What's the big deal about sebenza?

Rival

Rival

Joined
Dec 29, 2001
Messages
101
DISCLAMER: Don't flame me guys, I know that Sebenza is one of the best folders ever made eventhough I have never had an opportunity to handle one... So please forgive me for the subject, ok ;)

What I don't get is this: what is so good about this folder that makes it worth $345? Can you point out what advantages it has over such affordable folders as Spyderco Military and SERE 2000? Both have very reliable locks, premium steel, awesome cutting and penetrating capabilities, and both can take on a lot of beating. You can get both Spyderco Military and SERE 2000 for mere $220... So, what Sebenza can do that the mentioned two folders can't?
 
You really do need to handle one to feel the difference.
They have some of the closest tolerences of just about any other production knife.

That being said, they are about 15-20% over priced for a production knife. For another $100 or so you can get a true "custom"!
 
I had a small Sebenza, and I was not impressed at all. Oh sure, the fit & finish were great, but no better than a Camillus EDC really.
 
Here is a thread, one of many, just like this one, with over 110 responses for you to peruse.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=167237&highlight=Sebenza
You really have to hold one to appreciate the quality of construction, and use one to appreciate the design.
Whether it's worth the money or not is up to the individual, IMO, since there's no "perfect" knife for everybody, and some people don't care for it. I don't know what's wrong with them:p
 
A search on this topic will bring up a month of reading material. It all comes down to personal preference and what your willing to pay to satisfy personal tastes/needs, IMO.

Lots of folk will tell you the Sebbie isn't worth the price; lots of folks will tell you it's a bargain.
 
I finally got a chance to handle one and wasn't thoroughly overwhelmed. Granted, it IS a nice knife and seems to be very well made. But it struck me as a "gentleman's knife." If I am going to be shelling out $300+ on a knife I expect to feel that I could use it anywhere (like the Strider AR or an Emerson). I don't think that the Sebenza would be that great under adverse conditions such as cold and wet and stress. And I am not talking about combat conditions. The Sebenza isn't designed to be a combat knife.

I don't know... After handling it, I came away with the impression that it was a VERY smooth handling knife and well made; but was definitely overpriced and overhyped and limited in its applications.
 
I really dig the Sebenza. I’m not blown away by any single feature of the Seb, but by how many design aspects were beautifully executed.

1. Is there any better lock than the Sebenza frame lock? Probably, but the frame lock of the Sebenza is outstanding.

2. As there a better steel than Chris Reeve BG-42? Probably, but the Seb BG-42 is outstanding.

3. Is there a knife with a better grip than the Sebenza? Probably, but the fit to my particular hand is outstanding.

4. Is there a better method of carry than a Sebenza’s tip-up style. Probably, but the Sebenza’s tip-up execution is outstanding for my pocket.

5. And on, and on, and on... You get the idea.

You’ll find very many knives with design aspects that exceed the Sebenza’s, but you’ll find few knives with as large a volume of features that are so well executed. If these features aren’t important to you personally, the Sebenza is not the right knife for you. I wouldn’t expect everyone to have the exact same judgment criteria as I do. We’re all different.

Lots of people are very tolerant of certain design aspects, but need a few certain aspects to be exactly a certain way. We’re all picky in different areas, depending on our intended use. With that said, there are a few features that I’m a stickler for. I want to be able to take my knife apart without voiding the warranty. I want to be able to take my knife apart with as few a number of tools as possible. A want a knife that is made from as few a number of parts as possible, so as to minimize the number of points of possible failure during use. The Sebenza’s design and warranty are very strong in these areas. As long as a knife has these certain properties, and cuts what I cut well, I’m a happy guy.

The Sebenza does have shortcomings, IMHO, but the shortcomings that it has are not aspects that are high on my priority list. My Sebenza is a hard “beater”, so it doesn’t need to be beautiful. The Sebenza is tip-up carry, which doesn’t work well with some pant styles, but works fine with my standard Levi 501s. The Sebenza is somewhat expensive, which wasn’t a worry for me at the time of purchase. The Sebenza doesn’t have an amazing textured G-10 non-slip grip, but I’m not using it in a cold or moist environment.

In the end, the Sebenza is just a VERY well rounded knife; more well rounded than most. This is, of course, just my humble opinion though.
 
Hey, I did not question your TNTs, ok? They have killer looks and are fully custom. I dig those pictures ;)
 
I am not one to say that the Sebenza is the end all knife in the folder market. I would definitely not say that it is the best knife I own either. But, over the last three years alot of very good folders (both production & customs) have passed through my hands. I have never once thought of letting the Sebenza go. I currently rotate 5 production knives (BM 710HS, Spyderco Wegner & Starmate, MT LCC and large Sebenza) and a couple of customs, they all have their niche and while I don't carry the Sebenza any more or less than the others, it makes me smile every time that I do.

I don't know if it is relative or not, but I purchased my Sebenza BEFORE I discovered BladeForums. As such, I was not familiar with the vast controversy that surrounds this knife. I had no preformed opinions or biases. No lofty expectations for it to live up to. I simply judged the knife on it's own merits and decided that it was indeed a very good knife regardless of the price on it.
 
Easy Tom;) I agree with personal preference. Some love it others don't. Its that simple.
I happen to be on the love it side. I had many customs that were not as well put together as the Sebenza. Before I get jumped on about customs, I am talking strictly construction. The Sebenza has the tightest tolerances of any folder I have ever owned. Take one apart and you will see the cost justified by the precision machined roller bearing that the blade glides open on. Then you begin to figure out that those phospher-bronze bushings are the exact thickness they have to be to take ANY and ALL slack out of the blade. Putting it back together you open it and see ( and hear ) how well the lock mates to the blade tang. Upon closing you feel the blade being "sucked" in for the last 1/4" and again see and hear how well the ball detent matches the blade. This is precision of construction at its BEST:D :D

That is the big deal to me about the Sebenza. I went the production knife to custom knife route and finally figured out that what I was looking for in a folder is answered by the Sebenza.

BTW, the big brown truck just dropped of my newest toy; A large, blue leather inlaid, Classic Sebenza!:D :) :D Did I mention that they are purty also!!!
 
The supposed high cost of a Sebenza is a mistaken impression. Many production knives today are much more expensive than what people used to pay for a cheap slipjoint. So what?

The problem is, for a significant increase in quality and function, you will have to pay a lot. For a slight but noticeable increase in quality and function beyond that, you will have to pay a lot more.

The price goes up at the top end faster than any real increase in function, which anyone interested in jewelry, watches, cars, leather jackets, or any other item that shades over into luxury status knows.

My Sebenzas are hard-working knives. The large, both regular and tanto, would do fine as fighting knives, too. They just may not look like what you've been led to expect a "tactical folder" should be.

In fact, I think of them as jewelry, jewelry that works. That's part of the price, as well. Of course, you can get beautiful and hardworking knives from custom makers ... they charge even more than CRK ... which is what collecting is all about! If we only bought what we need ... :eek:
 
Materials, fit & finish, service beyond the sale, simplicity, ease of maintenance and care, those are my main reasons.

I do believe Mr. Mayo is a Sebenza collector, ain't he? ;)
Brandon
 
IMHO, it's a status symbol, like a $3,000.00+ wristwatch.
I handled one at a knifeshow and I can't see how the price is justified.

Handle one for yourself and decide if it's worth the money.

Good luck,
Allen.
 
Angie has A Chris Reeve knife, she likes it. He and his family are a part of today's world of knives. Good folks and an honest knife.
 
The Sebenza can be a gent's knife or a full blown work horse. The beauty is in the design.

Paul
 
Actually, I feel completely the opposite of allenC -- the Sebenza is an anit-status-symbol. Unless you hang around with knife enthusiasts who know what it is, then nobody is going to be impressed with the fact that you own it. Sheeple may notice it as a "weapon," but they're not going to think "hey, look at that expensive knife."

It is not flashy, and it is nothing like a Rolex or Porsche.

Like others have said, you have to decide for yourself. It's not my absolute favorite, but I've never sold mine either. It is definitely something you have to use for some time to appreciate. I wasn't blown away when I first unwrapped mine. I'd hate to give mine up.
 
It seems as if a thread like this pops up almost every month.:rolleyes:

Yes, the Sebenza is a great knife. It may not be for everyone, but the design and execution of that design have already stood the test of time ("knife-time"), when many others have come and gone several times over.

It works. Handle one. You'll see what all the fuss is about.
 
I compared a large plain sebenza to a SOCOM-E a while back in the knife-review and testing.

Sebenza is a good knife, but sure i'sn't great. Read the thread, and then keep in mind that I traded the sebenza to a dutch knifemakers who I greatly respect and can make me a REAL custom knife. He's nuts about sebenza's too.

I'm still carrying the SOCOM-E, it impresses more people, it looks better, it feels better in my hand, the grind is at least as good and I feel much more confortable that the SOCOM-E is a much more powerfull knife. Heck you can get almost two SOCOM-E's for one sebenza.

The thing I can't stand is that you cannot use the sebenza whithout ruining the finish on the Ti scales. I want a knife that looks like it didn't even notice you used it.

To be honest, If you would go for the sebbie style, save up one month more and get a Tom Mayo. Much nicer and more options.

Greetz and take care, bart.
 
Originally posted by Bart student
I compared a large plain sebenza to a SOCOM-E a while back in the knife-review and testing.
I'm still carrying the SOCOM-E, it impresses more people, it looks better, it feels better in my hand, the grind is at least as good and I feel much more confortable that the SOCOM-E is a much more powerfull knife. Heck you can get almost two SOCOM-E's for one sebenza.
Click to expand...
That's pretty funny, since your "review" is about the opposite of what you just posted:rolleyes:

Rival,
Like knifenerd said, this pops up all the time. You'll always have a bunch of people crowing about their Sebenzas, and how great they are, a couple who have owned one, and just don't care for it, and a bunch of people talking about "it's not worth it, it's a waste, it's all hype, I would never buy one, blah, blah". Nothing I can't stand more than some dumbass giving negative feedback on something they've never even used:barf:
Oh, the beauty of the ever-lenghtening ignore list:p
 
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