Chris Reeve Small Sebenza 21 review

Carbon fiber handle and Insingo blade design

For my next entry into the blog, I figured I would depart from the usual bow reviews and take a look at something that has been on my radar for quite some time.  Folding knives are something that have been a part of my life ever since my father allowed me to have a small Swiss Army Knife when I had shown him that I could responsibly handle one.  My middle school and high school had a zero-tolerance approach towards anything the administration deemed "scary", so I really did not let my knife hobby expand until I entered college.  It was then that I poured over knife magazines, visited cutlery shops wherever I went, and tried to read up as much as I could about steel, grind types, blade shapes, etc.

I have always admired the iconic Sebenza ever since I handled one over a decade ago at a local gun show.  The simple build of the knife and the impeccable fit and finish were what drew me to it.  Unfortunately, the hefty price tag kept it well out of my reach, elevating the knife to holy grail status in my mind.  Fast forward to today now that I have a solid career, wonderful family, and the ability to appreciate some finer things in life.




- General Details -

The Sebenza comes in a neat white box with the Chris Reeve Knives (CRK) logo embossed on the front.  Because this model is a collaborative effort between CRK and KnifeArt.com, there is a silver KnifeArt.com sticker near the bottom indicating as such.

Typical CRK box with the exception of the silver KnifeArt.com sticker

Inside the box is a foam block with cutouts for the knife, hex wrench, and small tube of CRK fluorinated grease.  Additionally, the requisite papers and user manual are present along with a blue towel embossed with the same CRK logo as on the box.  All together, the presentation that greets you when you first encounter the package is impressive and gives a suggestion of the level of quality and attention that CRK is so well known for.

Everything that's inside the box.  Not sure what the fan-shaped cutout on the left of the knife is for.

The small Sebenza is 6.875" overall length opened, 3.986" closed, and 1.012" wide closed.  Thickness is 0.395" without the clip and 0.563" if you include it.  The knife weighs in at a scant 2.35oz.  Going by these dimensions, the small Sebenza makes for a very discreet and comfortable EDC knife that won't drag down your pants or be overly bulky.  In fact, I find the knife to be barely noticeable clipped to the back pocket of my jeans or dress slacks.

6.875" long opened

3.986" closed and 1.012" wide

0.563" thick with the clip (0.395" without)

- Blade -

Departing from the usual drop point blade style seen with most Sebenzas, this particular model has a 2.94" long Insingo blade.  Insingo is the Zulu word for "razor", so the Sebenza Insingo would directly translate to "work razor" from Zulu.  The Insingo shape is reminiscent of a wharncliffe blade, but is modified so that is has a slight belly rather than being perfectly straight.  That, in my opinion, makes the Insingo blade shape so much better.  The slight belly gives the blade more slicing ability than the straight wharncliffe.  Additionally, the tip of the blade sports a swedge that enhances the penetrative ability of the blade to make starting a cut slightly easier if you need to use the tip.  The majority of the blade thickness still carries from base to tip, making it quite strong.  In short, I really like the blade shape and find it to be better suited to the usual tasks I encounter such as opening envelopes, boxes, cutting down cardboard for recycling, minor food prep, etc.

Modified wharncliffe profile.  Note the mild swedge towards the tip and attractive blue thumbstud.

The blade steel is CPM-S35VN which is supposedly a slight upgrade over CPM-S30V with the addition of Niobium to create finer grain structure, which should improve toughness and ease of sharpening.  I am not particularly a steel snob nor am I all that knowledgable about them.  I have a fair number of knives in S30V steel and it has proven to be an excellent steel for my use.  I have found it to be very good in holding its edge and fairly easy to restore to hair-popping sharpness with a few swipes on my Spyderco Sharpmaker.   As far as I can tell, there is no significant difference between S35VN and S30V.  I am aware of more exotic steels out there such as ZDP-189, M390, and CPM-S90V that have better properties than S35VN.  I can imagine some folks might complain that such a high-end knife should feature a high-end exotic steel.  There are a number of knives available for less than a Sebenza that feature the exotic steels so that would make sense, I suppose.  I certainly would not mind having a fancy steel, but for my needs, S35VN is plenty good.  The knife came out of the box with a razor shaving-sharp edge and it was still just sharp enough to shave the hairs off my arm after tearing down two Costco-sized diaper boxes and a large double stroller box for the recycle bin.  I have two boys under the age of 2 so we go through a lot of diapers.  On the bright side, that provides me with lots of fodder for knife edge testing!

Taken directly from the Chris Reeve Knives website, the composition of S35VN is:

Carbon (C) 1.4% 
Chromium (Cr) 14.00%
Vanadium (V) 3.00%
Molybdenum (Mo) 2.00%
Niobium (Nb) 0.5%

The blade tracks perfectly centered between the handle scales, as expected of a knife in this price point.  The blade comes from 3mm thick stock and is hollow ground.  The spine is full thickness and features a rounded back edge, which is a nice subtle touch.  The whole thing has been given a stonewashed finish that both attractive and functional.  There is jimping on the spine of the blade that helps improve thumb purchase.  Jimping fans will be disappointed as that is the only place on the entire knife that has it.  Really, the handle is designed that it fits the hands well enough and the surface texture is not slippery.

This is the only jimping you will find on the knife.

Speaking of thumb purchase, the blade features a blue anodized pointed thumbstud on the right side. Ideally, I prefer ambidextrous studs in the event I need to open the knife with my left hand.  Unfortunately, the stud is a press fit affair as I am led to understand, and would require a trip back to CRK for modification.  However, being a frame lock, the Sebenza does have chirality (remember that from chemistry?) and is right-handed biased.  (A left-handed model is available as a custom order from CRK, if one so prefers.)  So being a right-handed knife, having only one thumbstud for right-handed opening does makes sense.  It works for me.  If it isn't broke....




- Handle and Clip -

Here is where this particular Sebenza differs from the others.  The locking side of the handle is still the same 3.2mm thick slab of matte finished 6Al4V titanium, but the opposite side is composed of a 3.2mm thick slab of woven carbon fiber plate.  The carbon fiber is machined to the same dimensions as the titanium version, but features a much reduced weight, and to me, an improved aesthetic appeal.  The full titanium version weight about 2.9oz. while this version with the carbon scale weights about a half ounce less.  It is not much of a weight savings, but it is noticeable in the hand and every little bit helps make a folder that much more EDC-able.  It also helps that I love the look of woven carbon fiber and enjoy having it in many of my possessions - bows, knives, pens, watches, etc.  All parts of the handle are held together with hex screws for ease of maintenance.

The carbon scale is machined to the same dimensions as the titanium one

Made in the USA.  In Idaho, to be exact.

Being a special edition Sebenza, it should stand to reason that it would need a special edition lanyard.  The lanyard is attached by way of a blue anodized stud that is allowed to pivot freely in the handle holes.  This lanyard differs from the usual Sebenza model in that it is tied differently and has a decorative spacer bead.  The added bling is a nice touch and the three blue anodized rings in the bead look great with the other subtle blue bits on the back spacer and thumbstud.  I never bothered with lanyards in the past, but this one accents the knife very well and it does make it more accessible from the pocket.  Time will tell how well I like having the little stubby braid poking out from the top of my pocket.

Lanyard and spacer bead.  The blue lanyard stud has an almost jewel-like quality to it.

The handle shape is pretty much a rounded rectangle with a slight concavity in the middle.  The edges are relieved and the two slabs are held together at three points: the blade pivot, the stop pin, and the blue anodized back spacer.  This makes for an incredibly simple construction that is easy to clean.  I particularly like open handles for the flow-through design as lint and pocket debris tend to fall out more easily.  The solid slabs instead of liner and scales makes for few nooks and crannies for junk to get stuck in as well.  Overall, the handle is comfortable to hold in a variety of grips.  White-knuckling the handle does not create any particularly sharp areas that hurt the hand, but the pocket clip can generate some hot spots if you grip it just right and squeeze hard enough.  I wear small-medium gloves and can easily get 4 fingers around the handle.

My 4 fingers easily fit within the confines of the handle

The small Sebenza is an excellent size for pretty much any daily task.

This is not a fighting knife, so I doubt I will ever really use a reverse grip.

The pocket clip is among the nicest I have seen.  It is made of the same titanium as the handle slab and features a kink in the middle as a secondary retentive mechanism.  Honestly, it is a novel innovation that improves the retention the clip has on your pocket and reduces the chance that you might lose your investment.  The clip fits into a matching countersunk slot in the titanium handle scale and is secured by a single screw.  The design matches the minimalist design of the Sebenza and is very effective.  There is no side to side play of the clip and you don't have to fuss with 2 or more tiny screws if you wish to adjust it.

One thing I noticed about the clip and the way it mounts to the handle is how it rides on the lockbar portion of the handle.  When opened, the lockbar portion slides inwards towards the midline of the knife to engage the blade tang.  This means the clip will also move inwards and present a slightly thinner profile, likely improving ergonomics.  I do not know if this was intentionally designed this way, but it is a cool feature nonetheless.  Pocket clips are a necessary evil, in my opinion.  I feel they detract from handle ergonomics, but their value in keeping a pocket knife positioned in an easily accessible manner is invaluable.

Note the countersunk recess the clip fits into and the kink in the middle as additional retention.

- Blade Deployment and Lock -

The deployment action is buttery smooth out of the box and clicks firmly into place without any hint of play.  If you like fast and loose actions like those on some Benchmade Axis lock models or flipper knives, you will be disappointed with the Sebenza.  Opening the knife requires a firm push on the thumbstud to get it started out of the detent, but then the blade continues on gliding until it locks open.  You cannot flip the blade open, but it is easily the smoothest deployment I have ever encountered.  I would say the action is deliberate, meaning the blade requires a continuous effort on your part to move it into position.  The blade has a perforated phosphor bronze washer on either side between it and the handle.  The perforations help hold lubricant and I can confirm they work as designed.

About 40% engagement on the tang on my knife.

The Reeve Integral Lock (RIL) that CRK is so famous for is rock solid and exhibits about a 40% engagement on my model.  It seems to show a later lock up than some of my liner lock knives, but I understand the RIL is slightly different and lock ups of around 50% or so is the norm.  Regardless of that, my Sebenza locks up solidly without any hint of blade play, but disengages cleanly without any grittiness or the lock sticking.  I'd say CRK nailed it with the RIL.  It is simple, super strong, and super reliable.  Can't get much better than that.




- Final Thoughts -

I am thrilled to be a member of the Sebenza owner's club (if such a thing exists).  The small Sebenza is everything I had hoped it would be: lightweight, strong, and having impeccable fit and finish.  The Insingo blade shape is perfect for my daily tasks and I think it looks rather handsome when mated to a carbon fiber handle scale and the blue hardware.  Personally, I find the modified wharncliffe blade shape to be less "offensive" than other shapes in the eyes of those I call "sheeple".  Without getting too political, sheeple are people who are "exquisitely weapon sensitive" and tend to think the UK got it right with their insane gun and knife laws.  But, I digress.

I like that CRK includes a hex wrench and tube of grease with their knives.  This indicates to me they take their customers seriously and understand those who would purchase such a knife would take the time and care to perform routine maintenance to ensure many years of faithful service.  I also understand CRK offers excellent customer service and one can always send in their Sebenza, Umnumzaan, or Mnandi folders in for maintenance anytime.  When you buy a knife from CRK, you buy not just a knife, but the entire company along with it.

Overall, the small Sebenza is an excellent EDC knife.  The size and weight makes the knife very easy to carry all day and the clean aesthetics with the carbon fiber make it suitable for jeans or dress slacks.  The length is just right for tackling the vast majority of cutting tasks, but not being too long so as to scare the sheeple and run afoul of most local ordinances.  Made in the USA of top-tier materials and finished to exacting standards, the Sebenza is truly in a class by itself among folding knives.  That begs to ask the question, "Is it worth the price?".  The answer depends on who you ask.  To someone who sees a knife as merely a tool, probably not.  But to someone who can appreciate master craftsmanship and attention to detail, then perhaps yes.  If you are a collector or a knife enthusiast who is ready for the next level in folding knives, then you will not be disappointed by the small Sebenza in any of its variations.

If this particular Sebenza interested you, check out www.knifeart.com to peruse their selection of special edition offerings from CRK.  As a parting word, I would like to caution anyone interested in purchasing a Sebenza online to be wary of counterfeits.  Often times, these are found on E-bay and other overseas vendors for much less than the usual rates.  Some are knock-offs that look like Sebenzas but lack the logos and are not true counterfeits.  Nevertheless, shop carefully, do your research, and buy from a reputable vendor if in doubt.  As the saying goes, you get what you pay for, and with a genuine CRK knife, you get a lot.