Umnumzaan tip strength (video added on page 2)

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vininull

Joined
May 29, 2012
Messages
60
Hi guys,

I am a long time Sebenza owner and enjoy this knife probably the most of my entire collection.
Recently I decided to purchase an Umnumzaan as I was sure Mr. Reeve has made another great folder. I have a newest Umnumzaan version with new pivot.
Overall I really enjoy this knife but still carrying the Sebenza and Umnumzaan together as I cannot decide which one is better ;)
But today I had to do some precision work on wood involving light twisting of the tip, and when I tried to do this with my Umnumzaan I really didn't had enough confidence to use it. The very tip of the blade seemed so thin and weak for me so I ended up with using a Sebenza.

I would like to hear opinions and/or experience of Umnumzaan users about this detail.

I took some pictures showing Sebenza and even Para2 tip(which is weak at my estimation but it isn't a tactical knife) are seem to be thicker.

u1.jpg


u2.jpg
 
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It's strong enough.
You can pry out staples.
You can stab it into a tree (not sure why I like doing it...must have been hurt by a tree in a previous life or something;))
You can do whatever tasks require a tip that I've ever encountered.

So, in conclusion, it's strong enough.:)
 
stabman said:
It's strong enough.
You can pry out staples.
You can stab it into a tree (not sure why I like doing it...must have been hurt by a tree in a previous life or something;))
You can do whatever tasks require a tip that I've ever encountered.

So, in conclusion, it's strong enough.:)
Click to expand...

Thanks for your reply! I guess you nickname is also a proof of your words ;) I suspected that tip should be much stronger than it actually seems to me
 
vininull said:
Let's say I'll try to do something stupid like that:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQlW-tRxGdk&t=2m48s

How do you think it'll hold up?
Click to expand...

That would depend on the wood, I'd say.
I haven't done it with the Umnumzaan, but I have in the past bent tips doing silly things like that...for no real reason, much like in the video.
I would expect that there'd be a good chance of bending the tip.
It would also depend on how deep each stab went.

I'll leave it for someone else to find out for sure though.:D
 
vininull said:
Let's say I'll try to do something stupid like that:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQlW-tRxGdk&t=2m48s

How do you think it'll hold up?
Click to expand...

If you bent or snapped the tip on your Umnumzaan doing something like that, then you'd probably deserve it. Haha

Not something I would do with a 400$ folder. But if you had to I'm sure it could handle Some prying within reason.

There's actually more meat on the tip then you'd think. It looks deceiving because of the swedge.
 
frontline29 said:
If you bent or snapped the tip on your Umnumzaan doing something like that, then you'd probably deserve it. Haha

Not something I would do with a 400$ folder. But if you had to I'm sure it could handle Some prying within reason.

There's actually more meat on the tip then you'd think. It looks deceiving because of the swedge.
Click to expand...

I am was just expecting that this new "tactical" 400$ folder will perform on par with 400$ Sebenza and it doesn't seems to me that it is capable to do so....
 
I hate to be that guy .....but county comm and gerber sell mini pry tools for the cost of a burger. They are easy to carry and work much better than the tip of any knife.
T
 
clearytja said:
I hate to be that guy .....but county comm and gerber sell mini pry tools for the cost of a burger. They are easy to carry and work much better than the tip of any knife.
T
Click to expand...

I know that! But why the hell a Sebenza has this strong tip and Umnumzaan doesn't? I don't ask for a pry bar tip but for a reasonable strength which already implemented on Sebenza!
 
I would say the tip definitely is of reasonable strength. Also, the video you posted shows a guy doing what exactly? Somebody asked him to pry a hole in a board on a pallet? The guy in the video is doing what most people would say is testing for failure rather than doing any sort of folding knife task. I am not trying to be a jerk or sarcastic or anything, but maybe you could provide a better example of why you need a super strong tip.

And, I own a 4" pocket prybar from CountyComm. It was dirt cheap and I have hammered it into Schedule 80 PVC to break apart couplers. It has taken it in stride. There is almost no reason to need the tip to be any stronger than it is when you have the right tools for the right job. :thumbup:
 
TriviaMonster said:
but maybe you could provide a better example of why you need a super strong tip.
Click to expand...

With the same reason I can ask you why do you need so thick spine when Opinel can cut better with much thinner blade...
I don't consider Sebenza's tip as superstrong but it's not raising any doubts. On other hand Umnumzaan's tip is just nail thin. They call Umnumzaan a tactical knife right?
There is another my suspicion that previous modifications of Umnumzaan (with large pivot) actually had a much thicker tip...
 
vininull said:
Let's say I'll try to do something stupid like that:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQlW-tRxGdk&t=2m48s

How do you think it'll hold up?
Click to expand...

it's heat treated steel man, steel not plastic
it will suerely hold, there is material behind the tip
it has a limit, it's a cutting performer, use an xm18 or ZT0550 for other used, cut worse but are more robust, choose your "side", I chose more cutting performance

if it snaps well you deserved it..

clearytja said:
I hate to be that guy .....but county comm and gerber sell mini pry tools for the cost of a burger. They are easy to carry and work much better than the tip of any knife.
T
Click to expand...

oh yeah, holy words
use the right tool for the right job

the UM is a great KNIFE-cutting tool
 
Mad_Maxx said:
it's heat treated steel man, steel not plastic
it will suerely hold, there is material behind the tip
it has a limit, it's a cutting performer, use an xm18 or ZT0550 for other used, cut worse but are more robust, choose your "side", I chose more cutting performance

if it snaps well you deserved it..
Click to expand...

The problem is that the tip is too thin. Umnumzaan called a tactical knife but in reality compared to Sebenza it's tip definitelly weaker.
Why any customer deserve a tactical knife with weak tip? Or maybe Sebenza is more tactical and strong than Umnumzaan?
 
vininull said:
There is another my suspicion that previous modifications of Umnumzaan (with large pivot) actually had a much thicker tip...
Click to expand...

That's the version I have.
It doesn't.

By the way, it depends on what you mean by "tactical."
My Umnumzaan is up there with my daggers for "stabbiness" in a wide variety of materials.
My SmF, and especially my Spyderco Tuff have amazingly stout tips...and are about the worst knives for stabbing anything other than a Kleenex box. They truly, truly suck in their ability to pierce materials. (Did I remember to mention how much they suck at that task? Because it's alot.)

I'm not sure when or why prying became a valuable attribute for a knife. For as long as I can remember, the ability to cut and pierce materails (of any sort) were far more important.
 
vininull said:
The problem is that the tip is too thin. Umnumzaan called a tactical knife but in reality compared to Sebenza it's tip definitelly weaker.
Why any customer deserve a tactical knife with weak tip? Or maybe Sebenza is more tactical and strong than Umnumzaan?
Click to expand...

mine is no way thin, not confronted with the rest of the knife

little less than the 0550
same as one small 21, slighlty less than another small 21
slightly more than the HB01 (4" blade"

it's NOT a tactical knife, it's a tactical cutting tool
I believe that the swedge makes it LOOK thin, (or it made it thinner?) it's right for me
or yours the tip may be thinner, no sebenza is like the other, little differences is grind/thickness happen, so it's normal

you may see it and try to find a "thicker" one, or live with it, it's not a cheap 1$ cutter, it does well what it should do with it's geometry, if you want it thicker get something else
to me SEB or UM are both equal, design changes much more than substance
 
My Zaan Gen. 3 (produced April 30, 2012) has more thick tip

815950.jpg


Compared with Opinel № 9:

815948.jpg


With BM520:

815949.jpg
 
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Andrew Nik said:
My Zaan Gen. 3 (produced April 30, 2012) has more thick tip
Click to expand...


That's what I am talking about! I compare Andrew's pics to my Umnumzaan and see huge difference...
Can it be that there such distinction from knife to knife during a production process?
 
vininull said:
That's what I am talking about! I compare Andrew's pics to my Umnumzaan and see huge difference...
Can it be that there such distinction from knife to knife during a production process?
Click to expand...

Since these are hand ground. Yes it's possible. Not very. But possible.

If you use the knife your tip will get thicker once you sharpen it a few times anyways.

Not all tactical folders are designed to pry with.

Unless your the kinda guy who's doing high speed low drag covert tactical extractions thats gonna be prying open doors there's really no need to take a 400$ knife and pry with it in the real world.

Do yourself a favour and pick up a county comm micro widgy bar and carry it on your keys. It Cost 7 bucks.
Much cheaper then the 150$ it will cost you for a blade replacement when you snap your tip.
 
You know you are a knife-nut when...
...you can easily differentiate the tips of three knives in the pics above.
red mag
 
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