Photos Added to the Family...Also My wallet hurts!

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Jun 4, 2004
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Nothing new or earth shattering here, but here are my initial thoughts on 2 new CRK's...

First, a brief backstory. Got my first Sebenza in 2002, a Large cocobola inlay with BG-42. Traded it away for my first Busse and immediately regretted it (not the Busse, just the not having a Sebenza). 2003 or 2004 I got a Large Desert Ironwood in s30V and it has been with me daily since.


At Blade Show 2004, I fondled a Large annual in some sort of Burl and immediately fell in love...for $400 bucks!!! But alas, I thought that money should go toward an obsession that goes bang, so I passed on it. I have regretted it since. As my knife collection grew and diversified and approached a couple hundred knives, I lost interest, and aside from the occasional gift or impulse buy, I stopped accumulating knives.

Completely out of the CRK loop, I stumbled across the new 31 with inlays, and it reminded me of that large annual from years ago. I wanted one. Then I noticed a new model called the Inkosi. I wanted one. Not sure what happened next...some sort of blackout or temporary insanity I suppose, but they both arrived in the mail truck yesterday.



Large 31 with Box Elder Burl from TNK, and Large Inkosi with Natural
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Micarta from the exchange.

http://imgur.com/Tqa6u06
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I immediately removed the pocket clip from the 31 and ergonomics improved tremendously. It will be carried in the pocket sheath, so no worries there.

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First Impressions:
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Seeing some of the recent threads on blade wobble, I was nervous as heck. I was super stoked when both blades locked up vault tight just like my classic MM. Not the slightest hint of movement.

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The blade detent while opening on the 31 was stiffer than I have experienced, but nothing major. Both blades were dead center when closed.
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F&F was up to CRK's standards on both. The 31 felt noticeably lighter in hand than my Classic and certainly the Inkosi. The scale didn't quite agree with that out this morning.

Inkosi:
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ClassicMM:
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31:
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Subjective Impressions:

31:
The 31 does not "feel" as refined or as sleek as my Classic. That could certainly be 15 or so years of daily handling, but it just seemed a bit rougher around the edges and around the inlay.

Does the 31 have a Pivot Bushing? I haven't taken it apart yet, but noticed the pivot screw set up is different. Regardless, it is a superb knife that came out of the box hair-poppin' sharp. I had forgotten what it was like to walk around with bald patches on my arms.

The Box Elder is gorgeous, and the lanyard placement will take some getting used to.

Inkosi:
The action on the Inkosi is every bit as smooth as my 31. I like the double thumb lugs and the finger grooves. I was hoping the natural micarta would be a touch lighter, instead it lloks very similar to the ironwood inlays of my Classic.

I am not sure what the point of the Inkosi is? To me, it is a Sebenza. Sure it is a tad beefier with a few differences, but for example, if you buy a Jeep Wrangler, you can buy a sport, sahara, or rubicon. Slightly different options and packages, but still very much a Wrangler.
I don't know, maybe I am just out of the loop on the whole Sebenza and Inkosi history, but to this layperson they seem like the same knife. Now give the Inkosi a 4 inch blade lengthen and widen the handle a bit...like an XL Sebenza...that would be worth a new name!

Anyway, still like the knife. I haven't decided if this will be a pocket clip or ouch carry. Usually my Classic rides in the pouch in my left pocket while an auto or strider rides clipped to my right. I could see the Inkosi working it's way into the right pocket rotation, while the 31 will certainly give the old Classic MM some much deserved time off.

Overall, I am very happy with both tools. I need some suggestions on what type of lanyard/fob would go well with the Box elder Burl, but other than that, I am ready to put these beauties through their paces!

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Oh, and just for fun, a new CRK pouch vs. one that has put in a good 15 years of use. LOL!

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..........

At Blade Show 2004, I fondled a Large annual in some sort of Burl and immediately fell in love...for $400 bucks!!! But alas, I thought that money should go toward an obsession that goes bang, so I passed on it. ............................

I saw your post on facebook and got curious. By any chance, was this the Annual you passed on?

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I saw your post on facebook and got curious. By any chance, was this the Annual you passed on?

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It very well could be. What is the wood. For some reason buckeye burl seems familiar for the one I looked at.

BTW, are all the pics showing up in my op? Looked good on the laptop, but only see 2 of them on my phone. Picture posting shouldn't be this hard!
 
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It very well could be. What is the wood. For some reason buckeye burl seems familiar for the one I looked at.

BTW, are all the pics showing up in my op? Looked good on the laptop, but only see 2 of them on my phone. Picture posting shouldn't be this hard!

I see 8 pics in your post..

That one is Buckeye Burl. I know CRK used a lot of different woods that year, most of which weren't burl. I just got curious, because the one in the pic is pretty distinctive, thought you might remember seeing the owl face near the pivot if that was it.
 
I see 8 pics in your post..

That one is Buckeye Burl. I know CRK used a lot of different woods that year, most of which weren't burl. I just got curious, because the one in the pic is pretty distinctive, thought you might remember seeing the owl face near the pivot if that was it.

Wouldn't it be something if that was THE ONE? Are you the original owner? If not it would be interesting to know the provenance. BTW, if you ever need to get rid of it, let me know...i still got 2 kidneys...I can get by with selling one:D
 
Wouldn't it be something if that was THE ONE? Are you the original owner? If not it would be interesting to know the provenance. BTW, if you ever need to get rid of it, let me know...i still got 2 kidneys...I can get by with selling one:D

I'm not the original owner, not was the person I got it from. Before that, I don't know it's history. I got it in either 2012, or early 2013. I post pics of it from time to time, it's really cool and recognizable with that owl face. I've had other Annuals where there was 2 front pieces cut from the same block of wood, making them twins. I've watched for another like mine, but none have ever surfaced.

Kidneys are overrated. ;)
 
So its been a couple of weeks of carrying both the 31 and the Inkosi daily. The 31 stays in the pouch and i used for mostly mundane cutting tasks. The Inkosi rides clipped and is used for any cutting chore more heavy duty than cutting string or opening boxes. The inkosi has been used to: cut a rubber garden hose, break down boxes, cut speaker and lamp wire as well as strip both, slice up some foam board, etc.

It has been nice to be able to use and compare both knives daily. As far as my initial thoughts...let me start by saying that there is nothing that I have done with the Inkosi that the 31 could not have done. I have just decided that with the gorgeous inlays, I will go a little easier on it. I haven't babied the Inkosi at all.

The 31 feels more comfortable to me, which is a surprise because I really dig the finger choils on the Inkosi. Maybe it is because I removed the clip on the 31, maybe it is the large, one piece inlay, but it just feels like it fills my hand more comfortably than the Inkosi.

I still don't understand the whole point of the Inkosi...a large Sebbie with a few different options? I like the micarta inlay on the inkosi. It feels like it provides a more secure grip along with the finger grooves. It doesn't feel, to me at least, that the Inkosi is any "beefier" than the 31...both knives are rock solid and I have not experienced any blade play in any direction.

If I had to choose just one between the two, the 31 edges the Inkosi. In fact, the 31 is gaining ground on my classic!
 
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