I gotta be honest, I love the 31 over the 21, and I have both, amongst other crk's. I think it's the ceramic detent/lock interface, which has been on the inkosi, and ummnanzaan since their inception. I know a carburated lock bar is tried and true, but it can flake off. I've had that happen with my 21, and had to send it in to be re done. I don't have a problem with the lock rock on my 31, unless I really reef on it. overall, I find the 31 to be and upgrade, imo. love your videos. just subscribed.
This is absolutely spot on. I bought my left handed small Sebenza 21 about 10 years ago. It's also got double silver lugs and is even more plain Jane than usual as was it was made just before they started to engrave Idaho made on the frame. It is as you say perfect.
Huh, I never would have thought about that! Very interesting, I do agree that I wish I could have the clean version without the inlays because I love the look of scratches and wear on the handle. Your 21 looks so cool all beat up! I think you’re onto something for sure. I wonder how common it is for flaws to be found only in the micarta version and if that’s because CRK are trying to meet customer demands and pump them out faster causing the QC to not be as great!
My plain Jane 31 is that perfection you describe in the 21. It's rock solid, zero blade play, detent is great, the lockup is sturdy and makes a wonderful engagement sound. Silver thumb stud is so much cleaner than the blue, IMO. I prefer the RGT pocket clips and think even the plain tumbled Ti RGT clip makes the knife that much cleaner. I do absolutely hate the pointy thumbstuds and will remedy that issue.
Thank you for your philosophizations. I found your in-depth analysis very insightful. I opted for a Plain Jane Sebenza 31 with the boomerang Damascus blade, and it gives me the fizz every time I open it up. I use it too.
Great video. Interesting take. I got a small 31 micarta right when they were 1st released in early 2020 and it had the lock flex. It has since been sold. About 6 months ago, I got a Large 31 Plain Insingo with magnacut. Knife is perfect with no lock flex. Chris Reeve was the master. I think Tim Reeve is still learning to become the master.
You nailed it. I couldn’t have agree with you more! I also love your take on the Spartan Blades, I have three now thanks to your (rank) blog. Pls continue to post videos!!!
When I got my large 31, s45vn, macassar ebony inlay, I was expecting blade play after reading about that issue. Maybe I'm just lucky, but mine is solid. I've actually never had any problems with any of my crk's. My first was purchased from a youtuber, forgot his name, large 21 with unique graphics, tiger's eye inlay, in like new condition. Impressed me so much I bought an umnumzaan, and a large inkosi with natural micarta inlays and tanto blade. Tbh, the inkosi is my favorite. For me the ergos are the best.
I can’t believe a knife as expensive as a Sebenza would have blade play and a faulty clip! Guess there’s a reason I’ve stuck with $200-300. Zt ProTec Benchmade etc.
I had quite a few ZT's, ti framelocks, that would fail from a very light spine tap, nowhere near a whack. To ZT's credit, I sent them in and they fixed all of them.
My sebenza 31 has no lock rock or side to side blade play and my pocket clip is perfect in every way. Is it the best knife, well that depends on what you value in a knife. To me it's dam close to perfect for my uses.
Of all the CRKs I own, (11) the 31 Ebony inlay in Magnacut is my favorite. Even more so than my Zaan or the 2 21’s I have. It’s just absolute perfection. That’s what makes the knife community so great though, everybody has different preferences!
I've owned a large sebenza for a few years, I prefer it because it fits my hand better ergonomically. It is 35 steel and sharpened 16.5 per side. Unless you have owned a CRK it is difficult to describe how superb the action feels, oily is the closest I can come to. It is just different than anything else I own. The one knife I will never sell.
I’m really surprised that you’ve spent so much of this video talking about the micarta inlay. My take has always been that the micarta is a functional enhancement (not a style thing) because it gives better grip when wet, and a little insulation if it’s cold out. As long as it works it looks how it looks (to me it looks like a canoe).
It’s wild to read shit like this because I just received my inkosi a month ago, and I’ve been nothing but impressed with. I don’t like it as much as I like my Hinderer XM-18 3.5s. But it’s still a massively impressive addition to my collection.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, I absolutely agree. Besides the high prices and quality issues I really miss Innovation at CR products. I'm Not convinced that a very hard ceramic element in the locking mechanism, digging it's was into the blade was a stroke of genius.
Don’t mind the inlay design so much but one thing that still bugs me is how the gap between the inlay and the screw heads are all different. Don’t ask me why it bothers me but if I designed it they’d all be the same.
Hey Erika, Not that you need to care, but I totally agree with your analysis of the Chris Reeve knives. I've owned a number of Reeve Knives, beginning with the serial-numbered SF knife. I've always felt that the simple, titanium-sided, folders are preferable to the ones with the tricked up sides and inlays. I'm not as precise and experienced as you, so I've not perceived the quality differences between the 21 and 31 Sebenzas (I have both). I sold the large versions, and still have the small versions. At the moment, I'm in a transition/experimentation stage. I now also have several Spartan knives, and I'm now carrying the Spartan folder. I'm "happy" with the Spartan, but still undecided about whether I'll eventually prefer the Spartan or the Reeve folder. We'll see! (Comment: The Spartan isn't as "clean" looking as the Sebenza (it looks a bit too "busy/fancy"). I also like that my Sebenza (at least from the vintage I have) came with a half-serrated blade. It seems that neither Spartan or Reeve currently offers the serrations. That's sad! Few of us ever plan to stick anyone with a folding knife, but cutting things benefits from the serrations.)
Such nerd talk BUT you nailed it. Exactly right. I started with an inlay 31 Large. I still craved that original look, then got a double stud PJ 31 large. Love it. It was the one I subconsciously wanted all along Now I’m gifting my inlayed 31 to a coworker for their 60th bday Little unrelated question, the glass blasted inlay model does seem to run smoother than the bead blasted/rougher finish PJ, anyone notice a difference in action between the glass blast and bead blast?
Love the real deal stuff with your channel! -- currently zero vertical play on my large 31 ... it was there when brand new (maybe if pushed down far harder than is reasonable against the lock), but after "using my shit ;) " it's competely gone. My small 31 took longer to break in past the vertical play, but it's gone too ... I guess the greater the snail trails, the less the play :)
True story erica, bought an inlay, loved it, find myself more hip and happening than people using a plain Jane.. looked at it, to complex, sold it with profit bought a plain large in magna.. expecting it to arrive this week🤣
Feel the same as you. Have had a 25 for just shy of 9 years. Wouldn't change a thing about it. Every mark on the handle tells a story. What it's all about, to me, anyway. Knives are a paintbrush or a pen. Every use of it adds a brushstroke or another page to its and your story.
Wow I can't believe you mentioned Randy Johnson I remember when his RU-vid channel name was Solo knife reviews and he doesn't really make many videos anymore I remember watching him like 10 years ago now I believe
Very interesting observations and good video. It's a little funny hearing the 21 described as the epitome of Sebenzas. 🙂 I mean that as friendly musing, not snark. I've owned a lot of Sebenzas (and other CRK folders and fixed blades) and still have somewhere between half a dozen and a dozen Sebenzas. That includes several each of (1) Regulars, large and small, all BG-42; Classics, large and small, BG-42 and S30V; and 21s, large and small, S30V...IIRC all the 21s are pre- S35VN and "Idaho Made." Some are plain, some have micarta inlays and some have wood inlays. I'm more or less ambidextrous so some are RH and some are LH. I still have an OG Mnandi and a pair of same-day Umnumzaans that are pre-Idaho Made. Anyway... There isn't much difference between a Classic and an earlier 21, though as a matter of microscopically small personal preference I'd go with the Classic for slightly better looks. I haven't bought a CRK knife since roughly 2010, and it's interesting to hear how desirable the 21 has become. I did some searching and there seem to be very few sales of Regulars and Classics these days. It looks like those who own them aren't selling them. I'm glad the 21 is still a desirable folder. If people get a chance to pick up a Regular or Classic at a rational price, I think they'd enjoy the knife a lot. The Regular in particular would feel in some ways like a different knife, though the quality and most of the ergos would be very familiar. BTW, the CRK response on vertical rock is, ahem, nonsense. What are they saying? "We will ship them with rock, but we don't really think that's up to our standards so if you mail it back to us we'll fix it."" Whiskey tango foxtrot? I don't want to sound like one of *those people* but that would not have cut it before Chris transferred the business. I appreciate your reports on your experiences with CRK, including the possibility that there's something physically or structurally different about the 31s with inlays. The very last knife I'd ever part with is a small Seb Classic with lignum vitae inlays and double gold lugs on a left hand chassis that my sons gave me back around 2005 or 2006 as a Christmas present. Blew me totally away and still does. 🙂 Keep up the good work and give the pups some pats.
I remember coveting a damascus Sebenza. I got it, and it was beautiful, but I didn't want to use it. And I discovered that the pattern on the blade is just etched on and fades over time. And the steel is softer than even Chris Reeve's S35VN. It sat in its box until I sold it on eBay. It's a great example of reality not meeting expectations. What makes a knife beautiful and elegant is more how it's designed and how you use it. Function > Form.
I should pick a 21 up to try. I just love the 31’s for their inlay shape on the inlay ones, and I also very much prefer the 31 bc it doesn’t have the fixturing hole where the 21’s do. That fixturing hole drives me nuts I have six 31’s and I’ve luckily not experienced any weird wiggles in any of them
I've been watching your videos lately and I think that a "regular-annual" sebenza is what you seek. You keep talking about seeking perfection, and the annuals were pretty darned close IMO. The annual inlays were very similar to the 31 inlays. They are extremely hard to find now and shockingly expensive...but you should snag one if you can. If CRK would bring the Annuals back and charge three times the price, people would pay it.
I was so desperate to get my hands on a 31, my first sebenza, that instead of waiting for a plain titanium handle I bought the black micarta small sebenza. But even though I think I want the large plain one, I still live my small 31, and I use it at my job most days. Even though it wasn’t my first choice, it’s still a good blade and I’m glad I took the leap
I own like 20 Chris Reeve knives and numerous 21’s. I have only heard that the 31’s are not as good as the 21’s and so I won’t buy one. It’s a shame. The 21 was perfect and didn’t need to be altered.
I’ve had 21’s and loved them, I had a 31 when they first came out and had some of the same issues you’re having. The one that got me blocked by Tim was actually asking how they came up with the pattern for the 31 inlay because I thought it looked like an afterthought lol oh well, I’ll try to grab a 21 on the secondary one of these days
I’ve always wanted the plain Jane but have been trying for years to have the funds at the right time when drops happen and I just weeks ago got the natural micarta 31 large because it was available and that knife is beautiful. So I jumped on it. My next Sebenza will be full Ti and I will carry and use it everyday. My collection will be handed down to my son one day.
I agree…but my experience was opposite with 21 and 31. My inlay 21 has so many issues. The lock has completely failed. But my plain 31 is solid and I’ve worked it very hard. So maybe it’s an inlay issue for both 21 and 31.
I don't actually have a sebenza, but I really want one and completely agree and can somewhat confirm the theory that a plain knife is just more loveable in the long run, because when you buy something I believe it is easier to make a connection with it if you can sort of add to it, a bit like when you cut yourself with a knife and people say that it helps to develop a connection with the tool
LOL, I just ordered a small 31, PJ drop w/double silver lugs, for pretty much all the reasons you talked about. That and I found that exact combo at a price I just couldn't pass up. I have a burl wood inlay 31 with a magnacut tanto and it's great. But I wanted just a plain drop small 31. I may have a problem. But I think I'm ok with that. 🤪
Just preference I think the pocket clip looks funny on the 31, I also agree that the quality seems to be better on the 21, wish they brought back the classic. This is why I searched for a 21 vs buying the 31
I've never seen a Chris Reeves knife in person though I have wanted one since i first saw them online. Maybe one day I'll convince myself into making the purchase. How well do they hold their value when reselling them?
I don’t own a sebenza, I get the feeling you describe from my spyderchef as a beautiful object, and as a tool that takes care of me. It’s just so clean and comfortable in hand, locks solidly, and the belly of the knife does work. The Reve Integral lock combined with stain free steel (LC200N) makes it worry free, I can just chuck it in the dishes bucket overnight when camping, leave food residue on the blade after lunch if I don’t have time to clean it and clean it days later. LC200N Doesn’t care, it just goes on being super shiny and unblemished.
Very cool video, thanks. I use my large sebenza 21 with micarta inlays for work (9 years now) and plain insingo 21 for street (about 6 years). Both users from day one. Bent out the clip on large many times, but was able to fix it until once it got so severe, that the clip "nest" in the frame got deformed. Using an aftermarket clip since then, as the original moves around. I could not own a knife like this and NOT use it, what a waste.
All of the small 31s have noticeable lock flex if you apply enough force. This cannot be remedied by warranty. If you send it, they will return it to you unchanged.
I've only have & handled my small 31 with inlay's. Going to get a large 31 the same way. I have nerve pathology to cold from platinum based chemo in hands and feet to cold. the micarta is sort of insulation. It is always close by. Also for fun in my Diresta 7.5 inch ( x 2.5 inch x 1/8 inch and 5.4 oz ) utility blade in 420 stainless. Just have to figure out a handle for it. Got all the snow moved to get car out too. Later gater!
Добрейшего денечка! I'm a new subscriber, from Ukraine, I wanted to know if you have traditional knives, like a trapper or stockman or else traditional patterns knives? I would like to see from. P.S. sorry for my English.
This is not hard. The up and down blade play is a feature, but there’s a spectrum of how noticeable it is. Your 31 with the inlay is at the threshold of QAQC for that-your small is at the opposite end. They both have it, it’s just more noticeable with your inlay model. These aren’t fixed blades, all folders have a tiny bit of blade play. All of them.
I was watching the dog for a while and it did not move at all. Then near the end of the video, it was time to get up. I could hear the thinking ... okay okay, lets go outside ... enough with the talking! Good video. I think the all metal knife looks like a tool. The wood added to the side of the knife looks out of place with what the knife is supposed to do.
From day one when I seen Micarta on titanium I’ve always hated it & could never understand how the micarta version cost more or the same then the full titanium version lol I to love the plain Jane titanium. Now don’t get me wrong I like micarta& have a few but not slapped on titanium. Great video & I ordered the Chris Reeves Small Sebenza 31- Glass Bead Blasted Titanium-Gold Double Thumb Lugs & should be here tomorrow💯😎👍🏼
I did order the micarta inlay Inkosi, but after hearing this I might cancel my order and replace it with a plain one. It would save me $100. And I only ordered last month, so it shouldn’t be too much longer with the new order.
I had some of the same issues with my early 31’s. One was a PJ and had the up and down play and the clip issue. I ended up selling them. But my newer inlay ones I have are perfect. One is a large micarta and one is a small Bog Oak. I do still love the look of the PJ too though.
Interesting. I had a handful of 21s and have sold all of them off and still have 31s. They weren't bad, but I did not feel any quality difference in any of my 31s and preferred the pocket clip. On the 21, my biggest issue with it was always the pocket clip location digging uncomfortably into my fingers while using it. I also have not gotten a single 31 out 6 of them now that had noticeable wiggle, and now that the only Sebenzas I have are in Magnacut there's just no comparison for me, the current 31s are the best Sebenzas ever made IMHO.
My small sebenza 31 pocket clip also moves. This is not an isolated issue. My blade also moves. I sent it in for warranty, and it came back with the same blade play. I also own a large 31 sebenza. The large does not have the pocket clip issue. It does, however, have the same lockbar blade play. Same thing, I sent it in for warranty, and it came back with the same blade play. Both my 31 sebenzas are the plane jane versions. I vote for the 21, classic, and regular sebenzas as the best. None of my 21s have issues.
I own a small Sebenza 21 and a large Sebenza 21 Insingo (bought them 8 or 9 years ago), both plain titanium. My small Sebenza 21 has zero play up/down and rock solid. The only complaint I have about my small Sebenza 21 is the factory edge, while the large Sebenza 21 Insigno is a laser beam. Good for minimal tasks, the factory cutting edge on the small Sebenza 21 is not satisfactory. I sharpen my own knives (Lansky diamond kit) and am anxious about ruining the edge on such a beautiful knife. Looking to purchase any of the recent Sebenza 31 series, I realized that what I really wanted is the Mnandi. I own over 50 pocket knives with Spyderco taking the lions share, Benchmade taking the second place and Zero Tolerance a third. Never in my mind has using a Chris Reeve knife for hard use crossed my mind and need to reconsider my notions. The inlays on Chris Reeve's are a way to separate the "regular" users from the fanatics and find peoples dissatisfaction with the 31 series inlay versions curious. To be honest, no regular knife person would never consider a Chris Reeve knife. I live in NYC and have to carefully choose a 3" or less cutting edge knife for EDC. Loved the video. Subscribed.
I like to collect the larger models. Maybe I will move to the smaller ones in due time. That being said I always avoid the ones with inlays. I love the feel of the pure titanium, and the snail trails that they pickup over time. Honestly I think aesthetically the plain Janes are better as well. Never been a fan of the look of the inlays. Plus the plain janes are cheaper. It’s a win win to me. I also hear they improve the ergos which might be true idk since I haven’t handled them, but the ergos on the pure titanium handles have always been fine for me.
I have 20+ small and large and everyone is a 21. Zero interest in the 31... Haven't bought a CRK in a while. The last one was a CF knife art damascus about three years ago.
I have a large 31 plain with S45vn blade and a large 31 with micarta inlays with magnacut blade. Both of them have solid blade lockup and neither have had issues with their pocket clips so far. With regards to the inlay model - I think you are right about it being psychological. Micarta will always look rattier over time than pure metal will. To me, the micarta one looks more practical, and the plain jane version looks to be missing something, like an old rifle missing its age darkened furniture.
Stop pin changes plus ceramic ball detent = different feel compared to the lapped and tuned 21s. I honestly don't think Tim improved on his dad's design. Magnacut, yes. But ceramic interface and new stop pin detract. The pocket clip shift was not needed. The feeling of the 31 is totally different.
I've never liked the look of the 31's inlays. I have a plain Jane 31 and an inkosi insingo with inlays. The 31 is a great knife and I love it! But the inkosi is so much better in my opinion? It was smoother out of the box than my 31 that was completely broke in. Both mine are large models. The small inkosi is just a little to small for me.
Don’t forget the amount of people who bashed the 21 because it didn’t have a lock bar insert of some kind. They changed that to something unique and innovative and long lasting, in that ceramic ball and now people don’t like that either. You’ll think I’m lying but I can send the correspondence, I have a 21 in right now that had a near 100% lockup and a bunch of stick. It needs the lock bar heat treated and a new blade to fix it. Which is dope they’ll do that for me. All I’m saying is the 31 happened for a reason too. That being said for sebenza pj is king. I like the micarta in the inkosi.
No one thinks your an idiot for being right.. it’s a fact CRK quality used to be better. The 21 is a higher quality knife period. You can’t upgrade or improve on perfection.
My only gripe with my Large 31 with black micarta inlays is the minor hot spot around the lock area. I like the micarta on mine just for extra grip when I'm under the hood of a car where things can get slick or if I'm using it to clean a fish it gives me a bit of extra traction. When I want straight titanium with a semi-gent look I grab my TRM Atom, Spydiechef, or ZT 0220
tu confirmes ce que je présentais.. J'ai un 21 large depuis 13ans.. la beauté du tout titane le rend magnifique, si particulier, la beauté se révèle souvent dans la simplicité.. Je suis d'accord avec toi , (sans en posséder) les incrustations doivent finir par lasser un peu.. et je ne savais pas les quelques problèmes que tu évoques.. Quand le 31 est apparu..je me suis réellement demandé , comment faire mieux que le 21? je suis moins expert que toi au sujet du Sebenza ainsi que pour les aciers ! mais sur les Spyderco par exemple ,j'aime moins ce S45VN...que le S35.. AH ! le marketing..améliore rarement la qualité ! 😉 Jamais vu en France ! une demoiselle aussi experte ! 😉 par moment les expressions de ton chien m'ont bien fait sourire ! 😃
I wouldn't buy a CRK because of the price. But if I did and the 🔪 had issues, I'd be furious. With regards to the models I much prefer the clean model to the micarta version. I think the micarta just looks bad and out of place. You could actually get 4 Griptians or 5 mini Griptilians for 1 Sebenza. Or a Chaparral frn, a Manix 2 and a Delica 4.
I like having both. I have a micarta version with Damascus blade and I love it. I wouldn't sell it. I have a PJ small tanto micarta that's my EDC though.
For starters, I DO think you are out of your damn mind. I love the micarta inlays. Now for some truth, I own 5 CRK's, all large and not one single one is an inlay knife. With that said, I'm now concerned that if i ever buy an inlay model, I'll end up selling for all the reasons you mentioned...lol
@@notyouraverageedc It definitely has made me rethink how much I like a micarta inlay. I really like my current collection, aside from the lockbar stiffness on my zaan. This was a good video and you didn't geek out too much. I've never owned a 21 so I can't relate the differences, I'll take your word for it though. My edc is plain large 31 in S45VN, plus other items but I always have the seb with me. I've been known to fall asleep with it in my jammies, like my security blanket...ha ha
I just picked up a large 31 insingo in Magnacut and I’ll probably be selling it. I’d rather have the drop point blade profile. Also as with yours it has slight lock rock.
How stiff is the lockbar on your small PJ 31 compared to your 21? I own two 21s (large & small) and they are perfect as you mentioned. I bought a small 31 with micarta inlays and had vertical play and an incredibly stiff lockbar/action. Just wondering if they have addressed that issue or not. Thanks!
My small Insingo 31 has a odd action. It shifts from being really smooth in the opening and kinda drop shutty to having a haaard drag that is almost painful. I have no clue of what is causing this - might be the washers or that the screws are tightened uneven. I would send it in if I didn't live across the pond.
The comment you're making at 6:34 doesn't make sense, I don't see how the "lock rock" (blade play) will go away after the ceramic ball wears a track into the blade lock...if anything the blade play would get worse not better.I"d be curious how CRK fixes the "lock rock" blade play, would they put a larger diameter blade stop in? or Lengthen the lock bar? I've read the if a frame lock or liner lock has "lock rock" the lock bar can be lengthened by using a punch and putting indentations into the lock bar slightly stretching the lock bar. Wether ornate that works I have no idea, I think IF it did work that would work better (easier) on a liner lock knife simply because of the thinner lock bar on a liner lock. The only real solution would be replacing the blade with a different profile on the locking surface of the blade. I just received a Carbon Fiber Exclusive Small Insingo today and it's got a solid lock-up and so does my other Small Micarta 31. I'm not doubting this is a real issue and if it had that issue I'd return it immediately. I expect a PERFECT knife for the money they cost.
