The Sebenza: A Well Made Knife

James Segura, a Sebenza fan? Who woulda thunk it:D

Guys, dont miss the point here. The Sebenza is an excellent knife. Expensive? Maybe, but nobody holds a gun to your head and makes you buy one. Can you write the same words on paper with a Bic pen that you can with a Mont Blanc? Will a Hyundai get you down the road just as effieciently as a Porsche? Some people just like the sheer pleasure of using a fine tool to do ordinary jobs. If you are one of those people who say for just a few bucks more you can get a custom, then do it, but why knock those that choose to own the Sebenza? It's a fine knife at a fine price, but hey it's not for everybody.

PS-I dont own one, I choose to use a Terzuola ATCF at work everyday for almost 3 years now. Just tired of people knocking a fine product because it's not for them. Gee, why do you think they give out menu's in restaurants?
 
I don't know about the Sebenza being the uber-knife.

However, they are produced in greater quantities than any single maker can handmake even though they have added the Mnandi to their line (in addition to the one-piece line) and thus, reach a far greater number of people than can any one maker. Now you get a legion of folks that all like a quality product.

If you call CRK, you will find that although they are capable of doing certain customizations, they prefer to structure the choices to avoid clogging up CNC milling time. They focus on providing a multiplicity of designs based on a very few patterns, not unlike many makers of handmade knives.

From a design perspective, you end up with great variety within each pattern with the Sebenza family. I think this is very important in focusing interest on this company.

The major factories keep churning out model after model so that you frequently would like features from model A matched with the blade from model B and the color from model C, and so on, but can never get exactly what you want in the end and no customization of any sort.

A well made knife. The desire factor is limited to a few simple choices, well executed. This make the marketing effort very simple as well. Just look, there is not a single factory or semi-production knife that holds its value in the secondary market as the CRK line of knives.

Why? I don't know, but it doesn't really matter. I will often purchase a CRK knife over a handmade knife because you are guaranteed that the value will be more stable, even though the handmade knife may be a greater joy to own.
 
Originally posted by lifter4Him
Gee, why do you think they give out menu's in restaurants?
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That was really good.
You salad guys quit griping about my filet mignon:mad:
 
I think it's important not to forget the fact that the Sebenza, considered as a coherent whole, works. It combines a blade shape that works well for a variety of tasks with materials that stand up to everyday use, and quality that makes it a pleasure to handle. This is an example of a knife that really is greater than the sum of its parts.
 
For the thousanth time, you really have to handle one, carry one, and use one to truly appreciate it. It exemplifies a symbiosis of quality, simplicity, and utility. To many such as myself, this symbiosis culminates in beauty.
And comments like "it's just a knife" should best be uttered elsewhere.
-Paul (throwing in his $.02 and sprinting for the car...)
PS-What--is it getting boring in Cali, James? :D
 
Originally posted by Stiletto Raggio
I ahve never seen a real Sebenza, let alone owned one. I realize taht the tolerances are probably very tight, and the integral lock is suposed t be incredibly strong. But aside from sheer sturdiness, what makes the knife stand out? I mean to say, there are hundreds if not thousands of locking folder designs out there, so why ahs this one developed such a following?
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Like James said, excellent question! Worth quoting again.

Besides sheer versatility and ruggedness, some of us really appreciate the level of detail and precision. Have a look at the following thread:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=190068

It's really hard to convey what exactly "does it" for everyone who is a fan of the Sebenza. For me at least (and I'd imagine a few others) those pictures are about the next best thing to owning one.
 
People can talk about the Sebenza's tight tolerances and quality of craftsmanship all they like, but it’s the knife’s usefulness that really blows me away.

The Seb is just so rock solid that it blows me away. Handling a Seb instantly imbues me with a sense of confidence that I can handle any cutting chore that comes along. The knife is a tank, and somehow manages to accomplish this without a lot of excess bulk and weight.

It’s also a positively sensational cutter. The blade geometry is almost miraculous, and that’s coming from a person who tends to favor flat grinds. As much as I love my BM 710, the Seb just cuts better. And Chris Reeve’s BG-42 is very good. Very abrasion resistant, yet very stainless. The finish also hides scratches well.

So there you have it. There are many knives out there with outstanding quality of craftsmanship. There are also many knives with sterling performance. There are even a bunch of knives with excellent durability. The Seb is one of the few knives that manages to do all of these.

The Seb is a total package without compromise. And it’s the only folder in my collection that I can see surviving multiple lifetimes of use.
 
Well this is something I have been thinking about for a while. It came to me one day as I sat in the "library" reading over some old issues of Blde Magazine. It seems that the first thing I do upon receiving a new knife, other than the Sebbie, or when I pick up a knife in a store or at a show is to check for blade play. I will check for side to side and up and down motion in the blade when in a locked position. This is a habit born of frustration from receiving too many knives that had this affliction. Another check is for the blade being centered between the handles. Again, habit. It dawned on me that I do not do these things when I pick up a Sebenza at a show or when I receive one via the internet. After the first one, back in 1998, it was simply a non-factor when it was a Sebenza! It is something you do not have to check.

That was just a little revelation that came to be one day as I sat in the "library" at my house. Thought I would post it here as it just seems fitting.
 
When you go to school to be one of those.....close tolerances are just a way of life. They take the best machinists and make them tool and die guys!! :p
 
What makes the Sebenza so great...well,

The pyramids of Egypt were carved with a single Sebenza,
The Space Shuttle is coated with Sebenza blades so it can withstand the re-entry to Earth,
The Air Force is using Sebenza-tipped bombs to penetrate deep caves in Afghanistan,
Chris Reeve got the Sebenza technology from a UFO wreck in Roswell and he currently produces them in Area 51,
Sebenzas have mysteriously appeared on ships and planes passing through the Bermuda Triangle,
The Navy now uses Balistic Sebenzas instead of Tomahawk missiles,
The incident at Three Mile Island was the result of the government's attempts to melt a Sebenza.


There's more but it's classified...
 
Seriously, I really do like the Sebenza.
It's a great knife.

But I do think it's seriously overpriced and I just can't make myself pay that much for a knife.

To each his own,
Allen.
 
Originally posted by allenC
Seriously, I really do like the Sebenza.
It's a great knife.

But I do think it's seriously overpriced and I just can't make myself pay that much for a knife.

To each his own,
Allen.
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"To each his own"?!?!

Yet you have no problem ragging on the Sebenza? C'mon. I find it hard to believe you actually think that after reading your comments.

Who the eff cares that you think it's overpriced? Then don't buy it! See how easy it is?

Cripes...

Why should I enjoy mine any less because you think it's not worth it?

Actually, it makes me kind of glad as that's one less person I have to worry about snagging them off the dealer sites before me.

Just knowing st.james and cpirtle are out there prowling is bad enough. :D
 
The Sebenza is a great knife. Before I bought it, I was looking for a tough EDC that would last for the rest of my life. I wanted it to be able to handle almost any cutting chore and hold a good edge. And 40 years down the road, I wanted it to work just as well as day one.

So... I got the Sebenza. It has lived up to everything above and more
(well, exept the 40 years down the road because I have only owned it a few months :) ) I also have the pride of owning one of the best cutting tools ever produced.

When I look at knives that I want, I just remember the Sebby clipped to my pocket and I no longer have any desire for a new knife. Maybe that is why I believe it is such a value- I will never need another folding knife again.
 
I will, no doubt, get flamed for this response but, oh well. After becomming a knifenut I had to have a Sebenza and bought a small. I found it to be too small so I sold it and bought a large. I carried the large for awhile and found it to be too large (concealed carry law in Colorado is 3 1/2" blade length max). Always got looks, comments and snyde remarks when I "whipped it out" in front of non-knifenuts, especially from women. I also could'nt bear to submit a $325 knife to hard use and found myself carrying a second folder as a "user". Just sold the large. Now if CRK comes out with a Sebenza in a size between the small and large, I'll be first in line to get one and force myself to submit it to hard use immediately and not worry about actually using it from then on.
 
I was mildly interested in the Sebenza and happened to be driving through Boise one Summer. Stopped by CRK knives. A polite guy met us from behind the counter and said he would be right with us. He introduced himself as Chris Reeves and offered to take my entire family on a brief tour of the operations. A brief 1.5 hour tour.

Every facet of his manufacture screams quality and intense attention to detail. I bought a Seb on the spot, and Chris helped me to decide which model fit my needs best.

The Seb is the only folder I have handled that truly feels like a one piece knife when open. I have handled many. It is my EDC.

Just remember when you buy a knife, you also buy the maker. Customer service is second to none at CRK.

Knives are no different than wines - what works for you is the right one.
 
The nice thing about a Sebenza is that you get custom quality at lesser price, not that the Sebenza is cheap. For me, 345.00 for a new Sebbie is a stretch, 500-600 for a custom is out of the ballpark. I'd like to have a Mayo or DDR, but its not in the cards right now. The Sebbie fills in quite nicely until then.
 
The whole is certainly more than the sum of its parts. Design and execution are what impress me about the knife.
 
Hey Firebat,
Even though I think the Seb is overpriced I don't think I ever implied that you should not enjoy yours.
My remarks were'nt even directed to any one person.

Don't be so uptight,
Allen.
 
I owned four very high priced customs made by well known makers. Two had the typical blade rub on liner lock when opened, tried adjusting the pivot screw and could not compensate. One had a lock that would release with easy finger pressure on blade spine test. Fourth had serious galling on blade from titanium lock bar and very tight release.

I tried a plain ordinary Sebenza and had none of the above problems. In addition not one of the CRK folders at the knife shows had any problems. Well,,,, sold off the overpriced customs (one sells aftermarket for 4x original makers price).

For a using knife, the Sebenza is a bargain. I have a small Classic, small wood inlay and Umfaan for office carry.

Regards,
FK
 
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