Umnumzaan Advice Please!

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FranksTheTank

Joined
Oct 9, 2012
Messages
415
I purchased a new pivot (9/2012 birthdate) Umnumzaan about a month ago and absolutely love it for weekend EDC. Intrigued, I searched out an older style Umnumzaan to see what all the hype was above in regards to the older pivot, no LBS, etc... Thanks to another BF member, I was lucky enough to find a 9/2009 Umnumzaan, no LBS, s30v steel, no Idaho stamp. (And also came with the tool kit)

I'd like some advice from those of you who have had/handled both. If you has to choose to sell one, which one and why? I plan on listing the new pivot one on the exchange and just want to make sure that's the right decision. I plan on making either a user.

On a side not, the older umnumzann was scotchbrited by a previous older. While I like the look I worry that this voids CRKs warranty. Any experience with that?
 
It all comes down to Aesthetics.


New Pivot and old pivot all share the same pivot diameter where it counts. The only difference is the external flange which is all outer appearance.

As far as the over travel stop disc, it does have a benefit to prevent overtravel and loss of tension but most Zaan snobs do not like it due to the looks.


Over scotch briting has already proven to void the warranty so that is up to you if you want to deal with that.




As for your question on which one to sell, I'll just say that the old pivot will no longer be made and the new one is being made currently so you decide which one is easier to obtain in the future.
 
Nismo said:
It all comes down to Aesthetics.


New Pivot and old pivot all share the same pivot diameter where it counts. The only difference is the external flange which is all outer appearance.

As far as the over travel stop disc, it does have a benefit to prevent overtravel and loss of tension but most Zaan snobs do not like it due to the looks.


Over scotch briting has already proven to void the warranty so that is up to you if you want to deal with that.




As for your question on which one to sell, I'll just say that the old pivot will no longer be made and the new one is being made currently so you decide which one is easier to obtain in the future.
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I guess my main concern is the scotchbrite. It looks like it was lightly done. I've never owned a knife that had it done to it before. If actually prefer to send it back to CRK to return it to its bead blasted original state. I'm also leery plunking down this amount of cash then finding out if cant get the knife services by CRK.
 
Have the new Zann and I love it. My EDC kicking to the curb my SNG and Sebenza. Old Zann is decent but ugly.
 
Old Zaan for me I sold off my Zaan with the LBS just because of looks either will perform the same for a lifetime.
 
Old Zaan for me.

IMG_7020_zpsed7c4d82.jpg


IMG_1548_zps0c6a8184.jpg
 
Which I conclude, its all about personal exterior preference unless you plan on on bending your lock bar past its intended range..
 
I would keep the 2009 Umnumzaan, I have 3 just now and one or two other later made knives and IMO the early ones are where it's at. The changes made to the Umnumzaan over time were IMO not needed and were the result of people moaning rather than just hardening up and/or messing with stuff they shouldn't. The 2009 knife is still the knife Chris Reeve sat down and designed. :)
 
Well it seems like my thoughts of keeping the 09 are supported here so far. Now just to find out if CRK will re last the handles as part of a spa treatment.
 
FranksTheTank said:
I guess my main concern is the scotchbrite. It looks like it was lightly done. I've never owned a knife that had it done to it before. If actually prefer to send it back to CRK to return it to its bead blasted original state. I'm also leery plunking down this amount of cash then finding out if cant get the knife services by CRK.
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Light scotchbriting you're probably fine. I sent in one I was sure had voided the warranty, and it came back as good as new.
 
I have owned 3 zaans. Two were of the original design, one was regular, the other tanto. My 3rd was a WC Zaan. I hated the sharp grooves of the WC design, but I liked the raised thumb release that the newer design has. The LBS does not bother me and I actually like the one with the CRK logo as it adds to it. The Idaho Made does not bother me at all and I support it 110%. The new pivot bushing does not bother me either. I have one of the originals and its a keeper, but I do wanna get a new version, but there are several other CRK's that I want first, so it will be on the backburner for awhile.

The one scotch brighted CRK I did have was the tanto zaan. It was lightly done, but I did not like the slippery feel of it. I got a nasty cut which should have required stitched from my zaan, and that was a normal blasted one, would hate to see what a slippery one in hand would do. I hate the scotch brighted feel and have passed on a great many CRK because of it.
 
I spoke with Heather this morning in regards to bringing the finish back to original. She advised me that scotchbriting technically does void the warranty. If the chamfer (if anyone can explain what this is, it would be great) is not rounded from the original state they will refinish back to original. Otherwise they will be forced to leave the handles alone.
 
I scotchbrighted mine, sent it back to them, and it was returned to me in new condition. I even did both sides of the Ti. But i didn't bear down on it really hard. Just lightly. I really liked the look, but decided I'll never use it, and hope to sell or trade it. To up the value, I sent it back to make it new again. They did an excellent job!
 
FranksTheTank said:
I spoke with Heather this morning in regards to bringing the finish back to original. She advised me that scotchbriting technically does void the warranty. If the chamfer (if anyone can explain what this is, it would be great) is not rounded from the original state they will refinish back to original. Otherwise they will be forced to leave the handles alone.
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Someone posted about their voided Sebenza not too long ago and explained what they ment about the chamfered areas being out of spec.
 
They can still blast the handle if it's been scotched, same as any one could. They just won't because the knife has been altered by removing material. That is fair play and many producers of many a product take that stance. You can just take it to someone else to have it blasted though, if the warranty is gone any way what would it matter ?....

I personally hate the forced wear look of a scotch finish and this is just one more reason not to like it. If one is going to go for something like that take it to a full 600 satin finish or tumble it. Sanding it back with a scotch pad looks silly and it just smoothes off the corners of the chamfer leaving you with a sausage in your hand if you need fixed up by CRK for any reason. I just don't get it, but different strokes for different folks as they say..... I think people should just carry their knife for a few years and it will look much the same with a "pocket finish" and still have its warranty intact. :p
 
I kind of agree with you on the scotch finish. I did my Zaan and 25 because some people said it didn't show rub marks as well. And I found that to be true. I just come to the realization I did not like it being so smooth afterwards. The Zaan I sent back in. The 25, I bead blasted it myself, and now I MUCH prefer the bead blasted finish. I don't know what CRK uses as far as media, but it scratches very easily. I'll blast my own from here on out. And not have to wait a month, either :-)
 
Sounds like you could start a business, Lonny. I have a knife with a very mild orange peel finish, almost smooth, and I can't mark it. So it can be done.

LonnyRS said:
I kind of agree with you on the scotch finish. I did my Zaan and 25 because some people said it didn't show rub marks as well. And I found that to be true. I just come to the realization I did not like it being so smooth afterwards. The Zaan I sent back in. The 25, I bead blasted it myself, and now I MUCH prefer the bead blasted finish. I don't know what CRK uses as far as media, but it scratches very easily. I'll blast my own from here on out. And not have to wait a month, either :-)
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How did you do that type of finish?
One thing I noticed when (glass) bead blasting titanium is, it looks like sparks shooting off the metal when the beads hit and bounce off! I've blasted lots of other metal objects, but never saw anything unusual. I know they aren't really sparks, it just looks like it though..
 
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