What is the "Sebenza" of the traditional knife world??

I don't think we have a sebeza equivalent. My vote for the closest would go to the Buck 110. It's an iconic knife even non knife enthusiests will recognize a d associate with quality. Price points and materials are all over the place but I hear the custom shop is turning out some quality stuff.

These knives are proven just like the Sebezas for being able to handle real work, with decades of history of doing just that to back it up. Price point it can be considered a knife every man can buy at prices as low as $15-20 I've seen for some models to ranging in the hundreds for the custom and limited runs.

What it doesnt have is the prestige and exclusity that Sebeza has due to the price tag making it unobtainable for most. Reminds me of a meeting I had in my first job at a clothing store they asked us what made a quality product. I said comfort, durability, and practically. Pretty much all my coworkers listed price, and exclusity and praised how one company will destroy it's merchandise after a season was over instead of selling it for a discount and cheaping the brand.

Before people jump to conclusions I'm not saying the Sebeza is a bad knife. Though I think it is hyped up a bit compared to other knives because of the price and exclusiveity people don't get to handle them much and will tend to memic what others say as they don't have personal experience with it.
 
Fascinating question and thread. How odd that there is such a pronounced distinction in the market. I like my Buck 110 but the Camillus TL29 and Schrade 8OT are also iconic. Do they count as they are no longer produced even though they are readily available?

I can’t think of any GEC that fits the bill. Their #15 is a copy of the Camillus Navy General Utility Knife - which is also a candidate.
 
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... Reminds me of a meeting I had in my first job at a clothing store they asked us what made a quality product. I said comfort, durability, and practically. Pretty much all my coworkers listed price, and exclusity and praised how one company will destroy it's merchandise after a season was over instead of selling it for a discount and cheaping the brand.

There's the difference between mens and womens clothing. I wonder if the same comparison holds true for traditional vs modern knives. That works for me ...
 
At this point, it's probably helpful to review the OPs criteria:

- Flawless execution/FF
- Great materials
- Mid tech maker under $500
- Readily available/Obtainable (no limited production or long wait lists)
- Versatile design and look

Does the Buck 110 really hit the first point?
A solid knife for sure, but does it rise to flawless in the way a Sebenza does ?

The same for Case/Bose... I don't own one so looking for opinions here.

Of all that's been suggested in this thread so far, I vote for a Moki.
Has anyone suggested an Al Mar?
Randall was suggested, but the wait list can come into play... Otherwise, I think it's a great choice, just not a folder.
K.B. Knifeworks K.B. Knifeworks , are we limited to just folders?
 
My 110 is flawless. Used, over sharpened, possibly abused. But no flaws that I didn't cause. It was perfect from the factory. Also keep in mind we are not talking about two particular specimens. My 110 and your sebenza. I'll go out on a limb and say both have had flawed specimens leave the shop. But for both I can say the new ones I've handled did not display any defects to my eye. I have handled a lot more 110s though. Vs one sebenza.
 
One more thing. I work at a store that sells buck and case as well as some lesser knives. I handle more 110s than the average bear. No sebenza here though. Only one I've ever handled was in a hardware store in grand Rapids with a ridiculously wide selection of pocket knives
 
here's my hot take: The only "grail" thing about obtaining a sebenza is the born-on date. Yep i said it.

In my own personal experience (yes, i'm using myself as the example here), the Sebenza is that expensive $450 carrot a guy knewly introduced to the modern folders genre, who starts out by buying $40-$80 spydercos, who sees chatter about sabenzas on social media and thinks "oh man someday i will own one (in my case a left handed version) and then sell every other knife because it will be perfect!", who go years thinking it's a "Grail" because of being able to afford it, who will then buy that one sitting on the reseller's website for months when the budget opportunity is right, who then gets it in the mail and realizes it's just an overpriced boring titanium frame lock (albeit lefthanded!), who then becomes interested in traditional knives because there are way more interesting/diverse/affordable patterns out there to collect, who sells the Sebenza at a loss because they don't really ever gain value unless you have a born-on date somebody else desires, who uses the funds to buy multiple other knives (traditional slip joints for me).

So if i were to pick a traditional knife that has a similar presitge to it, at least here on Blade Forums, it's a GEC #15 TC barlow clip point barlow, which for me played out the same way as my sebenza experience.
 
This question says to me, "Which knife finds it's way into my pocket more than any other?" My Schrade-Walden Stockman, purchased in 1966. Delrin, stainless, incredible f & f. Availability questionable, although I routinely see them for sale used at less than $100. My apologies for straying way off the path...



https://imgur.com/jka8GDW
 
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This question says to me, "Which knife finds it's way into my pocket more than any other?" My Schrade-Walden Stockman, purchased in 1966. Delrin, stainless, incredible f & f. Availability questionable, although I routinely see them for sale used at less than $100. My apologies for straying way off the path...



https://imgur.com/jka8GDW
jka8GDW.jpg
 
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here's my hot take: The only "grail" thing about obtaining a sebenza is the born-on date. Yep i said it.

In my own personal experience (yes, i'm using myself as the example here), the Sebenza is that expensive $450 carrot a guy knewly introduced to the modern folders genre, who starts out by buying $40-$80 spydercos, who sees chatter about sabenzas on social media and thinks "oh man someday i will own one (in my case a left handed version) and then sell every other knife because it will be perfect!", who go years thinking it's a "Grail" because of being able to afford it, who will then buy that one sitting on the reseller's website for months when the budget opportunity is right, who then gets it in the mail and realizes it's just an overpriced boring titanium frame lock (albeit lefthanded!), who then becomes interested in traditional knives because there are way more interesting/diverse/affordable patterns out there to collect, who sells the Sebenza at a loss because they don't really ever gain value unless you have a born-on date somebody else desires, who uses the funds to buy multiple other knives (traditional slip joints for me).

So if i were to pick a traditional knife that has a similar presitge to it, at least here on Blade Forums, it's a GEC #15 TC barlow clip point barlow, which for me played out the same way as my sebenza experience.
I know a lot of people share the opinion that the Sebenza is out of whack in the price/value equation but I disagree. I think a lot of folks that see it that way are looking for the latest innovations and most current features- be it materials, design, deployment or what have you. I've handled plenty of modern knives in and around that price range and for me, the Sebenza is everything I am looking for in a modern knife. It's nearly perfectly designed and manufactured. There is a certain intangible iconic feel about the knife for me. Now, have I talked myself into this opinion to confirm my own bias? Likely so!

That said, it seems like the problem is that in attempting to check all the boxes the OP has outlined, you will likely run into scarcity issues or need to step up to a custom manufacturer. You're chasing as much an aesthetic as you are a quantifiable item. What's a "traditional Sebenza" to one person won't be to another. Ironically, for me the traditional I find gives me the same impressions as my Sebenza is my GEC 77 Barlow but I think jrawk (and many others) would patently disagree.

At the end of the day, I guess I'd have to agree with a Case Bose, probably Lanny's clip.
 
Just as the title says - what would be considered the "Sebenza" of the traditional knife world? I know "Sebenza" is a term that can be taken in lots of ways but basically what is the common/famous grail knife in the traditonal world that hits most of the same marks as the famous CRK knife?

- Flawless execution/FF
- Great materials
- Mid tech maker under $500
- Readily available/Obtainable (no limited production or long wait lists)
- Versatile design and look


There isn’t one. As you can see, there’s a ton of opinions and choices being passed forward but honestly, the traditional world is a whole different realm. There’s too many flavors and patterns to choose one that sets the mark like the Sebenza has been awarded to the modern knife world.
 
I'm going to stick my neck out here, even though I stated in my initial post my opinion of the price of the sebenza. I now feel that my opinion of that detail should have been left out. I do not think this thread was started as a "bash the sebenza" thread. So let us bear that in mind. In fact I believe the OP has a high opinion of the sebenza, and was simply using it as a mark of quality and iconic status. That is why I put forth the Buck 110, a quality iconic knife. And even though I've never handled one, I've seen enough high praise of the Case/Bose knives to suggest those in comparison in the more elite status category.
I would like to say thank you to all the posters on this thread, so far everyone's been civil and respectful. This kind of question on many forums( and some other sub-forums on Blade) would have started a massive flame war, and an army of trolls would have shown up. Long live the porch!
 
here's my hot take: The only "grail" thing about obtaining a sebenza is the born-on date. Yep i said it.

In my own personal experience (yes, i'm using myself as the example here), the Sebenza is that expensive $450 carrot a guy knewly introduced to the modern folders genre, who starts out by buying $40-$80 spydercos, who sees chatter about sabenzas on social media and thinks "oh man someday i will own one (in my case a left handed version) and then sell every other knife because it will be perfect!", who go years thinking it's a "Grail" because of being able to afford it, who will then buy that one sitting on the reseller's website for months when the budget opportunity is right, who then gets it in the mail and realizes it's just an overpriced boring titanium frame lock (albeit lefthanded!), who then becomes interested in traditional knives because there are way more interesting/diverse/affordable patterns out there to collect, who sells the Sebenza at a loss because they don't really ever gain value unless you have a born-on date somebody else desires, who uses the funds to buy multiple other knives (traditional slip joints for me).

So if i were to pick a traditional knife that has a similar presitge to it, at least here on Blade Forums, it's a GEC #15 TC barlow clip point barlow, which for me played out the same way as my sebenza experience.
I like this line of thinking and feel it is a valid attempt to answer the OP's original question. Well done.
 
That said, it seems like the problem is that in attempting to check all the boxes the OP has outlined, you will likely run into scarcity issues or need to step up to a custom manufacturer. You're chasing as much an aesthetic as you are a quantifiable item. What's a "traditional Sebenza" to one person won't be to another. Ironically, for me the traditional I find gives me the same impressions as my Sebenza is my GEC 77 Barlow but I think jrawk (and many others) would patently disagree.

haha, my opinion is the 77 barlow clip point is just about the most perfect single blade traditional slip joint in my collection. But i did not pay "grail" prices for it like i did the underwhelming 15 (basing that on secondary market price i opted to pay to get one). Cost and value are absolutely subjective to everybody. Thats kinda why i find this thread silly yet entertaining. ;)
 
Another vote for the Case/Tony Bose collaboration.

Way I look at it is as follows:

Modern
CRKT/Kershaw > Spyderco/Benchmade/ZT > Sebenza

Traditional
Case/Boker > CSC/GEC > Case/Tony Bose collaboration
 
The Buck I like, . . .the drop point s30v, copper, with the honeycomb looking scales
Now you're talkin' :thumbsup:
Heck, I'd carry that !
With that tip it might even breach some doors :D

Yes I never paid any attention to the play in mine or even noticed until this last year when someone mentioned play in the pivot and I checked mine. Doesn't seem to make any practical difference in a largish work knife like this.
 
I consider them to be one of the best values ever, and an absolute ICON in the traditional knife world. In that way, they do compare to a sebenza.
Agreed !
I have 5 or 6-110's currently. I have given away/ handled dozens. I have never noticed a loose one/ one with play.
Are we talking about the same knife ?
I just checked mine and the play is very noticeable as well as a touch of up and down play in the lock at the blade.
I guess I got an extra good one.
I bet I have only sharpened it lightly three times.
Looks like this right ? >>>>>Link
 
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