Which model is the best "first" CRK ?

without a doubt either a large or small plain jane sebenza 21... I have been on the CRK train since 1997... for EDC a small ....

Then buy yourself a wicked edge sharpener and you will be on your way... don't waste money on a spyderco sharp maker.... owned several of those, never again
 
I disagree. I’ve been using a spyderco sharpmaker exclusively for the past 5 or so years. Best $50 I’ve ever spent. It’s even recommended by Chris Reeve himself.
 
To the OP:

I’m also a police officer. I’ve carried several different knives over the years including benchmade, CRK, and hinderer Xm-18.... right now I’m carrying a large inkosi with natural micarta inlay. I’m right handed and carry a right handed knife.

The hinderer was nice, and had lightning fast deployment. But I’ve gravitated back to CRK because, dammit, they’re just so well made. But if you want some super tactical looking knife that fires out like an automatic, CRK isn’t for you.
 
ljusmc said:
I disagree. I’ve been using a spyderco sharpmaker exclusively for the past 5 or so years. Best $50 I’ve ever spent. It’s even recommended by Chris Reeve himself.
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Agreed 100%. I use a cheap Gatco to reprofile. But I used a sharpmaker for 99 % of my sharpening for 10 years now and carry the Inkosi after going around the block .
 
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JJ_Colt45 said:
I agree the Inkosi is probably the easiest to open left handed if you get a right handed version ... the 21 next ... the Umnumzaan is difficult ...

if you are only planning on carrying it left side you can just get a left handed model ...

and the Inkosi comes with dual thumb lugs no need to add one ...

if you do any prying or rougher use the Hinderer might be a better choice is made for that sort of thing ... to a point no knife is a prybar but over the CRK the Hinderer is a bit tougher.
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I’m pretty ambidextrous but usually carry a folder in my left pocket. My first crk was a righty small 21. Now that it is broken in I just open it by spydie flicking the thumb stud with my middle finger on my left habd. Since it is broken in it will flick open. However before it was I would just push it open with my middle finger which would open the blade about half way then put my thumb on the side of the blade and thumb it the rest of the way open.
 
tank sniper said:
I would bet money that you have never owned a wicked edge sharpener!
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I can’t speak for BellaBlades BellaBlades but I’ve never owned a wicked edge. I’m not against one, but the cost vs return causes me to lose interest. The sharpmaker cost me a little less than $50 and I’ve been using it for years, shaving edge. So I can’t see how I can justify spending hundreds on a wicked edge when my sharpmaker does everything I need it to. YMMV.
 
ljusmc said:
I can’t speak for BellaBlades BellaBlades but I’ve never owned a wicked edge. I’m not against one, but the cost vs return causes me to lose interest. The sharpmaker cost me a little less than $50 and I’ve been using it for years, shaving edge. So I can’t see how I can justify spending hundreds on a wicked edge when my sharpmaker does everything I need it to. YMMV.
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Just picked up a sharpmaker and a strop, I’ve got nothing against the more expensive systems but this seems to do everything I need it to.
 
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One thing to note with using the Sharpmaker is that always end the stroke with the tip of the blade on the stones without lifting the tip. This is to prevent rounding of the tip of the blade. Other than that, after awhile, the base where the slots for the rods sits tends to wear and enlarge, thus angle change may occur. And lastly, care to not drop the brown corase stones as they can easily break or chip upon impact.
 
Many years ago like 20 yrs or so... the sharpmaker may have been the cat's meow... The Wicked Edge is light years ahead... When spending on average of $400-$500 per pop for a CRK, investing in a WE makes good common sense even to the most casual observer... Buy one and find out for yourself... I own no interested in WE... but I do know that two crock sticks in a holding stand don't hold a candle to the WE
 
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tank sniper said:
Many years ago like 20 yrs or so... the sharpmaker may have been the cat's meow... The Wicked Edge is light years ahead... When spending on average of $400-$500 per pop for a CRK, investing in a WE makes good common sense even to the most casual observer... Buy one and find out for yourself... I own no interested in WE... but I do know that two crock sticks in a holding stand don't hold a candle to the WE
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Except, and this is important here, the price you quoted for that WE is more than I paid for my Inkosi. Now, why would a person who only has one CRK and gets a perfectly acceptable edge on a sharpmaker need or even desire a WE?

I have no doubt it’s a great system; I think I even said as much earlier. But the cost vs return just isn’t there for me, which I also said.

I recommended the sharpmaker because, honestly, there aren’t that many folks out there who are “casual observers” who are going to shell out that kind of dough to sharpen a knife. In fact, most casual observers will simply just sent it back to the maker to be sharpened.
 
For me, the cost of the WE is well worth the return that I gained... If you are going to invest in great knives, also invest in a great sharpening system... I have purchased many CRKs over the years and 2 or 3 sharpmakers over the years... Once I got my WE, the sharpmaker was no longer of any use to me.
 
I use to think putting a scope on a rifle that was more expensive than the rifle was a waste of money, until I did that. Man, it made all the difference in the world.
Having a good sharpening system IMO, makes it a whole lot easier to use my knives without dreading them getting dull and having to sharpen them. I’ve learned that some sharpening systems aren’t meant for everyone. Having a sharpening system that cost more than a CRK is not necessarily a bad thing. After all, most of us have a variety of knives that need to be sharpened from time to time and not just CRK’s.

I also think about a buddy that had a Montgomery Ward’s tractor lawn mower( some of you will know the brand and show your age :p). He finally broke down after I dogged him about how tight he was and bought a ZTR, it cut his time in half when he mowed his yard. He’s had one ever since.
 
Ajack60 said:
I use to think putting a scope on a rifle that was more expensive than the rifle was a waste of money, until I did that. Man, it made all the difference in the world.
Having a good sharpening system IMO, makes it a whole lot easier to use my knives without dreading them getting dull and having to sharpen them. I’ve learned that some sharpening systems aren’t meant for everyone. Having a sharpening system that cost more than a CRK is not necessarily a bad thing. After all, most of us have a variety of knives that need to be sharpened from time to time and not just CRK’s.

I also think about a buddy that had a Montgomery Ward’s tractor lawn mower( some of you will know the brand and show your age :p). He finally broke down after I dogged him about how tight he was and bought a ZTR, it cut his time in half when he mowed his yard. He’s had one ever since.
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Those are good points. I may look into one someday.
 
Ajack60 said:
I use to think putting a scope on a rifle that was more expensive than the rifle was a waste of money, until I did that. Man, it made all the difference in the world.
Having a good sharpening system IMO, makes it a whole lot easier to use my knives without dreading them getting dull and having to sharpen them. I’ve learned that some sharpening systems aren’t meant for everyone. Having a sharpening system that cost more than a CRK is not necessarily a bad thing. After all, most of us have a variety of knives that need to be sharpened from time to time and not just CRK’s.

I also think about a buddy that had a Montgomery Ward’s tractor lawn mower( some of you will know the brand and show your age :p). He finally broke down after I dogged him about how tight he was and bought a ZTR, it cut his time in half when he mowed his yard. He’s had one ever since.
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Unfortunately this thread has gone way off track from the original poster's question, but hey, it happens sometimes. But also, fortunately, I do remember shopping at Monkey Wards with dad growing up in southeast Wisconsin, and that reference is well taken.

The basis of the Chris Reeve knives is absolute and total precision. From that comes function and performance. So in my view I would want to stay with precision in anything I do in maintaining them. At this point I have a fair number of them and they get used for only light duty things and I have only used a Sharp Maker to touch-up maybe one or two of them and I was very uncomfortable doing that due to all the freedom of angles and pressure, etc., involved. I know they are hand sharpened at the factory but those folks have muscle memory equivalent to a machine. Properly used, a mechanical rig like the Wicked Edge will enable repeatable precision and that would be far better than my "guessing" when using a SM.

So yes, I have a full Wicked Edge pro kit sitting in my amazon and KSF carts that I should finish purchasing. Maybe then I would deploy the CRKs for more aggressive use knowing I can maintain that beautiful edge with confidence. Of course, training to use it would be at the expense of the kitchen knives.

And for the original poster: There is at least one on-line dealer that has dual thumb lug Sebenza 21 models in stock as part of their "normal" CRK offering. So no waiting, but you will need to sign for delivery with them.
 
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I paid a guy to put a professional edge on a ZT 0566 with a wicked edge.

Came back to me with a rounded tip.

Proper technique is still paramount, and since I've learned to use a sharpmaker, I use it on all my CRK with exceptional results. My inkosi insingo my be my sharpest blade, second only to my insingo L21, both of which were set to 20dps on my sharpmaker, taken almost to a mirror edge with the UF rods and easily maintained thereafter.
 
Regardless of what sharpener you have, you need to know how to properly use it....

Back to the topic.. Plain Jane Sebenza 21 has my vote... Buy one of each, a large and a small and you are covered... i recommend the drop point version
 
Can someone answer or link me to the explanation of the Sebenza line of Chris reeves are handmade "custom knives" vs. mass produced? Or the history of, because I believe they once were. Just curious and where they are made type info. Thanks ;)
 
Get a model 21 Sebenza... large or small is VERY dependent on your hand size. I cannot work with the small as it falls forward out of my hand when I go to close the blade.
I've had twenty or more Sebbies and two Umnumzaans. The model 21 is just fine; I've also carried large Classics for several yrs and love them. good luck.
 
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