What's so bloody hot about SEBENZA?

SniperBoy, I too am a butterfly fanatic! I have a nice custom job from BM, the Imada High Hollow blade style and skeleton handles, very fast, very sharp and a real eye catcher!

But back to your question, I like the ruggedness and simplistics of the Sebenza;
It does lock up solid, much as a butterfly knife can.
The flat rectangle form of the handle, well I find that it is very firm in the hand, not one to turn or twist as you try and put it to hard use, a plus.
I have all three sizes of folders that Chris Reeve puts out now and like them well, if I were put to the point of narrowing down which one I'd have to keep, I'd opt for the large Sebenza, though the small works and cuts just as hard.
Like most Sebenza owners, I've had tons of other knives and there really is something about their style that works for so many different people.
Expensive? yes, but you can hold out for one on the Forsale forum, one just went for $200 the other day, couldn't believe it myself! Or trade for one as I had in the past.
Where I live there aren't many knife nuts around or cutlery stores for that matter, so it is nice to have Blade Forums to try and get a line on certain knives that have struck our fancy!

By the way, saw your web page, if you want that BM48 tip fixed up, email me and I'll see what I can do for you, maybe even make a horizontal open front sheath for you to carry it in.

Enjoy your search!
G2


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If you can't be kind,
at least have the decency to be vague. Stephen Wright

www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Cabin/7306/blades.html

Gillett PA



[This message has been edited by Gary W. Graley (edited 11 December 1999).]
 
Sniperboy:
Yup, BM Pinnacle, and Sebenza almost too similar? I emailed BM and they gave me a "response" to my implying their possible plagarism. Email me and I can FW it, I don't know if people would like it if I posted their email, although BM did say I could.

~Mitch


 
UW Mitch,
Sorry to butt in, but I would like to see that reply too, that is, if you want to share it, you can email it to me.
If you say mum's the word on it, then mum it will be.
I hope this is not a problem for you. If it is, it's okay. Just forget it.
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So, what IS the speed of dark?

 
Well, let's see. I now own three large sebenzas. Why? They're not my prettiest, lightest or fastest folders. What they *are* however, is an example of old-world craftsmanship in a production knife. They feel good in my hand. I don't worry about hurting them (well, that one took some time - it's true, after the first scratch it got easier to think of them as tools). They take an edge like nothing else.

But most importantly. The reason I only purchase Chris Reeve and Spyderco folders now is -

service

I vote with my wallet. These two companies exemplify everything that's right about treating customers well. I will pay a premium to reward someone for doing the right thing, and honestly caring about my experience with their products. This is the way I decided to run my business lo, these many moons ago, and I will go out of my way to give my hard-earned money to like-minded businesspeople.

The same is true with the dealers I purchase from. Murray Haday and James Mattis in particular are superb people who recognize the value of relationship-based business (not to slight the others in any way).
 
About pricing ... there are other companies making knives that are very similar to the Sebenza. They charge less, but they don't produce as precisely machined a knife and have as good quality control and give as good customer service. (Nobody is going to argue with that, are you?)

If Chris Reeve is price-gouging, why doesn't another company do what he's doing for less? If you think Reeve is price-gouging, why don't you do what he does for less? If you can do the same for less and still make a good profit, you'll at least get the forumites for customers very quickly -- a couple of reviews from respected members and the orders will start pouring in ... then you can use some of the fat profits you'll be making to buy some ads in knife magazines ... in a couple of years you'll be rich!

IMHO you won't have to make a knock-off Sebenza; the Sebenza doesn't sell because of its design -- IMHO the design sux, and I don't see anybody arguing with me about that. The Sebenza sells because it's made well and quality control is good and customer service is good -- if you duplicate that and use a different design ... your design is likely to be better (it could hardly be worse)....

Why do I always end up on both sides of these flame wars? It confuses people and sometimes I even get confused myself ... don't know who to satirize next....

Anyway, I am not going to make knives as good as the Sebenza for less. I have a better idea. I'm going to make knives as good as the Opinel and charge $325 for them!

You may laugh at me now, but wait a couple of years and see what happens....

-Cougar Allen :{)
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This post is not merely the author's opinions; it is the truuuuuuuuth. This post is intended to cause dissension and unrest and upset people, and ultimately drive them mad. Please do not misinterpret my intentions in posting this.
 
Alright Coug!!!
The nerve of some people comparing the A Benchmade to a Sebenza....
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.......Like I said..Don't compare a Daewoo to an AudiTT...Cougar I'll buy one!!
Oh yea, really liked the bear story, whoever you are.
 
Glen,

Just got the film developed. Awful lot of blood there, did you get it all cleaned up?
Anyway the pics turned out great in fact in one of the pics it looks like the "Benz is emitting a bright blue light as it cleaves that bear's skull.
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The vague and tenuous hope that GOD is too kind to punish the ungodly has become a deadly opiate for the conscience of millions.

*A. W. Tozer

2 Cor 5:10

 
Help me out here.

How is a Sebenza better than my BM750?

Please be specific.

I could not imagine a knife with tighter tolerances and a smoother action.

Ok, the steel on the Seb is better. Does this affect the balance or something?

QC? Who wants to pay for extra QC when you can handle the knife before you buy and you know it works great now. Is my 750 going to fall apart before a Seb would? Admittedly this would be an important quality if buying sight unseen, but in an arms-length transaction, QC is mostly academic.

I do prefer the recurved blade on the 750, in fact my alternate choice would have been an Emerson Commander (and that was before they got all the publicity in a recent gun mag).

I am sure the Seb is excellent, with the better steel. However, make the Seb in ATS-34 selling at about $250, and I would take a BM-750 over it for $150 anyday.

Thanks
 
As always, the best way to know for sure which is better is to compare and contrast. Everyone has their opinion as to which is better and that is the way it should be.
I would not try to convince you to buy a Sebenza until you have had the opportunity to handle both.
To really get an idea of what these knives are about you need to use them, play with them, disassemble and study them(oops, wait, can't do that with a Benchmade without voiding the warranty, and then only after an extensive search to find the right tools)but what's this....Chris Reeve puts a wrench with each knife and encourages you to take it apart and clean it, and it doesn't void the warranty.
Now that you have them apart you see the Seb has Phosphoro-bronze washers(self lubricating, heavy duty and corrosion resistant) and the 750 has some type of nylon or teflon and which are flimsy and will wear away easily over time and that is just one key point.
Honestly, if you are happy with the 750, I say great enjoy. If you ever want to move up a few notches try the Sebenza. Either way, enjoy what you have and put it to good use.
Peace.

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The vague and tenuous hope that GOD is too kind to punish the ungodly has become a deadly opiate for the conscience of millions.

*A. W. Tozer

2 Cor 5:10

 
Thanks for the info about the washers. That is the kind of info I was looking for. It is the kind of info I should have found in this thread.
However, the general consensus in this thread is that fooling with the Sebenza will give you all the info about it, I would not have known about the washer by going to a dealer and picking the knife up and playing with it.
 
Auger, there are many positive points about the Sebenza.

Hand ground BG-42 blade, arguably one of the finest steels being used today and a definite step above ATS-34, the most popular among makers at this time. CRK also optimizes the material with their treatment process. This allows an extremely thin, tough edge that cuts like the dickens.

Adjustable stop pin. This allows you to rotate the worn section of the pin away from the blade for a consistently solid lockup over the life of the knife.

Ease of maintenance. Unlike most factory knives and many customs, the Sebenza can be completely dissembled for cleaning and lubrication. Each knife comes with the correct hex key to aid in the process.

Stonewashed blade finish. This tumbled finish is the best that I have seen for a working knife. It resists scratching and staining much better than a satin finish, as well as being highly resistant to oxidation.

When we talk about fit and finish, this is not some un-quantifiable phenomenon. The rounded blade spine, smooth handle edges and solid lock engagement is consistent from knife to knife, thanks to the high level of quality control.


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James Segura
San Francisco, CA


 
Ya know, in the end, it's still just a form of a liner-lock. And it is designed to fold. If you want a Chris Reeve, buy a one-piece. At least they're worth close to their price!

Heh, heh, heh... my first shot in a flame war. I'm so excited!!!
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"Absolute safety is for those who don't have the balls to live in the real world."
St. Mary's County, Republik of Marilundt

 
I think it's about personal preference and choice. If you think it's crazy (as all my friends do) to buy a knife for $400 bucks (decorated), then don't buy one! But my friends also think it's crazy to buy a knife for $50 bucks.

My point is that first, decided on what you like and no one can touch that. Second, don't diss something unless you've tried them out. Take a chance.

I know $325 is a lot to put into a "test knife", but the fact of the matter is that if it's a sebenza, I know that in about 2 days on the for sale page of this forum, you can sell that puppy and sell it very close, if not equal, to the price you got it for.

As for Customer service and QC, I think those are very important things. Why do you think people but name brand stuff? Well, because it's better quality. So it's up to each individual to decide, I have a Benza and I love it. It wasn't as "totally great" as I expected but it's the best knife I own and I'm buying another one. However, I'm not only locked into CRK. I look and have other knives, it's just that CRK has dealt with me in the best possible way. I've had so many questions that get answered by Anne and other on this forum (Jackel, StJames, etc.) People will help you out about Q's about the Benza and then if you don't want it, they'll buy it from you!
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Check it out and see....

Also a Sebenzanista,


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-Humpty

Proverbs 23:2

AKTI Member # A000984

 
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