Umnumzaan On The Way !

I personally have had many sebenzas, now a umnumzaan. I have also owned 3 striders. When I began to compare the two companies, I realized vey quickly there was NO Comparrison. The striders are $100 more than the CRK, they Should be $100 Less for what you get. The lockbars are very sticky. They are unbalanced with the G10 slab. Their QC is some of the worst I have ever seen. new knives with scratched blades. Where do they assemble these, on a cement floor, tables covered with 30 grit sandpaper maybe ?? None of my 3 striders had a constant blade grind. They do the weird 22.5 degree grind. I changed it to 20 with my sharpmaker, no big deal. My first sng tanto blade was almost recurved because if you layed it on a flat surface, there was almost 1/16th gap in the middle. Plus, the blades on all 3 of mine did not have the 22.5 degree grind throughout. From the tang to the tip, the blade grind went anywhere from 30 degrees to 15 degrees. Easily the worst factory grind job I have ever seen. I thought it was a second at first......lol. The smf is the only one I am going to keep, both sng's have been traded. The 2nd was not that bad, I bought it then decided I wanted to try the umnumzaan more than I wanted another strider. I truely believe the smf which was my first strider, after experiencing the others, will be my last strider..............I love my sebenzas, especially the regular profile versions. I have EDC'ed my large regular all year since I got it custom engraved by CRK. I got the umnumzaan in a trade for the my second sng. I got it, took it apart and cleaned it all up making it my own. I have come to realize as much as I felt the sebenza was the best production folder out there, the umnumzaan hits the ball out of the park. Since getting the umnumzaan, that is all thats been in my pocket. Its only been a week, but I instantly fell in love with is simplicity and design. Chris Is A Genius. The Umnumzaan is easily the best folding production knife ever made. I am sure many will not agree, but I have not heard of many that have tried the umnumzaan and went back to others. In the end, I think those people will end up coming back to the umnumzaan.......
 
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You cursed me with that last line!!!!

I just bought an Umnumzaan. I have had about 3 now and sold them :D
 
LorenzoL said:
Besides the stickiness (I mean, they sell you a 1000$+ custom that comes with graphite from a pencil on the lock to make it less sticky!), ...
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My SNG is very sticky, and it doesn't feel like an expensive folder. Even my $30 Spyderco Tenacious does not have sticky lock, and it locks like a vault. And recently I read a thread regarding this sticky lock. Apparently, some people like their locks sticky because a knife with a sticky lock is a man's knife. :confused:

I am glad to find out that there are actually other people who share my point of view regarding locks. A high quality lock should work smoothly when being locked / unlocked, should not be sticky, but should be strong enough to provide safety for its user!

I love my Umnumzaan, and I'm planning to get another one when my funds allow. Gotta admit though, I'm not a fan of particular brands (not even CRK), but Chris is a genius. He makes excellent folders regardless whether they are in a simple construction (such as Sebenza and Mnandi) or in a more complicated construction (Umnumzaan). Simple and complicated might not be the most appropriate words, but I'm sure you guys get the idea.

:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: for CR and CRK.
 
I believe the stickiness happens only to Titanium knives. (Unless of course you got some dirt in your locking surface of your non ti knives)

I do agree that Striders are too expensive for their price. Sure, they are strong as hell, but so is a sharpened prybar.
 
I'm not sure why the knives are sticky. I do know, I've never had a spyderco full titanium be sticky, or a CRK. Sticky lock manufacturers are probably skipping a step in the production process, like smoothing down the tang a little bit.

I have always felt ripped off when holding a strider. Everyone has their own preference though, and I do understand how people could prefer them over other brands. Just not my cuppa t :D

Anyways, back to the topic! I sure am glad Nyefmaker finally got an Umnumzaan!
 
Strider folders have about a one month to three month break in, because only the corner of the lockbar face hits the blade's tang. Over the break in period the Ti lockbar face will mold it's self to the tang of the blade. (Through hundereds or openings)

The lock moves over to the G-10 side a little, and the sticky lock goes away... because there is more Ti contacting the S-30v tang. (Also if it's a bead blasted finish the pivot area buffs up and makes the action butter smooth) Most people do not make it through this break in, flip them on a forum... Then talk about a sticky lock.

.... and they have every right too :cool:

I'm just say'in if you like your Strider folder or want a Strider folder... Give it three months before you give up on it :thumbup:
 
I got an Umnumzaan for my birthday last May, it's definitely a well made knife....sort of like a swiss watch. But I can't lie , I like my Stiders too.

Congrats on the new knife...use it in good health.

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I am eating some crow on the Um versus Seb thing. I was an Um advocate but never content like most of you guys I picked up a Lg micarta 21 to replace my original plain 21 and.....WINNER The Lg micarta 21 beats the Ums in aesthetics with it's sleek look and for me in use too. Sure its not quite as smooth but I am willing to lose that tiny bit of difference
 
bobnery said:
I am eating some crow on the Um versus Seb thing. I was an Um advocate but never content like most of you guys I picked up a Lg micarta 21 to replace my original plain 21 and.....WINNER The Lg micarta 21 beats the Ums in aesthetics with it's sleek look and for me in use too. Sure its not quite as smooth but I am willing to lose that tiny bit of difference
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I feel the same way, the Yum-Yum is not "going" anywhere... but if I "had" to pick one knife to carry and use, it would be the large micarta 21 hands down :cool:
 
Since I have both CRK and Strider Knives, I feel I can compare the two. I think strider knives are "good" knives, but I think they are overpriced for what you get. You have to open and close a strider 300-400 times to break it in ? :eek: Thats like buying a gun and your told to shoot it 300-400 times before you can expct it to be accurate !!!. From CRK, you get quality right out of the box and you dont have to fiddle around with them. I do have a strider smf that I am going to keep ( stonewashed with green g-10 ), but the 2 sng's I had are now gone. The smf was my first strider and I really think it will be my last. I still believe $400 for a sng and $500 for a smf is rediculas. They should be $300 and $400 respectively ! Just my opinion. I know CRK are not cheap. But when you pay $300-$400 for a CRK, your getting one of the best knives money can buy. You could even make a case to say CRK are cheap when compared to other brands..............I love the umnumzaan, I definately plan on getting another, after the first of the year probably. It has quickly become one of my favorite knives. Long Live The Umnumzaan :thumbup::thumbup:
 
nyefmaker said:
Since I have both CRK and Strider Knives, I feel I can compare the two. I think strider knives are "good" knives, but I think they are overpriced for what you get. You have to open and close a strider 300-400 times to break it in ? :eek: Thats like buying a gun and your told to shoot it 300-400 times before you can expct it to be accurate !!!.
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While I understand what other forumites are saying about the Strider (about having to break it in), I can't argue Nyefmaker's statement. For that price range, I expect to be able to enjoy the quality right out of the box without me having to put some extra effort/time/energy. That's exactly why I'm paying premium value for certain items, so I don't have to work to enjoy the quality. Very well said. :thumbup:
 
I can think of several design features from the SMF/Sng AND the CRK line that, if combined, would make possibly the perfect knife.

I like them both. It would be hard to choose between them.
 
I have several sebs, one UM, Umfann, several striders and two Hinderers XM-18's. I kinda like the strider breakin period and look forward to it when getting a Strider. It's what makes them different.

That said i prefer the large seb for carry. But the XM-18's thick spanto blade, Sebenza slicing ability and strider robust looks all have something to offer.
 
bearcut said:
I can think of several design features from the SMF/Sng AND the CRK line that, if combined, would make possibly the perfect knife.

I like them both. It would be hard to choose between them.
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A lot of people will tell you the Hinderder XM-18's are just that. The Umm is also right there.
 
Except that nobody complains about Striders or CRK'ws as being too thick and too heavy as several XM-18 owners have voiced in the past.

A thin and light XM-18 would be awsome though.

The 'zaan is nothing like a Strider. :confused:The overall design and ergonomics are pure CRK.
 
I have never found my Sebenza, Umnumzaan, or strider smf clipped to my pocket heavy !!! I never even notice them there. Thats why I am always checking ( CRK OCD ) :D
 
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