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- Sep 29, 2008
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After quite a bit of talk about the Umnumzaan, specifically the ceramic ball tipped locking bar, I decided that when I got mine back I would take a look. After taking a look and doing some thinking I believe it to be better then the original framelock, based on conclusions I developed. These could be totally wrong. I don't make knives or have much knowledge about the processes involved, everything is simply "as I think it works."
We take a knife, like the Sebenza. First off it uses a smaller ceramic ball to hold the blade shut, but the main lip of the scale is used to lock it open. I believe that at any one time only a variable portion of this lock bar can come in contact with the tang of the knife blade. I think that in the manufacturing process, tailoring the tang of the knife and the end of the lockbar would be a critical step in making a perfectly locking knife – something CRK and the Sebenza are known for.
Next up is the Umnumzaan. I believe the integrating the dedent and lock interface into one piece (ceramic ball) makes for an incredibly smooth opening action. You don't have that second "click" where the knife isn't locked but the ceramic ball is passed the tang of the knife. Open - shut simplicity.
The ceramic ball, if I think about it, creates a perfectly rounded lock interface. You don't have to machine anything, you don't have to do anything other then make sure the tang is shaped to accept it. Being harder then the tang it will also have a tendency to "stick" better then simply titanium, but not become "stuck" to the tang of the knife. Something I've noticed with other knives (3 SMF's mostly, and a little bit with my Sage 2) is that tendency for the titanium to become "stuck" to the end of the tang, causing you to have to apply a good amount of force before it pops free.
My Umnumzaan when locked is solid. Even if I don't flick the thumb lugs with my thumb instead just slowly rotate it open it still locks up solid. Although the ceramic ball is touching the other scale there isn't any play and I don't expect any for a long time.
When I spoke with Chris he said that this design had been in his head for about ten years before actually implementing it. Add to that the two or so years (I believe it was introduced in 2008) that it's been out I say it's well on it's way to proving itself.
There are some things I prefer about the Sebenza, mostly stuff on the regular model. Everything that has been changed on the Umnumzaan, blade shape, thumb lugs, pivot, texturing, and lock, all are improvements, in my opinion, over the Sebenza. It's simplified and made better. Simple pivot – no bushing, simple construction – integrated stop pins and lugs, simple lock – I really like the ceramic ball. It's a redesigned knife. Not an improved Sebenza but in my opinion the next logical step.
There are my thoughts, feel free to say I'm completely wrong because heck I might be.
We take a knife, like the Sebenza. First off it uses a smaller ceramic ball to hold the blade shut, but the main lip of the scale is used to lock it open. I believe that at any one time only a variable portion of this lock bar can come in contact with the tang of the knife blade. I think that in the manufacturing process, tailoring the tang of the knife and the end of the lockbar would be a critical step in making a perfectly locking knife – something CRK and the Sebenza are known for.
Next up is the Umnumzaan. I believe the integrating the dedent and lock interface into one piece (ceramic ball) makes for an incredibly smooth opening action. You don't have that second "click" where the knife isn't locked but the ceramic ball is passed the tang of the knife. Open - shut simplicity.
The ceramic ball, if I think about it, creates a perfectly rounded lock interface. You don't have to machine anything, you don't have to do anything other then make sure the tang is shaped to accept it. Being harder then the tang it will also have a tendency to "stick" better then simply titanium, but not become "stuck" to the tang of the knife. Something I've noticed with other knives (3 SMF's mostly, and a little bit with my Sage 2) is that tendency for the titanium to become "stuck" to the end of the tang, causing you to have to apply a good amount of force before it pops free.
My Umnumzaan when locked is solid. Even if I don't flick the thumb lugs with my thumb instead just slowly rotate it open it still locks up solid. Although the ceramic ball is touching the other scale there isn't any play and I don't expect any for a long time.
When I spoke with Chris he said that this design had been in his head for about ten years before actually implementing it. Add to that the two or so years (I believe it was introduced in 2008) that it's been out I say it's well on it's way to proving itself.
There are some things I prefer about the Sebenza, mostly stuff on the regular model. Everything that has been changed on the Umnumzaan, blade shape, thumb lugs, pivot, texturing, and lock, all are improvements, in my opinion, over the Sebenza. It's simplified and made better. Simple pivot – no bushing, simple construction – integrated stop pins and lugs, simple lock – I really like the ceramic ball. It's a redesigned knife. Not an improved Sebenza but in my opinion the next logical step.
There are my thoughts, feel free to say I'm completely wrong because heck I might be.
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