Strider SNG vs CRK Sebenza vs Hinderer Xm-18

[bearcut]

Since I now own all three brands, I resurrected this post.
I looked for the best overall hard-use folder for many years.
When I used Sebenzas, I kept looking.
When I bought an Umnumzaan, I liked it, but I kept looking.
When I bought a Sng, I liked it, but I kept looking.
When I bought an XM-18, I quit looking.
I found it.
I’m done.
I'm gonna save a lot of money now.

 

[smithkzn]

My thoughts:
Small Sebenza - Perfect size but too difficult to open.
Large Sebenza - too big a blade for general edc. Fiddly thumblug. Clinical.
Strider PT - very comfy in hand, bad clip, not buttery easy to open.
Hinderer 3" - still need to buy my 1st one. Not sure flipper or not.

 

[Bill86]

My thoughts:
Small Sebenza - Perfect size but too difficult to open.
Large Sebenza - too big a blade for general edc. Fiddly thumblug. Clinical.
Strider PT - very comfy in hand, bad clip, not buttery easy to open.
Hinderer 3" - still need to buy my 1st one. Not sure flipper or not.

this thread was 7 months old, didn't need a bump

 

[cziv]

That's odd. I was just reading this thread yesterday and here it is on the 1st page. Hinderer XM-18 3", get the flipper they offer an option if you can't use your thumb. A poll in Rick's sub-forum shows owners overwhelmingly voted for flipper over non-flipper. YMMV

 

[Kaizen1]

That's odd. I was just reading this thread yesterday and here it is on the 1st page. Hinderer XM-18 3", get the flipper they offer an option if you can't use your thumb. A poll in Rick's sub-forum shows owners overwhelmingly voted for flipper over non-flipper. YMMV

I've owned two flippers and a non-flipper. I kept the non-flipper. Both are great though.

 

[misterjuiceman]

I've owned two flippers and a non-flipper. I kept the non-flipper. Both are great though.

I prefer non-flipper for 3", and could go either way for 3.5"
The flipper isn't really a good flipper, it serves more as a guard for your hand. The 3" was too small for me to comfortable fit my hand with the flipper.

 

[cziv]

The flipper is cool but it does occupy a lot of space for an EDC. My flipper is as you describe, but Rick doesn't design them to be perfect flippers, just as an option and a hand guard. I read that here or USN directly from his post.

I'm thinking about a 3.5" non-flipper very seriously for EDC. Kaizen1 and misterjuiceman, do you guys have one?

 

[misterjuiceman]

The flipper is cool but it does occupy a lot of space for an EDC. My flipper is as you describe, but Rick doesn't design them to be perfect flippers, just as an option and a hand guard. I read that here or USN directly from his post.

I'm thinking about a 3.5" non-flipper very seriously for EDC. Kaizen1 and misterjuiceman, do you guys have one?

yep, Rick didn't really intend it for the flipper to be the primary deployment mode.

I used to have a 3.5" non flipper. you won't be disappointed. I ended up selling it for a flipper version, but only because the flipper was in CTS-XHP. you'd probably like the flipper version too, but after handling a well-made IKBS knife, I saw it as nothing more than a handguard, which is in fact a great feature to have for a knife of this type.

 

[Noctis3880]

Huh. Little pricey for these dontcha think?

I figure once you go past $300 for a knife, it ceases to be a tool to be used and carried during the day job and becomes a safe queen. My $200 knives won't be used as a wood chopper, but I wouldn't hesitate to use them for everyday tasks.

I just find myself a little disappointed while considering a Large Sebenza 21 that it didn't come with a blade of solid diamond at that price tag.

 

[mmarkh]

Huh. Little pricey for these dontcha think?

I figure once you go past $300 for a knife, it ceases to be a tool to be used and carried during the day job and becomes a safe queen. My $200 knives won't be used as a wood chopper, but I wouldn't hesitate to use them for everyday tasks.

I just find myself a little disappointed while considering a Large Sebenza 21 that it didn't come with a blade of solid diamond at that price tag.

I don't carry my Sebenza at work but I don't hesitate to use it any other time. If you think the Sebenza is too expensive you probably should just pass on it because I doubt you would appreciate it. Do you realize what XM18's are going for? I guess you figure they should have platinum handles encrusted with diamonds.

 

[misterjuiceman]

I don't carry my Sebenza at work but I don't hesitate to use it any other time. If you think the Sebenza is too expensive you probably should just pass on it because I doubt you would appreciate it. Do you realize what XM18's are going for? I guess you figure they should have platinum handles encrusted with diamonds.

:thumbup:

you'll carry the XM18s and Sebenzas, you might just have to get an even more expensive custom first.

 

[MORIMOTOM]

Huh. Little pricey for these dontcha think?

I figure once you go past $300 for a knife, it ceases to be a tool to be used and carried during the day job and becomes a safe queen. My $200 knives won't be used as a wood chopper, but I wouldn't hesitate to use them for everyday tasks.

I just find myself a little disappointed while considering a Large Sebenza 21 that it didn't come with a blade of solid diamond at that price tag.

says who?

many here carry knives that are $300 plus every day.

i carried a sebenza at work every day for over 6 months.

 

[Lycosa]

I find the "versus" thing annoying. These top brands are all very good. It comes down to what one likes.
SnG.

 

[marthinus]

I find the "versus" thing annoying. These top brands are all very good. It comes down to what one likes.
ALL OF THE ABOVE IN MY POCKETS!

:thumbup: Fixed it for you! But I agree. Buy what you like and floats your boat. Life is to short to not buy what you like.

 

[cziv]

I thought the Benchmade 710 was the pinnacle of knifedom and it was, for me, at the time I bought it. I still love it. Since then I bought the large Sebenza that I thought was ridiculous back then and it's a fine knife for a safe, or better yet a user.

Until you get these kind of folders you never really know how cool they can be. I like the Striders and Hinderers too. The only hard part for me is making that first cut "that might leave a mark!" After that I can breathe easily.

but after handling a well-made IKBS knife, I saw it as nothing more than a handguard

What's this mean? Something about ball bearing pivots? What folders have those?

 

[misterjuiceman]

What's this mean? Something about ball bearing pivots? What folders have those?

Todd Begg, Tim Galyean, Charles Marlowe, Tom Mayo and Ken Onion all use IKBS for some of their knives. The XM-18 lacks a strong detent so compared to a knife made exclusively as an IKBS flipper, the XM-18's flipper can't compare, but it's not supposed to. the XM-18 is a thumb stud deploying knife with a flipper, not a flipper with a thumb stud. I think it should stay the way it is. I'm just saying that the flipper model shouldn't just be bought because of the altenrative deployment method. In my opinion, its best use is as a handguard.

edit: Mick Strider also used some sort of bearing system on one of his customs recently.

 

[oxbld]

this thread was 7 months old, didn't need a bump

Wrong, it needed the bump. . This was a very interesting read. Thanks to all that posted pics! Now I just need to come up with a bunch of cash to buy them all...

 

[SpartanSaint]

i want a 3" flipper soooo bad

 

[Toyz]

Part of the fun is hunting one down, waiting in anticipation for it, working with it for a while, selling it, and then moving on to the next one.

I had all at one time, and sold all. They were all great knives - and very different.

 

[Lycosa]

Thanks Marti! Let's go out drinkin.