WC Startac (new model?)

I think someone else may have already mentioned this, but I would have liked to see the CR logo on the disk.

Also, if Chris Reeve wanted to make this a truly hard use folder, besides the stabilizer disk, he should have also changed the blade grind and increased the blade thickness a bit. Maybe a blade grind like a spanto, Saber, Convex or Flat grind. Right now, IMO, the Umnumzaan and Sebenza are too similar. If he made both the stabilizer and blade change on the Umnumzaan, then there would be a much greater differentiation between the two knives. If you wanted a super high-quality slicer and general use knife, get a Sebenza. If you wanted a super high-quality hard use folder, get an Umnumzaan.
 
Adamar said:
The first few batches did not have the WC logo on the clip, but the new batches do.
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I bought a StarTac from the first batch that had the logo. I think it was more hit and miss on the early ones.
 
"No, you may not ask...i was sworn to secrecy" Systematic warranty problems is confidential information at any company. If you won't tell us how you know proprietary information about CRK, lemmuhj why are you spreading rumors that can severly hurt CRK's reputation for excellence?
 
brownshoe said:
"No, you may not ask...i was sworn to secrecy" Systematic warranty problems is confidential information at any company. If you won't tell us how you know proprietary information about CRK, lemmuhj why are you spreading rumors that can severly hurt CRK's reputation for excellence?
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I'm not sure what sources of information that lemmuhj has, but I have some discussions with present and former CRK employees that generally confirms this. Issues with the lockbar travel have traditionally been the most prevalent warranty claim at the shop. Part of the reason for the change to the ceramic ball lock-up in the Umnumzaan was to address this problem. Machining the perfectly flat contact between the lock bar and the blade stop is VERY expensive and time consuming. Add to that their tight specification for lock-bar travel (50%-75% IIRC), then this can understandably be an area that Chris would try to address in terms of production cost and product longevity.

Like I said before, I don't mind the concept of the LBS at all. The execution of it in this case with the flat-head nail appearance in its current location is just ugly.
 
DallasSTB said:
I'm not sure what sources of information that lemmuhj has, but I have some discussions with present and former CRK employees that generally confirms this. Issues with the lockbar travel have traditionally been the most prevalent warranty claim at the shop. Part of the reason for the change to the ceramic ball lock-up in the Umnumzaan was to address this problem. Machining the perfectly flat contact between the lock bar and the blade stop is VERY expensive and time consuming. Add to that their tight specification for lock-bar travel (50%-75% IIRC), then this can understandably be an area that Chris would try to address in terms of production cost and product longevity.

Like I said before, I don't mind the concept of the LBS at all. The execution of it in this case with the flat-head nail appearance in its current location is just ugly.
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I had issues with my Umnum lock bar from over travel, and like Dallas mentioned having discussions with employees, so did i.

Thanks for clarifying Dallas:)
 
No problem. Because it might help to add some background (and because I'm not busy at the moment), here is my story. I had a large Classic with ironwood inlays that I thought had too much lockbar travel across the blade stop. Here is a picture of the lock-up before I sent it in:

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I debated trying to "bend it outward" to try and solve the problem on my own, but ultimately I sent it in to CRK for examination. During my conversations with them, I asked about how they might address this situation. That's when I really got some good information about the lockup specifications, and the process each knife undergoes during the final stages of it's manufacture. The time it takes to hand tweak each knife is surprising, and an obvious area for improvement that would be necessary for increasing production.

To get my knife back into spec, they eventually had to replace the entire blade! :eek: I'll never doubt their commitment to excellence again after my experience. Replacing the entire blade for maybe 1/16" of travel is above and beyond what I would consider adequate. I was so happy, I had them add double thumblugs to the new blade as well. Here is the result:

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That knife has since moved on, but the experience reconfirmed (at least in my mind) the absolute commitment Chris has to producing the absolute best production knives on the planet. I certainly appreciate his continuing efforts to improve the products, if not always the results.
 
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Mine was also born 30th of June 2011.

Love the knife, it needed some break in time but its getting very smooth now.

Also the lockbar is getting a lot easier to disengage after a couple of hundred openings.

Also I am very impressed with the sharpness it almost looks like a polished edge. :)

Will never buy a used CRK again, the factory edge is just fantastic and the tip is like a needle.
 
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Awesome!! Sure hope thats what I see friday when I open my package! Friday cant come fast enough!!!
 
Those who have followed the nearly 25 years that the Sebenza has been around know we continually make small improvements, alterations, advances to our knives. None of these changes are made to follow a trend, to keep up with the Jones or to tick off our customers. They are done to improve performance, safety or production. That we make a change to the Umnumzaan should not come as a surprise.

The disc has been added to the Umnumzaan to prevent the reduction of tension on the lock. Because the shape of the Umnumzaan handle is a little different than that of the Sebenza, it takes a different technique to open and close. We have found some customers are not willing to learn the difference or perhaps they don’t recognize the difference but, whatever the reason, they think it is necessary to modify the lock tension, thinking the knife will open more easily. This simply makes the knife unsafe. We have had several Umnumzaans returned to us because of lock issues – almost always the customer denies having modified the lock. We can see what has been done, and are put between a rock and a hard place as we don’t want to call out the customer for not telling the truth. The disc is a solution to prevent potentially unsafe modifications.

Please note this disc is not a lock stabilizer as it has been called in some posts. It is simply in place to prevent the lock bar from being pushed out to reduce tension. Our locks are fitted properly to very close tolerances and do not need to be stabilized. And to save further speculation, the disc is press fit into the handle. It is made of 303 stainless steel, and is sandblasted along with the rest of the handle. Because it is not titanium, the sandblasted finish looks different.

Will it change further? Quite possibly. What might these changes be? No idea at this time.

It will be a while before you see Umnumzaans other than the Wilson Startac with this disc. This has to do with our on-hand inventory of machined handles.

We are not planning to add the lock override protection disc to the Sebenza. We do not have the issue of lock modification by customers to the same degree as we do with the Umnumzaan.

Before the question is asked here is a quick reminder of the difference in how to open an Umnumzaan and a Sebenza.
Umnumzaan: slide your thumb straight forward, parallel with the handle, pushing the lug with the top center of your thumb.
Sebenza: push the lug out sideways in a sweeping motion with the side of your thumb.

Since there has been renewed discussion about Idaho Made in this thread, you might find it interesting to note that since March this year, the value of our back orders has almost quadrupled. This would indicate there are not too many concerns about the Idaho Made marking.

We appreciate your loyalty and enthusiastic conversation. We know we can't please all of the people all of the time!

Anne
 
Very happy with my June 30 Startac but I guess some people feel like buying a new BMW just 1 month before the facelift comes out.
 
Thanks for the explanation Anne!

Might I humbly suggest that the disk might be a prime location to put the CRK logo like the pivot on the Mnandi?
 
Psht. I wouldn't mind having USA added to the Idaho made part but wouldn't care for it being removed. It's a nice added touch IMHO.

To be quite honest, I never pay attention to it except when it's being cleaned.
 
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Sorry I called it a stabilizer . I realized I was wrong when I saw it wasn't deep enoug to prevent vertical movement. I for one like the improvement. As great as you might be at using lock you never know what a friend might do or you might do by accident .
 
I received my original model:D and still have the new version. I'm going to take some better pics of both side by side to show the difference. I'm extremely pleased with the original and I'm sure the new model will serve those that purchase them equally. Wonder if I can keep both:rolleyes:

It's a shame that people try to "mod" their CRKs then screw it up and send it to Chris to clean up their mess. All it takes is some patience to break these in. I admit that at first my Umnum was a little harder to disengage but that's because none of my other blades were like that and I wasn't used to it. After countless times of pleasurable practice, I think the Umnum is the PERFECT blade. The Startac is the PERFECT compliment. Enjoy the pics...

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