Many people on this forum praise this knife, but what do you get for $300. Is is really three times better than a spyderco or twice as good as an LCC? Obviously since so many of you have one there must be something I am missing.
what is up with the sebenza?
- Thread starter nenofury
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Nenofury,
This has been a hot topic as of late. Come to think of it, it has been a hot topic since it's introduction. Do a search here and in the Chris Reeves forum and you should find volumes on your very question. The search icon is at the top of the page. What it boils down to is this- A lot of people felt the same way you do until they bought it or handled it for themselves. The knife, warranty, and manufacturer have enough of a reputation here to warrant the price. I will now shut up and let people who have actually handled it or own it tell you something.
Oh, and welcome to the forums!!!
Jim McCullough
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Next time you feel your life is sooo tough, read this- Some American Heroes
This has been a hot topic as of late. Come to think of it, it has been a hot topic since it's introduction. Do a search here and in the Chris Reeves forum and you should find volumes on your very question. The search icon is at the top of the page. What it boils down to is this- A lot of people felt the same way you do until they bought it or handled it for themselves. The knife, warranty, and manufacturer have enough of a reputation here to warrant the price. I will now shut up and let people who have actually handled it or own it tell you something.
Jim McCullough
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Next time you feel your life is sooo tough, read this- Some American Heroes
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OK I have on my flame retardant underwear so here goes. I have one. I got it NIB for $250 on the sale forums. Is it worth $250? Probably. Is it worth $345? No. It is a nice knife but is not 3 times the knife my Spydercos are. While CR may have excellent customer service, so does Spyderco. Fit and finish on the Sebenza are excellent. It isn't as comfortable as I would like. I am glad I got one for the collection, but believe it is more of a status symbol than anything else.
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Dennis Bible
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Dennis Bible
Built like a tank out of the best stuff on the planet! End of story. I have had 5 LCCs in the last three months and only ONE worked the way I had hoped and had the blade in the middle!!!!!!!!!! (I kept that one) I take Sebenzas in trade on TNTs.....they are very good knives and very easy to sell if you tire of them.
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http://www.mayoknives.com
John 1:14
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http://www.mayoknives.com
John 1:14
The materials,fit and finish are top rate. It is a great using knife. Also they are amazingly consistent from knife to knife. The quality control by CR is to be commended. Yes, they are expensive but that is about the only criticism you will hear. It is a lifetime investment that will outlast almost anything out there.
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I just got another small 'benza on a trade, and even though I had originally planned to just turn it around for sale or trade- it has grown on me. Great user, basically a very nice knife.
Contrary to some reports, it does not posess any mystical powers. I'd have to agree with shootist16, they are just a bit overpriced- but that completely depends on what you're willing to spend.
Take an LCC or SERE 2000 in one hand, and a Sebenza in the other- and ask yourself where the difference in price is at. A few years back, the quality of the Sebenza far outreached most factory offerings, IMHO. However, the other production houses have been stepping up to the plate in a big way, and we are seeing some of the nicest stuff come along in a while.
Anyone who doesn't think a M/A LCC at $150 was/is an incredible deal is out of their gourd. That knife is truly impressive for the money- and many believe it's got a lot more bang per buck than the Sebenza. Yet there will only be one Sebenza- and if you've got the means- pick one up and decide for yourself.
Firebat
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Name's Ash......Housewares.
Contrary to some reports, it does not posess any mystical powers. I'd have to agree with shootist16, they are just a bit overpriced- but that completely depends on what you're willing to spend.
Take an LCC or SERE 2000 in one hand, and a Sebenza in the other- and ask yourself where the difference in price is at. A few years back, the quality of the Sebenza far outreached most factory offerings, IMHO. However, the other production houses have been stepping up to the plate in a big way, and we are seeing some of the nicest stuff come along in a while.
Anyone who doesn't think a M/A LCC at $150 was/is an incredible deal is out of their gourd. That knife is truly impressive for the money- and many believe it's got a lot more bang per buck than the Sebenza. Yet there will only be one Sebenza- and if you've got the means- pick one up and decide for yourself.
Firebat
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Name's Ash......Housewares.
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I got a small uniquely decorated one in a trade. I traded it away right away, because I hated the unique decoration. It was also too small for my hand. The quality was there, though. It opened very smooth, and locked up very solid. I might be tempted to pick up a large plain one used some time in the future, if I can get a deal. Solid user knife, maybe a bit overpriced, IMHO.
-IPR
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I have several blades considered by many to be amoungst the best production folders out there
BM 710 M2
BM AFCK M2
BM 750 Monolock
MT LCC D/A
Sebenza Classic MM
Spyderco Military
etc etc etc.
Simple truth is the Sebi is better made and fitted than any other knife I have ever seen! Period and I have seen hundreds!
Is it worth the money? For the name, build and status-yes it is. I do not regret getting one for a second.
Will I buy another? Probably not. Why? Price, pure and simple. I would rather own a Sebi for emergency use when you NEED a knife to save your own life and depend on it.
For the rest of the time I will stick with the BM 750, AFCK, Military and LCC for general use.
As a note the LCC is as close to being as well screwed together as any knife bar the Sebi. Mine is the D/A, but on this model, I would consider a M/A for a daily carry.
All are great knives!
W.A.
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"To strive to seek to find and not to yield"
Tennyson
Ranger motto
A few useful details on UK laws and some nice reviews!
http://members.aol.com/knivesuk/
Certified steel snob!
BM 710 M2
BM AFCK M2
BM 750 Monolock
MT LCC D/A
Sebenza Classic MM
Spyderco Military
etc etc etc.
Simple truth is the Sebi is better made and fitted than any other knife I have ever seen! Period and I have seen hundreds!
Is it worth the money? For the name, build and status-yes it is. I do not regret getting one for a second.
Will I buy another? Probably not. Why? Price, pure and simple. I would rather own a Sebi for emergency use when you NEED a knife to save your own life and depend on it.
For the rest of the time I will stick with the BM 750, AFCK, Military and LCC for general use.
As a note the LCC is as close to being as well screwed together as any knife bar the Sebi. Mine is the D/A, but on this model, I would consider a M/A for a daily carry.
All are great knives!
W.A.
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"To strive to seek to find and not to yield"
Tennyson
Ranger motto
A few useful details on UK laws and some nice reviews!
http://members.aol.com/knivesuk/
Certified steel snob!
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- Oct 31, 1998
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- 3,030
I've owned about four Sebenza's in the past.
They are not cheap by anymeans.You have to remember though,Titanium handles,BG-42 Steel,construction is built like a tank and machined to very tight tolerances etc using some pretty expensive equipment,besides the fact of great customer service,great Quality control(which some companies could take some lessons in) and warranty.The blade doesn't start to wobble after six months,I mean quality is going to cost.Look at Microtech.The Lcc was the first reasonably priced MT to come along,I've owned a couple of Socoms,and a UDT and look how much they had cost and no better than any of my Master Of Defense versions,sorry fellas but you can't tell me the Sebenza is overpriced and leave out all the rest of the overpriced blades out there.What about Mad dog knives,what makes his knives worth two and three times the price of lets say a Randall made knife?You know what?It boils down to supply and demand and personnel preference/opinion.Go handle the Sebenza at a knife shop or show.If you like it plunk down the 3-400.00 for one,I have and I loved them all.The only beef I got is for the money it should already come with dual thumstuds and a CRK sheath,and you can keep the ugly stone wash finished,but other than that it is a top of the line production knife,and an understandable price considering all aspects/issues.Incidentally,yes I wish it was cheaper also,so I could afford to buy another one without having my wife string me up by my neck.
They are not cheap by anymeans.You have to remember though,Titanium handles,BG-42 Steel,construction is built like a tank and machined to very tight tolerances etc using some pretty expensive equipment,besides the fact of great customer service,great Quality control(which some companies could take some lessons in) and warranty.The blade doesn't start to wobble after six months,I mean quality is going to cost.Look at Microtech.The Lcc was the first reasonably priced MT to come along,I've owned a couple of Socoms,and a UDT and look how much they had cost and no better than any of my Master Of Defense versions,sorry fellas but you can't tell me the Sebenza is overpriced and leave out all the rest of the overpriced blades out there.What about Mad dog knives,what makes his knives worth two and three times the price of lets say a Randall made knife?You know what?It boils down to supply and demand and personnel preference/opinion.Go handle the Sebenza at a knife shop or show.If you like it plunk down the 3-400.00 for one,I have and I loved them all.The only beef I got is for the money it should already come with dual thumstuds and a CRK sheath,and you can keep the ugly stone wash finished,but other than that it is a top of the line production knife,and an understandable price considering all aspects/issues.Incidentally,yes I wish it was cheaper also,so I could afford to buy another one without having my wife string me up by my neck.
General, you are really missing something. The using part is one of the best things about the Sebenza. I use mine all the time at work doing dissections and it's a pocket scalpel. It's great fun slicing open some critter while students eyes pop a bit when they hear the "chunk" of the integral lock snap into place. The gals get a little squeamish but half the time the guys ask more questions about the knife than the dissection.
My favorite dissection is the squid. The little sebenza will slice one of these open quicker than an eel on ice and when you cut straight down through the head into the "teeth" of the squid and hear that crunch, it doesn't faze the edge. And for small cuts here and there, it will cut finer than frog hair.
I rarely grab a scalpel for fine work anymore. The seb is usually all I need. I've done people, cats, dogs, lampreys, fish, birds, frogs, sea urchins, starfish, you name it. And that doesn't include the study skins I've made in the past year: moles, mice, groundhogs, muskrats etc. I even did a wolverine. The seb is a user. IMO, there's a very noticeable difference in ats34 and bg42. I've made direct comparisons between my small Wegner and small Seb and the Seb will hold a better edge. I also think I can get a better cutting edge on the Seb. That bg42 just plain rocks. I still like some carbon steels better but bg42 sure is awesome and the hollow grind is absolutely perfect for the kind of cutting I use the seb for. I've also compared it head-to-head with a BM 705 and even though I love my 705, it just won't go the distance with the seb. And after a greasy day of dissecting, the seb cleans up easily. The simplicity in design facilitates that.
If you really want to know what a Sebenza is worth, use one. That's what convinced me that sebs rock. I use knives hard (try chopping a starfish up sometime and you will know exactly what I'm talking about) and that's why I have no problem telling someone to spend their hard-earned bucks on one. For me, if a knife doesn't do the job, it goes back into the drawer. I currently carry a BM 720 but it's not the scalpel that the seb is. That's why the seb is in the left pocket and the 720 is in the right.
So enjoy your Sebenza, General. Go cut something with it!
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Hoodoo
I get some pleasure from finding a relentlessly peaceful use for a combative looking knife.
JKM
[This message has been edited by Hoodoo (edited 02-08-2001).]
My favorite dissection is the squid. The little sebenza will slice one of these open quicker than an eel on ice and when you cut straight down through the head into the "teeth" of the squid and hear that crunch, it doesn't faze the edge. And for small cuts here and there, it will cut finer than frog hair.
If you really want to know what a Sebenza is worth, use one. That's what convinced me that sebs rock. I use knives hard (try chopping a starfish up sometime and you will know exactly what I'm talking about) and that's why I have no problem telling someone to spend their hard-earned bucks on one. For me, if a knife doesn't do the job, it goes back into the drawer. I currently carry a BM 720 but it's not the scalpel that the seb is. That's why the seb is in the left pocket and the 720 is in the right.
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Hoodoo
I get some pleasure from finding a relentlessly peaceful use for a combative looking knife.
JKM
[This message has been edited by Hoodoo (edited 02-08-2001).]
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IMO the Sebenza is worth every penny that is charged for it.
Keith.
Keith.
Esav Benyamin
MidniteSuperMod
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The price of a knife is partly determined by the cost of materials and production, and partly by supply and demand.
Chris Reeve makes great knives that have been in tremendous demand for years, and his materials and production facilities keep getting better. Many other knifemakers price their knives as high or higher than his, and seem to stay in business, too.
Well, his knives are production, not custom, users, not display, and aggressively plain-looking and hard-working.
You can get an Opinel for $10 that will do a lot of good cutting for you. Pick one up, use it a while, then try a Sebenza. Since they are both working knives, the only way to know what they're worth is to try one.
Chris Reeve makes great knives that have been in tremendous demand for years, and his materials and production facilities keep getting better. Many other knifemakers price their knives as high or higher than his, and seem to stay in business, too.
Well, his knives are production, not custom, users, not display, and aggressively plain-looking and hard-working.
You can get an Opinel for $10 that will do a lot of good cutting for you. Pick one up, use it a while, then try a Sebenza. Since they are both working knives, the only way to know what they're worth is to try one.
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I just got a NIB small Sebenza from another forumite Monday. I can't put into words the confidence that holding this knife gives me. It is buttery smooth, yet rock solid. I work in a rough environment, and have already "field-tested" it far beyond what I'll normally be asking it to do. It is outstanding. The fit and finish are incredible. After lurking on the CR forum, and doing searches, etc., my expectations were high, and the small Sebenza exceeded them.
I paid $230 (most I've paid for a knife, to date), and feel this knife was well worth it, and would be happy with it even if I'd paid the normal $305 sticker price. Hopefully, that feeling will grow even more after it sees more use.
This knife may not be for everyone, but I am very happy with mine. Will probably buy a large before it's all over with.
Handle one if you get the chance. You may like it, you may not. Either way, I don't think you can fully appreciate it unless you use it.
All this from a nitpicking perfectionist who is rarely totally happy with anything
First knife I haven't immediately wanted to change something about.
I paid $230 (most I've paid for a knife, to date), and feel this knife was well worth it, and would be happy with it even if I'd paid the normal $305 sticker price. Hopefully, that feeling will grow even more after it sees more use.
This knife may not be for everyone, but I am very happy with mine. Will probably buy a large before it's all over with.
Handle one if you get the chance. You may like it, you may not. Either way, I don't think you can fully appreciate it unless you use it.
All this from a nitpicking perfectionist who is rarely totally happy with anything
narruc1
BANNED
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I myself own eleven Sebe's... two Gold Coins, four wood inlays, two decorated, two small (one decorated, and one wood inlay with damascus blade), and one Tanto plain. So I think that tells you what I think of them.
I don't know if you know it or not, but the wood inlayed Sebe's are actually inlayed into the titanium handle. Many people think that they are apoxied on. The inlay is done so well, that you cannot even see a seam, and on top of that Scott Cook does a hell of a job on the grind. The fit, and finish on everyone of Chris's knives is always the best.
Here is a pic of a gold coin...
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BC... For those who fought for it, Freedom has a flavor the protected will never know... Semper Fi
[This message has been edited by narruc1 (edited 02-09-2001).]
I don't know if you know it or not, but the wood inlayed Sebe's are actually inlayed into the titanium handle. Many people think that they are apoxied on. The inlay is done so well, that you cannot even see a seam, and on top of that Scott Cook does a hell of a job on the grind. The fit, and finish on everyone of Chris's knives is always the best.
Here is a pic of a gold coin...
<center>
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[This message has been edited by narruc1 (edited 02-09-2001).]
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Whether or not it is worth the asking price is something only you can decide. My opinion or the opinions of others isn't much use here. I'll tell you what your money buys, though.
1. Impeccable quality control. Every Sebenza is perfect (at least in my experience.) There aren't any defective ones. There aren't any that are almost right. They are all just right. 100% quality control is a factor in the price.
2. Impeccable workmanship. One important example is the lock. This lock has been copied many times by many manufacturers. Most of the copies loosen in time. Not so with a Sebenza. The locks appear to last forever. There are many hand fitting and assembly operations on a Sebenza that aren't present in most production knives. That is one of the major reasons for the high price.
3. Best materials. There aren't any shortcuts on these products. They are made of the best of everything.
The price is not unreasonable for what it is. Neither is the price of a Mercedes Benz for what it is. I realize you can travel the highway just fine in a Ford and you can cut what you want to cut with a Buck. The experience isn't the same, though. Comparing the Reeve folders to an assembly line knife or a hand made custom knife isn't very useful so you really need to judge it on its own. Take care.
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Fred
Knife Outlet
http://www.knifeoutlet.com
1. Impeccable quality control. Every Sebenza is perfect (at least in my experience.) There aren't any defective ones. There aren't any that are almost right. They are all just right. 100% quality control is a factor in the price.
2. Impeccable workmanship. One important example is the lock. This lock has been copied many times by many manufacturers. Most of the copies loosen in time. Not so with a Sebenza. The locks appear to last forever. There are many hand fitting and assembly operations on a Sebenza that aren't present in most production knives. That is one of the major reasons for the high price.
3. Best materials. There aren't any shortcuts on these products. They are made of the best of everything.
The price is not unreasonable for what it is. Neither is the price of a Mercedes Benz for what it is. I realize you can travel the highway just fine in a Ford and you can cut what you want to cut with a Buck. The experience isn't the same, though. Comparing the Reeve folders to an assembly line knife or a hand made custom knife isn't very useful so you really need to judge it on its own. Take care.
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Fred
Knife Outlet
http://www.knifeoutlet.com
SALTY
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Most of what I would have said has already been said above. The knife and the company are top shelf.
Perhaps a reason why similar, but not comprable folders are grouped together in price with the Sebenza being a stand out is that other knife companies compete with eachother. IMO, CR competes with only himself.
Perhaps a reason why similar, but not comprable folders are grouped together in price with the Sebenza being a stand out is that other knife companies compete with eachother. IMO, CR competes with only himself.
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I think that whether or not the Sebenza is worth the money is rather subjective. I had the pleasure of owning a Sebenza and I can tell you that there are very few knives out there constructed with such precision.
The Microtech L.C.C. is also one of my favourite folders and to me it has to be perhaps the best buy of all folders in it's class. I have handled custom made knives that don't even come close to the quality of the L.C.C. Anyway, it's all up to you to decide what you are willing to spend on a quality knife.
The Microtech L.C.C. is also one of my favourite folders and to me it has to be perhaps the best buy of all folders in it's class. I have handled custom made knives that don't even come close to the quality of the L.C.C. Anyway, it's all up to you to decide what you are willing to spend on a quality knife.
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I don't own a Sebenza....yet.
However, after seeing some posts about the integral lock migrating too far across the blade tang, and CR's unwillingness to replace the lock slab under warranty, has me a little apprehensive about purchasing one.
I have handled a few Sebbie's, and am very impressed, and would like to own one. BUT, if the above mentioned problem IS indeed a problem, I'll go for the Benchmade 750 Pinnacle instead. While it may not be a Sebbie, I do know that if the integral lock fails, BM will replace it under warranty.
For you longtime Sebbie owners, I'd like your take on CR's warranty policy, and have you experienced lock problems??? It is a hot topic on the CR forum (couple weeks ago, anyway) I don't want to get 'burned' if I spend that much on a production folder.
Mike
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DISCLAIMER:
The opinions expressed here are my own, and in no way reflect the opinion of any other person, living or dead. Of course, your opinion may vary, in which case the prevailing laws of your jurisdiction shall apply.
E Mail me anytime:
INVADR1@aol.com
However, after seeing some posts about the integral lock migrating too far across the blade tang, and CR's unwillingness to replace the lock slab under warranty, has me a little apprehensive about purchasing one.
I have handled a few Sebbie's, and am very impressed, and would like to own one. BUT, if the above mentioned problem IS indeed a problem, I'll go for the Benchmade 750 Pinnacle instead. While it may not be a Sebbie, I do know that if the integral lock fails, BM will replace it under warranty.
For you longtime Sebbie owners, I'd like your take on CR's warranty policy, and have you experienced lock problems??? It is a hot topic on the CR forum (couple weeks ago, anyway) I don't want to get 'burned' if I spend that much on a production folder.
Mike
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DISCLAIMER:
The opinions expressed here are my own, and in no way reflect the opinion of any other person, living or dead. Of course, your opinion may vary, in which case the prevailing laws of your jurisdiction shall apply.
E Mail me anytime:
INVADR1@aol.com