Chris Reeve Knives has changed the way they handle double stud knives with respect to lockbar milling. The milling is present on the current model inkosi, as well as older Sebenza styles such as the Regular, Classic and Umfaan, however it is not on the current model 21s.
This milling makes it significantly easier to open the knife with your weak hand as even the smallest amount of milling off material from the lockbar results in being able to get greater leverage on the thumbstud.
My collection is modest compared to some so I can only include the knives I currently own.
The knives I will be comparing, from left to right are:
Original ATS34 Sebenza, with clip (pre-Regular) that has been modified by Tom Mayo
BG42 Regular Large Sebenza with factory double studs
BG42 Regular Small Sebenza with factory single stud
BG42 Umfaan
S30V Classic Sebenza with factory double studs
S30V Pre-Idaho Marked Sebenza 21 Large with double studs
S30V Pre-Idaho Marked Sebenza 21 Small with double studs
I took some close up pictures of the lockbar milling (or lack thereof), this time from top to bottom, in same order as previously left to right.
The Original Sebenza was modified by Tom Mayo to have that extra deep milling on the lockbar. I do not know if any P or Original Sebenzas had double studs, and the extra milling is a feature on double-stud knives. Mr. Mayo added his own custom double stud, and added the milling as shown. This milling is the most pronounced of all and makes opening left handed a breeze. All factory Sebenzas should match this exact milling IMHO.
Below that is the Large Regular. Notice the milling is more symmetrical than Mayos, likely because Mayo probably does his milling by hand, not a CNC. The milling on this Regular is really good and it makes opening left-handed a real breeze.
For comparison is the standard small regular with no milling. This knife came from factory as single stud so the lockbar came standard.
Fourth in this picture is the umfaan, which comes with double studs and has a small amount of milling, which seems just right and proportional for a knife this size.
Below is the same four knives as above but at a different angle to better see the milling.
Up next is our last three knives:
The Classic model seems to retain some milling, but it's very minute compared to the Regular. It seems as though Chris Reeve wanted to pare back on the milling in this design change to keep the classic line shape of the original.
The bottom two are both 21s, and have zero milling. It's much harder to open these knives with your left thumb only. I tend to open these left handed using both my thumb on the stud and my left index finger on the other side stud and pinching the blade open. It works, but is not easy nor fun. I feel like this was a huge step back in the design.
Perhaps Chris Reeve realized this and in the Inkosi model, returned this milling feature.
A second picture of the last three knives, from an alternate angle:
I strongly considering having a knifemaker "pimp" my double stud 21s to add extra milling, but it will void the warranty and make CRK no longer ever spa blast it for me. Instead, I plan to sell the 21s and look for double stud Regular models to replace with. The cost will likely be double, but nothing about knife collecting is cheap
This milling makes it significantly easier to open the knife with your weak hand as even the smallest amount of milling off material from the lockbar results in being able to get greater leverage on the thumbstud.
My collection is modest compared to some so I can only include the knives I currently own.
The knives I will be comparing, from left to right are:
Original ATS34 Sebenza, with clip (pre-Regular) that has been modified by Tom Mayo
BG42 Regular Large Sebenza with factory double studs
BG42 Regular Small Sebenza with factory single stud
BG42 Umfaan
S30V Classic Sebenza with factory double studs
S30V Pre-Idaho Marked Sebenza 21 Large with double studs
S30V Pre-Idaho Marked Sebenza 21 Small with double studs
I took some close up pictures of the lockbar milling (or lack thereof), this time from top to bottom, in same order as previously left to right.
The Original Sebenza was modified by Tom Mayo to have that extra deep milling on the lockbar. I do not know if any P or Original Sebenzas had double studs, and the extra milling is a feature on double-stud knives. Mr. Mayo added his own custom double stud, and added the milling as shown. This milling is the most pronounced of all and makes opening left handed a breeze. All factory Sebenzas should match this exact milling IMHO.
Below that is the Large Regular. Notice the milling is more symmetrical than Mayos, likely because Mayo probably does his milling by hand, not a CNC. The milling on this Regular is really good and it makes opening left-handed a real breeze.
For comparison is the standard small regular with no milling. This knife came from factory as single stud so the lockbar came standard.
Fourth in this picture is the umfaan, which comes with double studs and has a small amount of milling, which seems just right and proportional for a knife this size.
Below is the same four knives as above but at a different angle to better see the milling.
Up next is our last three knives:
The Classic model seems to retain some milling, but it's very minute compared to the Regular. It seems as though Chris Reeve wanted to pare back on the milling in this design change to keep the classic line shape of the original.
The bottom two are both 21s, and have zero milling. It's much harder to open these knives with your left thumb only. I tend to open these left handed using both my thumb on the stud and my left index finger on the other side stud and pinching the blade open. It works, but is not easy nor fun. I feel like this was a huge step back in the design.
Perhaps Chris Reeve realized this and in the Inkosi model, returned this milling feature.
A second picture of the last three knives, from an alternate angle:
I strongly considering having a knifemaker "pimp" my double stud 21s to add extra milling, but it will void the warranty and make CRK no longer ever spa blast it for me. Instead, I plan to sell the 21s and look for double stud Regular models to replace with. The cost will likely be double, but nothing about knife collecting is cheap
