I have wanted a CRK for years. Ordered my 31 yesterday, will be here tomorrow. Fingers crossed I don't have any issues. If I do, I will likely return it, 2-8 weeks time frame for repair is a long time for a brand new ($500+) knife. I had found this thread before, hemmed and hawed over it and decided to pull the trigger. The retailer I used is very good about CS in my experience and has a good return policy but hopefully I don't need it. Seems like it is a crap shoot. Seems weird they wouldn't make more significant changes to the lock bar to accommodate the ceramic ball. I don't expect a $500 knife to be perfect by any means, it isn't a custom that costs several thousand dollars but if I get one with bad rock, I will have to send it back. I don't care how long I have wanted a Sebenza, if they aren't up to the quality of the few others I have ran into over the years, I will send it back.
Sebenza 31 Lock Rock?!
- Thread starter HikingIsLife
- Start date
It's every bit as solid as I remember the one that I first handled 15 years ago that was owned by a friend of my father's on a camping trip. I cannot get the blade to move at all when it's open. Even when it's not in the locked position, there's no lateral movement on mine. It feels every bit of solid and precise as I remember and as one would expect based on the reputation. I considered buying a sebenza 21 as I just wasn't sure about the changes. When I got the knife, the ceramic ball really locked into the detent hole. After opening and closing it without quite getting to the lock-up position a bit to speed up "break in" it's now openable with one hand. From trying to do so before I did that, the tip of my thumb is abraded like I touched a belt sander haha. I have no doubt that it's going to get even better as the parts self-clearance. I like it so much that I'm already keeping my eye out for a small sebenza to carry on days where I need something a little smaller and less intimidating to non knife folks.
Long story short: the revisions they were supposed to have made to the ball/lock are perfect on my knife.
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- Mar 24, 2021
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Glad to hear. I have this on the way:
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I'm happy to report that I received my small PJ 31 back just now. The thumbstud, which was an obvious fix is good to go. The lock rock that is an issue with an abnormal amount of these knives and that some goofy fan boys want to convince you isn't an issue but really is has also been fixed to my satisfaction. Well done CRK! It was not an ideal experience but it was fixed to the standard that I personally have come to expect. The knife is great now and that's all I can ask for.
I've got one of the last small s35vn Sebenzas in natural micarta w/ double lugs coming later this week. Anticipation is high on this one because I received the one I purchased about a week and a half ago (birthday of 15 March '21) and it had some vertical blade play in hand. I wasn't sure if it was normal (first CRK) but purchased a small Inkosingo shortly thereafter, and the Inkosi needed 3x the force to get 1/3 the movement, which was practically imperceptible and therefore not an issue. The retailer has been good about sending a replacement; fingers are crossed that I won't have one with just as much, or worse, vertical blade play.
At least I've got my Inkosi to keep me from jonesin' too hard.
At least I've got my Inkosi to keep me from jonesin' too hard.
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- Mar 24, 2021
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I just bought a large Sebenza 31 (with Macassar Ebony inlays), and it is solid as a rock. No movement at all. I do see more movement in my small Sebenza 31s.
Welp, my small Sebenza 31 with enough vertical blade play in-hand to make a distinct click is on its way back to me from the retailer, who has told me the knife is within factory spec as evidenced by the other small Sebenzas they have in stock. I guess I'll either have to learn to not care, or ship it back to Idaho and go without it for a month or more only to risk it coming back to me without any improvement. It just seems odd that the small Inkosi is solid as a rock compared to the Sebenza...
Birthdate? I am debating trying out a small 31, but I have to admit I’m kinda nervous and don’t want to deal with the headache of receiving a dud.
Truth be told--and I'm aware of how idiotic this may sound--I'll probably be playing right alongside you for a second small 31.
ElementalBreakdown
Gold Member
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- Jul 14, 2020
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Sometimes we get wrapped up in wanting to be "right" about something unequivocally, and don't allow for the possibility that there's no simple right or wrong.
Everyone is "right" here. The knives do have some flex. The manufacturer acknowledges this and says it's part of the design. Some people don't like that flex, and they have a right to prefer whatever they want.
The main point is that this is not causing injuries or failures.
Whether or not you are bothered by this is your own business, and we're all entitled to vote with our wallets.
On the upside is that if you buy one to see for yourself, you can rest assured knowing you can sell it for minimal loss and if you hang on to it, maybe even for a profit. Out of all the sales forums, the Chris Reeves forum seems to be the one where knives sell fastest. Sure, there are other forums where knives go as fast, but generally speaking other forums may equal but not exceed it.
Nothing wrong with discussing this. People should be aware when they are paying the same amount as they would for a decent firearm.
If you don't want to talk about it then don't join the conversation.
Everyone is "right" here. The knives do have some flex. The manufacturer acknowledges this and says it's part of the design. Some people don't like that flex, and they have a right to prefer whatever they want.
The main point is that this is not causing injuries or failures.
Whether or not you are bothered by this is your own business, and we're all entitled to vote with our wallets.
On the upside is that if you buy one to see for yourself, you can rest assured knowing you can sell it for minimal loss and if you hang on to it, maybe even for a profit. Out of all the sales forums, the Chris Reeves forum seems to be the one where knives sell fastest. Sure, there are other forums where knives go as fast, but generally speaking other forums may equal but not exceed it.
Nothing wrong with discussing this. People should be aware when they are paying the same amount as they would for a decent firearm.
If you don't want to talk about it then don't join the conversation.
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- May 29, 2004
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- 22,715
No, the main point is that some knives had an unacceptable amount of flex along with side play and the requirement of Loctite. That demonstrates inconsistencies that have never been an issue with CRK manufacturing before, and they even changed the design to somewhat address these inconsistencies. There was a problem, it was not just in the user's head.
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"Acceptable/Unacceptable" is not a binary state with a simple objective metric.
CRK has some way of deciding what to send out, and some users disagree with their judgement in some cases. Elemental's point is not that there's no play, just that the amount of play is obviously within the QC spec, and doesn't represent a "broken" knife.
There was always a certain tolerance in CRK's spec even if it was smaller than other manufacturers. (Note that it would take a pretty severe problem to cause a malfunction in a standard framelock due to machining tolerances.) The new lock simply makes the extreme end of that tolerance easier to spot.
Fortunately, there are still plenty of 21s to be had.
ElementalBreakdown
Gold Member
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Also, let's not forget that we are here to have these conversations, and anyone taking the time to read page 30-something of this thread deserves our respect as a fellow knife afficianado.
No one needs to be "right" at the expense of squashing your fellow enthusiasts' opinions.
By all means, be passionate about it, but be open minded. I get that when you drop the money on the equivalent of a "Rolex" in the knife world, you expect perfection but in the immortal words of Bender, "The world's an imperfect place..."
No one needs to be "right" at the expense of squashing your fellow enthusiasts' opinions.
By all means, be passionate about it, but be open minded. I get that when you drop the money on the equivalent of a "Rolex" in the knife world, you expect perfection but in the immortal words of Bender, "The world's an imperfect place..."