- Joined
- Dec 26, 2010
- Messages
- 1,091
So, after a few months away from the knife world, I'm back in, head first. I bought this early production Seb 25 (press-fit stop pin) from mikepapa1 right after thanksgiving, and I received it at work yesterday. Dealing with mikepapa1 was great, prompt shipping and an accurate description. I have to apologize again to harleyguy02 for my douchey-ness in backing out of my offer for his anodized 25. Here's some pics, and then a review.
I know there's hundreds of 25 reviews, so there's nothing new here, but in some ways this is more for me, as a way to organize and document my initial impressions of the knife. It's sometimes interesting to go back after some time has passed and see how my thoughts on a knife have changed.
I'll be honest, it's size surprised me. It is really difficult, at least for me, to get a good idea of a knife's size from dimensions and even comparison pics. It's also a little heftier than I thought it would be. After being thrown for a little bit (my first thought/concern was that it would be a bear to edc), I swapped it out with my Small 21 that always rides in the right front pocket of my slacks. It blew my mind, but the carry feel is almost indistinguishable. I haven't carried it with jeans yet, but I imagine that I'll have to try a couple of different things, since I usually carry my Small Seb in my change/pocket-watch pocket.
There's a lot to like about this knife. It's super solid feeling, even more so than my ZT 350 and CS Recon1; tight lock-up, zero play, no flex. The 1/8" ceramic ball makes for a really smooth action, and you don't get that little 'step' feel that most frame-locks get as the blade tang falls off the detent ball and rides on the lock-bar right before the lock engages. I'm not absolutely sold on the concept that the ceramic ball is a better long-term lock surface than a well designed titanium surface (like on the Seb 21), but it seems to be working well so far. There is a noticeable contact path on the blade tang, which makes sense. But there's also a small impression next to that patch that I'm having trouble figuring out. It doesn't seem to affect anything, so I don't really care, I'm just curious. Here's a couple pics.
The lock bar was actually a little sticky dis-engaging. It felt as if the fully locked position had made a divot in the tang, and there was a noticeable 'click' feel as the lock-bar was pushed open, as if the ceramic ball had to climb out of that divot. I, of course, had to perform a full disassembly to see how the 25 differs from the 21, and after cleaning and applying tuff-glide, that 'clicky' feeling when I disengage the lock is almost unnoticeable.
The press-fit stop pin with the cutout for the blade tang is well done, allowing for such a large tang/washer to frame contact area within a slim package. Obviously the one piece stop pin makes it harder to replace if there's deformation, and the cutout means you can't just rotate it to a fresh face. But CRK's website says that the pin is heat-treated 416, which I'm assuming is superior to the Seb 21's 303 hardware?
The asymmetrical washer on the lock side is well designed and the large pivot is very impressive looking, both seem to do what they were intended, judging by the super rigid feel of the blade. I'll be honest, I do wish they had found a way to incorporate the functionality of the Seb 21's pivot bushing. Not having to dial in the pivot screw after every disassembly was a huge pro in my book, but so far it's not a deal breaker for me with the Seb 25.
The finger grooves are pretty comfortable for me so far, and I don't have a problem with how the clip is positioned. I do wish the cut-out on the non-lock sie to allow access to the lock-bar was a little deeper. I don't mind the 'evil' notch on the blade spine, in fact I sort of like how it feels. I'm impressed by the detail in the jimping. The four groups of three jimps(?) gives the knife subtle character.
Overall, I'm in serious like with this knife. I wasn't sure going in, and who knows what time will tell, but right now it's my new hotness... at least until the early model Zaan (old pivot, pre lbs, not Startac unfortunately) I bought arrives in a few days. And now I really want to add a Large Seb 21 to my collection. Given the season, I should really be spending my money on gifts for my family rather than for myself... but I've got a fever, and the only prescription is more CRK.
I know there's hundreds of 25 reviews, so there's nothing new here, but in some ways this is more for me, as a way to organize and document my initial impressions of the knife. It's sometimes interesting to go back after some time has passed and see how my thoughts on a knife have changed.
I'll be honest, it's size surprised me. It is really difficult, at least for me, to get a good idea of a knife's size from dimensions and even comparison pics. It's also a little heftier than I thought it would be. After being thrown for a little bit (my first thought/concern was that it would be a bear to edc), I swapped it out with my Small 21 that always rides in the right front pocket of my slacks. It blew my mind, but the carry feel is almost indistinguishable. I haven't carried it with jeans yet, but I imagine that I'll have to try a couple of different things, since I usually carry my Small Seb in my change/pocket-watch pocket.
There's a lot to like about this knife. It's super solid feeling, even more so than my ZT 350 and CS Recon1; tight lock-up, zero play, no flex. The 1/8" ceramic ball makes for a really smooth action, and you don't get that little 'step' feel that most frame-locks get as the blade tang falls off the detent ball and rides on the lock-bar right before the lock engages. I'm not absolutely sold on the concept that the ceramic ball is a better long-term lock surface than a well designed titanium surface (like on the Seb 21), but it seems to be working well so far. There is a noticeable contact path on the blade tang, which makes sense. But there's also a small impression next to that patch that I'm having trouble figuring out. It doesn't seem to affect anything, so I don't really care, I'm just curious. Here's a couple pics.
The lock bar was actually a little sticky dis-engaging. It felt as if the fully locked position had made a divot in the tang, and there was a noticeable 'click' feel as the lock-bar was pushed open, as if the ceramic ball had to climb out of that divot. I, of course, had to perform a full disassembly to see how the 25 differs from the 21, and after cleaning and applying tuff-glide, that 'clicky' feeling when I disengage the lock is almost unnoticeable.
The press-fit stop pin with the cutout for the blade tang is well done, allowing for such a large tang/washer to frame contact area within a slim package. Obviously the one piece stop pin makes it harder to replace if there's deformation, and the cutout means you can't just rotate it to a fresh face. But CRK's website says that the pin is heat-treated 416, which I'm assuming is superior to the Seb 21's 303 hardware?
The asymmetrical washer on the lock side is well designed and the large pivot is very impressive looking, both seem to do what they were intended, judging by the super rigid feel of the blade. I'll be honest, I do wish they had found a way to incorporate the functionality of the Seb 21's pivot bushing. Not having to dial in the pivot screw after every disassembly was a huge pro in my book, but so far it's not a deal breaker for me with the Seb 25.
The finger grooves are pretty comfortable for me so far, and I don't have a problem with how the clip is positioned. I do wish the cut-out on the non-lock sie to allow access to the lock-bar was a little deeper. I don't mind the 'evil' notch on the blade spine, in fact I sort of like how it feels. I'm impressed by the detail in the jimping. The four groups of three jimps(?) gives the knife subtle character.
Overall, I'm in serious like with this knife. I wasn't sure going in, and who knows what time will tell, but right now it's my new hotness... at least until the early model Zaan (old pivot, pre lbs, not Startac unfortunately) I bought arrives in a few days. And now I really want to add a Large Seb 21 to my collection. Given the season, I should really be spending my money on gifts for my family rather than for myself... but I've got a fever, and the only prescription is more CRK.
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.Well will be hunting for another one soon,possible in startac configuration.Cheers.
