The essence of the Sebenza

JustinFournier

JustinFournier

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I was thinking about something I have seen mentioned a couple times now that popped up in my head tonight on the long droning commute home. It was a good time to do some thinking on it and though this is subjective, I would like to hear other people's answer.

One time, probably a few years ago now someone commented that the Sebenza wasn't really a Sebenza without the blue thumb stud. Something about that stuck in my brain and I never fully understood it. Something about our personalities and individual experiences must come into play and shape the way we come to love these knives.

To me, the Sebenza is the simple, physical manifestation of Chris's passion and dedication to innovation, precision and quality. The Sebenza is made to such exacting specifications, manufactured with such excellence that in my mind, I can't imagine the Sebenza as anything less than the tight tolerances and fine attention to detail that I have come to expect. When I get a new one, I find myself pouring over it for a miss step that occurred along the way through various hands and machines, admiring the time it took the craftsman to develop the skill necessary to create the Sebenza. All of this executed in a simple, easy to maintain form that when in my hand, all makes perfect sense.

What is the indispensable quality of the Sebenza, which if removed would no longer qualify that knife as a Sebenza to you?
 
The pivot bushing:D. Of course I'm just kidding! I'd say to start, the (real) CRK stamp and the customer service that stands behind it. To me, that is the essence of CRK and the confidence that Chris puts into the Sebenza.
 
If the name wasn't Sebenza. The Ti Lock is not a Sebenza, it's a Ti Lock.
When I think Sebenza, I think CRK. The quality of build, materials, detail to tolerances, customer service, are the defining personality traits that makes a CRK, a great knife.
For me, there are different variations of a Sebenza, but only one Sebenza. Regardless of the model, the Sebenza is the iconic knife that has set the standard throughout the knife industry.
 
For me, the quality, reliability, and ultimately, the trust I can place in a Sebenza is what makes it a Sebenza. I will add that the same can fairly be said of the Umnumzaan, having had one, also. The reason I select a CRK to carry each day is the trust I have in it to perform its duty as best possible.

I like how you say you "pour over" each Sebenza trying to find a flaw, as I do the same with each new one, and current one, in my collection. I expect that at some point I will be able to find some discernible issue, but alas, such has not been true of any of the six Sebenzas, nor eight total CRKs, I've had or have. CRK makes some of the few knives that are able to pass my standards of OCD, and that defines their essence.
 
The ridiculously high manufacturing tolerances that allow it to get better as it ages and breaks in. But I guess this would apply to all CRK folders.
 
Corytr said:
The pivot bushing:D. Of course I'm just kidding! I'd say to start, the (real) CRK stamp and the customer service that stands behind it. To me, that is the essence of CRK and the confidence that Chris puts into the Sebenza.
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I can't imagine it would stop being a Sebenza for you if they had to close their doors tomorrow. So, there must be something more germane to the actual knife itself. Just curious, not an argument.
 
The simplicity of the design linked to the high level of craftsmanship. Simplifying something and creating a great tool that has form follows function as its goal is commendable to me. I like holding it and using it. I like pausing and admiring the artistry.
 
All of Chris' knives have tight tolerances and built with the same passion and premium materials. Most all are a framelock as well with the exception of the Ti-Lock. For me it would probably be the pivot bushing system. If it doesn't have that then I'm not sure it's a Sebenza for me. It's a CRK for sure but not a Sebenza.
 
Biggambi said:
I can't imagine it would stop being a Sebenza for you if they had to close their doors tomorrow. So, there must be something more germane to the actual knife itself. Just curious, not an argument.
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Good point. Of course it would still be a Sebenza to me. Because of the quality and the confidence put into the knives. The quality that they so willingly and unquestionably stand behind as long as they have a pulse.

I too think that the "essence" that we speak of is more than just with the Sebenza. Rather it is reflected in all CRKs.
 
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To me it is the confidence that the creator puts into the product - including tools to disassemble, and encouraging disassembly even.

It means I use CRK far more confidently than any other knife because I know I can clean anything out of it, no matter how grimy, and that I will always be able to get back to factory-perfect tolerances.

That is why it is my favorite knife company, and consequently why I am only interested in the CRK that include break-down tools.
 
One of the things that is amzing to me is that we can own them. In fact many people could own at least one if they were so inclined. How many things exist in todays world that are produced to some of the highest tolerences and refinement of form, and remain monetarily feasible for so many? I know many people would argue they could never spend this amount on a knife. Yet, many of those will possess a significant number of knives that perform the same tasks. The cummulative value would have allowed for the single purchse. So, it realy does come down to seeing value in the very things we are trying to describe in this thread. If you do find it and value it. You are down the rabbit hole.
 
I'm enjoying this thread. Thanks all. I too am a big fan of the bushing system.

Does anyone think the titanium could be replaced with another material, and still be a Sebenza?
 
JustinFournier said:
I'm enjoying this thread. Thanks all. I too am a big fan of the bushing system.

Does anyone think the titanium could be replaced with another material, and still be a Sebenza?
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I am going to say yes, if steel and the inside of the scales were milled out a bit to keep the weight similar. I was actually thinking about that the other day. Would it be a good idea to have a steel lock side, heat treated to about the same hardness as the blade? Kind of like a steel lockbar insert without the insert. Or would the heat treat make it too brittle for constant springing action of the lock? Or could it be made of some sort of spring steel and that would be a non-issue? Or is this a really stupid idea? :p
 
JustinFournier said:
I'm enjoying this thread. Thanks all. I too am a big fan of the bushing system.

Does anyone think the titanium could be replaced with another material, and still be a Sebenza?
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I do not. The coice of titanium was made by Walker for very good reasons. Chris Reeve probably followed suit for the same reasons Walker used them when he made the very first Walker liner locking folder. Specifically, titanium has properties well suited for the task: light weight yet high strength, high elasticity under high loads- spring retention qualities (steel would deform under the kinds of loads titanium can handle), and titanium galls to other metals (when rubbed against other metals under tension it seizes to them rather than slipping).

Source: Levine, Bernard (1997). "The Linerlock - Right from the Source". Knife-expert.com
 
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Corytr said:
If Chris makes it and calls it a Sebenza, then it is.
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I was thinking about this and while it is true, he can make anything he wants and call it a Sabenza. Would it be accepted as a Sebenza? There is much discussion about the 25 not being a Sebenza. How true does he need to be to what everyone has come to percieve as the qualities, the essence, of the first Sebenza he made?

I don't think he can change: the use of the Reeve integral lock; or the phosphor bronze washers for some other washer material or type. The blade shape and material have had no bearing on it. Yet, altering the finger grooves and slight changes to the washer and pin have caused some unease. The use of loctite has also caused some unease. When I say unease this has ranged from I don't like it to it is not a Sebenza. Curious what others think.
 
I kinda nit-pick the loctite issue. Chris is relying the the softness of the titanium to gall locking the steel hardware in place thus securing the fastener in question. On the pivot of the 25 this is not possible so he suggests Loctite. Lots of people have reported they don't use it and have no issues.

There is no majic involved with the 21, just steel on titanium.

Also, it's not like you can just crank down on a 21 like crazy to secure the pivot because anyone who has probably realized there is a specific torque setting that hits the sweet spot and little tweaking can be done. Even on my newest 21 made last month about 1/8th turn goes from blade play to awful action and the screw it too tight or too lose. The problem with this is either the pivot screw won't have the correct torque to fasten at the spot I want the action to be, or the correct torque is not the right action.

I will either have to send it in for new washers (it's brand new) or open it tons of times to break it in. With some of my Damascus safe queens I don't want to do that. I don't want any wear on the Damascus from my thumb nor wear on the thumb stud. So I have to sit there with a cloth holding the blade going back and forth opening it which seems silly.

I prefer the 25 as I can move the pivot as washers wear, and not cause any issues about not having the pivot screw cranked to a certain torque to gall it into place. I just set the action how I want it and done.

Hope that makes sense. I'm extremely picky about the quality of the machining, the action, the lock stick and to date I have never had a single Sebenza that I couldn't spot something I wanted to fix. I used to do that work for a living so normally I can instantly spot things that really annoy me most people don't.
 
For me it is the pivot. It is what makes the Sebenza so much different and better than other knives. To have that pivot design there is no compromise with the tolerances of the knife. They have to be perfect for it to work. No pivot screw adjustment for it to be perfect,that is something special.
 
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