Strider SNG vs CRK Sebenza vs Hinderer Xm-18

I lack the experience of some of the people on this forum, but my vote is for the Sebenza. I got mine about a month ago and I love it. I've never spent that much on a knife before, but that's not the reason I like it so much. You can feel the precision the moment you opne the blade. Mine sits in my back pocket almost all the time. I've yet to really challenge the blade, but it does everything I ask it to and does it with style.

I got the Large Classic as opposed to the Regular. The difference is the classic has a simpler cutout design for the finger rest portion. Some prefer the other design, but I don't think you'd go wrong with either.
 
I own all three and the one that finds it's way into my pocket the most would be the SnG/SMF. The Sebbie and the Hinderer have much better, more consistant F/F but, for me, I prefer the high flat grind on the SnG to the Sebbies hollow grind and I like the plain drop point tip MUCH better than the Spanto which I find way too thick for my needs. (From what I understand there were only 3 or so XMs released with a regular drop point which I would find preferable to the Spanto. I also don't like the flipping action on the XM but since the other two don't have one it's moot.) I also like the ergos better on the SnG/SMF than I do on the Sebbies or XMs.

YMMV
oil
 
I have had Striders and sold them off. I have had Sebbies, and sold them off, BUT always come back to them. I DO have XM-18's, and they are an awesome knife! If I had to choose, and juts have 1 out of the 3, I would ALWAYS go for the XM-18.
 
AJ: i'm always somewhere in the toronto or barrie region. if you want to handle a couple striders email me at "a_skank (AT) hotmail.com" I haven't handled either the sebbie or the XM, but can be of help in the strider department. peace.
 
For a second post, i would in a way agree with Oilman. I LOVE the overall quality of the Sebenza but its not my optimal grind choice. Flat ground wins any day of the week. Of course, i am constantly on the look out for an XM-18 and would love to have one for purposes of comparison. Frankly, it seems, that each of the three has its own merits and would be a decent choice. The Sebenza has the tolerances, the Strider has the right grind, and the XM has a little bit of everything(plus the custom aspect) to make it more desirable. The Hinderer is a custom piece that will(i would hope) continue to increase in value. The Strider has a great following and an awesome warranty/service backing(from what i have heard). The Sebenza is a production knife that in many cases exceeds the quality standards present in numerous custom folders. Hell, its kinda a toss up....but, um....S.e....b...en...za.....you will not be disappointed. Please excuse my redundant ranting...i just got home and am in rare form.
 
talonturbo said:
AJ: i'm always somewhere in the toronto or barrie region. if you want to handle a couple striders email me at "a_skank (AT) hotmail.com" I haven't handled either the sebbie or the XM, but can be of help in the strider department. peace.
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email sent

thanks again :)

aj
 
T.K.C. said:
I have had Striders and sold them off. I have had Sebbies, and sold them off, BUT always come back to them. I DO have XM-18's, and they are an awesome knife! If I had to choose, and juts have 1 out of the 3, I would ALWAYS go for the XM-18.
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Did you say Xm-18s like more than one :eek:

you are a lucky person

aj
 
OilMan said:
I own all three and the one that finds it's way into my pocket the most would be the SnG/SMF. The Sebbie and the Hinderer have much better, more consistant F/F but, for me, I prefer the high flat grind on the SnG to the Sebbies hollow grind and I like the plain drop point tip MUCH better than the Spanto which I find way too thick for my needs. (From what I understand there were only 3 or so XMs released with a regular drop point which I would find preferable to the Spanto. I also don't like the flipping action on the XM but since the other two don't have one it's moot.) I also like the ergos better on the SnG/SMF than I do on the Sebbies or XMs.

YMMV
oil
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So if a Sebenza had a flat Grind would that be a better knife overall. I don't know much about grinds so i can't really comment on them much, But I think Tom Krein does good work in this department.

aj
 
aj1985 said:
So if a Sebenza had a flat Grind would that be a better knife overall. I don't know much about grinds so i can't really comment on them much, But I think Tom Krein does good work in this department.

aj
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It would be a good start IMHO. But then again it's my personal tastes, some people are perfectly happy with a hollow grind. YMMV. I've been debating sending one of my sebbies to Tom to work over because I got a little crazy with my edgepro and it's my favorite Sebbie.:o (Matt Cucchiara Meltdown and Fizzed Small Regular, first Sebbie I ever bought.) The edge bevel just needs evening out but I figured one of his flat grinds would fix it and then some.:thumbup:
 
I have owned striders and sebenzas.
Loved them both. When I needed to sell a couple of knives, I kep the sebs because of sentimental issues. Some things to consider.

The normal seb ti scales will show scuffing and scraping with pocket carry. No impact on function, but will look "used" quicker. As I understand it, some of it is other materials rubbing off on the scale (e.g. brass from keys, etc. ) Others can comment more knowledgably. Bottom line for me is that it is a great knife, but an honest worker knife that shows its humble origin proudly.

The SNGs are a very light knife. Built extremely well. I can not think of a concern that I have with any of them. It does look more intimidating to sheeple. There is no way around that.

Good luck with your decision making. Although, once you have reached that point, you may well be doomed to keep chasing knives......
 
I think all 3 knives are great. If I ever have a chance to get one, I'd like a Hinder XM=18. I have had a Sebenza small classic & still have 2 Striders (SNG & PT). Having never owned a Hinderer, I can't really talk about it, other than that I want one.

On the Sebs & Striders, I think the Seb is production perfection. Every Sebenza seems the same (Great F&F, etc). With Striders, it seems it's more hit or miss, which is pretty crazy for knife that costs as much as they do. However, the 2 Striders I have seem to be good examples. The blades are not loose & they lock up tight. I replaced my Seb with a Bradely Alias II. No, it's not the same thing, but it's awefully close. The Strider, though, seems to me to be more handier. I like the flat grind blade better, the handles' ergos is more suitable to the different ways you can grip a knife. Because of that, I find myself carrying the Strider.

You really can't go wrong with any of them.
 
I have had a Hinderer XM, Strider AR, and Sebenzas. MY favorite so far is the Sebenza, I sold the other two. I would like to give the Strider SNG a go though.
 
I have and use both the sebenza and the sng....I'd have to say that the sebenza is a more efficient cutter, it's a more slim carry (doesn't take up as much pocket space or protrude as much), it carries better, I like the pocket clip more and they're usually a tad cheaper. I think the CRK is much smoother and just more practical. The sng is a thick knife and the geometry is much thicker as well. It's also a tougher knife. For a more rugged knife that will certainly be taking abuse, I'd actually go with the SNG...but for a daily carry or work knife, I'd actually go with the sebenza. It's just a nicer more practical knife for most people.

That being said, for me at least, there's just a funny attraction to the SNG, it's on par with the sebenza for the most part, just a different flavor I'd say.....being a more rugged design. I love to carry mine and it's a great knife. I carry it at work and carry a sebenza or umnumzaan everywhere else. It's just a beast of a knife in a light frame.....plus, it popped a steel strap off a pallet very nicely the other day....something that I wouldn't do with a sebenza.

Another great choice is the CRK Umnumzaan. It's kind of a cross between the "tactical" SNG and the "utilitarian" Sebenza. It's a beefy knife as well and has a cool locking/pivot system which is kind of like a cousin to the SNG...though more complicated.
 
I think if you are a long time Spyderco fan you will like the Strider SNG the most. It has a choil and once you become accustomed to using one they a a hard habit to kick.

All three are fine knives and if you find you do not like the one you choose it would be easy to recoup your money selling on the secondary market
 
Not wanting to get off topic but have you looked at the ZT0301, it has the hinderer lock, the same or similar Ti side as the Hinderer/strider, it has a recurve blade and is built like a tank, its also a flipper like the xm,(but assisted), its also like half the price and available it shops as of right now...just a thought to muddy the waters...
 
All very nice choices.

XM-18: This is a great "custom" folder as opposed to the other two mentioned with are productions. It comes with a built in choil for choking up on the handle and also adding some insurance that the blade cannot close on fingers as easily as a non choil model. (although this is unlikely in frame locks its still added value in my book) It comes equipped with Rick's lock stabalizer which is also a nice feature in a frame lock. The XM18 is in high demand though and although they come up for sale both new and used you will pay a premium for one either way unless you are lucky enough to snag one at a show in a drawing from Rick. I've owned one of each size, both being flipper models and prefer the non flipper. Doesn't slice as well as the other two out of the box based on my experience but very nice for its designed purpose as a hard use tactical folder which is what the edge is good for. I didn't care for the blade steel personally and its the heaviest of the three mentioned.

Sebenza: This is a superbly built production knife probably among the top in engineering if not the top engineered folder on the market among production folders. I would rank the Sebenza as tops for closeness of tolerances, tops in quality control, lock wear, even wear, and among productions it holds it's value about as well as any folder I've owned. Its readily available and highly rated. Sebenzas can still be found in BG42 blade steel and S30V new and used but overall they seem to bring close to what they sell for new which is a testament to the general take on value for a precision built tool I guess.

SnG: Also a production but available as a custom by either Duane or Mick but I believe they may have some differences over productions and it may also be the case that Duane named his differently. Either way the cost is greater going custom. The SnG is a great design with some features that make it very appealing. Those are the Hinderer lock stabalizer and of course the built in choil available in a folder at what amounts to about half what a custom would run you. Maybe less than half if you were comparing it to the XM18.
S30V is the blade steel and my experiences with this steel from Strider has always been good.

Of the three mentioned I'd zero in on the SnG right now. First of all after owning a couple of each model mentioned now I can say that the SnG fit my hand better, allowed better control of the point and had a blade steel I liked (same as Sebbie) The deciding factor for me in this choice is the fact that it seems like the SnG comes up for sale for a deal more often than the others mentioned. I've bought a couple used ones on this forum for sub $300 prices that were just fine folders and comparing that to similar finds of deals in the other models, well, you get equal bang for the buck for less money and right now money is tight so the SnG would be my choice at this writing.

STR
 
I have not owned or handled an XM-18, and cannot comment on them.

I have, however, owned both a Strider SnG, and a couple of Sebenzas. The Sebenza is the nicest, most impressive and most consistent knife I've ever owned by a landslide (My STR Ouparator was close, but the carbon steel blade maintenance and money issues forced it out of my rotation in the end. Still, it's an honorable mention). There are so many subtleties that just make the Sebenza a must have for a knife lover with an eye for quality. The lock up is perfect, the bushing system in the pivot is genius, the easy disassembly is a must. No matter how long and how hard I use the knife, it stays perfect and shows no wear in the action or lock up. I have never seen that in another folder. They are the best for real, solid reasons, not just opinions. I've had big name custom framelocks that weren't even close.

Now, as for the Strider SnG, I'm not going to hold back, I was pretty disgusted by the fit and finish and lock up of this knife based on the price and reputation it has. The lock up was just plain poor, the scales weren't entirely flush, the logo was poorly stamped, the blade, even though it was flat ground, was far too thick to cut properly compared to the thinner, high hollow ground blade on the Sebenza. As far as people calling it a tough knife, I see no reason other than the style of the knife to feel that way. There is a very thin portion of nothing but G-10 behind the blade, and the lock bar cut out is pretty much hair thin. It feels nowhere near as solid and hearty as a Sebenza does, aside from the horrendously thick blade.
 
imaginefj said:
I have had a Hinderer XM, Strider AR, and Sebenzas. MY favorite so far is the Sebenza, I sold the other two. I would like to give the Strider SNG a go though.
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DEAD THREAD RESURRECTION!!:o

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
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