This or That

Which knife do I get?

  • Hinderer XM-18

    Votes: 10 50.0%
  • Chris Reeves Small Sebenza

    Votes: 10 50.0%

  • Total voters
    20
Joined
Mar 25, 2019
Messages
7
Looking at getting a my first higher end knife. Can’t decide between Rick Hinderer XM-18 or Chris Reeves Small Sebenza.

Both are similar in size and price but can’t seem to decide between the two.

Thanks for the input!
 
I was hoping to vote for That.

If you go for the Hinderer, get the Gen 6 (Tri-Way Pivot). Both great knives and you can’t go wrong.
 
Buy both from secondary market, find which one tickles ya fancy, sell off the other & Bob's ya uncle. Worst case, you like them both & start another thread asking which one to carry first. :cool::thumbsup:
 
If you say they are similar in size I am presuming you are talking the 3" XM-18.
They are both well made knives and I have both the small Micarta Sebenza and 3" spanto non flipper XM-18(have previously owned slicers too). The XM-18 is a bit more fun(like the action of them and you can change up the scales and other items to them) , but I feel the Sebenza is more practical. It is a hard call, so just pick the one that appeals to your eye. You really can't go wrong. Of course if you want a flipper or don't like flippers the choice gets a little simpler.
 
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Both are very good but both are also very different
IMO it depends on the style of knife you are looking for

If you want something that has some tacticool to it the small XM18 will be better
If you want something that has some classy-dressy flavour the small Sebenza is better

As the Sebenza will be discontinued at the end of the week you may go for it now and latter in pick an xm18

NB: I like both but for these particular models I think their 3.5 versions are better representations of what those models really are about
So I would consider “going big”.
 
Tim Reeve has announced in a video on FB that the sebenza 31 will be introduced on bladeshow and in the same time the 21 will be discontinued

IMO the 31 looks interesting and you can move to a small 31
But if you want to have the opportunity to get a small 21 m then you have to move quick
 
Assuming you're not particularly open to alternative suggestions, I would have to say Sebenza. From a purely practical standpoint, it's the better option.

Hinderer XM-18s are well-built, but the design is chunky and you lose a significant amount of cutting edge to a finger-choil of contestable value on a 3-inch blade.

DLT Trading is an exclusive(?) vendor of choil-less XM-18s, though, so there is that option. That said, I would still choose a Sebenza just because of the better cutting geometry, warranty service, ease of maintenance, weight, percentage of usable blade, pocket real-estate, etc. Basically everything about the Sebenza has a practical superiority over the XM series.

...This is the part where I also say I wouldn't choose either because the value you get for $400+ is really kinda poor given the current knife market, and I would suggest spending that money on a nice Spyderco, Reate, WE, or Cold Steel knife. Or two. You're looking at a $200+ hype and reputation fee with either brand.
 
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