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Umnumzaan Question
- Thread starter NickZac
- Start date
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2000
- Messages
- 1,049
Hi Nick,
Love the Umnum!:thumbup:
I purchased the Limited Edition Tanto from True North Knives a few weeks ago and now I am adding the standard profile due to arrive this week.
Pictures to follow.
The Umnum is just as easy to disassemble & maintain as the Sebenza except that you need a special wrench for the pivot. CRK sells these.
I like this folder since it combines heavy duty with good looks.
The Sebenza is classic and one of my favorites but I personally think the Umnumzaan takes things a step further.
Sell some lesser folders if you have to to get the Umnumzaan, I did
dave
Love the Umnum!:thumbup:
I purchased the Limited Edition Tanto from True North Knives a few weeks ago and now I am adding the standard profile due to arrive this week.
Pictures to follow.
The Umnum is just as easy to disassemble & maintain as the Sebenza except that you need a special wrench for the pivot. CRK sells these.
I like this folder since it combines heavy duty with good looks.
The Sebenza is classic and one of my favorites but I personally think the Umnumzaan takes things a step further.
Sell some lesser folders if you have to to get the Umnumzaan, I did
dave
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2007
- Messages
- 3,396
I also didn't know CRK's selling the tool for the Umnum, however it was probably only a matter of time, but they don't have it listed on their site.
As to the Umnum compared to the Seb, yes, it's smoother, IMHO. At least it sure seems to be smoother & so quiet. I also agree that it's a more "tactical" looking folder than the Seb.
As to the Umnum compared to the Seb, yes, it's smoother, IMHO. At least it sure seems to be smoother & so quiet. I also agree that it's a more "tactical" looking folder than the Seb.
- Joined
- Nov 24, 2008
- Messages
- 4,748
gotta get a umnum,and a tool got a pic of the tool............
- Joined
- May 1, 2007
- Messages
- 534
I have a Umnumzaan. I love mine. I have almost stopped carrying my other knives. I have played with a sebenza and they never had the feel I liked. The Umnum for me is improved in all the right ways. You gotta get one.
I HATE THAT I LOVE THIS KNIFE!!! I had a complete and perfect set of EDC knives and a protocol to determine which day that I would carry and all other knives were display models. I got this blade and began to play with it immediately. I would argue that this knife is superior to almost every knife in existence and yes, I would say for usage (not collecting), the Umnumzaan is one of the best hard work knives as well as a fantastic defensive/antipersonnel tool as well.
The lockup is even tighter than a Sebenza and every custom knife I have ever handled. It is the smoothest knife I have ever handled and it is smoother than even the mighty Sebenza. The blade design is one of my favorites of all time with its contoured top and false top edge in S30V. The blade is thick as hell and has a utilitarian shape which is still very good looking. The deep hollow grind makes it an amazing slicer and the false edge on the top would make it amazing for forward stabbing. The false edge also allows a defensive move called the 'back cut' that James Keating often talks about. Additionally, despite being sharp as hell, it is not on a really steep angle and the 18-20 percent will make it so that the blade will not lose its sharp edge after cutting the first few things or roll/chip as easily which will allow you to go longer between sharpenings. The glass breaker design is ingenious as it uses part of the blade and because it is on the blade which prevents having to add unneeded length to the blade as well as an external glass breaker which draws attention, can be sharp enough to cut you, and will interfere with operating the knife on a normal basis.
I now want to touch on this knife regarding self defense as it definately one of the knives I would prefer to use for defense. This Reeve is unusual for them as this folder is made and to a lesser extent marketed to be for both work and self defense. The lockup on the knife is rock solid and virtually impossible for the user to disengage accidentally In a self defense situation, a failing lock or disengaging the lock accidentally can mean lost fingers and a lot worse. The lock that the Sebenza uses is incorporated on the Umnumzaan but the lock is even tighter and slightly harder to disengage. It is definately designed specefically to avoid an accidental closing. The blade uses a deep hollow grind which in my opinion makes the best skin slicer of all except the chisel grind (which does not seem to have much use for utility applications). The S30V blade is softer than other manufacturers which is an advantage for a weapon. People wear metal products such as belt buckles, jewelry, etc; a brittle blade making contact with these elements can be bad. The softer S30V retains incredible toughness making this blade durable as can be but still with excellent edge retention. The top false edge and curved design makes the blade much easier to penetrate when stabbing. Not trying to be too gruesome, if you were to push this knife into an assailants chest and then try to withdrawal it, I feel the curved top and false edge will make this knife come out much easier and in the event of the knife getting caught in the ribcage which is very plausible, these features IMO will make withdrawing the knife much, much easier than a standard drop point will. The glass breaker which is built into the blade is also an important weapon which can be used as a medium range blunt force impact weapon; this style is strongly advocated by Bram Frank Gunting. Instead of using an external glass breaker, the breaker is built into the S30V blade which Reeve hardens to around 59Rc giving it fantastic toughness; unless you are trying to glass break a diamond, you are probably not going to damage the glass. This glass breaker on someone's skull is going to make someone change their mind very quickly if they are still conscious. The ti handles are grooved giving the knife a better grip than any Sebenza; additionally, there is heavy duty top spine jimping for added control, as well as a finger guard on the bottom to make sure that if you do a push cut or stab that you do not wind up slipping and cutting yourself on your own knife as with slippery stainless models. Blood is a bit more oily than water and the textured handle will help you maintain control even with blood on your hands and the knife. The new lanyard design is excellent as well as it pivots. This eliminates the friction of the lanyard and lanyard hole as seen on Sebenzas as over time it destroys the lanyard and results in a need for replacement. The opening mechanism is fast; fast as any automatic or one handed opener, but it will take some time to adjust to but when you do, you will appreciate it. I do wish the thumb studs had some sort of texturing on it as they are smooth; wet or gloved hands will have a harder time opening the blade
The durability of this knife also makes it a combat knife or tactical knife or whatever you call a knife that is most fit for in the field, heavy duty usage whether you are a law enforcement professional, emergency services, a camper, a woodworker, or just a CRK enthusiast or someone looking for the knife which sits far above the others. The new style closed washer and ball bearing system sounded interesting so I first buried the Umnumzaan in sand and opened and closed it a lot. The knife was still smooth and there was no indication the sand penetrated to the inner washers which means it did not need to be disassembled. I then dunked it in alcohol to see if that would remove the fluorinated grease which it did not. The internals of this knife stay internal and nothing external makes it into the inside of the blade suggesting that it will go for exceptionally long periods without disassembly. The knife carries well as it is light weight for a large heavy duty blade at only 5 ounces. It sits low in the pocket and doesnt scream BIG BAD KNIFE!!! The new lanyard makes the knife even easier to access. Every aspect of the Umnumzaan has been incredibly well planned and executed. I honestly believe this is the best knife on the market, bar none. It is not a Reeve you can get in Damascus with many different custom styles nor can you get it with inlays or customize it in any way. The Umnumzaan is a simple yet technologically advanced no-bull blade, which in the market of the high end tactical knives, will outperform even the best knives on the market. For anyone willing to pay the premium $400 price tag, you will get a knife that will provide you with a cutting tool and a self defense weapon all in one convenient package. The Chris Reeve Umnumzaan is an absolutely amazing knife that any and every knife enthusiast should consider purchasing! You may wind up in the same situation as me which is trying to decide what the heck you are going to do with all of those other knives you used to carry that just got pocket-evicted by the Umnumzaan.
The lockup is even tighter than a Sebenza and every custom knife I have ever handled. It is the smoothest knife I have ever handled and it is smoother than even the mighty Sebenza. The blade design is one of my favorites of all time with its contoured top and false top edge in S30V. The blade is thick as hell and has a utilitarian shape which is still very good looking. The deep hollow grind makes it an amazing slicer and the false edge on the top would make it amazing for forward stabbing. The false edge also allows a defensive move called the 'back cut' that James Keating often talks about. Additionally, despite being sharp as hell, it is not on a really steep angle and the 18-20 percent will make it so that the blade will not lose its sharp edge after cutting the first few things or roll/chip as easily which will allow you to go longer between sharpenings. The glass breaker design is ingenious as it uses part of the blade and because it is on the blade which prevents having to add unneeded length to the blade as well as an external glass breaker which draws attention, can be sharp enough to cut you, and will interfere with operating the knife on a normal basis.
I now want to touch on this knife regarding self defense as it definately one of the knives I would prefer to use for defense. This Reeve is unusual for them as this folder is made and to a lesser extent marketed to be for both work and self defense. The lockup on the knife is rock solid and virtually impossible for the user to disengage accidentally In a self defense situation, a failing lock or disengaging the lock accidentally can mean lost fingers and a lot worse. The lock that the Sebenza uses is incorporated on the Umnumzaan but the lock is even tighter and slightly harder to disengage. It is definately designed specefically to avoid an accidental closing. The blade uses a deep hollow grind which in my opinion makes the best skin slicer of all except the chisel grind (which does not seem to have much use for utility applications). The S30V blade is softer than other manufacturers which is an advantage for a weapon. People wear metal products such as belt buckles, jewelry, etc; a brittle blade making contact with these elements can be bad. The softer S30V retains incredible toughness making this blade durable as can be but still with excellent edge retention. The top false edge and curved design makes the blade much easier to penetrate when stabbing. Not trying to be too gruesome, if you were to push this knife into an assailants chest and then try to withdrawal it, I feel the curved top and false edge will make this knife come out much easier and in the event of the knife getting caught in the ribcage which is very plausible, these features IMO will make withdrawing the knife much, much easier than a standard drop point will. The glass breaker which is built into the blade is also an important weapon which can be used as a medium range blunt force impact weapon; this style is strongly advocated by Bram Frank Gunting. Instead of using an external glass breaker, the breaker is built into the S30V blade which Reeve hardens to around 59Rc giving it fantastic toughness; unless you are trying to glass break a diamond, you are probably not going to damage the glass. This glass breaker on someone's skull is going to make someone change their mind very quickly if they are still conscious. The ti handles are grooved giving the knife a better grip than any Sebenza; additionally, there is heavy duty top spine jimping for added control, as well as a finger guard on the bottom to make sure that if you do a push cut or stab that you do not wind up slipping and cutting yourself on your own knife as with slippery stainless models. Blood is a bit more oily than water and the textured handle will help you maintain control even with blood on your hands and the knife. The new lanyard design is excellent as well as it pivots. This eliminates the friction of the lanyard and lanyard hole as seen on Sebenzas as over time it destroys the lanyard and results in a need for replacement. The opening mechanism is fast; fast as any automatic or one handed opener, but it will take some time to adjust to but when you do, you will appreciate it. I do wish the thumb studs had some sort of texturing on it as they are smooth; wet or gloved hands will have a harder time opening the blade
The durability of this knife also makes it a combat knife or tactical knife or whatever you call a knife that is most fit for in the field, heavy duty usage whether you are a law enforcement professional, emergency services, a camper, a woodworker, or just a CRK enthusiast or someone looking for the knife which sits far above the others. The new style closed washer and ball bearing system sounded interesting so I first buried the Umnumzaan in sand and opened and closed it a lot. The knife was still smooth and there was no indication the sand penetrated to the inner washers which means it did not need to be disassembled. I then dunked it in alcohol to see if that would remove the fluorinated grease which it did not. The internals of this knife stay internal and nothing external makes it into the inside of the blade suggesting that it will go for exceptionally long periods without disassembly. The knife carries well as it is light weight for a large heavy duty blade at only 5 ounces. It sits low in the pocket and doesnt scream BIG BAD KNIFE!!! The new lanyard makes the knife even easier to access. Every aspect of the Umnumzaan has been incredibly well planned and executed. I honestly believe this is the best knife on the market, bar none. It is not a Reeve you can get in Damascus with many different custom styles nor can you get it with inlays or customize it in any way. The Umnumzaan is a simple yet technologically advanced no-bull blade, which in the market of the high end tactical knives, will outperform even the best knives on the market. For anyone willing to pay the premium $400 price tag, you will get a knife that will provide you with a cutting tool and a self defense weapon all in one convenient package. The Chris Reeve Umnumzaan is an absolutely amazing knife that any and every knife enthusiast should consider purchasing! You may wind up in the same situation as me which is trying to decide what the heck you are going to do with all of those other knives you used to carry that just got pocket-evicted by the Umnumzaan.
batosai117
Gold Member
- Joined
- Jun 5, 2007
- Messages
- 5,463
^^ What he said 
I just received mine in the mail today and it is just jaw dropping :thumbup:
I just received mine in the mail today and it is just jaw dropping :thumbup:
I have one and I like it a lot.
I think its the best CRK folder yet. I like it better than the Sebenza. It is a much more modern design with a lot of good features. Maintenance is no more of a problem on the Zann than any other knife.
It has not replaced all my other folders however. Its not that spectacular.
In fact, Ive bought several other folders since the Zann which I like equally well.
Most of these cost about half of what the Zann did.(Im talking $125-200 knives, not a low end Spyderco, Benchmade, Kershaw, etc. The really cheap ones suck)
What Im saying is, dont liquidate your current collection, especially if some of them are reasonably nice folders, thinking that a CRK is going to make you forget all about your old knives. It may not. I certainly didnt decide that the CRK was the be-all end-all of knife design. Its very good, yes. But it isnt all that.
There are several folders that retail for around $200 that are just about as nice as a CRK, and are a lot nicer than your average Spyderco. Among them are the Al Mar SERE, Fallkniven PXL, and the Bradley Alias 1. Any of these rival the CRKs in quality and construction. The ZT series offer a lot of bang for the buck as well. Any of these knives would make you forget a cheap Spyderco/Benchmade/Kershaw because they ARE that much better than knives costing half as much.
If you really want a Zann, do what I did. Save $50 a month in the knife kitty. Eventually you will have enough to buy one and you wont be in debt over it.
Of course this isnt the instant gratification/American way, but it works.
I think its the best CRK folder yet. I like it better than the Sebenza. It is a much more modern design with a lot of good features. Maintenance is no more of a problem on the Zann than any other knife.
It has not replaced all my other folders however. Its not that spectacular.
In fact, Ive bought several other folders since the Zann which I like equally well.
Most of these cost about half of what the Zann did.(Im talking $125-200 knives, not a low end Spyderco, Benchmade, Kershaw, etc. The really cheap ones suck)
What Im saying is, dont liquidate your current collection, especially if some of them are reasonably nice folders, thinking that a CRK is going to make you forget all about your old knives. It may not. I certainly didnt decide that the CRK was the be-all end-all of knife design. Its very good, yes. But it isnt all that.
There are several folders that retail for around $200 that are just about as nice as a CRK, and are a lot nicer than your average Spyderco. Among them are the Al Mar SERE, Fallkniven PXL, and the Bradley Alias 1. Any of these rival the CRKs in quality and construction. The ZT series offer a lot of bang for the buck as well. Any of these knives would make you forget a cheap Spyderco/Benchmade/Kershaw because they ARE that much better than knives costing half as much.
If you really want a Zann, do what I did. Save $50 a month in the knife kitty. Eventually you will have enough to buy one and you wont be in debt over it.
Of course this isnt the instant gratification/American way, but it works.
I am going to have to disagree with you as the Boss is far beyond the offerings of the other companies you listed and Benchmade and Spyderco make some very nice knives which are likely stronger designs than the models you listed (Ex: Presidio and Chinook). Benchmade also makes the Alias. The Fallkniven PXL and Sere are liner locks making them poor and dated choices for a heavy duty combat knife that will be used for anything and everything. When Liner locks get too dirty, they fail and they have numerous other problems with their strength. The PXL is wayyy to brittle for anything other than slicing and the Sere does not have a strong enough tip. I own a Sere and I own ZT knives and neither is nearly as good as the Boss. For a heavy duty combat knife however, the ZT a great knife but does not carry the practicality of most larger folders due to its incredibly large handle and near 10oz weight. Obviously, there is never an end all in the quest for the perfect knife but the Boss is an amazing design which in my opinion makes it one of the best heavy duty folders in existence; but hey, you know what they say about opinions...
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2000
- Messages
- 1,049
While I do agree that the Umnumzaan is a great folder, I am not going to get rid of my others in the rotation. Specifically my Sebenzas, Striders and a Buck Mayo. ( I seem to be fond of titanium):thumbup:
The Umnum does a great job of being an innovative, high tech, strong yet good looking folder and for this reason it has secured a place in the rotation.
I like the Limited Edition TNK tanto so much that I just had to have one with the standard blade also.
Here's a quick picture of the pair along with the CRK takedown kit.
dave
The Umnum does a great job of being an innovative, high tech, strong yet good looking folder and for this reason it has secured a place in the rotation.
I like the Limited Edition TNK tanto so much that I just had to have one with the standard blade also.
Here's a quick picture of the pair along with the CRK takedown kit.
dave
- Joined
- May 1, 2007
- Messages
- 534
when did CRK make a take down tool? I need one. How much?
- Joined
- Nov 24, 2008
- Messages
- 4,748
yep can i see the other side of the tool.........thanx....
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2000
- Messages
- 1,049
The bottom side of the cylinders are just flat.
There is a hole thru the side that you insert the allen wrench to turn it.
The tool works quite well and comes with a full color instructional pamphlet.
dave
kenthenoob
Basic Member
- Joined
- Sep 27, 2008
- Messages
- 317
umnumzaan is nice and all, but i couldn't get used to it. i wasn't a fan of the pivot, and i didn't like how i had to manipulate the deployment.
Sounds like you are really into Tactical knives since self defense is your primary design criteria.
You really should get a Strider Sng. It is a superior knife to the Zann in that respect.
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I had a prototype for 3 weeks and sold it. It was just to long for me if i didnt use the clip all the time and just put it in my pocket it would turn sideways and be uncomfortable. To me the umnumzaan was just to quirky with the whole rubber o ring thing and the glass breaker. It seemed as if chris reeve was reaching on the umnumzaan. The last thing that made me sell it was i grew tired of the grey handle thing , it was cool to me 5 years ago with my sebenza but its been done to death already, time to move on.
