The hyping of Chris Reeve Knifes

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waterford

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Hi,

The overwhelming general consensus on ALL the forums is that Chris Reeve Knifes make the best production/semi-custom knives available today. I have spent many days perusing all the
forums reading all the CRK fan boy comments...."best knife on earth", "it just feels right", etc. Ok, well thats all fine, BUT the mast majority of these folks NEVER mention the blade performance
or talk about the blade's cutting ability or the blade's edge retention or how long it holds a razor sharp edge. It ALL about fit, feel and finish and NOT the important part of how the blade cuts
and performs....I dont get it.

A very popular You Tube channel member put the large Sebenza 21 to a cutting test, and it failed miserably! Than tester got nasty,immature comments from the all CRK fanboys. It certainly
appears to me that his blades are mediocore at the very best, and very hit and miss with quality control. To me , that is unacceptable for a $425.00 knife.

So, do most of the CRK Sebenza owners buy these knives simply to play with and constantly and mindlessly flick it open and closed while sitting on the couch watching TV, or, they they acutally
use them daily and if so, what are you results with the blade performance?

Please understand this is just my opinion from all the reading I have done and the videos I have watched.
 
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Can you use the search function at your membership level?
 
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Well, the Umnumzaan does quite well for real-life knife usage.
I can say this because I actually USE mine...

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I'm going to get flamed for saying this but personally i think they look dated, they look like a bad design from the 80's, that's just me tho, i like a more modern look like a Striders or ZT's. I do suspect a lot of the owners simply buy them to tell everyone they have one and like to show them off just because they are expensive. I don't see whats special about them, I've looked at them a few times, i just cant see the value in them, they are so basic and plain, they don't seem very heavy duty to me they are kind of delicate, but to each there own they are obviously popular their owners.
 
I think a spyderco or zt knife can do everything a chris reeve knife can do for half the cost.
 
Well, to defend CRK, even though they do look a bit dated, I like the look, its very retro and old school. Im concern and questions about CRK is ONLY about blade performance and
the high cost. There was one Sebenza unboxing video on You Tube where the guy was practically making love to his Sebenza. Its VERY odd and weird, I really do not get the whole Sebenza
obsession. Its as if the knife is a real person the way they talk and drool over it. I mean, come on guys, its a knife!
 
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waterford said:
Please understand this is just my opinion from all the reading I have done and the videos I have watched.
Click to expand...

How can you form such a strong opinion from reading and you tube video's? I don't have an opinion as I have not purchased one of CRK's knives. However I have noticed that he wins a lot of awards....
1987 Knifemaker’s Guild of Southern Africa "Best Folding Knife" (Sebenza predecessor)
2000 ",[16] 2001,[17] 2003",[18] 2004, 2005, 2006",[19] 2007,[6] 2008,[14] 2009, 2010 [15] "Manufacturing Quality Award"
2003 "Collaboration Knife of the Year" [18] ("The Green Beret Knife", a collaboration between CRK and William Harsey, Jr.)
2005 "Collector Knife of the Year" ("21st Anniversary Sebenza")
2006 Grays Sporting Journal “Gray's Best” Award
2007 "American Made Knife of the Year"[6] ("The Pacific Knife", a collaboration between CRK and William Harsey Jr.)
2008 "Overall Knife of the Year"[14] ("Umnumzaan")
2008 Field and Stream "Best of the Best""[20] ("The Pacific Knife")
2010 "Overall Knife of the Year" [15] ("Ti-Lock", a collaboration between CRK and Grant & Gavin Hawk)

He uses good steels A2, ATS-34, BG-42, CPM-S30V, CPM-S35V. I suspect he nails heat treat on these steels as Reeve collaborated with Dick Barber of Crucible Materials Corporation to develop CPM S30V steel as a knifemaking steel in 2003. Generally if you are heavilly involved in developing a steel you might be able to figure out how to heat treat it.

You sir have thrown down some real fighting words about a pretty highly regarded knife maker. Now if you got one of his knives and were disappointed that's a different thing. But you're just ranting about a couple of things you read on the net that contradict the overwhelming general consensus (your own words) that this is a great line of knives.
 
Manufacturing anything to .0005" tolerances requires a proportionate increase in cost. I don't own one, but I can appreciate the simplicity and craftsmanship of them. Cost is how much people are willing to pay for something. They are not a high value knife imo. But they have their niche and Chris seems to be doing alright. Not everyone has to own a sebenza just because people rave about them. Buy what you like :)
 
Spinerazor said:
I'm going to get flamed for saying this but personally i think they look dated, they look like a bad design from the 80's, that's just me tho, i like a more modern look like a Striders or ZT's. I do suspect a lot of the owners simply buy them to tell everyone they have one and like to show them off just because they are expensive. I don't see whats special about them, I've looked at them a few times, i just cant see the value in them, they are so basic and plain, they don't seem very heavy duty to me they are kind of delicate, but to each there own they are obviously popular their owners.
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You won't get it if you don't use it.
I've got Striders, ZT's, and the Umnumzaan. They are all only any good if you USE them.
Otherwise, you might as well have invested the money (ewww).
 
If you've never handled and used one before than I wouldn't expect you to understand why there is so much hype. And no the Sebenza doesn't have the best cutting performance or the latest super steels. What it does have is a classic and timeless design that has proved to be a great all around work knife. The Sebenza is all about precision and tolerances but it can also hold its own with any knife on the market performance wise.
 
waterford said:
Hi,

The overwhelming general consensus on ALL the forums is that Chris Reeve Knifes make the best production/semi-custom knives available today.

Not really, but they have set the standard on tolerances and F&F, there is no best IMO when it comes to production knives, just different.

I have spent many days perusing all the
forums reading all the CRK fan boy comments...."best knife on earth", "it just feels right", etc. Ok, well thats all fine, BUT the mast majority of these folks NEVER mention the blade performance
or talk about the blade's cutting ability or the blade's edge retention or how long it holds a razor sharp edge. It ALL about fit, feel and finish and NOT the important part of how the blade cuts
and performs....I dont get it.

That depends on the user, some use them as I use mine....

Holding a razor edge? Depends on actual use and most steels will lose that very fast depending on what is being cut.

A very popular You Tube channel member put the large Sebenza 21 to a cutting test, and it failed miserably! Than tester got nasty,immature comments from the all CRK fanboys. It certainly
appears to me that his blades are mediocore at the very best, and very hit and miss with quality control. To me , that is unacceptable for a $425.00 knife.

Yeah I saw that video...

So, do most of the CRK Sebenza owners buy these knives simply to play with and constantly and mindlessly flick it open and closed while sitting on the couch watching TV, or, they they acutally
use them daily and if so, what are you results with the blade performance?

I would say some do, just like most other knives these days that people own on the forums.

Please understand this is just my opinion from all the reading I have done and the videos I have watched.
Click to expand...

Answers are in RED.
 
You've clearly made up your mind.

Why anyone would feel the need to try to sell you something is beyond me - especially after your attempted dispersions on the owners. Go back to youtube and stop worrying about what others are spending their money on.
 
Im sorry if I am upsetting CRK owners. That was not my intention. I know he makes a quality, very attractive knife,no doubt. I am just questioning why very few folks never discuss blade performance and are
solely focused on aesthetics, thats all. Fondly it, playing with it, flicking it open and closed countless times, does that justify a $425.00? Only you guys can answer that I guess.
 
waterford said:
Im sorry if I am upsetting CRK owners. That was not my intention. I know he makes a quality, very attractive knife,no doubt. I am just questioning why very few folks never discuss blade performance and are
solely focused on aesthetics, thats all.
Click to expand...

Well, if you read most of the threads about any brand around here, most people are primarily knife-fondlers.
It's not just a CRK thing, it's also a Spyderco/Benchmade/Boker/Strider/Cold Steel/BRK&T/Emerson/etc thing.
 
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