had the opportunity to examine an entire batch of brand new SNGs, the second version with the stonewashed blade and body. Blade-Art had gotten in a fresh batch, about 40 of them, I literally examined every single one, and saw what I felt at the time was very inconsistant QC. Many of the things mentioned above I saw in these folders, blade play, locks all over the place, off center blades, ball detents that only worked half the time, very stiff, gritty actions, and all this, for more money than a Sebenza, which I held at that time, and still do in many respects, to be THE benchmark for quality and value in a folding knife, it was a shame, because the Strider knives overall struck me in a visceral way, as amazingly tough-tool oriented knives of a nature I hadn't seen before, very different from a Sebenza, and yet every bit as appealing, but, there was no denying, nor getting past the obvious QC issues.

But, things change, and have changed at Strider. The next gen SNG was much better, they seemed to work out many of the bugs I had seen in the previous generation, and then, the generation after that, was even better. When I bought an SMF a few months ago, I was in love, here was a knife that, more than any other knife, Sebenzas included, struck me as THE hard use, balls to the wall heavy duty folder, and, the quality, while not quite at the level of a Sebenza, was still, VERY good, and, in some ways, superior to a Sebenza. This SMF, after sufficient break-in had a silky smooth action, a ball detent that is as strong as some locks on other knives. I found this SMF to have a lock that was at LEAST as strong and well executed as a Sebenza's, though it seems even stronger because of its design, not that I'm saying it is stronger, the Sebenza's lock is VERY strong but, it seems stronger, silly distinction, but often, things we like about knives are based as much on appearances as reality. Which brings me to my last point, while the SMF may not be a better knife than a Sebenza, is seems stronger and more capable, the Sebenza in comparison begins to almost seem fragile, is it, no, of course not, it's a heavy duty knife, but, I can't help but feel the SMF feels like it's the tougher, more capable knife, supremely capable in fact, and frankly, I like having that feeling from a folder which is why I think Strider folders are $$$ well spent.

It's true however, Strider's philosophy is that they are less concerned with cosmetics, more so with how the knife functions, and Striders therefore often, or even generally have small light scratches or scuffs on them, sometimes, the blade might not be dead center, but they believe these things are less important than how the knife works, and from a utilitarian point of view, I can't really argue with that. :) In a strange way, owning and becoming a fan of Striders has made me less of a perfectionist and more tolerant of minor flaws on other knives, within reason of course, and only if the flaw doesn't affect function, as I have come to understand that a knife not need be shiny and flawless to be worthwhile.

Much as I love the Sebenza and have long felt it to be the finest folder made, if I were looking for one knife to use and abuse, one destined for VERY hard use, it would be an SMF, not a Sebenza and I never thought that would be the case.
 
Billman said:
the only flaw I see with the pick-up truck vs. roll royce analogy is when the truck costs $200,000 and the rolls is $150,000, you still wouldn't expect the truck to have similar fit and finish?
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The point was that the two are different enough that comparisons between them don't make much sense, especially price. Will a $200,000 Mack truck have the same fit & finish as the $150,000 Rolls Royce? Is the seat of an B-2 as posh as a first class seat on a Boeing 777?

The idea that Strider folders are "poorly finished" or "rough around the edges" is not true, either. There's a difference between shoddy tolerances/assembly and quality control policy. I'm sure the Strider shop can turn out a folder with immaculate fit & finish, but it's their policy that because of what their folders are designed to do, the aesthetic standards will not be set as high. Strider will not compromise the construction or functionality of their folders, though.

Chris Reeve folders have very high standards which no doubt has contributed to their popularity. Neither policy is right or wrong, and neither is better or worse. The SnG and Sebenza are both folding knives but are fundamentally different in purpose and philosophy. This is reflected not only in the knives but in their warranties as well.
 
Billman said:
the only flaw I see with the pick-up truck vs. roll royce analogy is when the truck costs $200,000 and the rolls is $150,000, you still wouldn't expect the truck to have similar fit and finish?


"it seems like a $500 folder should have better fit and finish"

"yeah, but it's bad ass and tough"

something about that line of logic just strikes me as odd
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The problem is that it is still a choice. The truck and Rolls (the Strider AR and the Sebenza respectively ;)) are comparable in price, one gives you luxury, the other gives you utility.

The problem is if you want a truck made by Rolls, it will cost you the price of them both! A nice custom will get you what you are looking for if you want a tough as nails dress folder.
 
Megalobyte said:
I was once one of the guys who said Striders were overpriced, lacked refinement, and, often times, were just plain poorly made, and, that was only about a year, maybe a year and a half ago, have they changed so much in a year and a half? Yes, they have, and, so have I.
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Well, the SnG was Strider's first framelock, right? Not to mention the fact that I'm sure they are making more folders than ever before nowadays.
 
Megalobyte said:
OK, First of all, AJ, get your ass back over there. :)
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Right on bro.... This place is bad for my blood pressure. I don't think even if you pryed the entire planet apart with a Strider, people here would be impressed.

Well more Strider's for me! Woo-hoo!



You can't get cooler then these three Mick Strider customs...
folderfamily.jpg
 
But this isn't a comparison between a 747 and B2 bomber. It's a comparison between a frame lock folder made of titanium and s30v and a frame lock folder made of titanium and s30v. One might be hollow ground instead of flat ground, or have a slightly thicker blade, but this isn't apples and oranges. And how do you even know that the Strider is 'tougher' than the Sebenza? Has someone been using a Sebenza and had it fall apart and then went ahead with a Strider with no issues?

I guess a better analogy would be a luxury SUV with leather and a DVD player that costs $50,000. Well, someone else plans to use the same model SUV for hunting, etc so they opt for the model with bigger tires, stripped down interior, no CD player, burlwood interior, etc. Would you expect that one to cost $75,000?

I've had a 2nd gen SnG, a 6th gen SnG, a 2nd Gen SMF, and a couple of large Sebenzas. If I showed all of those knives to someone who wasn't into knives, I doubt they would ever guess that the Strider was the most expensive by a pretty good margin.

And I'm not trying to play myself off as some kind of knife expert, but this discussion just always strikes me as funny when one side is constantly having to explain why they are so expensive because they're "tough" and "hard use". I mean who is actually cutting into 55 gallon drums and car doors with their folder?

It just seems a lot like the guy who spends $20,000 on a Harley and the guy who spends $10,000 on a Kawasaki.

Kawasaki guy - "my bike cost half of what yours did and I didn't have to have carb work done on it and it runs better than yours and it's faster, etc"

Harley guy - "yeah, but you just don't get it"
 
Billman: Read my first post. I happen to carry a Sebenza myself for everyday use.

However, a hollow ground knife is ALWAYS more prone to damage than a flat ground blade.
 
In the same vein, you could say that the B-2 and 777 are both jet aircraft containing titanium and carbon fiber. Show both to someone who doesn't know much about aircraft and they would not be able guess just how much more expensive the B-2 is. If you want to consider the SnG and Sebenza comparable folders and a Kawasaki and Harley comparable bikes, that's fine :). I would respectfully disagree.

The Strider is not significantly more expensive than a Sebenza ($400 for the SnG vs. $345 for a large Sebenza). Striders are not more expensive because they are "tough" and "hard use"; that's simply how Strider and CRK priced their knives. We don't even know their production costs or profit margins. Clearly many people consider the prices reasonable for what they get.

Strider folders are designed to be used in extreme situations that law enforcement or military may encounter. I bet they've been used in more abusive situations than cutting 55 gal drums and car doors. For those who have used their Striders this way, how many would agree to attempt the same tasks with a Sebenza? On the other hand if I were slicing up cardboard or cutting an apple I'd take the Sebenza over the Strider. Each is built for a different purpose; neither does everything perfectly.
 
I carry an SnG in my pocket and an Smf in my bag.
Sold my Sebbie. Never did like the Sebbie even though it a fine example of precision machining.
When I got the SmF, I didn't really like it that much, wasn't impressed with it. However, as with the Sebenza, I decided to carry it for a while. Well guess what, I love the SmF, so I got an SnG for easier pocket carry and fell in love with it immediately.
Don't ask why, cause I can't explain. Maybe what others are trying to say. I also prefer a Hummer to an RX300 Lexus.
Oh, and by the way, for my pure cutting tasks in my work as a tanner, I won't use anything but a Dozier FH. Nothing beats it for pure cutting/slicing work. The Striders get the call for the rough stuff, replacing a small fixed blade.
 
Hi, guys,
I became interested in Strider knives after reading this thread. Could you show me the link to Strider knives warranty? I cannot find Strider company's website on Google for some reazon...
Regards,
 
OmegaA said:
Hi, guys,
I became interested in Strider knives after reading this thread. Could you show me the link to Strider knives warranty? I cannot find Strider company's website on Google for some reazon...
Regards,
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Strider Knives here.

Enjoy!
 
Billman said:
I've had a 2nd gen SnG, a 6th gen SnG, a 2nd Gen SMF, and a couple of large Sebenzas. If I showed all of those knives to someone who wasn't into knives, I doubt they would ever guess that the Strider was the most expensive by a pretty good margin.
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I'm very seriously thinking of buying a new SnG and I would be interested to hear your opinion of the Gen 6 model. I have a Sebenza which I carry with me always but I just love the look of the SnG and I would like to have one. Obviously a knife that will cost me upwards of $600 to get, (in my money), is something I need to give a bit of thought to and not something to get just on a whim so I'm keen to get as many views on the thing as I can.
 
Sebenzas and Striders both are made for knife nuts. It's not that they both don't perform well, but who else is going to spend $350-$400 on a folding knife? I don't think regular non-knife geek people who want a fine folder can see what a Sebenza is about by looking at it, and I don't think elite covert operators engaged in clandestine operations behind enemy lines are constrained to using a folding knife so they have to buy a Strider. It's just marketing, aimed at knife geeks or ninja wannabees. By the way, I have a Sebenza on the way, and I'm trying to decide which Strider I want. :)

PS - I don't think any of that marketing has anything to do with the performance of either one, but it has a lot to do with shaping opinions about what each one is "for" and what they can do.
 
Heh, Strider has definitely hit the bigtime. They're getting the same kinds of questions as with the Sebenza ... good company. A comment:

In a strange way, owning and becoming a fan of Striders has made me less of a perfectionist and more tolerant of minor flaws on other knives, within reason of course, and only if the flaw doesn't affect function, as I have come to understand that a knife not need be shiny and flawless to be worthwhile.
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On the other hand, of the few obvious things you're getting by going with a $400+ folder instead of a $150ish Spyderco or Benchmade is better fit and finish. No, a knife doesn't have to be flawless to be worthwhile, but if it doesn't have superior fit and finish, there's a whole lot less reason to go this route. I mean, there are other things you're paying for as well ... better materials, but you can get titanium, S30V, and G10 in a $150 BM or Spyderco as well. There's top-notch design, but ditto Benchmade and Spyderco and Sebenza. There is the willingness to pay for the maker or manufacturer (particularly in the custom world, where pride of ownership is a big motivator), and definitely Strider and CRK have that way over BM or Spyderco, but this isn't important if you're prioritizing usefulness over name cachet.

I like Striders, but if I were brutally honest, I'd say that if they can get people to line up for a $400 folder, in droves, that doesn't have necessarily better materials than the competition, and noticeably less fit-and-finish, they've reached the holy grail of marketing.

Of course, the thing I'm leaving out is the robustness. While I feel that a number of folders will handle a number of hard use jobs, with similar materials, better fit and finish, and lower price points, Strider does make some even more robust offerings.

Still, they are what they are, and as long as people are going ga ga and are willing to pay for them, then Striders are worth whatever they're going for.
 
One thing to mention though a used and abused SnG looks a helluva lot nicer than a used and abused Sebbie. The things I do to my SnG would destroy the appeance of a lot of other knives.

I mean, you could use a mastersmith made damscus bowie to dig a hole in the ground, but you wouldn't.


:EDIT: to clairfy
 
NervousXtian said:
One thing to mention though a used and abused SnG looks a helluva lot nicer than a used and abused Sebbie. The things I do to my SnG would destroy the appeance of a lot of other knives.

I mean, you could use a MS made damscus bowie to dig a hole in the ground, but you wouldn't.
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Good point! I really like the Sebenza but there are some things I would rather not use that knife for. A SnG, I would use for anything and everything. It begs to be used harder then most of us would ever have a reason too.

Those MS customs are awesome, I love the bottom one. Haven't seen one of those before.

Also, you can't beat the Strider warranty and that is something I would be willing to pay extra for.
 
I think that another misconception is that a flawless F&F is somehow 'less tough' than a rough and ready one, not so. The Sebenza / Rolex discussion on BF is kind of a standing joke, BUT both of these are really well made and well finished off. Just because its pretty to look at, does not, in any way, make it a sissy.
 
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