why do I want a Sebenza?

jivedaddy

jivedaddy

Joined
Dec 20, 2002
Messages
898
I'm sure this question has come uo before. I Have many knives; users and safe queens as well, but I seem to be drawn to the Sebenza every time I see it and I'm not sure why. I have read all the rave reviews and am sure that it lives up to its rep. I am looking at the small classic as an edc( I love all the fancier ones with the wood inlays and graphics but I think that these are more "lookers" than users.) Do I want to throw down the $$$ for a user. Opinions please...I also like the idea of Mayonizing them just to add a little flair!!- thanks-Tony :cool:
 
a small is perfect for me and edc, then u can make it yours by anodizing or drilling holes or engraving.

sending it to Mr Mayo or calling CRK and having them make u a custom like my C-130 paratroopers...

once u got 1 u can use it for the rest of your life knowing that it will last that long and never buy another edc again. then pass it down to some1 in your will and leave them all the great stories you enjoyed with your edc...
 
it may seem like a lot of dinero up front, but it will pay for itself as time goes on. i've had my small reg for almost 4 years now...paid $290 w/ shipping, thats less that .20 cents a day over time.

it has paid for itself since day one. customizing is a great idea, put your own lanyard on it, beads, engrave it, polish it, anodize it, color it with heat...or get it mayo'd, you can't go wrong.

mine looks pretty rough, i could send it back to crk, but i like all the character marks on it...i cleaned it up last night by polishing up the thumbstud, backspacer and blade. it's nice and shiney now and ready for more work!
 
I too have a small Sebbie that I use as my EDC. It's just the right size for your pocket yet can do 95% of what it's big brother can do. Just go ahead and get one. You won't be sorry.
 
Tony, buy the sebbie. you wont be sorry, ive had a ton of high end knives;and no one beats chris reeve for perfection. Trust me you wont be sorry, its everything you;ve ever heard. women,cars,motorcycles and all the toys come and go, but your sebbie will become your best friend. Buy a sebbie, you'll be glad you did.
 
I'd highly recommend a classic with wood inlay, as the extra thickness of the handles and the contours they provide make for a very comfortable grip! I have owned about every style of Sebenza...then sold them in times of need :(, but one that came through my shoppe was a small classic wood inlay and man was that nice! I really wanted one of those, but recently traded into a large classic wood inlay and love it! These are work horses even with the wood, not to worry there...

Here is the one I just picked up;

attachment.php


Good luck on your decision!
G2
 
Allow me to be the dissenting opinion. Please don't build up this knife to something its not. I have a classic for EDC, and while its nice (certainly it IS everything that everyone says it is as far as function and such), I wish I had put my money elsewhere. With the work Mayo does on these knives that may be a way to go, but I'm not really sure that would even help in my opinion. I think that while the Sebenza is a wonder of workmanship, it lacks a certain CRAFTSMANship that I was hoping it would have. It is not so much the product of a human hand as the collaboration between man and machine. Now, I don't want to start anything here, and I DO own one of these knives, so I can say what I feel about it and this isn't sour grapes because I'm keeping mine I'm sure, but for the money you'd spend on a Sebenza, especially if you're planning on having Mr. Mayo work on it, you could get some REALLY nice customs that are MEANT to be used. Despite their premium at the moment, Mr. Obenauf as an example makes a stunning knife for the money of a sebenza that is not only functionally superb, but it has that sense of being the product of a Craftsman- like I'm sure the old hand-made Sebenzas do. Also, Mr. Marlowe does a wonder in the knifemaking world with HIS knives. Again, functionally superb (I've read about his testing methods prior to sending out a knife, and I'm sure they are as rugged as anything out there), and again that sense of being from the hand of a craftsman. From my perspective, something can indeed be a nice example of workmanship, and yet fail to attain the level of being a work of craft.

However, its your money, and if there's anything I've learned (especially on specialty sites like this) there are a million people willing to help you spend your money. So, get what you like, just please don't build it up too much.

I stand ready for the flames, do your worst. Someone had to say it.

Sincerely,
Anthony
 
Who let you in here!

Heh, I will agree that sebenzas are not the pefect fit for everyone, and especially not for those, as you have mentioned, look for a certain connection to the makers hand.
 
SpyderJon said:
Allow me to be the dissenting opinion. Please don't build up this knife to something its not...for the money you'd spend on a Sebenza...you could get some REALLY nice customs that are MEANT to be used.

I stand ready for the flames, do your worst. Someone had to say it.

Sincerely,
Anthony
Click to expand...

Let me just remind you that sebenza means work in the Zulu language. If you don't think it was MEANT to be USED you bought the wrong knife in the first place. Tom andd Mike make great blades as well, but if you want a Sebenza there is only one place to look for the first and best framelock made.
 
The Sebenza lacks craftsmanship? :confused: ?
I guess the hand work that goes into a Sebenza is really done by some super secret machine known only to CRK.

Someone please show me a "custom" that can match a Sebenza for the same money.

Paul
 
jivedaddy - you are going to always wonder until you handle a Sebbie. If you get a chance to go to a knife show or a good knife shop to handle one, that will start you out. However, carrying, using, taking apart and cleaning the Sebbie is when you really start appreciating it's more subtle fine points.

If you buy one right off of the secondary market, ther probably isn't too much downside if you decide to resell a Seb. Also, they may be refurbished for not too much.
 
sebenzanistas aside. I may have bought the wrong knife, but I also wanted to keep someone else from potentially doing the same thing. Yes, the sebenza is a work knife, big fat hairy deal. I knew the knife was meant to be used as ANY knife is meant to be used. I don't have safe queens. All my knives work, but I buy knives for aesthetic reasons as WELL as working. Lets face it, any knife will work for your daily chores. ANY knife. It may not be the safest thing, but it will do the job. Thus, it comes down to aesthetics for me. I don't want an ugly knife if I'm going to pay a lot of money for it. Did I buy the wrong knife, MAYBE- but I bought it, didn't grow on me and I'm ALLOWED to have an opinion. I never said that the knife wasn't a good piece of WORKMANSHIP- meaning in my sense that it is put together with good materials in a consistently good manner. CRAFTSMANSHIP is something different for me. The "super secret machine known only to CRK" ( :rolleyes: ) does its job very well, but I can't look at the Sebenza and see the result of a human hand like I can with Mike and Charles' knives.

LISTEN UP, AND DIG THE POTATOS OUT- READ MY ORIGINAL POST AGAIN IF YOU HAVE TO- I NEVER ONCE SAID THE SEBENZA WASN'T A GOOD KNIFE, I NEVER SAID IT WASN'T EVERYTHING EVERYONE SAID AS FAR AS QUALITY, BUT I ALSO HAVE AN OPINION THAT SOMEONE SHOULDN'T GET A KNIFE SIMPLY BECAUSE THE NEXT GUY SAYS ITS A GOOD THING. PEOPLE SHOULD EXAMINE WHY THEY BUY KNIVES. I BUY KNIVES EXPECTING THAT THEY WILL FUNCTION IN A PERFECT MANNER, THUS FOR ME FIT AND FINISH IN A KNIFE I'M WILLING TO BUY ISN'T A BIG DEAL BECAUSE ITS A GIVEN OR I GET MY MONEY BACK. I HAPPEN TO LIKE KNIVES FOR MORE THAN JUST THE FACT THAT THEY WORK, I THINK OF THEM AS FUNCTIONAL PIECES OF ART AND IF THAT'S A PROBLEM THEN PISS ON IT. I PAID FOR THE KNIFE, AND I HAVE AN OPINION. DEAL WITH IT AND MOVE ON.

Sincerely,
Anthony

Edited to add (my last word on the topic): The man asked "why do I want a Sebenza?" and the answer just might be that he doesn't want one. Now, can't we all just get along?
 
sounds to me , maybe a sebbie custom is in the works for u...

i am sure there are knives out there almost as good as a sebenza with better looks. its all what floats your boat, but sebenzas have the potential to be beautiful in your own eye cause they do make unique and custom models and the woodies look awesome to me. i am sure crk has something that will make your heart stop...just take your time and buy something that strikes your fancy. if u dont see something...look elsewhere

but you will be hardpressed to find anything that is more user-friendly imo when it comes to using and maintaining

have a great Weekend
 
You certainly are entitled to your opinion, that’s a fact. But the thread started was looking for reasons to confirm his feelings towards the Sebenza folder. While your thoughts are yours, you are not alone, there are many that for one reason or another do not feel the Sebenza is the knife for them. Not too big a problem, for as many that don’t want it, others are seeking it, for their own reasons, if for nothing more to find out what the hoopla is all about. But as you pointed out, you found the knife to be well made, solidly built and purely functional, although lacking in the art area and as we know, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, another fact proven over and over again in all areas of our lives, not just knives….(why my wife would marry me is beyond me! ;) )

As for warning jivedaddy, I’m sure he will take your thoughts into consideration, perhaps giving him pause to think it over a little longer before making his decision. I know when I check things out on Amazon.com I read all the reviews, good and bad and try to sort them out myself as to how to weigh them and come to a decision that I can live with.

Myself, I have to say that I feel that the wood inlay classic is quite a folder and looks good too! But then…that’s just me ;)
G2
 
SpyderJon said:
Now, can't we all just get along?
Click to expand...

Maybe if you stop shouting. For someone "ready for the flames" you have a pretty thin skin. Your opinion counts just as much as anyones, just don't be rude about it.
 
SpyderJon,
No need for a hissy fit. You are entitled to your opinion, but was there really a need for all the shouting? :rolleyes:

Klesk,
What do you feel makes Hinderer's Firetac the equal of the Sebenza? I've heard nothing but good about Rick's work but have never seen any first hand.

Paul
 
First off, I agree in priciple to what SpyderJon is saying, although I don't think that he needs to shout to get his point across. Sebenzas are somewhat overhyped, and that tends to turn people off. Secondly, my experience with Sebenzas somewhat mirrors what Paul Guillotte described a couple of weeks ago. I bought my first Large Classic at full price ($350) and was immediately very disappointed. I quickly sold the knife, at a small loss, before the knife lost too much value. Recently, however, I bought another Large Classic at a more reasonable price, and I am beginning to really like the knife. I may not become a fanatic, but bottom line, if I had to get rid of one of my EDCs, I'd sell off my SnG before my Sebenza. Although I still tell people that the Sebenza is the best damn $200 knife there is... too bad it costs $350.


PWork said:
Klesk,
What do you feel makes Hinderer's Firetac the equal of the Sebenza? I've heard nothing but good about Rick's work but have never seen any first hand.

Paul
Click to expand...

Paul, the Hinderer is everything the Sebenza is (rock solid lockup, precise fit and finish, etc., etc.) but with the kind of touches that you only get with a "custom" folder. The tip-up or -down carry option, the textured and rounded handles, the carbon fiber or Micarta insert, the list goes on. I think that the Firetac is for anyone who likes their Sebenza, but wishes it were prettier. Rick Hinderer is still somewhat under the radar, so his folders can still be had for $325 - $350; about what you would pay for a Large Sebenza at retail. I've had 2 Firetacs, I recently sold one of them, and they are fantastic knives, you should try and get one.

Is it as tough as a Sebenza? Hard to say. How many of us actually use our knives hard enough to break them anyway? It's like asking SUV owners about their vehicles' off-road capabilities. In any case, I'm sure most of us have enough knives that we could pull out something a little less expensive if we are going to use it that hard.

Finally, to jivedaddy, my advice is this: find a good deal on a Sebenza, or trade for one and you will most likely be very happy with your knife. If, however, you end up paying full price, I think that you will be disappointed.
 
We here on the CRK forum try to keep things civil and respectful SpyderJon. The shouting is way off base. I see nothing in the earlier post in this thread (or any other thread for that matter) that could have justifiably precipitated such an outburst.
 
G2,

Over the years I've used a variety of knives as EDCs, both custom and production. They've included an Elishewitz Omega M5, Large Sebenza, Rob Simonich Carnivore (in a G2 horizontal shealth -:) ), EDI Genesis I, various Spydercos (e.g. Military, etc.), Kershaw-Onion Random Task, MicroTech mini-Socum, Benchmade 9050 auto, Buck Custom Shop elk horn BG42 110, etc.

These days I've gone with smaller knives for the work week and bigger folders and small fixed blades for weekends. In routine rotation now are a Small Sebenza with Box Elder inlays (thanks Gary -:) ) in a G2 pouch, a custom Buck 532 with mastadon ivory handles in another G2 pouch, William Henry redwood burl Spearpoint, the Simonich Carnivore; with a Rinaldi Chimera and Camillus-Simonich Talon for fixed blade pocket slip carry.

I say all this because I found personally that the Small Sebenza now gets carried where in the past a Large 'Benza did. This harkens back to many old threads as to which is the better EDC. Both make for great EDCs and are worthy of serious consideration.

--Bob Allman

Member from the very beginning
Former General Forums moderator

Not to be forgotten: James Mattis, Walt "Doc" Welch, and Rob Simonich
 
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