Why sebenza?

[seikan1]

Alright....I have a couple of questions.

First off, I am left handed and that of course limits some things.

I read on here all about how great the sebenza knife is. Is it left handed friendly? I have never touched or seen one in person.

I find that the BM knives with the axis lock are the most friendly for me. They are quality made and not too expensive.

Is a Chris Reeve knife that much superior to the BM knives?

I may have to break down and save my pennies for the sebenza if everyone tells me that the BM is not nearly what the Sebenza is...if it is left handed friendly of course.

Seikan1

 

[WadeF]

I have a large Sebenza, I EDC a Benchmade Doug Ritter Grip and before that I EDC'd a Benchmade 710HSSR for a good 4 years and it is just as solid as the day I bought it.

The Sebenza is a well made knife, perfectly finished, etc. It can be easily taken apart for cleaning. It features a nice hollow ground blade that makes for a great slicer.

I just prefer the AXIS lock for my EDC knife as it's faster to open and close the knife.

They make Sebenza's with thumbstuds on the opposite side for left handers, or you can get dual thumb studs.

 

[DaveH]

It's not just that the thumb stud is on the opposite side, the lock is on the opposite side for lefty sebenzas as well.

They other answer is it depends. Are you more happy saving some buck and getting an 80% knife? Then stick with a benchmade.

Would you rather like to attain another level of quality above a benchmade, but have to pay significantly more for it? Then consider a sebenza.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

Is a Chris Reeve knife that much superior to the BM knives?

It is inferior in many regards, compared to the M2 AFCK for example, it has lower ergonomics and handle security, significantly less edge retention and blade toughness and much lower lock security. Benchmade however tends to run their edges a bit thick so you would likely have to reprofile the AFCK in order to match the NIB cutting ability of the Sebenza. Many Spyderco's would easily match or exceed the cutting ability of the Sebenza NIB and easily outperform it in the other aspects listed, at a fraction of the price.

-Cliff

 

[Planterz]

It is inferior in many regards, compared to the M2 AFCK for example, it has lower ergonomics and handle security, significantly less edge retention and blade toughness and much lower lock security. Benchmade however tends to run their edges a bit thick so you would likely have to reprofile the AFCK in order to match the NIB cutting ability of the Sebenza. Many Spyderco's would easily match or exceed the cutting ability of the Sebenza NIB and easily outperform it in the other aspects listed, at a fraction of the price.

-Cliff

This might be true, but that's like saying that a Rolex is inferior to a Timex because the Rolex doesn't have a stopwatch with 8 lap memory, countdown timer, dual time zones, alarm, and INDIGLO.

What you're paying for in a Sebenza, when compared to a similar knife like a BM635 (titanium framelock with S30V blade), is refinement and fit/finish. There's no such thing as a lemon Sebenza.

However, it's still "just a knife" and almost everything about it beyond refinement is subjective. Ergonomics, appearance, weight, and even cutting performance and durability are all subjective to the individual user.

 

[faramir]

I just hope CR comes to senses and makes a functional size Mnandi - dimensions of Sebenza but without the gawd-uglky looks akin to Soviet car designs. Now if only Mnandi was bigger (~3.5" blade) ...

 

[Cliff Stamp]

There's no such thing as a lemon Sebenza.

Nonsense, there are problems with NIB Sebenza's. The blades have even snapped in half because of problems with the thumbstuds.

Ergonomics, appearance, weight, and even cutting performance and durability are all subjective to the individual user.

These can be quantified easily, the user of course has to weight their importance and different people want different things.

Lots of people buy knives simply because they like the maker and don't really care about the function of the knives.

Other people just like the look of the knife, or its resale value, or of course the "mall ninja" attribute.

-Cliff

 

[tortoise]

I've got a large regular Sebenza on the passaround right now. It's a very nice knife. I would buy one. I don't know if I will, but I would.

Is it a better "knife" as in: cutting tool, than another quality manufacturer's blade? Honestly, no.

This knife really is about personal satisfaction. If well made, refined designs (in knives, watches, what have you) appeal to you, then you will appreciate the Sebenza. If you can imagine just sitting admiring the grinds, the smooth curves and the simplicity of design, then you will appreciate the Sebenza.

The Rolex analogy is partly accurate, in that: the Sebenza is well made using fine (though not the ultimate) materials. It has a respectable history, including innovative design elements (Sal Glesser is always careful to say, "Chris Reeve style integral lock",) the pivot bushing, etc. It is intended to be used, not displayed as an art piece. It is expected that it will be reasonably cared for and not abused, if it is abused it can be repaired almost indefinitely, for a price. However, a departure in the comparison comes in that generally a Rolex movement is more accurate than less expensive mechanicals. It is nearly always simpler, and so often more durable than vastly more expensive haute horologie pieces. Ergo in its mission of keeping time on one's wrist, it actually may do a better job than lesser or even greater watches. What's that worth? That's up to the individual. As I said though, the Sebenza doesn't cut any better than other well made production folders. So there is no performance benefit, however slight and expensive a la Rolex, to hang one's hat on.

If you really want only a reliable workhorse cutter and feel that the rest is the nonsensical ramblings of people with more money than sense, then the Sebenza is not for you. If you're likely to break or lose your knives, then the Sebenza isn't for you. If the expense would make you overly cautious, or if you know yourself as a blade abuser, then again Sebenza is not for you.

Hope this helps.

 

[Quiet Storm]

Why sebenza?

Because search engine.

Seriously, there have been so many pro/con discussions with regard to the Sebenza on this board that the search engine will provide you with countless hours of reading material on this subject. Just try it.

Personally, I think it looks like a nice utility folder, but I don't really understand what all the fuss is about.

 

[DaveH]

Unfortunately if you just type sebenza into the search, it won't work. You have to add some other term. Or wait a week untill the next sebenza thread.
Or get some passaround experience then try the sebenza for free.

 

[BurkStar]

Sebenza's and mall ninja's?????????? And yet you complain when people claim you've got a vendetta against Reeve?

 

[Rat Finkenstein]

Sebenza's and mall ninja's?????????? And yet you complain when people claim you've got a vendetta against Reeve?

They must pay Mall Security Guards well if they can afford sebenzas

 

[Cliff Stamp]

Sebenza's and mall ninja's?

Not a lot of that type of appeal to the Sebenza, for a mall-ninja blade you need attributes like :

1) heavy promotion of used by navy seal's or similar

2) black blade

3) speed holes

4) saw teeth

5) blood groove

6) tanto tip

The above comments were addressing why people buy knives in general, there are a lot of reasons aside from performance as a cutting or utility tool.

-Cliff

 

[4 Ranges]

I have a sebenza and 806afckd2. And a spyderco chinook II.

Superior? Not really.

I carry my chinook II everywhere, and it holds up to abuse. Work-horse user PLUS it has great tactical advantages (great grip ergos, tip-up, tip-down carry, spydie hole, trailing point tip).

Only disadvantage to a chinook II is that it's not really the knife you want to bust out at work or with the in-laws or at parties.

the AFCK has all the advantages of a chinook II, but the profile is thinner, so I don't put her through the same type of work.

I put the sebbie throught he same type of work as the chinook II, but I bust her out only at work and at parties. A HUGE disadvantage with the sebbie is the tactical aspect: only tip-up carry is available, the thumb-stud makes quick openings tricky, and flicking the knife open (according to Cliff Stamp) makes the warranty on the knife null and void. So practicing tactical draws with a sebbie is a no-no, because you're flicking it open. I think it's a great work-only knife, especially in social environments. But I wouldn't depend on it as a tactical.

 

[lukaszki]

and what about alternatives to Sebbie? I mean similar size and same materials. I thought about two cheaper - Benchmade Mini Skirmish and Camillus Dominator and one just as dear but whole a lot more tactical - Combat Elite Tactical Elite. Any more???

 

[Cliff Stamp]

...according to Cliff Stamp

Reeve has specifically noted flicking will damage the knife and should not be done. He rationalizes this by also claiming this is true of all knives, which is nonsense as many are designed to be flicked, and lots of them handle it without being damaged.

In regards to mall ninjas, this doesn't just apply to mall cops with delusions of black ops, it is a general term which holds to the mentality of "this is a bad ass knife because it is used by bad ass people and thus if I carry it I am a bad ass dude."

It also doesn't make a knife necessarily low quality because it has mall ninja fans, I would assume Busse has its share of mall ninja purchases because the "nuclear tough" promotion will attract that type of person.

-Cliff

 

[Ken C.]

Nonsense, there are problems with NIB Sebenza's. The blades have even snapped in half because of problems with the thumbstuds.

Unless you provide some proof on this I would tend to think this statement is total BS. CRK would never let a knife like that out of the shop let alone into the hands of a consumer.

 

[WadeF]

It's not just that the thumb stud is on the opposite side, the lock is on the opposite side for lefty sebenzas as well.

They other answer is it depends. Are you more happy saving some buck and getting an 80% knife? Then stick with a benchmade.

Would you rather like to attain another level of quality above a benchmade, but have to pay significantly more for it? Then consider a sebenza.

Thanks for pointing out that the left handed Sebenza also has the lock on the opposite side.

As far as saying Benchmade knives are an 80% knife, what the heck is that supposed to mean?

People should buy a knife based on what they want to do with it. The Sebenza may only meet 30% of what one person wants while a Benchmade may meet 100% of what they want out of their knife.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

Unless you provide some proof on this...

This was described on their forums, a customer had a blade crack in half during use, it was due to stress from the stud, not a singular problem.

There is no way for the shop to know this would happen unless you think they actually carry and EDC every single Sebenza for a few weeks.

Even with the tightest QC possible, and indivually inspected knives, voids or aggregates in the steel can defeat any QC practice outside of extensive single testing - which isn't practical outside of very low volume custom.

100% perfection is just a nonsense myth, even the best of knives can be subject to gross failure due to reasons beyond the makers control.

Don't depend on any knife without a solid inspection period, same goes for any tool of course.

-Cliff

 

[Fisher of Men]

To me it seems as if the Sebenza is simply a collectors item....or an item that folks like to use if they can afford a $400 knife. Kind of like the Rolex. I don't think that Rolex is any better than Seiko. I have a $350 Seiko and I bet that a Rolex would break under less stres than my Seiko.

Sebenza's may be custom made and be expensive but they have no ergo's. I would bet that a Sebenza can't hold a candle to a BM 520 or a BM 710HS.

I wouldn't buy a Jaguar just because it's a Jaguar when a Honda Accord will outlive it and is much more useful for the price . Not to mention will require less maintenance.

This is all just my opinion of course.