My little sister is a wine merchant and I gave her a small 21 eg.opening boxes and display stuff... She gets compliments from restaurant owners who know the brand and plus the looks of the Sebenza blends right in the clubby atmosphere of most of clients restaurant. 😉

I love the CRK ways. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. The sebenza is the perfect knive.

It’s weird that people would say the CRK is outdated. Just because they’ve been around for a little while doesn’t mean it needs to be improved or redone, slip joints have been around for longer and those still hold a solid place in the edc world! Great video!!

Chris Reeve is tradition. And this modern age wants fidgety, pretty, for almost free. 🤷🏼‍♂️ They don’t deserve the Sebenza, and wouldn’t even use it if they had one.

💯 great info - thx for the vid and all u do

I appreciate your ongoing work and your in depth CRK discussions really make me happy that I have managed to capture a new Magnacut Large Sebenza. My only concern right now is that it may be too big, but there is always time for a small one later. 😊

Amen! I agree with everything you’re saying. I have a large Sebenza 31 in S45VN and another one on the way in MagnaCut. I’m only gonna speak on the Sebenza. This is my take on it. First, like you mentioned, take the edge angle down and the performance will go up. Second, the Sebenza is all about balance. Not too thin edge, not too thick. Not too light, not too heavy. Not overbuilt, not frail. Third, the tight but smooth, deliberate and consistent action on the Sebenza is harder to achieve than a drop shut action. Think about it. How many other knives have the Sebenza action? Drop shut is easy to make. A 30$ Civivi with ball bearings drop shuts. The slow roll and then the loud click when the frame lock snaps in is so satisfying to me.

I sent a clapped out large 21 in for a reblast and sharpen. CRK called me and said that they didn’t like the lock up. So they re heat treated the lock bar, and replaced the blade washers and all hardware. All for free under warranty. I received a brand spanking new knife back. What more can you want?

Thanks, really great post. I think you're right, it's a matter of consideration and goal setting. Although these knives are way beyond my budget, I really love them and fully appreciate CR's technical contributions to folding knife development.

Great video !

Great video, I was into it and enjoying it, then at the 8:56 mark I learned that videos of cutting up cardboard is the coolest thing on KZfaq... so, off I go to watch some of that... to be cool too.😜

Folks online often talk about machining tolerances. Not sure what other companies have mentioned theirs like CRK does. The numbers they hold in a production setting are incredible if you have ever turned a dial on any equipment. IMO it largely doesn’t matter but it does give some actual measure ability of the quality. To me they represent a great value. Not inexpensive but high value for the money. In the firearms world they are like Glock. Simple, hard working, not trendy, slow to innovate because they simply work. In the knife world CRK may be the Randall of the folding world. Again not trendy, or flashy, but solid and steadfast. Hard to argue with Randall’s 6 year wait time and CRK is similar. That being said I could care less what someone chooses to carry. Having such great options is definitely a first world problem. Personally all my Benchmades, Spydercos, and ZT blades went away after starting to collect Reeves. Not because they where bad, they where all excellent, I just happen to really enjoy the CRK brand and the machining efforts. Thanks for the video.

Good video and excellent points. We may develop better steels or heat treatment in the future, but honestly knife technology isn't changing so dramatically that any knife really becomes outdated. The Sebenza is a good all purpose work knife and still will be 50 years from now and I believe my Sebenza 25 will be in my grandson's pocket 50 years from now working just fine. For instance, I have a 80 year old Randall fixed blade knife that my grandfather gave me and it still holds its own compared to anything on the market today.

I have over 50 folders, the last two purchases I made were a Large PJ and a Small Bog Oak inlay both in magnacut and I refuse to carry anything else. I might as well sell all my other blades. Love them so much, by the way I couldn’t wait for your next video so I came to watch this one and dropped a comment for the good ol algorithm 👏🏻

They could pretty easily offer a version with a slightly deeper hollow grind to thin out the edge without changing anything else on the knife. Of course everything is easier said than done and if you want to change the blade stock then that’s a different story but as someone who does like CRK, I would definitely buy a thinner edge version too!

I still don’t have a small sabenza but I’m thinking of selling one of my hinderer’s I don’t carry now to get one.. My large sabenza is still the best all around folder I have and I would take it in the woods or camping over any I have

I think the chris reeves knives looks very good and elegant i never tried one but surely would like to .

CRK reminds me of apple products, very streamlined, highly functional, sleek and elegant. Expensive, maybe "over priced" but you are also buying piece of mind, that you have a quality made tool.

Preach Erica! Speak the Truth!

CRK, and particularly the Sebenza in both the standard blade and the Insingo, makes my favorite knife to actually use, ever. Especially the two I now have in Magnacut.

It’s hysterical to see so many 20 something knife newbies who know practically nothing about knives or steel and who’s experience with their use is opening some packages, say that Chris Reeve- who literally helped in the design and treatment of the steel- has junk heat treat. And the sebenza is out of date? 🤣 The sebenza will outlive ever one of those other folders that are so trendy right now. Just like it’s outlived all the other trends that came and went over the last 30 years. The sebenza will still be the king of folders in another 20 years.

I’m not a tanto guy but I love my large 31 natural micarta some damn much I came home from work today to my large 31 tanto in magnacut in the mailbox. I am absolutely obsessed with the knife itself and the deliberate opening and closing of the knife. They are fantastic and worth every penny in my opinion!!!🎉

I think use case is worth considering. Cutting nothing but cardboard can be misleading, but on the other hand, there are people who do essentially nothing but that day in and day out as part of their work. I think what makes the Sebenza so great is how flexible it is. It's good for most tasks. It doesn't *need* to be the best at absolutely *everything.* There's no knife that is. It's not the perfect knife, but it's the perfect everyday knife.

I love my Sebenza 31. It cuts nicely, makes a great door jam, and I can pound on the spine without any issues. The action doesn't bug me because I have a custom Buck 110 that I rotate in my EDC. My only gripe is the damn hot spot around the lock. I have worker's hands but that one spot gets brutal if I use it for extended periods of time

I have a small 31 drop in magnacut and love it. So much I bought a carbon fiber tanto inkosi magnacut large. Love CRKs

I always liked the look of the plain Jane Sebenzas the best. It was insanely expensive to buy one here in Germany before the era of internet shopping. So my first Sebenzas are already equipped with S30V, later S35VN blades. I never warmed up to these steels. In 2015 one of my preferred dealers had one small Sebenza 21 with Mammoth Ivory inlays, something I always looked for as a conversation piece to accompany the plain ones. It has a Devin Thomas Damascus blade and finally I found myself to be in the possession of a Sebenza with a blade that I liked for its technical properties. Sometimes later I bought a second small 21 with Devin Thomas blade (and Bocote inlays) as a user, but overall I liked the first one, with Mammoth Ivory, so much that it is my main EDC/EDU knife ever since. Holds a keen edge much better, than the S30V, S35VN ones, is easily resharpened and honed with traditional methods. I just rub two different sharpening/honing pastes for razors on a plane piece of wood. Seldomly use an Arkansas stone or something even rougher.

I like fidgeting and all that stuff. I don’t have a CRK. But I do have tow close comparisons. A small and full size Spartan Harsey Folder. They’re about as old school as can be. Like the CRKs. I’d love to get a couple and know I’d love them.

Your getting better

Anyone that expects CRK to “get with the times” is missing the whole point. There are so many other companies that are doing new and flashy things to scratch that itch for people. CRK is doing what they do best and staying in their lane- and their 4-6 year back log proves that they should change nothing.

I agree if were talking about the 21. The 31 I had has lock rock and required locktite. None of my $200-$300 knives needed that. But my $600 Chris Reeves did.

CRK needs to post this video on their Website.

Hey sista!!! Personally I don’t see the “fidget factor” in knives. I don’t they’re to be “played” with. I believe that knives are one of humans first tools and they’re tools made to cut. In my trucker world and living in a rural area, I need a sturdy, rugged knife! I just ordered another Emerson today!! Yes!!! 🔪🇺🇸🔪🇺🇸🔪🇺🇸🔪🇺🇸🔪 Cheers 🍺🍺🍺

Great video!Thanks for sharing!I just subscribed your channel.Keep it going 🔪👍

I don’t think high hardness will ever go away. People want to get the performance out of their knife they spent good money on. Hell, I have a old CRK OPK that is 55-57 HRC. Waaay too soft. They definitely listened to their customers. My Magnacut 31 is excellent

Mila Kunis is perfect! She doesn't need improvements, so neither does my Sebenza. Because my Sebenza is Mila Kunis! Erica told me so!!!

The whole gotta cut cardboard thing always makes me laugh. I have owned CRK, Spyderco, Benchmade, Hinderer and Emerson knives. When I need to break down boxes for recycling I grab a Stanley utility knife as it simply does a better job.

They may not be the "latest and greatest," but I would still consider giving my left... to own one.

Well done . There was a time in the not to distant past if you didn't have a CR your collection was incomplete.

CRK is just a classic. Just like old Bucks. They dont need to be updated. There is a reason CRK knives are always sold out. Good quality knife that stands the test of time. We the consumer can buy lots of knives that are better at doing a single task. But that isnt the point of many of these knives. Some knives are just great all around knives. And they prove that.

To me crk is the tops in a production knife. I’ve never experienced a time when I needed to deploy a knife super quick, so I’m good with crk opening style. What I really like is that they are not huge knives, but do seem overbuilt a bit, and with minimal fasteners, and no weird nooks and crannies to accumulate stuff. They can easily be washed out with a toothbrush and dish soap, and don’t have hidden or small springs.

We are so lucky to have so many options.

12:16 batoning is not an edge retention thing. The sides of the blade do the splitting. There is an initial cut with the blade then the sides take over for the most part. Also it can cause lock issues when doing that task. If you have to baton with a folder, unlock the knife and baton that way. Old timer tip. The reason why it causes lock issues is the force of the baton/hammer onto the blade is banging into the lock face. If its titanium it can flex and also cause lock face surface issues. This can be mitigated with different frame lock designs but overall chopping ans batoning should be avoided with a frame lock. The original crk had a garbage heat treat. After 2015 they started improving it. Otherwise yeah they are great knives. Glad they upgraded from s35vn. All mine are in s35vn.

Carried the S31s today, but only use restaurant knife at lunch. Poor 31s had the day off in the pocket.

I have a small inkosi & umnumzaan in s45 & just got a small 31 in Magnacut. I love all 3 , if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

There's only 2 things i would change about my Sebenza 31 Insingo in magnacut. - I think a milled titanium pocket clip would be nice to have. There is nothing wrong with what comes with it. - Etch the blade steel on the blade where it can only be seen when taken apart. I just received mine today. The first few snail trails are going to be hard to stomach, but i bought this as a daily user and not a pocket/ shelf queen.

You can do better… if you spent thousands of dollars on a Shirogorov, Rockstead or something in that same range… but for the price of the Reeve it’s difficult to beat with knives in that particular range, there’s definitely rivals but it’s hard to say ones objectively better than the other… those crazy high dollar knives are also not really targeting the same market of people as the Chris Reeve and others like it either, end of the day, all comes down to preference

Heat-treatment and superior steel is a valuable yet never ending discussion, ehh :-)? My small 31 Insingo in Magnacut has gotten two small chips and a large chip in the blade over the course of six months. I have no clue of how and why the smaller ones got there except for that sh!t just happens when you use your stuff and nothing is indestructible/Murphy's law. However, I blame myself 100% for the large chip. I dropped the knife on a stone floor, it popped open and spun across the floor. The chip was a millimeter away from the tip (I count myself lucky that the tip didn't break off) but fixable. As of now, my opinion on Magnacut is that it IS a great steel but too hyped. Personally, I'd probably prefer a slightly softer steel on the knife/knives I use constantly. I have a small Damascus 31 on its way so hopefully that will do the trick. Thank you for your videos on CRK. It is great to see a users review and thoughts on them. I think you have the right approach and mindset on their intended use. Keep it up!

Im not super sold on the magnacut craze. Yea sure the s45 might lose its shave sharp edge quickly, but the trade off of that is its stupid easy to sharpen even for a beginner like me and it strops very well. Id rather have that than have something that is difficult to sharpen. Im perfectly happy with my two crk’s in s45.

I appreciate your thoughts on the Chris Reeves knives. Have a great weekend!

People worried about cutting cardboard all the time buy a box cutter/razor knife. You carry a CRK for multiple tasks.

Just got my buddy a large lefty Inkosi. He kept eyeballing my CRs lol.

It’s all about balance and that’s exactly what CRK was going for. Most knife companies go for balance, sometimes purpose built it depends. Research and listen to them explain the rationale behind a knife design. I do think every company or designer could do more to educate the consumer of their thought process behind a design.

Was curious what your favorite edc flashlights are?

One time i heard someone say if your good at sharpening it dosn't matter that much what blade steel you got

SAY, TIMELESS CLASSIC

Someone should loan you a Chris Reeve Umnumzaan to review. I think you'd enjoy it. Love CRK. Consistent quality and great simple designs that work.

And the warranty is second to none!

I love my CRK Small Sebenza 31's - I have the Insingo and Tanto in Magnacut, a Drop Point in S45VN, and a Chad Nichols Damascus version. Plus I have a small Inkosi Tanto S45VN and an Insingo S35VN, a large Inkosi Tanto S45VN, and a Tanto Umnumzaan in S45VN (plus a Mnandi S45VN for using around the house). But my Spyderco Para 3 cuts cardboard better, LOL.

Saw a comment the other day a guy said he'd take a Civivi Elementum in D2 over a Bugout any day. People are funny. I find many ppl just parrot what theyve heard as fact without doing any inderpendent thought or research or without having any actual experience themselves. Not a good idea imo. And you always have to consider the source when it comes to information. Theres a LOT of KZfaqrs out here that simply dont know what they're talking about. Some of them even "design" knives but don't know how to sharpen a blade or even "test cut" paper properly!

CRK are designed to be a durable effective tool NOT a fidget toy! Quality?! How about repeatable .0015 tolerances? Buy a Sebenza, carry & use it for 1 year, then you'll understand.

Cutting cardboard in a warehouse with a $50 knife is "trendy." But processing game on a hunting trip with your $500 knife is gritty toughness. Hmmmmm.

A video defending Chris Reeve Knives 😆 I never thought I'd see that because I didn't think they needed defending. A company with wait lists 4 years out, that charges the prices they do yet still cannot make enough product speaks for CRK without words. Any negativity is just pointless whining that should just be laughed at or ignored. Like EVERYTHING in life, if you don't like it then don't buy it.

Cutting cardboard is the job for a box cutter….like sheep they follow childish trends. If you are in the knife game for a long time, you know that chris reeve is world class

I don’t understand the cutting cardboard obsession.. I’m so sick of hearing about it. Get an OLFA knife it will go through it super fast.. I don’t get it.. If I never heard about cutting cardboard again it would be fine.. Thanks Erica

The holy trinity will always remain.

the market is rarely wrong and there is a reason why CR knives go for heavy premiums in the secondary market. all the haters don't understand that.

I don't know much about CRK knives other than what I see on KZfaq. But they sure don't look made for left-handers. Most left-handed people use both hands, at least to some point. These are right-handed knives with only one thumb stud. I wouldn't even be interested in a left-hand version. I would want a knife to open with either hand. Looking for the best bang for the buck is a natural thing to do. I like the Mnandi, and that would be something I'd use, but I could do a lot better for the money. I love the mini-Griptilian basic version, and that's one of my older models. I don't know, but I guess I could do just as much with that for a 100 bucks.

Good video. If CR wanted Americans to own an American knife they wouldn't be priced for the elites. Nice knives though.

Get ready to hear people crying about chipping the blade on their Benchmade Narrows 😊

Can’t bring myself to spend that much money on a cutting tool

The obsession with thin geometry is the inevitable reaction against the fat, overbuilt knives that dominated the scene for the past five years. Personally, I dig the well balanced properties of a Sebenza.

I am eyeballing my XM-18 trying to will it into a large 31. After what happened I just dont feel the love for the XM anymore.

I will get a sebenza soon, also I'm totally uploading a video of me cutting cardboard with 15v lol.

The sebenza is the AK47 of the knife world.

I mean who is buying EDC knives for cardboard cutting primarily!! Of course a lot of these knives weren’t built for that because the industry delivered a solution for cardboard cutting a long time ago called a "box cutter". The stuff your saying about the CR knives is the exact same thing I hear about knives like the griptillian. Well CR knives and others like the griptillian were made to go to war and back, not just cut cardboard following the Amazon delivery dude! They are thicker stock and thicker behind the edge cause they are engineered to have the shit beat out of them doing real work!! So CR knives are not out dated and neither are a bunch of others like it.

😴😴😴😴 they are nice but they arent built very big or overbuilt. Its fine as a metro pocket stuffer. Its not a heavy use tool.

Tried a Sebenza based on your reviews. They are nice. Honestly though it’s nowhere near worth the price tag. If I wanted a clunky knife I would carry a buck 110 in s35

Didn't you have a ton of problems with some some of these?

I thing they are over price there no way they should cost that much

They’re gorgeous tools, but I cannot buy Zulu named knives made by a white guy. 🙃 So, I’d rather go with Emerson for a chonker.