Why do you carry a CRK?

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Eegonomics is personal and debatable.

Honestly for a tool that gets used a couple times a day for very brief duties, it is debatable how important ergonomics really is.

Further, if you use a tool extensively then ergonomics becomes more important and you might want to change the grip to conform to those special needs. That is, some knives are set up for reverse grip, others for hammer grip, and so on. But if you want versatility so that multiple grips are reasonably comfortable, you relax the design and compromise the ergos in every position up allow for better ergos in every OTHER position. I think that is where we are with most (good) EDC knives, a compromise of ergos in the name of versatility (or to say it another way, make it very good for everything, but not highly optimized for any single specialized task)

Simply put, if I find myself performing a cutting duty that takes a significant portion of my day, there is probably a specialized cutting tool that is preferable to the Sebenza, but for almost ANY other task, the Sebenza is my choice.
 
victorf said:
How is your's decorated? Mass produced or had added on personal touch - other than lanyard, beads, out sourced and such?...
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Mine is a now discontinued CRK graphic, Retro IIRC. It's circles and squares with blue, red and yellow anodization. That makes it pretty, but the polished blade is also sweet. It's held up real good for the last 4 years. The polished flats on the slabs have some scratches, but nothing to distract from the design. I use regularly flitz on the blade (I like it shiny) and now the flats are pretty polished as well. I like shiny and pretty knives, though pretty can also mean a Ti-lock :)
 
I find it funny how people criticize CRK's steel considering Mr. Reeve himself developed S35VN with Crucible Steel. I'd imagine he knows what heat treat works best for it.

Why would you need a steel lockbar insert when the lockface is carbidized?

And a lockbar stabilizer (that term makes me laugh)? Why?
I mean Jesus Christ! Are people actually pressing their lockbars that damn hard?
 
I think you would actually have to be trying to over extend the Sebenza lock bar to damage it. However, I do have a titanium framed knife that I have to be carefull with. My Benchmade mini skirmish is a decent knife, but the lockbar could be over extended if used carelessly.
 
brownshoe said:
Mine is a now discontinued CRK graphic, Retro IIRC. It's circles and squares with blue, red and yellow anodization. That makes it pretty, but the polished blade is also sweet. It's held up real good for the last 4 years. The polished flats on the slabs have some scratches, but nothing to distract from the design. I use regularly flitz on the blade (I like it shiny) and now the flats are pretty polished as well. I like shiny and pretty knives, though pretty can also mean a Ti-lock :)
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Thanks for your vivid description! :thumbup:
 
Like a number of members have stated, CRKs just plain work. I've also owned a number of knives from different makers, both production and custom, and have yet to find a better knife when you consider the total package.
 
Flipe8 you put it well. I carry CRK because they offer dedicated left hand versions and for me they just work best when considering the whole package.:thumbup:
 
Lock bar stabilizers only come into play in high adrenalin situations, which 1st responders or military could find themselves in. Your not going to over extend the lock bar during normal activities and probably not in high adrenalin situation(but in that case it is possible)
I much prefer a roll to a chip. It's a much easier fix
All in all I think CRK has come up with a pretty good all around knife. It can handle all tasks fairly well( with the exception of felling Redwoods :) )

As a side note- There is nothing I am slower at opening then flippers. Sure they open real fast once I get my fingers in all the right spots, but getting them there is neither fast nor smooth. Give me a plain old thumb stud ( or thumb hole) every time. It's just a more natural opening for me.
 
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I don't think I'm particularly too biased to any brand as I have my critiques of all that I've had extensive experience with, but I still rotate some of my lesser expensive and equally expensive production knives with my CRKs because I like variety (Benchmade 940 in pocket today). These are just my thoughts on why I like them and why I find value in them.

Compared to similar knives in this price range, one could argue that CRKs are underpriced. I don't need friggin bearings and flippers and doobers on a folding knife, even though I own a couple Hinderers for the sake of owning them, and I find it funny that folks who think these features are essential to making a folder "high quality" think that CRKs are overpriced because they don't have these things and lesser expensive knives do. This applies to the super steel argument too. I've recently been seeing this argument made over the new Benchmade 761 and it's doobers with its $331.50 price tag, but recent reviews have shown some things that make it not really in any way the Sebenza killer that some so badly would like it to be.

Do I think CRKs are the most ergonomic knives out there? No, but they are plenty good enough for EDC. If I was to do extensive cutting I'd probably reach for something else, but I like having a variety of tools. The Sebenza is a svelte knife for the mature knife owner. It doesn't need to be fancy or an attention grabber. Their elegance is in their simplicity. I appreciate that they can be serviced for the life of the knife, and I view the Sebenza as one of those "for life" tools that can be passed down to future generations. That's why I don't get caught up in the whole steel lockbar insert interface deal. If I ever use the knife to the point that the lock wears all the way out, first I'll be impressed, and second I know that CRK will take care of it.

I agree that knife enthusiasts should be able to sharpen their own knives, but also being a sharpening enthusiast, I much prefer straightening out rolls in an edge than repairing chips. Grinding for hours to apex an edge also isn't all that fun. I find no issue in the heat treat or steel choice, especially for EDC. I have other knives I work harder, but if I were to choose a Sebenza as a heavy work knife, I'd have no issue taking the strops or ceramics to the edge every couple days to straighten everything out..but again, I enjoy sharpening. One should expect tools to be maintained regularly.

I've not experienced true custom folders, but do own a couple of each of the "big 3". The Sebenza is the most solid feeling knife out of all of them, particularly in lockup. It is also definitely the most "finished" knife. It truly is a "sum of its parts" knife that puts it at the top for me. The Sebenza also allows you to have a big knife that is a workhorse that still rides that svelte, classy line and doesn't come across as super tactical or obnoxious. Some people, particularly ones that have never owned them, scoff at them as pocket jewelry. I call them workhorses for the mature knife owner.

They're not for everybody just as many things aren't, and they're not gonna look as cool hanging off the front of your tac vest. And not being a particularly huge fan boy at the moment towards any one brand, if I was forced to sell every folder I own and could only keep one, that one would be my plain jane small Sebenza 21. I have no doubt it'd last me a lifetime while tackling most any task it faced. For larger needs, there are plenty of capable fixed blades out there.

So as long-winded as that was, you asked, and that's my answer. Also to the OP, I noticed right after you came back to CRK, you've already sold it. I've noticed you've tried and sold a lot of knives in your time here like you can't seem to make up your mind what you like. Just wondering what direction you're headed now?
 
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So as long-winded as that was, you asked, and that's my answer. Also to the OP, I noticed right after you came back to CRK, you've already sold it. I've noticed you've tried and sold a lot of knives in your time here like you can't seem to make up your mind what you like. Just wondering what direction you're headed now?
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I have enjoyed reading everone's reply. :)

Small Sebenza is where I'm heading. All my life I have loved bigger knives. I'm a bigger guy with bigger hands and a large 21 fits my hand perfectly. With that being said I am pretty picky when it comes to weight and even though the large 21 carries well and is super thin I don't carry it often because of the weight. So I decided to sell it and now I am trying to decide on which tip to go with in a small Sebenza.
 
I've had both large and small Sebenza's I find the small works best for me. It carries well in the pocket and can do just about everything the large can do.
 
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Short answer: I'm a snob

Long answer: the quality of the knife is impeccable and 'seems' like customer satisfaction is top notch, though I haven't experienced the customer service since I bought off 3rd party and haven't a need to return knife.

Basically the knife suits me and my personality well.
 
Quality if free, cheap is very expensive. After I wore out my little Cold Steel that I had for ever I starter looking to replace it. Not really sure how I found CRK's but after doing some reading and research I liked what I saw. The simplicity and quality was a big draw. I read a lot of the grips and complaints and figured if CRK had been around this long and made so many knives these were people who just did not like someones success. My first was a Umnumzaan and will always be with me. I have never been disappointed in a CRK! Their customer service is beyond reproach. I have had and still own some other brands and they are very nice for sure, but there is something about CRK's that brings me back to them, something that is not easily explained, at least by me. So this is some of why I carry a CRK and I am sure I always will.
 
Once you find yourself comparing EVERY knife you will ever buy, or think of buying, to the fit and finish of a CRK... You understand the price.
 
kidcongo said:
Cool stuff....hopefully it's the one for you. I know you've been searching.
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Thanks, I started with a small 21 and had to try the large. The large Insingo is exceptional but these days I like knives that don't take up too much real estate so I decided to go back to the small size but keep the Insingo blade shape. :)
 
To quote Adam sander in Water boy referring to dating Vicky valencourt.........BECAUSE IT MAKE ME FEEL GOOD:D
 
bluemetalchurch said:
I have enjoyed reading everone's reply. :)

Small Sebenza is where I'm heading. All my life I have loved bigger knives. I'm a bigger guy with bigger hands and a large 21 fits my hand perfectly. With that being said I am pretty picky when it comes to weight and even though the large 21 carries well and is super thin I don't carry it often because of the weight. So I decided to sell it and now I am trying to decide on which tip to go with in a small Sebenza.
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Have you considered a large carbon fiber? :devilish:

Weighs less than an ounce more than a small seb!
 
stickymeat said:
I like it
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This is the real reason - and I would contend, the only reason - that anyone carries a CRK. CRKs cost 8x as much as many Spydercos or many other knives, but they don't cut cardboard or apples 8x better than those knives. They can, though, make a person feel 8x better. In my view, most or all of the purported objective reasons people assert for owning a CRK (close tolerances, its titanium!, etc.) are just the cover story for feeling good, and don't really have anything to do with a knife's primary job of cutting stuff. We buy these things because they make us happy.

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