Introducing the Sebenza 31! (21 Is Being Discontinued)

V-1 said:
Very cool. I was getting ready to pick up a small, micarta inlay 21 insingo. Now I think I'll wait and see what rolls out of Idaho over the next few months. Thank for the heads up.
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The small micarta 21 Insingo is - and always will be - a great pocket knife. I finally bought one after reading about them forever and they were right.
 
Hold up! Are 21 presentation sides interchangeable with 31s? :thumbsup: if that’s the case.
 
For those who have handled or have a 31, how does it compare to the 21?
And how smooth is it with the lock bar ceramic ball interface ?
 
ChazzyP said:
I will miss the 21, but having bought all my CRKs on the Exchange, there will probably always be enough at fair prices for me to find. I'm glad I have my 3 large 21s--cocobolo drawer queen, plus KA CF and Micarta inlayed Insingo users--already and to this point figured those covered the bases well enough for me.

Having let my PJ 25 go in a trade for another Shiro, I might just grab a PJ 21 when a decent deal pops up. With those left plus my 25 StarBenza, StarTac, and Inkosi natural Micarta I felt my (all-large) CRK roster was reasonably complete until this 31 came along. Now I'll be grabbing one of these new models at some point along with that PJ 21. One new knife released will eventually lead to two more here.

I agree with others in not really "getting" the ceramic ball lock. If steel is harder than Ti, but ceramic harder than steel, doesn't that just shift any potential wear from the lockbar to the blade tang? I've not seen any significant wear in the lockbars on my 21 users despite 4-figure open/closing cycles. I don't really get the angling of the clip either, as it was never an issue for me resting fully on the lockbar.

Still, I like to see CRK continuing to improve and refine their knives, much as the 25 morphed into the Inkosi to further that design and separate it from the Sebenza. The 31 is a welcome addition indeed.
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ChazzyP said:
What I meant by not "getting" it had more to do with questions (2nd sentence in my paragraph) concerning the two different lockbar types and relative wear patterns. I hadn't really thought it through, so this morning did a bit of reading as well as getting out my 3 21s to compare wear patterns to those on my 25, 'Zaan, and Inkosi.

Reading helped remind me that the strength and stability of a frame (or liner) lock is dependent on the spacing within the triangle formed by the pivot, stop pin, and lockramp/lockface interface. If the knife is properly designed, as of course CRKs are, that spacing along with other factors makes for a locked blade that will not roll (rock). If that spacing changes significantly over time due to wear, then the tendency toward blade roll can increase.

Looking at the wear patterns on my 21s, then on my ceramic ball knives after wiping them clean, I can see the wear on the LRs has progressed along its breadth changing the spacing within the locking triangle. On the ceramic ball knives, that wear has progressed at a right angle to the aforementioned and has not discernibly moved in the other, keeping the distance amongst the points of the locking triangle observably unchanged. Also, while some material must have been removed from the LR by the ceramic balls of my three knives, I certainly can't feel any groove running an object similar to a toothpick over it.

In short, the ceramic ball makes the point of LB/LR contact predictable given its specific location both initially and as the knife's action wears in. I never did think that CRK, whose design engineering is excellent, would adopt such a significant change without careful consideration or would continue to use that design and include it in new models if it didn't prove out. Personally, I don't tend to think of things in terms of warranty, but your point concerning that is well taken. As always, thoughtful commentary by BF members can lead one toward better understanding. :)
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The reason ceramic is used in ball bearings is because it’s hard, makes perfectly round balls, without being abrasive. It’s less likely to erode the blade tang than a steel lockbar. As long as the geometry is right (and I’d expect it to be given CRK’s reputation), the ceramic ball smoothly slides along the tang until it physically binds, and then disengages without lock stick.
 
Wanted to share a few initial thoughts now that I’ve disassembled, cleaned, and lubed the Sebenza 31, for anyone who’s interested. Therom Therom @cbr1000

First and foremost, I really like the action on it. I didn’t realize how much I’d gotten used to that “double-click” on the 21 until I didn’t feel it on the 31. It reminds me of the smoothness of the Inkosi, with no pre-lockup detent ‘hitch.’ Seriously smooth, from closed all the way through to fully open.

Also, the lanyard relief is very subtle, but a nice touch. I took a pic with one of the TTTis TTTis backspacers on it so that the relief notch could be seen better.




I’m a fan of the canted placement of the pocket clip. Never had a problem with the 21 clip, but I think it’s an improvement nonetheless.

Lockup on mine is just where it should be. The chamfered edge of the lock bar lines up with the inside edge of the scale and there’s no lock stick at all.

Hope this helps anyone who was wondering about the 31. All in all, the differences are subtle in the PJ version. I can see myself putting this one into the EDC rotation for sure!
 
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Lady1911 said:
Wanted to share a few initial thoughts now that I’ve disassembled, cleaned, and lubed the Sebenza 31, for anyone who’s interested. Therom Therom @cbr1000

First and foremost, I really like the action on it. I didn’t realize how much I’d gotten used to that “double-click” on the 21 until I didn’t feel it on the 31. It reminds me of the smoothness of the Inkosi, with no pre-lockup detent ‘hitch.’ Seriously smooth, from closed all the way through to fully open.

Also, the lanyard relief is very subtle, but a nice touch. I took a pic with one of the TTTis TTTis backspacers on it so that the relief notch could be seen better.




I’m a fan of the canted placement of the pocket clip. Never had a problem with the 21 clip, but I think it’s an improvement nonetheless.

Lockup on mine is just where it should be. The chamfered edge of the lock bar lines up with the inside edge of the scale and there’s no lock stick at all.

Hope this helps anyone who was wondering about the 31. All in all, the differences are subtle in the PJ version. I can see myself putting this one into the EDC rotation for sure!
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Is yours a large or small? I’m wondering if the various knives that use the ceramic lock interface use different size balls (because of the varying thickness of scale/lockbar material) and how that effects things.
 
archieblue said:
Is yours a large or small? I’m wondering if the various knives that use the ceramic lock interface use different size balls (because of the varying thickness of scale/lockbar material) and how that effects things.
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Mine is a Small. I’d imagine the ceramic ball would be sized up a tad in proportion to the large blade/lock bar interface. (Only my opinion, I have no evidence of this.)

Murphjd25 said:
Looks great Lady! I’d still love to see some more of these in the wild!! Who else has one? :D
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Thanks, Murph! I agree.

353 said:
So the backspacers fit on the 31 as well?
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The titanium backpackers made by TTTis TTTis do fit the drop point 31 perfectly. Any inconsistencies in the pic I posted are due to my shoddy cell phone camera skills and not in the backspacer itself. ;) Dimensions are the same as the 21.
 
Does anyone know if the lanyard pin will fall out of the 31 as it does on the 21 when you remove the lanyard?
 
gastonian said:
Does anyone know if the lanyard pin will fall out of the 31 as it does on the 21 when you remove the lanyard?
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I can’t say on the 31 for sure, but recent 21s I’ve received have had the lanyard pin fixed so it doesn’t fall out anymore, like on the small 21s. I suspect that’s what the 31 will have as well.
 
halden.doerge said:
I can’t say on the 31 for sure, but recent 21s I’ve received have had the lanyard pin fixed so it doesn’t fall out anymore, like on the small 21s. I suspect that’s what the 31 will have as well.
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Wow, I had no idea they made that change. Makes me more excited about the new 31!:thumbsup:
 
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