Wait, what? How did this happen??

coelacanth

coelacanth

Joined
Jan 19, 2011
Messages
199
I purchased my first CRK, Mnandi with Snakewood inlays last December. I don't know how this happened, but a little over half year later, I found myself with four CRKs.

When I got my second CRK, Small Seb 21, I thought "I'd sell one of the two after a try-out period." Loved both and kept both.

When I got Star-benza, I thought "OK, this time, plain 21's gotta go. They are too close." But I kept them both.

This time, Regular Large Sebenza joined the little ones, and I didn't even come up with an excuse or a way to sell the existing ones. :p

Now I can see why many people swear by the large seb. I can feel this is THE Sebenza in its originally intended form and size. It is a bit too large for my city commute EDC, but I can certainly see this will be a perfect blade for weekend activities. Love regular's blade shape and all little details of the handles as well. At the same time, I can appreciate the small size of small Sebs, and classy little package of Mnandi as well, more than before handling the large seb.

Now I've got these 4, I'm not sure where to go next. What would you recommend?

Large Insingo with Micarta looks very promising for camping food prep... :D

And one day, I'd love to own a Mnandi with Damascus blade, too...

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LH Mnandi with Snakewood and S30V, LH Small Star-Benza with S35VN, LH Small Sebenza 21 with S30V w/o IM, and LH Large Sebenza with BG42 (I think)
 
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Now I've got these 4, I'm not sure where to go next. What would you recommend?
Click to expand...

I'd say you need to round that collection up with an Umnazaan, :D
 
cziv,
Yeah, 'Zaan has been in my mind for a while too.

Sharp Dog,
I wish they'll make left hand model like they did with small Star-Benza. Star-Tac LH would be great too.

I'm hoping to find an Umfaan as well, but needing left hand models is making my search extra difficult... :p
 
I am fixing to be in the same boat. I bought my umnumzaan last december, in march I bought a Large 21. Now I am waiting for a Large 21 with micarta inlays(Eta august), and a small seb 21 with african blackwood inlays and raindrop damascus (eta oct/nov). lol then I will probably have my eye on a mnandi.
 
You definitely need an Umnumzaan. A similar thing happened to me. I bought my first CRK, a Large Sebenza 21, a couple months ago, and three weeks later I somehow had a small 21, Mnandi and Umnumzaan.
 
I think a micarta in any version would be a great next sebbie. Or you can always go with an umnum. The tanto umnums are really sick.
 
I think you got it right when you stated,
"Large Insingo with Micarta
Mnandi with Damascus"

Those would be great additions to your collection.
 
Very nice. I've got a large LH 21 and a LH Umnumzaan.

Between the Mnandi and the small Sebenza (either version), which do you carry more often? I'd like to pick up a smaller CRK for urban/office carry.
 
I used my Sebenza and XM-18 last week for part of a day, left handed on each one. I must admit that it was very difficult (more on the Sebenza, due to XM-18 flipper deployment) to hand these with my "off" hand.

I did this after reading a post with complaints about not enough lefty models made. I made some wise crack but afterward thought about it and tried it out. WOW! It was such a pain in the neck that I only made it for about 6 - 8 hrs and said " theheck with this!"

At least Chris makes left handed folders. There aren't a heck of a lot of them floating around from most manufacturers. Anyway, nice group shot coelacanth and good luck to you guys who have to look around for those hard to find models. :)
 
Kingofthellamas,
I assume you've ordered them from CRK directly? I should talk to Heather about upcoming (?) Insingo.


Bluesummers,

Hehe, tell me about it! When I couldn't let go of Small 21 after getting Small Star-Benza, I knew I officially got "SICK."


gbelleh & Hkk,

Yeah, been thinking about it. Still not too sure of the beefiness (not a bad thing, I know!) and mixed opinions about the operation is holding my back, but I know at some point, I "need" to cover it. :D


Lisa,

Every time I see your rapidly growing collection, I feel a tiny bit better about my "sickness" LOL. I'm too slow!


Cynic2701,

Though small Seb and Mnandi look close in numbers, sometimes even in pictures, in real life and everyday situations, there are quite a bit of difference between the two. Small Sebenza is still "Mini Sebenza." It's all titanium, hard-wokring blade while Mnandi looks like a Gents Knife (that happened to have a lockable blade). I think having wood inlays is also making Mnandi "softer" looking. I used to carry both Sm Seb and Mnandi just about equal amount of time when I worked for a start-up company with relaxed, urban atmosphere in San Francisco, filled with younger, EDC loving folks. Now I work mainly for a little more "mature" start-up outside of the city, I find myself carrying Mnandi more. It can easily get by as a pen in my pocket, and even non-knife folks compliment it and even willing to handle it (most have hard time because it's a lefty lol). When I work as a freelance designer in the city, Seb and Star-Benza battle for the pocket time. Weekends, Seb/Star-Benza get more pocket time while Mnandi covers dinner, theatre and other formal/classier attire situations. All in all, they both have their purposes, and I'd recommend getting them both. I know it's not only me who thought they'd sell one of them but kept both.


cziv,


One of the main reasons I looked into CRK was availability of left hand models. When I first learned that classy, yet super functional Mnandi was available in LH, I just couldn't believe it. I know all CRK folders are pretty hard to come by all together, and hunting down those LH models is über hard. But I am really grateful that Chris Reeve does produce LH model without special order or "LH tax" and that alone is a enough reason to keep buying his knives. :)
 
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Hahahahahahaaaa ;D

Four knives and you don't even feel the need to make an excuse for the purchase anymore, welcome to the dark side.

I've sold quite a few CRK's as of late and I believe( without checking ) that I have seven of them right now,

Small models

Insingo EDC blade
Star Benza
Tanto
Regular CGG Crosshairs

Large models

Carbon Fiber 21 #40 of the first 50
Tanto Umnumzaan

Fixed Blade

Aviator with the original pancake style sheath and a drop style sheath( both Gfellers ).

I have to check to see if there are any more in the safe.

I remember when I stopped making excuses for my purchase of these fine knives ;D come to think of it I believe it happened at the same time that I stopped telling my Wife that I was buying another one ;D

You only live once and vie received better returns on my knives than I have on other investments, buy em up and enjoy them in good health.
 
1AbominAble1 said:
Hahahahahahaaaa ;D

Four knives and you don't even feel the need to make an excuse for the purchase anymore, welcome to the dark side.

I've sold quite a few CRK's as of late and I believe( without checking ) that I have seven of them right now,

Small models

Insingo EDC blade
Star Benza
Tanto
Regular CGG Crosshairs

Large models

Carbon Fiber 21 #40 of the first 50
Tanto Umnumzaan

Fixed Blade

Aviator with the original pancake style sheath and a drop style sheath( both Gfellers ).

I have to check to see if there are any more in the safe.

I remember when I stopped making excuses for my purchase of these fine knives ;D come to think of it I believe it happened at the same time that I stopped telling my Wife that I was buying another one ;D

You only live once and vie received better returns on my knives than I have on other investments, buy em up and enjoy them in good health.
Click to expand...

I agree, you only live once, might as well enjoy em while you can. Though I plan to take a large regular sebenza with me somehow....lol.

I bought and sold and bought and bought over the years. I about fell over when I counted 37 CRK....lol. I have since sold several to fund others. Its a just a cycle I have always been on. Buy for awhile, then sell for awhile, etc.

My wife has learned to stop asking....lol. The bills are getting paid and when I work a ton of overtime, I like to spend some of my extra on my CRK addiction. With being laid off from work the last couple months, there has been no extra coming in, so I have resorted to selling some to buy others.

As many times as I have tried others, I always come back to CRK. That says alot.
 
Funny this thread came back up. Yeah, I pretty much forgot the question "how did this happen" all together as I've now got these:

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Star-Tac, Box Elder LE, Curly Maple LE (BG-42), and good old Snakewood Mnandi.

And yep, all LH. :D

Leonard, I'll let you know if I got lucky to score a Damascus Mnandi, but I'm sure it will take a long while.

And yes, now I got Um, but still need to score an Insingo and one day, Umfaan, of course in LH... Long way to go...
 
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