The Sebenza 25 has arrived! (pic heavy)

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Bluegrodan

Joined
Dec 15, 2012
Messages
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I start up with saying that this is my new carry and will stay in my pocket for a long long time! The Tanto Zaan was my main carry but time to give that poor knife a break :) I posted a big write up at another forum but i really dont think i need to go into that much detail here in CRKs forum :) but what i can say that this knife will be compared to the 21 and atleast in my eyes they really shouldnt! its a whole new kind of beast i love it ;) and that have been said before,
It´s a Zaan with better ergos, not that the zaan is bad in the hand, i wouldnt have carried it if that was the case, this one feels just that good! It locks in the hand, kinda feels like a sweet hug from a loved one :)

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i really dig the new jimping and that the body screws stick out more, kinda goes with the theme of the new pivot, and they really dont feel wierd or anything. i also like that new indent thingy in front of the jimping gives you a good idea where your thumb is while cutting blind. i read that here somewhere and had to try that :) and ofcourse the new dual thumblug as a standard is just awesome!

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I went outside in the snow to try it while using gloves and test it wet for slippage and took on both as a pro! the gloves used in this pic arent the thickest but i tried it at work with some real gloves (havent uploaded pics yet) and still worked great opening and closing no problem ;) ive probably missed alot of stuff but hey atleast a preview. i cant wait untill they come out for real so more people can really understand how awesome this new design is!
 
Very nice.... I should have snagged up the one I saw at my local knife shop but I didn't know they're not releasing more until Feb/March. Pictures really don't do that knife any justice, as you said it's very comparable to the Umnumzaan now.
 
too bad you dident :( i really dident know any release date either i just tough they where out when i saw the one i got. had to google around to understand that this one was a pre run. after that i it was all done and i just speeded trough the all the ordering forms so it wouldnt get sniped :P and im VERY glad i did! this is a keeper, and no honeymoon phase that will pass :P this is true love ;)
I can also add that the 25s ceramic ball is alot smoother than my Zaan´s, it feels "gritty" way too harsh word but dont really know how to explain it. maybe they have refined the technique? but yeah it becomes glass smooth if i unlock it fully so no detent contacts the blade.
 
Bluegrodan said:
I can also add that the 25s ceramic ball is alot smoother than my Zaan´s, it feels "gritty" way too harsh word but dont really know how to explain it. maybe they have refined the technique? but yeah it becomes glass smooth if i unlock it fully so no detent contacts the blade.
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I have noticed this also!

No matter how clean or freshly lubed my Zaans were they were not as smooth as the 25, and even after a few weeks of use with the 25 and it's full of lint and insulation and grit, and it's still super smooth!

I'm not sure whats different from the Zaan in the ceramic ball department but, I wonder if maybe it is due to the stronger detent.

I'm in love with my 25, and the notch has grown on me.

I am super glad that I was able to find one, especially now that I found out that they won't be releasing more until Feb/March and that isn't even a set date according to one for sale up the bay, that is going for 1200 bux...

The 25 is a homerun in my eyes, especially after using it.

I also have to agree that the grip is like a warm hug from a loved one, real comforting!
 
I wish I could afford one of these. Maybe when I finally stop dumping money into my Z28 and booze ......
 
Nice Review :thumbup: and thanks for sharing. I was quite skeptical when the new 25 design came out whether or not the addition handle bump would create any hotspots. So far only heard great things about the grip, including yours. If indeed the overall feel of the knife is more like a Zaan and less like 21, the notion only builds more excitement as many think the Zaan has been Chris Reeve's greatest work to date. Looking forward to release date......:D
 
Very well said!

I was going to try to post some pics of the one that I was lucky enough to get and was going to do a write up on it but I'll just add my .02 to your thread.

It really is a home run, right out of the park!

I made a vid that I haven't posted yet where I talk about some of what you mentioned, it really is it's own unique knife, it isn't a Zaan, nor is it a Sebenza. I think that CRK should've graced this amazing knife with it's own moniker.

It's a sort of a hybrid of the Zaan and Sebenza, and feels more stout than the Zaan but more refined like the seb.
The blade and handle stock are the same as the Zaan, it uses the same pivot as the Zaan and Ti lock, there's no bushings which the Sebenza is known for, it uses the same lock interface as the Zaan( just a bigger ball ), has no locating hole like the Zaan, and seems to be a hard use knife just like the Tanto umnumzaan that I carried for two years- amazing!

It keeps some similar profiles of the old trusty Sebenza with some obvious changes, it also has some under the surface changes that non knife nuts wouldn't notice, but us knifeaholics will speak of for years to come.
The trademark pivot bushing is of course gone, it uses a stop pin like a sebenza but it's completely redesigned. The pin is press fit into the left scale and there's a flat cut into the pin, into what would be the collar portion of the classic/21 stop pin, the rear stand off has two screws that screw directly into it and are completely different than how the classic/21 had the bolt and collar, the locating hole is gone, the lanyard hole is gone, there's an added choil, there's milling in the rear of the handle to accommodate the lanyards knot ( I've seen two different styles of this in the first thirty knives ), the lock side washer is now locked into place by a tab that sinks into a recess in the blade, it's also larger and notched for the lock bar, the edges are very well rounded like my old Regular Sebenza, the clip is bowed out slightly in the portion that is normally flat, and the bladevseems to fall somewhere between the Classic/21 and the Regular in it's profile; it's also ground with what they're calling their high hollow grind which feels almost flat and cuts like a pocket light saber- way better than my Star Tac side by side and both factory sharp, it's a great change that keeps more steel in the blade and gives a crazy keen edge!

I guess that the 25 will suit it fine as a name but the Umnumbenza or Sebenzaan would just seem more fitting, or, something completely unique, which this amazing knife deserves!

You guys are saying that it's smoother than your Zaan's but mine has a gritty ferruling to the lock when I unlock it that just started today, cleaned it up but it's still there. I can see fine lines on the tang of the blade that are most likely the culprit but it's no big deal; definitely not as smooth in operation as any of my three Zaans or the other four that my buddy Blackend has had. I'm sure that it'll smooth out in time.
 
I forgot to mention that the geometry of the pivot and lock bar have been changed, the placement of where the pivot is as compared to the lock bar, and the thumb studs has changed.
What this has done is remove the flex of the lock bar that you could create while gently pushing on the spine of an open umnumzaan, the slight changes to this are what most likely led to the press fit stop pin, which had to be pressed in to guarantee that the flat of the pin would always stay in the same place so that the tang of the blade could clear the pin at the flat spot.
This is where Chris shines, small tweaks that most people would never notice, tweaks that vontinuously improve the product and or make production easier. You have to hand it to the guy, he's an engineering genius!

I have to hold the knife higher in my hand to open it easily due to the strength of the detent and the slight change in the relation of the ot and thumb stud, but that's just me, you all may not be so challenged and I'm sure that after a week or two I'll never notice it again.

Thanks fir reading my take of the 25
 
1AbominAble1 said:
it uses the same pivot as the Zaan and Ti lock, there's no bushings which the Sebenza is known for...
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Wow, really? This seems surprising to me. Anyone know what the reasoning behind this is?

The pivot bushing is one of my favorite features of the Sebenza. and the lack of a bushing is probably my least favorite part of the Umnumzaan, so this is disappointing to hear.
 
I was put off by the lack of the bushing on the umnumzaan at first but after carrying one for two years I realized that I didn't miss it. The action of my umnum was as good as my sebs and it's easier to perform maintenance without it, just less parts.
Now that I'm used to and fine with the no bushing CRK pivots I'm fine with the 25 not having a bushing. Three years ago I would've said differently but I gave it a chance and it performed, and I'm not easy on my edc blade.

Rest assured that it'll be as tough as any folding knife that CRK has put out, from the feel of it, tougher.
 
I'm fine without a bushing. On all my non-CRK based knives I'm perfectly comfortable at adjusting the pivot. I've had my Zaan for about two years and have had no problems with finding the perfect balance between no play and smooth opening.
 
I like a lot of things about the Umnumzaan and I tried hard to give it a chance, carrying it for just over a year as my main EDC blade. In the end I found I was never able to get the pivot just right, and I ended up back with my Sebenza. I just love the fact that you can tighten down the Sebenza's pivot, and the blade stays just smooth as butter.

So for me, reading that the 25 does away with the pivot bushing makes me wary.

Sadly (well for my bank account anyway) I'll probably end up eventually buying a 25 anyway :p
 
thank you for your input about the 25 1abominable1 in my eyes you are spot on :) and about the new pivot, i where put off by the umnum too about not having a bushing but i finally got one and that zaan kicked my Senbenza right out of the pocket!
The new pivot is awesome becouse the tolerances on it are so tight, and it takes away a major machining part from the production and to fit the bushing for every knife must be a real pain for CRK.
they say you need to loctite it but that gives you a few seconds to find the sweet spot ive reloctited so many knives becouse of that.. i would recommend teflon/plumbers tape that gives you an adjusteable pivot while locking it at the same time.
 
Nafunu said:
I like a lot of things about the Umnumzaan and I tried hard to give it a chance, carrying it for just over a year as my main EDC blade. In the end I found I was never able to get the pivot just right, and I ended up back with my Sebenza. I just love the fact that you can tighten down the Sebenza's pivot, and the blade stays just smooth as butter.

So for me, reading that the 25 does away with the pivot bushing makes me wary.

Sadly (well for my bank account anyway) I'll probably end up eventually buying a 25 anyway :p
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I've had several Sebenzas that were not perfect when the pivot was tightened down all the way. It became too tight and the blade wouldn't move smoothly. You had to back off the pivot. I've actually sent them back to the dealer before as well as sending it in to CRK to be fixed. With the Umnumzaan you don't have that problem since it's easy to adjust just right. Put a little teflon tape on there and it won't loosen up. I'm guessing that's why they made the change, it's much easier than making a precise bushing.
 
I'm encouraged about the 25; as more folks draw comparisons in which the 25 incorporates some of the stellar attributes of the Mighty Zaan, I find myself anticipating the release of the new wave of 25s. Thanks for sharing Bluegroden and everyone else's comments has been much appreciated too.
 
Happy you got yours buddy! Now you know what we've been talking about. Given that fact that when I first saw it at this years Blade Show Atlanta I didn't pay too much attention to it; only because of the price point. I myself am sold completley! Now I want and inlayed one with Damascus blade.

Nice review. Also thanks for the detailed imput 1abominable1. Peace brother!!
 
yeah its pure awesome sauce ;) i just want more people to be able to feel the same thing :)
I really wasent sure about getting one at all when i saw that i would have the new pivot. but when i figured that i still wanted a Zaan and got to try the new pivot i just fell in love :) this knife filled the void between the Zaan and Sebenza becouse in my eyes the 21 has way better ergos than the Zaan, but the Zaan is just so amazing you just live with that :) but this one is just a beast! as stout as can be and great ergos that is a unbeatable combo! only way to get this one out of the pocket would be some special run or inlays :) but the new pivot should be the least reason not to get this knife im telling you, missing out on alot of great knife becouse of that small feature.
 
Update! I just cut me on the 25 closed :/ while in pocket, i saw a thread about that happening with a Zaan and i can report that its possible on the 25 too maybe even bigger chance becouse the blade is even closer to the back on the 25 i just checked with my Zaan. still not a real breaker but i tought it would be nice to know these kind of things :P and now she is a real keeper the drew blood ;)
 
Im still trying to figure out how you guys are nipping your fingers with a closed knife in your pocket. I can squeeze my hand as tight as I can and it doesnt come close to the edge.

Might be time to invest in a Paul Long carry system. Pocket sheat clipcase and belt sheath. ;)
 
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