Your F&F experiences with CRK

Several sebenzas I owned has problem with blade centering, if you think it's a problem. My best guess is 30% of them are not perfect centered. The bad thing is, normally it can not be fixed. Other than that, it's perfect.
 
My first had an uneven blade grind, it was quickly rectified (I can fix it myself but it takes a long time with sandpaper and mouse pad :))
 
gentlenado said:
Several sebenzas I owned has problem with blade centering, if you think it's a problem. My best guess is 30% of them are not perfect centered. The bad thing is, normally it can not be fixed. Other than that, it's perfect.
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man, that would drive me nuts...an off centered blade is the worst
 
The edge bevel on my insingo was slightly uneven. Also, it would be nice if CRK could do something to protect the annodizing from wearing off so quickly. Within the first week of owning my insingo, the blue thumbstud only has blue in the ridges where my thumb doesn't touch.
 
I own three CRKs. A small micarta seb, a small P model seb and an Umnumm and all have easily the best fit and finish of any knife I have ever seen. I would consider myself very detail oriented when it comes to the F&F on my knives and I can always find many faults in production knives. That said CRKs are the absolute top dog in that department. If you aren't happy with the fit and and finish on a Sebenza you might as well just stop buying knives because you'll never find anything that will please you. The jimping on the blade is perfect, the polished blade crown is flawless, the chamfering on every single edge of the knife is even and straight, the blade is perfectly centered(on all 3), I can clearly see my reflection in the hardware, the inlays are all perfectly set with zero gaps in the edges, I cannot make out a single machining or grind mark under the stonewashing on the blade... Even the inside of the handle is flawless. I definately recommend them!:thumbup:
 
Artfully Martial said:
lol, well now I have to re-rethink everything
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nah, you really dont.

the statement made that 30% have offcenter blades is exactly what the gentleman said it was, a guess. i can guess too, doesnt mean im right either.

i have heard about the thumstuds wearing off that blue, but an umnumzaan doesnt have that on its thumbstuds.

i never really liked the sebenza, but when i got my zaan, i understood perfectly what the fuss is about.

if for whatever reason you dont love it, you can sell it at a very minimal loss.
 
I'm not a fan of CRK, but I own some of their products. I gotta say, I can't find anything wrong in term of their fit and finish. Not only that, I usually get more than what I expected.
 
ginshun said:
I have found small flaws with every framelock I have ever fondled, aside from my Mnandi and small Sebenza. Other framelock is include Strider, Emerson, Benchmade, Spyderco, Kershaw, etc. Granted the only other one that was the same price as the CRK is the Strider SnG, which is a very common EDC for me. It has lately developed some very slight vertical play though. I have a temp fix on it right now, but it will probably, eventually be sent in for service.

So initially, yes, my experience has been that CRK knives do live up to the hype. I have not put one through the ringer the way I have the Strider and the Emerson though, so I can't say anything as to thier performance over time .
Like you, their designs just don't really appeal to me, so at present I don't own one, ones that I have owned have been traded away, but not for any mechanical deficiency, just because other similar priced knives have more appeal to me.
I think I might someday buy a small sebenza though, unless CRK comes out with a folder that I like better.
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I'm really curious, what type of flaws have you had with your non-Sebenza frame-locks? Thanks!
 
Someone on the forum took measurements of the pivot and such — the rumored tolerances (five thou?) were supported by the micrometer screen.

CRK's reputation for F&F is deserved.
 
Artfully Martial said:
I know CRK has a great reputation for F&F, but if there are any other highly detail oriented BF members that have bought them, can you tell me--are they as perfect as people claim? Do they have even the tiniest detail wrong?

I've never really liked CRK's designs, from my subjective point of view, but law school has had the negative effect of making me a perfectionist now. So maybe I'll pony up for an Umnumzaan.

I'm not asking for BAD examples--just, if you consider yourself one who pays attention to the fine details in a knife, what has been your experience?
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I can see it now...
The Artfully Martial Law Firm. We sure could use a few more of those.

You don't need to like the Umnumzaan to get one, the name alone makes the knife worth carrying. I still have a hard time thinking of a name for a knife more disarming than that one (or that's as much fun to say).
 
Joshua J. said:
I can see it now...
The Artfully Martial Law Firm. We sure could use a few more of those.

You don't need to like the Umnumzaan to get one, the name alone makes the knife worth carrying. I still have a hard time thinking of a name for a knife more disarming than that one (or that's as much fun to say).
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Lol, it has occurred to me to apply to the American Knife and Tool Association (lobby) for an internship during my last year of law school. I'm pretty interested in repealing a lot of these idiotic laws, some of which are downright nonsensical.

This may, may be possible based on the recent DC v. Heller decision, which was used to overturn the Chicago handgun ban. It's a stretch though.

Lobbying is probably the more effective approach, and some sort of pro-knife propaganda.

But I digress. lol.
 
I own a large and small Sebenza, as well as a Mnandi. I've never found the slightest flaw in any of them. (and believe me, I've been over them with a fine tooth comb :D )
 
Not to hijack the thread here, but I have a question about the Umnumzaan.
Since the dual thumb studs with rubber O-rings are used as the blade stop, wouldn't the O-rings be a less than perfect seat for preventing vertical blade play? I mean, they've gotta flex and get flat spots in time, right?
I just don't understand this design.
Lenny
 
Hmmm, as for the blue anodizing, that's probably true but no one wants blue anyways, silver silver silver :D

The blade centering? I don't think I've ever seen one thread on that...
 
Artfully Martial said:
I know CRK has a great reputation for F&F, but if there are any other highly detail oriented BF members that have bought them, can you tell me--are they as perfect as people claim? Do they have even the tiniest detail wrong?

I've never really liked CRK's designs, from my subjective point of view, but law school has had the negative effect of making me a perfectionist now. So maybe I'll pony up for an Umnumzaan.

I'm not asking for BAD examples--just, if you consider yourself one who pays attention to the fine details in a knife, what has been your experience?
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CRK knives are as good as "production" (semi-production?) knives get, but nothing, and that includes one-off customs, is perfect in "even the tiniest detail." If that's the standard, you need to look in another jurisdiction (the first letter of which is H ;) ).
 
Never and I meaen never had a problem with CRK F&F. It has been my edc since 1997! After I wore out the lock on one model I sent it in and CRK replaced the whole thing! Customer servive is very important to me.
 
JNewell said:
CRK knives are as good as "production" (semi-production?) knives get, but nothing, and that includes one-off customs, is perfect in "even the tiniest detail." If that's the standard, you need to look in another jurisdiction (the first letter of which is H ;) ).
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I dunno. I'd say there was nothing wrong with my Sebenza and Laconico framelock upon receipt.
 
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