What it feels like to lose a (special) Sebenza

unit

unit

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Nov 22, 2009
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First, a tiny bit of back story: I was helping out someone by clearing up some overgrowth around an urban property they are trying to sell. It was some seriously hard sweaty work that involved a lot of chopping, sawing, and grabbing vines and yanking them loose from the two story warehouse. I had to take a knee several times during the work as I thought I was going to take a header as I passed out. I really do not like this sort of work, but it had to be done...and, No I was not going to be compensated in any manner for doing the work...I am just a swell guy and it is for a good cause :)

Anyway...Here is one of the brush piles I created...notice the sandy dirty environment? This is on a hill side too, so I slipped and fell several times...Oh, yeah, I stepped on a nail too (glad my Tetanus booster is up to date!).



And, here is another pile I created (It looked a bit more impressive in person...it was a lot of work):



So, then I reach down to pop out my knife to clean the crud from under my nails and get a smile from pulling out a knife I like very much (a nice way to celebrate completion of hard work). Wait, what is this?!?

It is gone!

This is a real drag! I call my wife at home on a long shot to see if I perhaps left it in the tray this morning (I was sure I hadn't, but hoped just this once that I left my knife at home. Nope! Not a chance.

So I begin looking...everywhere. I searched the lawn, the alley, my truck, all points in between. I actually moved the entire brush pile (both of them) thinking perhaps it hooked on a vine and was stuck in the pile (so I searched every vine). Then I combed the lawn again, and checked the alley again....I bet I reached in my pocket 50 times praying that may be...just MAY BE it was deeper in my pocket and I somehow failed to find it in that otherwise empty pocket the last 49 times.

BTW, October fest is winding up in this district today, the first festivity starts in about an hour...so there are hundreds of people trying to park and cut through this alley....they all look at me and ask the obvious, "did you loose something?"

"yeah, I lost my pocket knife"

"oh, was it expensive"

"yeah, it was sort of special to me"

"oh, well, they have some nice pocket knives in a jar down at the quick shop....blah blah, blah" as they walk off to start partying.

Yeah, like I am going to replace this with a Jarbenza! I am mortified.

I find a friend that works down the street and ask him if he has his metal detector. He says he can bring it next week and help me look for it. Damn, it will be gone by then...

I go back and comb some more. While pondering the cost to replace this knife...and if anyone will have it in stock...

To be continued....
 
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Sucks!!! I lost a buck knife in 1997 in a college class and that stung bad! I can't imagine losing a Sebenza. Good luck! Hopefully your buddies metal detector will work.
 
(sorry, there is an end to the story, I just wanted to post before my wonky computer lost my work...)

So, after about 2 hours (not exaggerating) of searching and sifting through brush, weeds, trash, and lord knows what else (I found a crack pipe, and a hypodermic needle too), I notice my friend walking up toward me.

He asks if I found it.

I start walking toward him and give up on this lost cause.

"No, I cannot find it anywhere!"

"Well, that was a nice knife, I bet someone will find it, Ha ha"

I want to punch him.

As I walk toward him...wait, what is this?



Do you see it? I promise it is there. Perhaps you need the motivation of actually losing this thing to be looking as hard as I was...













Here is a slightly closer image:



See it yet?







Closer:






Ahh!


Happy day!



So, Now I am thinking of a big brightly colored lanyard for when I do this sort of work...

;)
 
Good eye and nice recovery.

I once lost a knife my dad gave me when I was 6 and I still haven't forgiven myself.
 
Congratulations on the happy ending

The part that is worse than the actual loss is, that if you don't find it you have to keep looking in hopes you will find it. It drives you totally nuts.
 
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Wow, I saw it in the 2nd picture, then went back to look in the first picture, then went back to the 2nd picture then I went back to the first picture and I found it. I know that feeling well, I lost track of mine for a couple of weeks and it is an awful feeling. I have an Emerson CQC7 I use for that type of work, not that I would be over joyed if I lost that one either, but it wouldn't be quite as painful. I highly recommend it.
 
Great ending.

I have done this exact thing with several higher end knives. A couple small Busse fixed blades, and a custom slip joint.

It is always the best feeling when you find it!
 
Yes I'm really glad to have found it. I have experienced some major loss in the past couple years, this knife was a reward to myself for surviving all the hardships...it would have really sucked to have lost it too (but I have been through much worse;)).
 
Man , my heart fluttered when I saw those shots "IN Situ" Congrats on your perseverence!
 
Glad you found it!!
The only good thing about losing a sebenza is getting the new one. Not terribly exciting to come to this conclusion, but it's the only thing I could cling to when I lost one many years ago.
 
I Like a story with a happy ending! Glad you found it, if someone else found it chances are they wouldn't have had any idea what a great knife it was.
 
Good story. I've written this before. Was the knife clipped to your pocket? I don't clip anymore. I lost 2 not real expensive knives over the years, both clipped doing something strenuous like you were doing. Recovered another (my wife found it) very similar to your situation. They can work their way right out of your pocket when clipped. I keep about a 5 inch lanyard on them, put them deep in my pocket with the lanyard hanging slightly out. The lanyard keeps then vertical and easily accessible. That's a great looking knife. And a lucky one.
 
I may have gone temporarily overboard here, but I'm trying out a lanyard and I went with bright colors so it'll be easier to find if this ever happens again.

I'll probably take it off in a week though. I have carried clipped knives for 15 years and this was only the second time something like this happened. The pants I was wearing have goofy shaped narrow pockets that pushed the knife up when I stooped down.

I'll figure something out.
 
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