Totally new to Knives.. Sebenza or Umnumzaan??

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Haggard616

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Sep 15, 2014
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I'm fresh as a new born and need some advice.
Here's the skinny- two months ago my father gave me a new/old stock Hen and Rooster stag handle congress circa 1970s. Never have I been a knife guy, but I've realized that this knife hasn't left my pocket since I received it. By coincidence I found a small sharpening stone at a garage sale the same week I was given the knife so I bought it and realized I also find pleasure in sharpening my knife. Last week I bought a Smiths 3-1 sharpener. The past few days I've been trolling forums and my eyes have been opened to a whole new hobby! When I find a hobby I enjoy, I dive in head first, Thus my question-
Sebenza 21or25, OR Umnumzaan?? I've read these are the pinnacle.. I'm looking to skip the foreplay and just get the best. I'm also stuck on which sharpening system to get.. Edge Pro or Wicked Edge??
I know these two purchases will be serious coin, but there isn't many things I find that interest me, so when I do.. I Pounce!
Thanks guys

Oh,, I also want to thank ApostleP, I don't know if he frequents here, his YouTube vids have led me to this.
My other hobby, Airguns, also began from a youtuber- Teds holdover! Check it out.
 
Most people will recommend you get the Sebenza 21 for your first CRK. Mainly because it is simple, yet elegant. Functional, yet has great form. And most importantly, I resembles everything that is CRK. You can get the 25 and the Umnumzaan later on, but the 21 is pretty much a must have.

Now, for the sharpening system. If you can spare the expense, the Wicked Edge is better to my understanding. Both are top notch, but the Wicked Edge uses a vice mechanism so it is usually more consistent. However, keep in mind that you can get pretty much identical results with either the Edge Pro or the Wicked Edge. However, the Wicked Edge comes in at almost 3x's the price. Though the stones won't wear out.

Hope, that helps. I currently own a Sebenza 21, and will be getting an Umnumzaan soon. Don't own a WE or an EPA myself, but plan on getting the Wicked Edge when I can spare the $.
 
Large Sebenza 21 for sure. Here alone you are confronted with a few choices to make:

1) plain vanilla
2) with wood/micarta/CF inlays
3) with Damascus blade
4) Wilson Combat version (called Starbenza)
5) Sebenza, Insingo or tanto blade

If you are serious about skipping the foreplay you'll go for the large Sebenza with wood inlays and Devin Thomas damascus. This is the flag on top of the pinnacle. I highly recommend you grab the flag.
 
I've owned all three models and I found the Sebenza 21 to be the best. The pocket clip placement on the 25 and the Zaan created a hot spot during use where the 21 is super comfortable in any grip style. Not to mention the 21 cuts a little better due to the thinner blade stock. I'd start with a plain 21 and the move on to the inlayed and Damascus ones. If you are like the rest of us you won't stop at buying just one CKR.
 
I'd start with a 21 plain Ti scales. This should be lot's of fun and a great platform to gain experience.
It's a little lighter than the 25 and a classic.
I think it is a good idea to start with a quality blade.
You can take it apart and put it together again, which helps a lot in understanding the tool and the quality.
Although embellishement is nice to have, you probably enjoy a plain version more, as you don't have to bother about the finish.

To gain sharpening skills I'd start with an Opinel or something readily avaliable (read: lower price) knife.
All the best
red mag
 
Whatever you get, make sure to also get a less expensive knife to learn sharpening on. It's possible to take off a lot of metal with one of those sharpening systems, and CRK replacement blades are about $130.
 
I'm going to go the other way and suggest that for a first CRK, I would probably recommend the Umnumzaan. It has more of a "wow" factor to it (IMHO) to accompany its stellar CRK quality. For me, using the plain 21 took some time for my appreciation and affection to grow into full-blown fandom. It's simple, sleek, and perfect. The Zaan is tough, aggressive, and perfect.

Of course, it all comes down to what personally appeals to you, and no one else can really make that call. Go with what calls to you. Either way, there really isn't a bad choice here.
 
I would buy a large Sebenza Classic. If you like it that much go from there for your next one. You might find, as I did, that there are a lot of other great knives out there.
 
I own only two CRKs, a 2002 regular large Sebenza, and a 2011 Umnumzaan. Between the two, I prefer the Umnumzaan, BUT...I would probably recommend one of the Sebenza models to start with. The 'zaan can take a bit of getting used to, and initially is not as comfortable to open as well as unlock as the Seb.

In terms of sharpening, I have only used a Sharpmaker. In fact, I reprofiled my Seb with it. Not recommended if you lack patience, but I didn't want to remove too much metal all at once. The edge bevels on CRKs are convex, and can take a bit longer to reprofile initially if it's necessary to do so.

Jim
 
And why are you jumping straight into a sebenza?
Imo, you have to start smaller or you really won't be able to fully appreciate the fit and finish of CRK. From the sounds of it, you know nothing about knives, so you really should try and learn more about them rather than just buy a sebenza and "know" that you have the best. It's like learning about cars enough that when you buy a Ferrari, you know EXACTLY what you are getting and why it's so good. Only experience can get you to this place. Jumping straight to the top doesn't give you the experience necessary to fully appreciate the sebenza.
People who do this are kinda insulting to the hobby, because they don't really take the time to learn anything, they just buy what they hear is the "best", bypassing the entire essence of the hobby....
 
Im going straight to Sebenza because I want the best. I don't see how that can be insulting to the die-hards here. I don't need to have tons of experience with a knife, or Ferrari for that matter, to have fun and appreciate it in my own way. The Sebenza has caught my attention because its spoken of by the experienced people on this forum and others. Now, if we were talking about some knife of historical significance, like Lincolns congress knife, and I were to buy it just to use for an EDC.. I can see people getting offended and probably yelling at me to get a Sebenza for an EDC! lol
I don't really know anything of knives.. If all the experienced members here give me the advice that a Sebenza is the best.. I'll take their word for it.
I'm not a collector.. I'm looking for a tool I can use everyday. This is one of those -One and Done- deals. I don't "need" to know about the knifes history or pedigree, I just need to know its the best for how I'm going to use it. I do appreciate that some people care much more about the "essence" but I'm not here for that.
 
How come nobody ever recommends the small Sebenza?? If I use my knife for "normal" every day use.. boxes.. plastic packages, etc.. wouldn't the small be preferable??
 
I'd say a Sebenza 21 for your first one.

I got watching Ted's Holdover one day day at work... ...didn't get much done that day. That guy hates sparrows.
 
Any of the CRK's you mentioned will be fine for a first CRK. There are some differences though, the Umnumzaan can be a little difficult to open, once you master that, it's a great knife, the 25 is one of my favorites, nothing to master with the 25. Both the Umnumzaan and the 25 don't have the bushing system and can be tricky on re assemble. The 21 does have the bushing system and is fairly easy to take down and re assemble. The 21 has more choices of inlays to choose from if that's what you're looking for.
I don't have any of the sharpening systems you mentioned, keep this in mind, no system is idiot proof. I have always chose the simplest sharpening available. Currently, I have a Lansky and KME to sharpen with and both do just fine with a little patience. The diamond stones will provide quick and good results and it doesn't take near as long to get the edge desired.
I think whichever you choose, you'll be happy with it.
 
Just a little information on the sharpening systems, I have owned a Wicked Edge sharpening system for about 3 years and am very happy with its function but yes it is very expensive. It doesn't matter which you choose both are significant investments and both will require you to buy a few extras along the way, but I have sharpened nearly all my knives and most all of my friends at work, the truth is most people can't sharpen a knife to save their lives I don't care what fancy stone or rods they have. Over time of using my kit I have become better and better, like anything else there is technique and skill to do a quality job, you simply get better the more you do but I wouldn't practice on any of the Chris Reeve knives, definitely sharpen any standard model knives at first. The biggest factor that swayed me was that the Wicked Edge has a "vise" to hold the knife and you adjust the angles separately per side but obviously the same angle so the knife is clamped in once until completion, where the Edge Pro is set and done one side at a time then flipped. I think both are the best sharpeners available and you will be amazed of the results, and it is super relaxing but definitely not for the casual knife guy, but the knife NUTTS like us. A few other positives are that you can even up the bevels on a new knife, or you can reprofile the angle of any knife and have that crazy sharp edge since you can quickly retouch it, you will also "feel" the difference in steels when sharpening, finally you keep a notebook of all the knives sharpened for reference so you just look it up and quickly know the vise location settings and last angle sharpened. I'm going to sharpen knives guys!
Thanks Chris
 

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