The Sages

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I have the Sage 3 in blue G10 and don't love it. I have several Axis lock knives and the Bolt action lock doesn't measure up. The Sage 3 isn't as smooth and fast to deploy by the lock and has a fat pocket profile vs. blade length. I'll keep the Sage 3, but it doesn't get carried. Maybe someday I'll try a Sage 1 or 2.

 

My Sage 1 is my second most carried to the PM2, I really love everything about this knife and plan on a Sage 2 as a soon add. I love the size , shape, feel in the hand and love the CF overlay. It feels so refined I think Sal should have made a exception on the Sage 1 and polished the blade to make it a true gentleman's knife. Could you imagine a brown or grey CF sage 1 polished Forum or Sprint run!......:hypnotysed: I have no problem flicking it in public out of boredom while grocery shopping or just killing time.
its just a great knife.

 

There is apparently a Sage prototype with a compression lock, so maybe that will come out soon.

I'd buy that.

 

Another option to consider would be the CF Chaparral. It's very similar in appearance to the Sage 1, with the same CF laminate scales, a similar shape handle, wire clip, and FFG leaf shaped blade. However, it's a tad smaller, a bit lighter, has a thinner (2mm) blade which makes it a super slicer, and a midlock.

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The Sage 1 and 2 are my favorites by far.
A great design, and with the RIL I feel the Sage 2 is one of the better 3" bladed knives on the market.

 

While I like the CF Sage 3 a lot, there's still something about the Sage 1 that wins me over. You can't really go wrong with any of them, though.

 

I have them all and prefer the Sage 2, love it so much that I now have 2 of them. I'm a big fan of Titanium frame locks though.

 

Sage 1 is my preference to the sage 2 (never handled the 3). Especially after taking some fine sandpaper and rounding all of the edges of the g10/cf. It just feels so good in the hand.

 

I regret selling my Sage 1.
Just works.

 

Nuke finish Sage 2

 

Can't go wrong with a Sage2 and a Haiku.

 

I don't own a sage,
but hope to some day quite soon.
Oh, the choices! Tough.

How's that for a haiku?

 

"...But I currently live in 2 cities. And having to check a bag to fly with a knife isn't an awesome option. So I want something I love as much as my Sage 1 for one city while I carry the original 1 in the other. Yes, I could just get another Sage 1, but where the fun in that?..."

Nothing wrong with duplication. Especially when it's a knife you love. I vote for another Sage 1.

 

Sage 3. Mix it up. Sage 2 is great, but if you want a ti frame lock get a small sebenza. They're right about the bolt-lock, it starts out very stiff (relative to an axis-lock) but after obsessively playing with it for a week it loosens up a lot and becomes quite smooth. It took me a bit of tinkering to eliminate play but still leave the blade loose enough to drop freely when the lock is disengaged, but I found the sweet spot and hit it with some Loctite and haven't had an issue since. My only gripe has been that the carbon fiber version is only a laminate, not full cf, but then again they never really claimed otherwise. Bottom-line, they're both beautiful knives but the Sage 3 brings something fresh to the mix. You won't be disappointed

 

As far as the sage 3 being larger in the pocket goes, it may be a bit wider than the other two but the thickness is the same. Personally, I don't like the way thicker knives profile in slacks which is why my mini Griptilian gets far less pocket time than the sage 3, but width doesn't really matter much to me unless it's obtrusively wide, which it is not.

 

I've owned Sebenzas. I prefer the Sage 2, by a large margin.

 

If you added the caveat of "for the money" I think you could certainly make a strong argument for it, that's for sure. The Sage 2 is a phenomenal knife, but let's not get caught up in hyperbole.

 

Not really. CRK knives are superbly built machines, but there's more to a knife than build quality. Some folks would prefer a knife they find more attractive looking, or one that feels better in their hand, even if it's one they can only hand down to their grandkids rather than one their grandkids will be able to hand down to their grandkids. I don't own a Sebenza, but I do own a Mnandi. It's certainly a well built knife, but there's zero chance that it will ever displace a Kiwi from my pocket.

 

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Do you actually know the definition of "hyperbole"? I'm being literal here.
I didn't add, 'for the money', because money has nothing to do with it. I don't care what they cost. I prefer the Sage 2. I prefer it, because (to me) the blade geometry is better. The Sage 2 is a better slicer. I prefer the hole. The hole is better for many reasons. The main one being sharpening. The ergos are better on the Sage 2, period. The jimping is better. The choil is awesome. Build quality? The only thing you could possibly argue is the pivot. Is the Sebenza pivot actually better? Maybe..
The fact that the Sage 2 costs less is just icing on the cake.