Why did you trade/sell your Sebenza?

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I am considering the purchase of my first Sebenza. However, at the going rate of $300+, I want to make sure this is a knife that I will have and use for a long time. :)

So, for those of you who owned a Sebenza, and then traded or sold it... Why did you do it?

Thanks, -Alex
 
I discovered customs. I would think that's going to be a common response. The Sebenzanistas are certain to disagree, but there are custom makers that do it as well or better and working with them offers all kinds of benefits and rewards for comparable $$.
 
i have sold some, cause I have more than 5 and wanted something in a different style by crk
 
I sold sebenzas a couple of times for no significant reason. Mistakes I regretted.

Here are my selling sebenza lessons:

- Never sell a sebenza unless you're using the money to buy a more desirable sebenza.

- Never sell a sebenza to buy more or lesser quality knives, you can always buy lesser quality knives.

- If you see a good deal on a sebenza and you have the money, buy it. Even a "plain" sebenza is a great deal and can always be used to "trade up".
 
92degrees said:
I discovered customs. I would think that's going to be a common response. The Sebenzanistas are certain to disagree, but there are custom makers that do it as well or better and working with them offers all kinds of benefits and rewards for comparable $$.
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I have yet to see a custom maker construct a knife that does it better or as well as the Sebenza. I have owned customs and I have sold customs for the simple reason that they have not lived up to the Sebenza. It is the first knife I grab everyday as my EDC. I will chose a Sebenza above all others. Throw a custom by any maker in front of me, regardless of that makers reputation, and I will chose a Sebenza every single time. Why? Because of the simplicity, strength, and quality I know that I will be getting from a CRK knife.
 
I think I failed to follow DaveH's rule number 2. I always had a problem finding enough money to buy knives, so whenever I'd get enough together to trade for, or buy a Sebenza (I've had three), I'd always end up thinking of all the knives I could get for that much money. Now, I've gotten some great deals on 'trading down', but always regret the loss of the Sebenza. Now that I'm accumulating a lot of the lesser knives, there's not the need to have more of them, and I can find the perfect Sebbie to settle down with for a life-long relationship. I just need to get all that money together at one time...

DD
 
I've had quite a few and always had "other" eye-candy grab my attention.

Still have 5. Have one, an EDC - made in the mid 90s, that will "always" be part of my gathering. . .find a place in my pocket ! ;)
 
Wonderful knives, nothing is made better. Even custom makers will tell you.
Perfect construction, but the blade shape was not exactly what I wanted. I like a lower tip. Sometimes prefer to use a recurve. Also prefer a flat grind.
Sold the large, traded the small. If I were limited to one folder, the Sebenza would be it, but I'm not limited to one folder so I buy ones that are more suited to my uses. Not that I would cry if you said I had to carry a Sebenza the rest of my life...
 
K.V. Collucci said:
I have yet to see a custom maker construct a knife that does it better or as well as the Sebenza. I have owned customs and I have sold customs for the simple reason that they have not lived up to the Sebenza.
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Scott Cook Lochsa would be only one obvious exception. Unquestionably does everything the Sebenza does, only better. Smoother, better ergonomics, better clip, better finish. Better.

Many Carsons and Obenaufs I've owned have been same or better. Most Mayos I've owned have been as good or better. Every Boguszewki I've owned has better better in every regard. If we're just discussing customs regardless of "availability," then every Onion I've owned or handled has been so far beyond CRK that they probably shouldn't be mentioned in the same discussion.

I have absolutely nothing against Sebbies. I've owned them and enjoyed them. I may own another some day if I find a reason to need one. The best thing about them -- for me -- is that I have no emotional attachment to them at all. I'd hate to lose one as they aren't cheap, but I could replace one with another in 24hrs. I can't do that with a custom. Each one is unique and irreplaceable. That's a big part of their appeal...
 
For a Dozier folding hunter. It's just a "warmer" knife in my opinion...got one in jigged bone in the same general price range as the Sebbie. Absolutely nothing wrong with the Sebenza - this was a matter of personal taste. IF I was able to handle all the knives I read about in the Forums, the choices I made/make would be better. But a lot is sight unseen, which makes it difficult. Good question, by the way, especially since most of the knives we're talking about here will last you a lifetime!
 
I sold mine to trade up to more costly customs. But I slowly found out I'm not a competely "great custom knive in the safe, because it's too nice to use" kind of guy. So I sold off a lot of the safe queens and am in the process of waiting for .... another Seb. This, in addition to my Strider folders, because I don't want to baby these things during carry and also love the nice action and authoritative quality feel during handling of them.

But I still have my eye on the occasional great looking custom ....
 
tom mayo said:
the termites ate a bunch of holes in it!!!!!!!! :p :eek: :p
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Mine visited Hawaii and damned if the termites didn't get to it also. I've still got it though, the only folder I own. I'm gonna keep it.

92Deg

Not going to argue the quality of the customs you mentioned as I want a couple of those mentioned also. But, the price point is 2 to 3X that of a Sebbie. For that kind of $$$ it had BETTER be better than a Sebbie.

Rob
 
Funny you should ask - mine is for sale right now in the Knife Exchange forum. As my post over there says, I want a Mnandi. I'm sure the build quality of the Mnandi will be at least equal to that of the Sebenza, and unlike the Sebenza, the Mnandi isn't butt-ugly :) .
 
wetdog1911 said:
92Deg

Not going to argue the quality of the customs you mentioned as I want a couple of those mentioned also. But, the price point is 2 to 3X that of a Sebbie. For that kind of $$$ it had BETTER be better than a Sebbie.

Rob
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Mike Obenauf's large knives start at $350.00. That is right at the same price as a large Sebbie.
 
I have bought and sold several Sebenza's - all of the variants.

I tried and tried, but ultimately was unsatisfied with the blade shape.

I may have found the answer though, I recently picked up one of the limited Small Tanto Sebenza's. Used and for a week and decided that it had a place in my rotation so I sent it Boise-way to get some cosmetic work done on it.

BTW, the Mnandi is a helluva of knife, custom or otherwise.
 
wetdog1911 said:
92Deg
Not going to argue the quality of the customs you mentioned as I want a couple of those mentioned also. But, the price point is 2 to 3X that of a Sebbie. For that kind of $$$ it had BETTER be better than a Sebbie.
Rob
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We can argue "value" and "worth" on this forum until we're blue in the face -- we have many times before. Everyone has to decide for themselves if incrimental improvements justify a huge leap in cost. I know that I have a relatively easy time justifying a big price tag on a knife that was made by one person, by hand, one at a time. To me that's a very different product than one that is largely machine-made in "high" quantities. Again, I have nothing against CRK.

"BETTER" is a pretty tough quality to define, I think. Sometimes I find myself fortunate to be carrying and using knives that cost large multiples of a Sebbie. I can't honestly say that they perform better than Sebbies across the board -- they'll all peel an apple or open a box pretty darn well -- but then I wouldn't go around stating that there's nothing better than a Sebbie either...
 
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