Would you rather have 4 really decent knives or one excellent knife?

Joined
Mar 8, 2015
Messages
313
I'm pretty new to spending real money on knives. I like to own usable, reliable, quality knives, and I like to carry them and use them for kitchen, utility, and camping--and to feel prepared for various unlikely scenarios. I've been buying and trading for about a year and have settled on a few knives I think are pretty decent, which I rotate for EDC: BM 940, Spyderco PM2, ZT 0566 and ZT 0801. Its been suggested to me that I would be better off selling them all and investing in a Sebenza...just one really good knife to carry everyday and love. Any of you ever make that decision? Did you regret it?
Thanks
Sam
 
I don't think you would be better off selling all of those knives for a Sebenza. Your current selection offers you an interesting variety of steels, materials, actions and designs.

Personally my pattern is and always has been liquidating three or four knives at a time to get something I really want. The size of my collection has thus steadily diminished but the quality & rarity of the pieces in it has steadily risen. It's actually possible that in the next month I might have the chance to purchase a folder that I originally deemed completely impossible to find, upon which all my knives will be sold and I will probably cease to purchase & sell knives.
 
Personally I Would prefer to have 4 quality knives over 1 really good one. I carry different knives depending on what I'm doing and what I'm wearing. Weekend when I'm in the woods vs during the week at work for example. Plus I don't think I would want to limit my choices. One is no fun.
 
It's hard to beat a Sebenza, but you can buy a barely-used large or small Sebbie for $325 here just about every day. I'd probably keep the PM2; sell the others and try out the Sebbie. You'll never rest until you try one.
 
One excellent knife, a custom shop buck 112 which I am STILL waiting for ;)
I know it'll last a lifetime!
 
Four decent knives. Your four knives have more interesting features, varied blade shapes, and steel choices than the relatively bland Sebenza. Is the Sebenza really worth eliminating all your EDC options?
 
As a CRK lover and owner of 3 sebenzas, I honestly think newer blade enthusiasts should go for the four decent knives first. If you're new to the higher end stuff, you won't get the same awe factor out of a sebenza as someone who's been sifting through the benchmades spydies and ZTs for years searching for the perfect knife. I only recently got my first sebenza (early December lest year) and even I wasn't blown away upon first seeing it. I knew all of the awesome features and whatnot, but it took a good few days of carry and use to start warming up to it. A less experienced enthusiast like yourself might be severely disappointed and be turned off to the sebenza forever if they get one too soon.

There's also the value factor. If you're looking for pure utility, there's very little the seb can do that a 100 spydie can't. And the new ZTs are a pretty damn good value in terms of performance, materials, aesthetics, and fit and finish. Either brands best offerings will give most knife people more than enough satisfaction, and do it at half the cost.
The sebenza is really only for those that want to go above and beyond in terms of tolerences and perfection, but most of that perfection is not able to be appreciated by someone without a good deal of prior experience in the higher end production folder market.

So in short, if I were in your position I would go for the handful of decent knives over the sebenza.

However, at this point in my "knife journey", I would take the seb any day over a bunch of decent knives. The cf inlayed one in my avatar to be exact;)

You kinda have to work your way up in this game.
 
I'm a knife knut. So obviously I want all 5.

But, there's only so much money I am willing to spend on a knife. I use knives as tools and bad things do happen to them occasionally. They get lost. They get used hard. So I'm usually more likely to buy a "good" knife than a really expensive "excellent" knife.
 
Four decent knives. Your four knives have more interesting features, varied blade shapes, and steel choices than the relatively bland Sebenza. Is the Sebenza really worth eliminating all your EDC options?

Another great point:thumbup:

The last thing a new enthusiast should be doing is limiting their options. Buying more knives will allow you to decide what you actually like in a knife and help you ultimately find the best knife for you. I went through a bunch of different types before discovering what I actually liked and what worked best for my uses. It's all part of the process

Although, I'd hardly call sebenzas "bland";)

image_zpsxff1p7yw.jpg


image.jpg3_zpshxdcsh5w.jpg


image_zpsbcengrqn.jpg
 
I would rather buy one DDR than 4 Sebenzas.
 
As a CRK lover and owner of 3 sebenzas, I honestly think newer blade enthusiasts should go for the four decent knives first. If you're new to the higher end stuff, you won't get the same awe factor out of a sebenza as someone who's been sifting through the benchmades spydies and ZTs for years searching for the perfect knife. I only recently got my first sebenza (early December lest year) and even I wasn't blown away upon first seeing it. I knew all of the awesome features and whatnot, but it took a good few days of carry and use to start warming up to it. A less experienced enthusiast like yourself might be severely disappointed and be turned off to the sebenza forever if they get one too soon.

There's also the value factor. If you're looking for pure utility, there's very little the seb can do that a 100 spydie can't. And the new ZTs are a pretty damn good value in terms of performance, materials, aesthetics, and fit and finish. Either brands best offerings will give most knife people more than enough satisfaction, and do it at half the cost.
The sebenza is really only for those that want to go above and beyond in terms of tolerences and perfection, but most of that perfection is not able to be appreciated by someone without a good deal of prior experience in the higher end production folder market.

So in short, if I were in your position I would go for the handful of decent knives over the sebenza.

However, at this point in my "knife journey", I would take the seb any day over a bunch of decent knives. The cf inlayed one in my avatar to be exact;)

You kinda have to work your way up in this game.

That's the first time I've heard the argument that Sebenzas are so good, they might actually disappoint a user on account of how good they are.
 
That's the first time I've heard the argument that Sebenzas are so good, they might actually disappoint a user on account of how good they are.

Thats not what I said at all. I said that newer enthusiasts likely won't be able to appreciate the extra bits of awesomeness that give the sebenza it's premium price, so they're better off getting knives like ZTs and spydies which have a clearer connection between the prices and the end products.

Sebenzas aren't going to represent a good value to someone who doesn't appreciate the finer points. They will APPEAR bland and overpriced to anyone who doesn't know or care about the extra perfection and tighter tolerences, thus causing disappointment.
 
Last edited:
Thats not what I said at all. I said that newer enthusiasts likely won't be able to appreciate the extra bits of awesomeness that give the sebenza it's premium price, so they're better off getting knives like ZTs and spydies which have a clearer connection between the prices and the end products.

Sebenzas aren't going to represent a good value to someone who doesn't appreciate the finer points.

Thanks for clearing that up. I guess the poor, inexperienced OP just isn't ready to join the upper echelons of knife appreciators yet. Wouldn't want those sublime tolerances, fit and finish to go unappreciated, now would we. Especially since said tolerances, fit and finish are indeed miles beyond that of ZT and Spyderco.

Krissig12 said:
They will APPEAR bland and overpriced to anyone who doesn't know or care about the extra perfection and tighter tolerences, thus causing disappointment.

Why, you're absolutely right. It would be a shame for the extra perfection and tighter tolerances to be wasted on an ignorant, indifferent knife owner. Their disappointment would just be a reflection on how ignorant and indifferent they are.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for clearing that up. I guess the poor, inexperienced OP just isn't ready to join the upper echelons of knife appreciators yet. Wouldn't want those sublime tolerances, fit and finish to go unappreciated, now would we. Especially since said tolerances, fit and finish are indeed miles that of ZT and Spyderco.

Yikes.......relax man.

Dude asked for advice, I gave my opinion. He can do whatever the hell he wants to do with his money. I just wouldn't want to see another thread next week with the title "sebenza, what's the big deal?" and an disappointed OP who just sold his collection to fund a sebenza:rolleyes:
 
Why, you're absolutely right. It would be a shame for the extra perfection and tighter tolerances to be wasted on an ignorant, indifferent knife owner. Their disappointment would just be a reflection on how ignorant and indifferent they are.

I'm not calling OP ignorant or indifferent, you're just putting words in my mouth. I'm going off of his post, which explicitly states that he is new to the higher end collecting game. With that I mind, I offered my opinion that he shouldn't sell his collection for a sebenza, and that the "decent" ZTs, benchmades, and Spydercos would represent a better value to pretty much anyone except those looking for the ultimate in tolerences and fit and finish.

Simple as that.

Do YOU have anything constructive to offer?
 
I've been keeping, using, and collecting knives for nearly 40 yrs. I've still got knives that cost $15...and knives that cost nearly $800. I know that some people have even more expensive knives; and I'll admit to a bit of awe over some of them. That said, I have never had any desire for a sebenza. I've seen them, handled them, and used them; and never gave a second thought when I returned them to their owners. Some people love them, some people never get bitten by the bug. If you have to ask if you should get rid of your four to get a sebenza (or anything else) - you shouldn't.
 
When I first started collecting knives, I had fun with the many different brands, blade shapes and materials that are offered. After a sizeable collection of different knives, I EDC a Sebenza and Strider most every day. The Sebenza does the work of my daily chores. Everyone needs to experience a CRK to determine if it for them. For some like me, it the best all around knife I own.
Have fun in collecting and trying different knives, keep the hunt going and you'll come to find that one nice knife that won't bore you and serve you for a long, long time without any issues.
For me, it is the Sebenza.
 
Back
Top