Why are the lockbars on the sebenzas with inlays sandblasted?

I've been asking this myself again and again. That's why I'll probably never have an Inlay.
 
I'd like to know too. I actually have a large and small sebenza with micarta (micarta is all bead blast). There are some woods that would be nice but the different finishes throw me off

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I have wondered also! It didn't bother me until I did not want to use a clip on my annual. The clip insert is bead blasted too! Now I have the beadblasted insert surrounded by polished metal.......
 
It may have to do with the manufacturing process, may not be a good idea to polish a floating lockbar.
 
I read in a thread a while back that crk wanted to still keep that area of the knife grippy. Considering the lock bar area, it wouldn't be easy to get good purchase with it being polished.
 
You may notice that the lock bar, because of its angle towards the blade, sits just a bit lower than the rest of the frame. Because of this, when the frame is polished on a flat surface the lock bar is untouched by the polishing medium, (such as 600 grip polishing paper perhaps). Thus the frame is polished while the lock bar remains in the original bead blasted finish.
 
I think I just need to see one in person. I got micarta because its all blasted and in pictures I think the polished looks weird. I guess I need to go somewhere and see it first hand for a real opinion.

There have been a couple I thought were gorgeous (snakewood I believe?) but I skipped because of the polished
 
Desert Hermit said:
You may notice that the lock bar, because of its angle towards the blade, sits just a bit lower than the rest of the frame. Because of this, when the frame is polished on a flat surface the lock bar is untouched by the polishing medium, (such as 600 grip polishing paper perhaps). Thus the frame is polished while the lock bar remains in the original bead blasted finish.
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Everyone read the above statement, this is the answer. You can confirm this by watching the Exquisite Blade vid. When they polish the scales the lockbar naturally springs higher than the rest of the frame. Everyone should check out that vid, gives you a new appreciation for these knives.

Has nothing to do with grip, it is purely how they are finished.

As for the clip, they are all blasted. It would be a total PITA to polish every clip that went on polished models.
 
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Really? People are willing to pass on inlaid Sebenzas because the lock bar isn't polished? Really?

Amazing . . .
 
Ernie1980 said:
I have wondered also! It didn't bother me until I did not want to use a clip on my annual. The clip insert is bead blasted too! Now I have the beadblasted insert surrounded by polished metal.......
Click to expand...

When I used to order my Annuals with a clip insert the insert came polished as well.
 
When the sebenza scale is cut and the lock is cut out, the inside of the lock is then cut and then its bent to the correct angle to engage the blade tang when assembled. Then during the finishing stage for the inlay versions, the lockbar is already in the up position when laying flat on the polishing stone. So since its not flush with the stone, it does not get polished with the rest of the slab. Makes a nice two-tone effect and adds some grip as well....... You will see this as soon as you take your sebenza apart. Lay it on the table and presto....!!!
 
Another interesting little addition found on the Inlay Sebenza, (at least on my 4 Large), is that at the rear of the lock bar there is a shallow groove milled in the bar that allows for a nice sharp and straight line where the polishing ends and the bead blast finish begins. I do not notice this little groove on any of my other Sebenzas. Just another little "extra touch" of perfection by CRK. :)
 
Here is a pic of the lockside of my large regular that I just took apart for cleaning after 7 months of edc.. The regular and 21 would be the same. You can see the lockbar sticking up ( would remain blasted ). They polish the scale like this BEFORE they install the wood inlays. So its easy to see this way how the lockbar can remain blasted, while the rest is polished smooth.

 
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