Chris Reeve Sebenza 31 (Large) - REJOICE OR REGRET?

[@kubaj2709]

I totaly agree with you, but I think the price is conected to that the knive is made in USA, has spa treatment and awesome warrianty. If you compare it to Benchmade the pricing is somewhat simular. If you compare it to Reate, greatly made in China, but manufacture there is much cheaper and you dont have the same warrianty.

[@thepracticalblade9013]

I concur. Especially with Benchmade's prices as of late, way too close to a CRK to sanely pick the Benchmade.

[@Daniel.Liddicoat]

I have a RAT 1 in S35VN now and a Sebenza in Magnacut. The RAT 1 has a better action. I still like the Sebenza more.

[@thepracticalblade9013]

@@Daniel.Liddicoat glad you're not blinded by bias, at least!

[@renechavez870]

I’ve been using the same bronze washers that I moved over from my sebenza 21 from 2018 and it has made my 31 like butter. The break in period is muuuuch longer due to that ceramic interface. Once your washers get polished from wearing in and that detent track is polished by the ceramic interface it makes the legendary sebenza smoothness come alive. I literally feel like my large 31 Macassar ebony sebenza is as smooth as my shirogorovs. I can appreciate your points. That’s why I own both shirogorov Koenig and Chris Reeve knives. The best of both worlds. 🙏🙏

[@dtom420]

No doubt. GREAT points and you’re spot-on!

[@jinoh7418]

I've polished the washers on my 21, made them very smooth. I have a shirgorov as well, VERY smooth.

[@svenjaeckel1762]

exactly... and then those thumb studs are no problem anymore either...

[@morgenholz]

Classic designs don’t change. They are classic and recognizable.

[@montazmeahii6029]

I agree with you that Chris Reeve knives don't "blow other knives out of the water." My second knife was a CRK Inkosi (while my first was a Spyderco Para 2). Had it blown me away, I would not have gone on to buy so many other knives.

[@jkn2k]

Love your content , now you are my favorite knife reviewer, please keep doing simple straight videos

[@thepracticalblade9013]

I was afraid a 30 minute video would be anything but simple and straight, but I am very happy that you're enjoying the content and find it easy to digest! I'll keep trying to keep you happy.

[@zbaird3]

​@@thepracticalblade9013 No that 30min didn't bug me one bit. Cause it was very good. And fact when the 30min was up I was like Noo I need more. I can say that alot of people don't realize that is a big deal. Being able to have a lifetime warranty and serviced inside the states is a Big deal. Having warranty work overseas and most of them aren't lifetime ends up being one big nightmare.. it's a mess. Good review 👍

[@marccohen5579]

You are totaly right but I still love my new Chris Reeve Sebenza 31 in MagnaCut.

[@thepracticalblade9013]

I'd probably buy another one (sold the one I had) if I could get a full backspacer.

[@TucoDog-ho6fw]

One of the greatest things about CRK is that they make a true left hand version. The lifetime warranty and spa service also nice to have.

[@CA_0341]

Very thought inducing video. Loved your insight and explanation of your interpretation of what is and was. Remarkably well done brother.

[@thepracticalblade9013]

Very glad you feel that way. I tend to get very polarized responses on these types of videos, especially for the cult-like following brands. Thanks for the comment! It means a lot.

[@CA_0341]

@@thepracticalblade9013 I’m always open to someone else’s unique perspective, and sometimes we forget collecting of any sort is “subjective”. Now I’m a HARDCORE CRK fan and I’ve pretty much shelved every single other knife I own for the Umnumzaan. And I STILL love the way you presented your material. 👍🏽

[@MyKnifeJourney]

I really like the wood inlay models

[@thepracticalblade9013]

They're definitely attractive and feel like they round out the "luxury" feel.

[@stanwilson7040]

@@thepracticalblade9013 I'm sorry but all the other knives you shoed are vastly inferior to CRK knives. You are losing credibility even suggesting them as a viable alternative to CRK

[@thepracticalblade9013]

@@stanwilson7040 That's an opinion, unless you can back it up with objective facts. Prove that something like their heat treat isn't as good, their steel isn't, etc (which, by the way, are all in and of themselves subjective, because different steels, hardness levels, etc are better/worse for different tassks). You're out of your mind if you think these other knives are going to crumble to dust and not be able to be "passed down". Lol. Look, I get it, when my CRK was the most expensive knife I owned, I had to find every reason I could to justify the cost, too, but you have just as many people swearing that they buy a Benchmade to pass it down as you have people with CRK's doing the same (if not more, because Benchmade is more affordable). Though I'm sure you and I could at least agree that CRK blows BM out of the water.

[@DavidV4444]

Love love love my Chris Reeve collection, my absolute favorite knives! You make excellent points - I would rather pay $900 for a CRK than $100 for a Chinese made knife. The US competition is very good but China uses and abuses it’s employees and they have an edge because they pay slave wages- we have to choose if we wish to support this terrible country. My money goes to the US!

[@thepracticalblade9013]

It's a respectable point! Thanks for being mature and reasonable about expressing it!

[@svenjaeckel1762]

Although I agree with your point, I think it's a wast generalization: there are decent people in China - as much as there are crooks and sharks doing business in the US. Nevertheless I think you can't ignore the wage difference when talking about value - especially since we know how CRK is manufacturing and is treating its employees. Also the warranty (and it's ease of access) has to flow into the equation when making a point about value. Paying 100$ less for a Chinese knife with same level of quality, but no easy access to their warranty, gives you less value at the end

[@petervu9773]

subbed ! its the 1911 of knives, proud to own them =]

[@thepracticalblade9013]

Thank you very much! Never expected, always appreciated!

[@kevz9364]

Totally understand your points, and you along with many other reviewers have hit many of the points. I own a Umnumzaan and have carried it almost every day for six months along with a victorinox and feel it was worth my money. The Umnumzaan as a usable tool has been great. I put a laid back V edge on the knife and that combined with the hollow grind made it good for almost every task. I think many other options do exist and if money is tight you will need to consider the purchase carefully. With the exception of a few victorinox knives I only own American made knives at this point so I'm biased a bit. The chinese knives have premium quality and I get the draw for many. We all have to choose where to throw our dollars. If someone with the money asked me if chris reeve products are worth the money my answer would be yes if you have the cash. Many other knives you mentioned foreign and domestic work as well for less no doubt.

[@thepracticalblade9013]

Definitely comes down to value. Very good knife, but yes, I say don't do it if you can't afford to.

[@Hepta.Asteras]

Thumb studs: don´t approach the stud from above; and don´t dig your thumb into the stud, that's user error, you are doing it wrong. Approach the stud from its side, find the right angle. Then you push it out effortlessly, your thumb even partially touching the blade and it just opens as the stud rolls smoothly around your thumb. The glass smooth action and the rolling is superb. Your self-induced thumb harm is user error.

[@Hepta.Asteras]

Inlays: did you know that the inlays are not just glued on? The scales are milled out and the inlays are cut perfectly and then tightly set and glued into the milled out area. The inlays are also chamfered, edges are angled and contoured around the screws.

[@felixlagar4398]

I love the thumb studs I love the design you have girly hands 🤣🫠

[@thepracticalblade9013]

Feel free to never look at them again since nobody is forcing you to 🙃

[@thui7889]

It can be the smoothest if it’s fully broken in. A brand new large 31 is tight AF, like way too much friction. After 500 open and closes, it gets much better, enough to flick out!

[@birdlaw1019]

LOL @ "When it came out a decade ago". The first Sebenza rolled out in 1991! The tolerances/build quality on Spyderco and BM are not even close to what you get from CRK. I've lost track of the number of pm2/para 3/940/Bugout/Griptiian etc that I've owned, that had lock stick/blade play, off center blades, or a HORRIBLE grind from the factory. I've owned two CRK that had some lock rock, sent them back to CRK and they solved it. When I contacted Spyderco or BM with similar issues, their answer was pretty much "too bad".

[@thepracticalblade9013]

I said "over a decade ago" (2:00). I'd say about a decade ago was when they really started getting talked about more prevalently. Idk man, I'm sorry you had those issues with your other knives but I'm sitting on literally 24 knives that, aside from some fatal design flaws, have never had compromised structural integrity. I beat the snot out if my rat2 for almost 2 years now and it's perfectly fine... and is $40.

[@birdlaw1019]

@@thepracticalblade9013 Did your Spyderco and BM come with even grinds/sharp from the factory? No blade play at all? Be honest lol.

[@thepracticalblade9013]

If you want me to be HONEST, I don't find myself very attracted to spyderco or Benchmade in general. But it makes it all the more special when I like one enough to admit it. My custom mini crooked river was technically fine, aside from the fact that after almost a year it still won't fall shut when the lock is disengaged. I wasn't personally a fan of the bugout, but it didn't have any issues. The superfreek was an amazing knife, and I'd still have it if it wasn't a loaner. For spyderco, I have semi-extensively handled an endura, a delica, a pm2, a Smock, and a shaman. So far, the shaman is the only one that has disappointed me. In order to remove blade play, I have to tighten the pivot to the point where the action is almost as tight as a sebenza, ironically. Almost can't even thumb flick it. The others had no notable significant issues. Granted, spyderco/Benchmade generally don't seem to be my taste, but I've yet to handle one that I'd call straight up bad. Most egregiously bad grinds came from ZT and Protech. The ZT was a straight up lemon. The Protech was confirmed to be part of a bad batch of blades that all had the same exact issue with the grind.

[@eyeofthetiger4184]

G'day mate, yep fair to say on the Spydies, BMs etc, though I must say my BM Freek was very good out of the box, and still is, just needs a better spring IMO, lol. I will also say that having experience with lathes, milling machines, surface grinders, etc, what is your definition of perfect ? Should you really need to get out a vernier caliper or micrometer ? It is a pocket knife after all, not a critical piece of a space shuttle. I do respect that both yourself and Cory have indicated that CRKs service is very responsive, where as others not so much. I didnt have a great experience with BM myself on another issue, so again fair enough mate, but crikey at CRK's asking prices, you would certainly hope so too !!! Cheers Duke.

[@birdlaw1019]

@@eyeofthetiger4184 If you have experience in machining, you would appreciate the feel of a CRK.

[@renechavez870]

Also I’m using the same washers and pivot bushing since 2018- 2019’s Sebenza 21. I just moved it to my large Sebenza 31 Macassar! Once the ceramic ball has polished the blade in the detent track it has finally broken in. Break in period is longer than the 21. Maybe yours needs more break in?! Thanks for the vid!

[@thepracticalblade9013]

Perhaps! I did spend quite a bit of time trying to break it in. Might just not be for me, unfortunately!

[@stanwilson7040]

@@thepracticalblade9013 My CRK knives will be passed on from generation to generation

[@joesmulti-edc890]

Apologies for taking so long in subscribing, actually thought I already had🤣 Excellent lecture brother, felt like I was just taken to school.

[@thepracticalblade9013]

WOAH HEY THANKS! And same to you! Tyler connected us for so long that I didn't realize! Haha.

[@falcon81a]

Nailed it. Agree with all your points. I know I will be disappointed once I have it, but damn I still want one. I'm so weak.........

[@thepracticalblade9013]

No worries - They hold their value on the secondary market for if you sell 😅

[@ericmack001]

Why do you think you will be disappointed? In my opinion the Sebenza is a classic that has stood the test of time. The Buck 110 is also a classic. But I know that modern pocket knives have evolved past the Buck 110. But it is still worth owning. The Sebenza is a classic. I do not think modern pocket knives are better just because they deploy smoother, or faster. With the Sebenza I measure everything that it does well. It is worth owning and respecting even if it’s not the fastest deploying knife in your collection.

[@knivesandstuff]

agree with a lot of your points. there is no question that you can get knives much cheaper that are in real terms just as useable and serviceable. i dont think benchmade, spyderco etc have become markedly better than they were 10 years ago.. they are just still good. the differences are as Chris Reeve himself said.. Ferrari vs Mazda.. both would last a lifetime. you might even say the Mazda will prob last longer, but you are paying for tolerances. that last 5% which most people wont notice or care about can have a significant cost. when you dismantle the knives the tolerances etc are all tangibly better than the cheaper competition. but that doesn't lessen the cheaper ones. it just means that the sebenza is machined to a higher cost level. it would be wiser to buy and pay extra for the sebenza for its functional reasons, not hype. i personally like it because it is the easiest knife i've ever owned to dismantle and clean and maintain. very few parts to manipulate.. i like it because fundamentally the design o the blade and handle just speak to me. China brands etc, should be able to do an equal job for much less because the labour and land is cheaper.. buy a knife because you want that knife.. $100 or $500.. if that knife is the knife you will actually use, then the price will evaporate over 10 years. if you are just collecting it comes down to your financial ability.,

[@thepracticalblade9013]

Amen. I admit, I sometimes get caught up in arguments about knives exclusively made in theUSA, not because I am anti-usa or pro-china, but because to suggest that companies like Reate aren't doing amazing work just because they're from China is SO daft. When someone says they don't want a Chinese knife because they don't want to support China, that's fine, but when they say it's because Chinese knives are junk, I get lit up. I agree. I almost "miss" taking apart and cleaning the sebenza versus some others. Absolute cakewalk. Thanks for the comment!

[@knivesandstuff]

@@thepracticalblade9013 people that make those arguments better sell their apple products all made in china :D i try to avoid china made when talking about fakes and junk on alibaba.. but i agree.. the top end China stuff is as good as anywhere else in the world.

[@Brian-rj5rl]

Overseas mfg is notorious for claiming metals are much higher grade then they actually are. I doubt they are buying Niagara/Crucible steels.

[@sigberetta72]

Is am thinking of getting a CRK and I struggle to wonder if it’s worth that much. But, I also think that they bring way more than most knifes on secondhand market, should you need to sell it . I bought a Medford Proxima and it had a long break-in , but now is smooth as can be . But, if I needed to sell the Medford , I would not get much because they seem to lose a lot of secondary.

[@thepracticalblade9013]

They do hold their secondary value very well. Most sell for retail. Because of that, I'd recommend trying one, because you always have an "out". Medfords are a special breed... the knives themselves held their value pretty well at one point, but unfortunately their creator is very occupied with wrapping himself up in political drama and being... well... openly racist and very proud of that, so the secondary value fluctuates pretty hard depending on if he is making a scene or not. Sadly he has made so many scenes that, on average, they pretty consistently drop in value.

[@sigberetta72]

@@thepracticalblade9013 just ordered a Large Sebenza 31 Ebony Inlaid double gold lug from Knifejoy… so we will see! If I don’t like it, I can always get most of money back. Yeah, Greg Medford is an extremely opinionated guy, but I have come to love my Proxima!

[@thepracticalblade9013]

@@sigberetta72 I'm excited for you! I hope you love it.

[@John..18]

Great review,, thank you,, I used to have a Massdrop Gavco Thresher, made by WE, it was just about perfect, in every way, but it was a bit heavy, so I didn't carry it much,, so I won't be buying a "large" CRK,, I've just ordered a small Inkosi, which I'm hoping will be perfect, 🤞,, Caveat Emptor, as they say,, All the best from across the pond,, ps, just subbed on the strength of this video,, 👍🇬🇧

[@vinylwood]

Dude I can completely agree with your opening on the worth of the CRK . 100% true and relevant to many, but I can now say that about so many upper end knives 🗡️🔪.

[@thepracticalblade9013]

There's definitely a point of diminishing returns where you just can't really say you're getting more knife anymore. I think things can be executed well, and you can start using crazy materials, but yeah. For $550, the sebenza isn't doing anything unique enough for me to say "Oh yeah, definitely $550."

[@eyeofthetiger4184]

G'day Cory, firstly, I appreciate your honesty and the articulation of your points, even if it did necessitate 8 takes, lol. Really, many thanks for the effort mate, it was well worth it in the end. Admittedly I've never handled one, but yeah 450 to 550 USD doesn't exactly scream value, except perhaps for a collector. I am a collector though, I have a modest collection of user folders, I'd be too scared to use one of these, lol. All very well having the tolerances, and not say'n I settle for loosey goosey rubbish, but as you say; are those extremes necessary to get a job done ? and indeed what I do have wont last me the rest of my days ? and even be passed down, or on ? And did I see S35 on the spec sheet, for that price ? dont get me wrong, I love S35, and S30, but where's the M390 or some such ? I dont wish to succumb to tall poppy syndrome, I've just never thought the design has ever earned its price or reputation. Btw, love that Reate, now that is outstanding, still out of my price range, but if I ever do go that high.......... the RWL34 will be the ducks nuts for us stainless lovers and the design is gonna look and feel good doin the business. Cheers Duke.

[@birdlaw1019]

If you've never handled a CRK, the above is meaningless. It's like thinking Wagyu steak is not worth the money, when you have never tried it.

[@eyeofthetiger4184]

@@birdlaw1019 Hahaha, its T-bone for me, but point taken. All I can say is I have a modest collection of around 60 odd folders and fixies at last count and jeez I can do any knife, or even axe, task with that lot several times over and would be a lot richer financially if I had pulled my head in some time back, lol. They do all bring me joy, as Nick Shabazz would say, ......he'd also quote the principle of diminishing returns.

[@thepracticalblade9013]

I also agree on the steel. M390 is exactly what I thought about when I made that consideration. Anything over $300 should be a supersteel, period. One could argue s35 was a supersteel at one point, but times have shifted. They also offer s45vn now, but id still take m390 given the choice. The reate is everything I had hoped it would be, and side-by-side, if I had acquired the reate first, I probably would have never gotten the sebenza. Thanks, as always, for your comment!

[@renechavez870]

Also I carry my Large 31 Macassar in pouch left pocket and I rotate Shirogorov And Koenig in my right pocket.

[@ivanovfarit]

Yeah, really glad came across your channel.

[@thepracticalblade9013]

Happy to hear! Whether the channel stays small or grows big, the goal is to make useful content for people. And it should be pretty clear that I won't sell out at any point.... heh

[@ivanovfarit]

@@thepracticalblade9013 Your aproach is like a breath of fresh air in the knife community. You strike with your honesty. The majoruty of the knife bloggers trying to avoid sharp angels. You ellict and highlight them.) It's very unusual for these days.

[@thepracticalblade9013]

@@ivanovfarit Very glad you appreciate it. My goal fromthe beginning has been to be honest. I don't TRY to primarily say negative things, but i can't be bought and I'm not going to say a knife is amazing just because the community says so.

[@ErnestPworrell88]

Crk doesn't really speak to me but appreciate what they do. When we are at the point that titanium frame locks have saturated the market, and even budget knives have good action it's hard to see what's so special about a sebenza. I do like supporting American companies, I live in an area of the country where you can see the effects of manufacturing outsourcing. So I'm glad crk is around, but I prefer Benchmade.

[@thepracticalblade9013]

An intelligent, reasonable comment. I dig it!

[@w.harrison7277]

I just got my first CRK today, a large sebenza 31 tanto. I was worried it would be too big but its not at all. I wear medium sized gloves, my hands are not big: Why do people think this is a big knife? What surprised me about the design is it seems to fall into my hand in perfect position automatically, I don't have to adjust it in my hand. I'm not a knife guy, so there's not much I know. I was military but the closest I got to danger was burning my finger on a hot dinner roll in the chow hall. But getting back to the knife, its super high quality. I'm going to be buttering a lot of pop tarts with this thing.

[@BY-dq3mt]

Excellent video

[@thepracticalblade9013]

Thanks! It's one of my favorites.

[@illiyakuryakin3092]

Very good review. I wish you would have discussed the hollow grind of the blade and taken that into consideration of the Sebenza’s quality in comparison to other brands.

[@thepracticalblade9013]

Thanks for the feedback. There was a lot to cover here. I usually mention hollow grinds if the blade stock is relatively thick because I think of it as a relevant "offset". I wouldn't say the sebenza is especially thick, so I didn't view the hollow grind as something to specifically call out.

[@thepracticalblade9013]

@Eugene Mitchem I love the shop tour videos. He goes into more detail than I ever could. Sadly, the attention span on KZbin doesn't really allow for me to cover absolutely everything. Average view time across all my videos, short or long, hovers around 4 minutes, and that seems to be the universal truth in the knife world on YT.

[@JadeSchafer]

I haven't been able to bring myself to get a CRK. I am actually looking into possibly getting an MBK Sea Otter instead.

[@thepracticalblade9013]

MBK is definitely known for quality. I really don't think you'd be disappointed. Edit: Remember, it took me 2 years of collecting to finally pull the trigger, and I was aware of CRK the entire time. If I'm being honest, I bought it more out of curiosity than anything else.

[@Hepta.Asteras]

On the value: have Reate make their knife in USA and offer same warranty and service as CRK. Then compare prices and value.

[@cwrowe]

What sharpening system do you use?

[@thepracticalblade9013]

KME. Didn't use it in the Sebenza yet, haven't had to. I just keep stropping it. I use the KME to get mirror edges with homemade "stones" and diamond compound. Just getting ahead of that question since everyone always asks.

[@ramonade_knives]

RWL34 isn't premium though ^^. It's mostly used in Europe by custom knife makers, that's all ! IT's basically CPM154, not a crazy steel. The heat treat's what's important. But eh to each their own, by whatever you prefer ! I personally only buy Spyderco because I'm a sharpening and steel nut, and they're on the forefront when it comes to this. I bought 3 CRKs and that's my whole collection. For me a Reate isn't on the same category as CRK. Shirogorov and Rockstead are, though.

[@ronstecher4345]

I’ve owned about a dozen or so Sebenzas over the last decade. A couple had excessive lock stick. Very nice knives but not worth $550 or more. Chinese Knock off Sebenzas are built to same tolerance with titanium handles and cost $60. S45VN or Magnacut doesn’t justify the $500 price difference. Yes we pay for American made and reputation. Microtech, Benchmade, Spyderco, ZT all make great knives at nearly half the price. On the upside CRK holds their resale value.

[@thepracticalblade9013]

Hah, best part about my Sebenza was getting just as much money when I sold it as I paid for it. LOL.

[@kevinj2334]

Hey great video. Really well done, loved the intro. I hit the like and subscribe for you. But hey look in my eyes, lol not the viewfinder. Dont know why but it just kept bugging me.

[@thepracticalblade9013]

Arg, you're the second person to say that. It's hard because I look at the phone screen, not the camera? To consistently male sure I haven't moved out of frame or anything. Working on this lmao

[@Plumrscrack]

Finally, some intelligence on the subject.

[@thepracticalblade9013]

Glad you feel that way! Many don't 🤣

[@Plumrscrack]

Buying an expensive knife and saying you had to change it or work on it to make it buttery smooth? I purchaced a brand new Ferrari, but I had to change the motor, transmission, and the suspention to make it driveable. 😂

[@Dustin-kb8bq]

Gotta love that Chinese labor. Keeps things cheap

[@EEDC]

Well done sir! Definitely all great and valid points.... I have nothing to disagree and spent the last 30 minutes shaking shaking head "yup"!!! Hey btw where do you get your audio (music) background? love it!

[@thepracticalblade9013]

What's up brother?! Thanks as always! The last batch of tracks I actually got from the royalty free section of KZbin studio. Dint get me wrong, there are THOUSANDS of tracks to dig through, and honestly most feel very "amateur", but there are some gems hidden in there.

[@CAborn1112]

Great video! Got you a new sub 💪

[@thepracticalblade9013]

Hey! Thanks so much! Always appreciated, never expected!

[@renechavez870]

IMHO I love the bushing pivot! I crank my pivot down and since the tolerances with the bushing pivot and washers it requires no lock right and swings freely when the lock bar is released similar to my pm2! Great vid! I love Crk, Shirogorov, and Koenig my top 3!

[@ericmack001]

If you could check out the Rockstead Higo 2 I think you would love it

[@budaflash]

I enjoyed your video. I have owned 2 sebenzas over the past 10 years and have sold them. I find myself missing it and will likely pick up a 31 once they are back in stock. One thing i will say they hold their value if you decide to sell.

[@thepracticalblade9013]

Thank you!! Definitely a great USER. Just hard from a value perspective. I respect anyone who wants to use one of these. But yeah. I've got a custom olamic on the way. If it's everything I want it to be, I'll probably sell the sebebza for another olamic build. No doubt I can get $550 back.

[@budaflash]

@@thepracticalblade9013 defiinitely value perspective you're paying for the brand. its like buying a Louis Vutton wallet your like its just canvas LOL

[@thepracticalblade9013]

@@budaflash "special" canvas 😉

[@vinylwood]

Oh hey....that is the Bog Wood inlay correct?

[@thepracticalblade9013]

Macassar ebony, actually! It just happens to be quite dark, similar to the bog oak.

[@kashman2426]

The Chris Reeves Inkosi and Sebenza still the best. It’s worth every penny. Benchmade, Spyderco, ZT etc are inferior to Chris Reeves knives. I want the best and willing to pay the price. I’m no longer interested in carrying inferior knives because of the price.

[@Deer3083]

About the stupidest thing I've read in a long time. That fanboy bullshit isn't cute. I own 2 Crks currently. Have owned 8 through out my life. They are good knives but there are knives for all task and CRKs are not the end all be all in the knife world. Sit your silly ass down and don't talk.

[@dtom420]

Every collector has their own likes and dislikes but, personally, I think this guy is WAY off the mark. Comparing a ZT or a Spyderco to a CRK and saying the ZT is competitive? No friggin way. Sorry. The steels CRK uses may be of the same type as other brands BUT CRK uses the BEST version of that steel with the proper heat treat. S35V is NOT S35V - there can, and ARE, be widely different qualities depending on the manufacturing and the heat treat! Magnacut from CRK is WAY better than Spyderco’s magnacut. On paper there might be comparable knives out there but, in the hand, those knives do NOT compete. Comparing Chinese knives to a US made knife is some BS. Part of the price for a CRK is producing them IN THE USA, with US made materials - that in and of itself is worth the additional cost. To me it is, anyway. Chinese knives can be nice for sure but they’re more affordable because the oppressive communist regime subsidizes ALL the businesses in China; and buying their knives means, at the end of the day, you’re benefiting from and helping legitimize the use of forced labor and all sorts of crimes against humanity. I find that disgusting and I have no problem paying a little extra for a clean conscience. Supporting the oppressive Chinese regime in the name of “Value” is pretty sad.

[@thepracticalblade9013]

The beauty of this hobby is how much of it is subjective, and how many opinions can be opinions without being right or wrong. You haven't said anything that isn't true about what goes on in China. But I'm not here to talk about politics. "Value" is a completely valid consideration, as a matter of fact, it's probably the largest consideration for the vast majority of people. To talk about value without mentioning Chinese knife brands would be doing my viewers a disservice. You're more than welcome to maintain your own views for whatever reason you like, political or not. If supporting USA-made brands is what brings you the most joy, then you should certainly pursue that. I continue to collect knives from various countries of origin, because that's what brings me joy.

[@tomwebster6747]

We’ll said and great job not getting defensive! Both perspectives are valid.

[@jeremyspaulding7735]

Agreed on all points. The company as a whole is kind of a lighting rod in the community. The fan boys get very defensive when something other than praise is given to them and those who don't like them are ridiculed and berated for not singing its praises. It's kind of a crappy situation makes me not want to even think about this knife. I don't want to end up on either side of the debate. There is a lot about it I definitely appreciate and one day hope to experience one to see if it's a knife for me. Great review 👍

[@thepracticalblade9013]

Yup. Even making a video like this where I reiterate "I STILL THINK IT'S A GREAT KNIFE!", people get upset that I don't say it's the BEST knife.

[@ericmack001]

I think you are wrong. Benchmade is known for having quality control issues in the past. You think ZT in general is as good as Chris Reeve. I disagree. Rockstead and Shirogorov are two companies I would compare to Chris Reeve Knives. But look at how expensive those two brands are. Reate is really good. But they are not that much cheaper than Chris Reeve Knives. You are trying to criticize Chris Reeve Knives just to get views.

[@thepracticalblade9013]

If it wasn't for your last sentence, I may have actually given you a real response. I don't give a shit about views. And I certainly never said ZT was as good as a CRK. Don't be a dumbass. Watch the whole video and actually listen to it before you run your mouth.

[@jakefromohiostate]

Yeah man o really don’t get these knives at all. Exactly as you said MAAAAAYBE 10 years….maybe. I had one on loan for a short stint and for the life of me I could not justify the price against the competition today….which again is definitely the key point. It’s a really well built knife, but I would buy 3 Kizer’s in their Ti line before I would buy a Sebenza. I understand their following, just a personal (financial) choice to be part of it🤷🏼‍♂️. Another good discussion piece my dude!

[@thepracticalblade9013]

Thank you! Happy to see you here, and glad you agree. These videos are hard to make. The fan base is huge, and honestly, sometimes people hate to hear that a CRK might not be the greatest thing since sliced bread. Again, in a vacuum, CRK makes great knives. It just becomes harder and harder over time to justify them OVER the competition. Same thing you said. Too much competition at the $200 price point where I'd rather have 3 of those vs 1 of these.

[@jakefromohiostate]

@@thepracticalblade9013 yeah it’s definitely a controversial topic! I’m sure you’ll catch some heat from CRK fan base….maybe next video you can trash some random Spyderco hahaha!

[@thepracticalblade9013]

@@jakefromohiostate Tyler at eedc sent me a shaman that I was really stoked about, but made me sad instead. Good idea 😉 lmao

[@eyeofthetiger4184]

@@jakefromohiostate Great comment Jake, I could trash Spydies and CRK all day long, among others. But realistically its totally subjective and prefer to lean toward the positive side, at least where possible, lol. Cheers Duke.

[@erich964]

Rolex submariner equals Chris Reeve sebenza. You seem like a smart guy so what this limited space here goes. For the average person who wants one really nice knife and will not collect the Sebenza is it. Are there much better knives for the same amount of money or less yes there are. But for me and lots of other people I want an icon a famous name and a decent knife is all that matters. There is something special about the brand it’s hard to pinpoint but again it’s the Rolex of the Knife world. Every watch guy knows Rolex is not the best not even close but they are what they are

[@thepracticalblade9013]

You're 100% correct. It's still a great knife, buy brand image and reputation really come into play. So many knives could be "your only knife" in this day and age. The Sebenza is just easily one of the top choices if you're looking for a no frills TOOL before all else (such as fidgeting, exotic materials), or, as you said, a recognizable icon. Different people derive value from different qualities. If someone gets off to the brand, I won't object. Pristige is certainly a factor for some and CRK delivers there.

[@MrJohnny333]

Hi, in which state do you live?

[@thepracticalblade9013]

With all due respect, not sure I'm comfortable answering that for no practical reason over the internet. Are you curious about my local laws?

[@MrJohnny333]

@@thepracticalblade9013 no i am just courious 😁

[@MrJohnny333]

Do you like firearms?

[@thepracticalblade9013]

@@MrJohnny333 I do. They were my hobby prior to knives. Knives are much more affordable, easy to store, and collect. I don't respect the variation in guns the way I do knives.

[@MrJohnny333]

@@thepracticalblade9013 ok so you have guns and do you like Glock pistols ? because i am from Austria 😁

[@justinrowan4069]

No personal experience with a CRK knife (I would never pay that much for a knife) but it certainly sounds like the very definition of resting on your laurels. Pocket knives certainly have a point of diminishing returns and many knife guys definitely experience this on a routine basis.

[@thepracticalblade9013]

I have found that at around $300, any decent knife maker (individual or company) basically taps out from a mechanical perspective. They either know how to make a good knife and have made it as good as they can, or not. Everything after $300 is exotic materials, brand reputation, or something unnecessarily excessive (like CRK's tolerances- which are absolutely real, but not remotely necessary). If I'm paying over $300, I want something unique. That being said, I've got something on thr way that I think is going to be interesting 😉

[@Din4747]

I feel like your also paying for the history and what he has done for the knife world we live in , like his lock bar and his ceramic lock up and we all know his thumb studs suck 😂😂😂❤❤ mine still hasn’t gave up on me just got better to be honest you should customize it to your personal touch it’s a great knife is their better !! Yes look at zt reate and now mechforce it’s insane

[@mrgoodkat8567]

I love spyderco, but all of my shamans and both my pm2’s the pivot screws back out even with using blue locktite. Benchmade is the kimber of the knife world. Zt is good brand as long as its american made. If its made in china, idc what it is, its chinesium scrap. Koenig is now more expensive than crk and dont have the level of finish and lack of machine marks. Im tired of hearing knife people talk about chinese made knives, especially reate. Weak ass detents. Shoddy finishing qc. And theyre still in the $300+ range. Get real. Vero engineering having knives show up missing screws, damaged scales. Etc. it doesnt have to be american made for me to buy it. I love giant mouse knives at their price point. But i sure as hell wont buy comblock horeshit

[@thepracticalblade9013]

I agreed with most of what you said up until the comment about Reate. To this day, Reate is still by far the most consistent manufacturer I've come across in the production space. I have some quite snappy detents from them. Bummer you have experienced something different.

[@yellomate-tv2pc]

It's worth every penny. It literally holds resale value and some go up. Try again, bud.

[@thepracticalblade9013]

Lol. Sorry you disagree, bud. Whatever gets you to sleep at night.

[@yellomate-tv2pc]

@@thepracticalblade9013 You ignore basic logic. You are not practical. False advertising, pal.

[@thepracticalblade9013]

@@yellomate-tv2pc You say random shit on the internet. Go away. Nobody forced you to watch my video. Cry me a river. Plenty agree with me. Let me guess, you spent your hard-earned money on a Sebenza and are butthurt because someone else who knows shit about knives doesn't have exclusively positive things to say about it? 🤣🫡

[@pannan80]

The 31 is not a Sebenza in my opinion,too many cost saving changes.

[@thepracticalblade9013]

Such as?

[@wholesome4028]

I always felt that the giantmouse ace sonoma in titanium was super underrated. got mine a while back and was surprised just how good it is, for around 200 bucks at the time of buying. it is made by reate, so I really shouldn't be surprised. definitely one of the best bang for buck knives in my collection.

[@thepracticalblade9013]

I absolutely LOVE the Sonoma. My only beef is V2 is in micarta. Yeugh.