Chris Reeve Sebenza 31 Review
EDITOR’S NOTE: After this review was finished but before it was published, Chris Reeve raised the price on all their products. The plain small Sebenza is no longer $375. It is NOW $425. That is an increase of more than 10%. As a result a lot of the comments about the Sebenza being a good value need to be seriously tempered. I do think a $425 is still a fair price, but it is no longer a good value. Think of it as being “on par” as opposed to the $375 Sebenza was “below par.” Also, I am really happy that I got a 31 with S45VN a month and half ago, it was significantly cheaper.
After some uproar online CRK posted this article in response to the negative feedback around the price increase. I agree that it stinks that the price hike applied to ordered. but not paid for or completed knives. But Chris Reeve is a business. They have costs—both labor and materials. Both kinds of costs have gone up in price. Every sector is dealing with inflation, which, like virtually all economic events has multiple systemic causes (see here for more), and that means that as a business owner you have two choices—make less money or raise your price. Given those two choices very few, if any, business people choose to make less money. That is the logic of capitalism. You can be mad about it, but understand blaming Chris Reeve Knives for the logic of capitalism is probably unfair. If you like free markets, you have to accept that sometimes inflation occurs.
Here is the last point I will make about the price increase—it is really only a big deal on the plain Jane models and they are, right now, exceedingly hard to find, significantly harder to find than inlay models. Inlay models, while somewhat scarce for the past two years, aren’t impossible to find. There the price increase is truly negligible and so the REAL price increase came a while ago, when Chris Reeve decided to focus on inlay models instead of plain Janes. But if you tell people a knife is $150 more because of a fancy inlay that adds no function, they are completely fine. If you tell them a knife costs $50 more because of economic forces endemic to capitalism, the behave like monkeys at the zoo throwing poop at everything. This isn’t a defense of the price increase, per se, but only an observation that it happened a long time ago and no one complained because folks in the IKC love matrails.
Now back to the regularly scheduled program…
Reviewing the Sebenza is for gear reviewers what reviewing Citizen Kane is for movie reviewers—it is a monumental task that ultimately results in little good. If you praise it, it falls into the chorus of praise and it angers some people. If you bash it, people think you are crazy. From a certain point of view there is absolutely no reason to review either Citizen Kane or the Sebenza.
But unlike Citizen Kane, the Sebenza has changed. Additionally, the market has changed around it. What once was an extravagant purchase for crazy enthusiasts only is now something of a value. That’s remarkable and a commentary on both how good the Sebenza is and how excessive the market has become. In addition to changes in market forces, the Sebenza has also been incrementally improved over the years. My original was a 21 and it came with S30V. The current review sample is a 31 with S45VN steel. It also has the new ceramic lock bar interface and the repositioned clip. Its not an entirely new knife, but it is a better knife.
This leads me to the third point of the review preamble—no matter who you are, you will like your second Sebenza more than your first. It takes time to understand all of the things that make the Sebenza great. This is not an apologist’s defense of an irrational purchase, but simply a statement of fact. You have to handle a bunch of knives before you fully understand both what makes the Sebenza great and why its greatness is so hard to achieve. You need to handle a good Spyderco, a nice Benchmade, a Hinderer, a Reate, and WE, and a few others before you appreciate the subtle greatness that makes the Sebenza the true benchmark for folders. You also need to spend some time with your Sebenza and really use it. Having it as a prop for Instagram photos is okay, but really using it will teach you why it is built and shaped like it is. Having used it a bunch, as a food prep knife and a knife for opening messy bags of masonry components, and for all the regular EDC tasks, it is clear to me why the Sebenza is great. It teaches you, for example, why the Sebenza’s much hated thumbstuds are actually among the best in the business. But as I said before, the appreciation of greatness, especially with something like the Sebenza, is an act of patience, careful observation, and the collection of experiential datapoints.
Let’s go into this with two questions: 1) how good is current iteration of the Sebenza; and 2) is it worth an upgrade?
Here is the product page. The Small Plain Sebenza 31 in S45VN costs $375. There are large versions of the Sebenza and “fancy” versions with various handle material inlays. There is also a scaled up fancy version with Damascus steel and there are custom graphics versions. You can spend as much as you want on a Sebenza, up to about $2,000, if you are willing to wait. Here is a written review. Here is a video review. To keep this review of the Sebenza engaging, after all, there is probably no more commonly reviewed knife on the web than the Sebenza, I am going to play a game of bingo. Whenever I use a phrase common to Sebenza reviews, I will note it. Follow along at home on your pretend bingo board and see if you have bingo by the end of the review.
Finally, here is my review sample:
Quick Review Summary: A classic made better.
Design: 2
In the Platonic dialogue Parmenides, the Father of Wisdom wrote:
“In the knowledgeable realm, the form of the good is the last thing to be seen and it is reached only with great difficulty.”
En route to the Good, you will pass “chair,” “circle,” and “knife.” The knife you see in the Knowledgeable Realm will be the Chris Reeve Sebenza. It is a knife utterly and relentlessly focused on durable performance. In the plain Jane form, it is shorn of literally everything that is not related to durable performance. There is no frippery or gilding, just the very essence of a knife. It is a knife qua knife where nothing can be added to improve performance and nothing can be taken away to reduce unnecessary complexity. The small Sebenza is an absolutely perfect design and an easy 2 out of 2. For those playing “Sebenza Review Bingo” I will state the following: this is a very simple looking knife, but with some subtle cues that indicate a masterful design.
The performance ratios, naturally skew close to the Golden Knife ratio (.75 B:H; 1 B:W) with a 4 inch handle and 3 inch blade, all weighing 3 ounces. The B:H is .751. The B:W is .996. I went out a third decimal place because, well, it shows you how precisely the design is tuned. Of course, ratios aren’t performance, but when you start with this solid a foundation, things tend to go well.
Fit and Finish: 2
Tim Reeve was on an episode of Mark of the Maker about a year ago and he talked about all of the difficulty he has encountered in retooling CRK for the latest generation of knives. The result, I think we can fairly say, has been a journey. A lot of people voiced displeasure about the first few batches of Sebenza 31s and these complaints were more than just the unreasonable “this is a Sebenza so it must be perfect on a nanoscale” complaints. There were real issues. About two years after its release though, the sample I have is absolutely faultless. This is truly a knife worthy of the CRK logo and one of the finest knives I have ever seen. Even now, few production knives are so well made that they can been disassembled and reassembled without a hitch. Having taken apart every CRK blade I have owned I can tell you refinement on this level is still rare in the production knife world. Time and again, the Sebenza comes apart and goes back together feeling and looking identical to its NIB shape. It is also worth noting that the Sebenza is smooth and reliable without gimmicks. I like snappy bearing pivots as much as the next person, but they are a bit of a crutch. The slop in machining the two scales is made up for by having a bearing make things smooth. Actually machining parts, washers and all, to be perfect takes more skill and attention. It also means that the action is different. I actually prefer the action of the Sebenza to say, the latest Reate bearing pivot Wonder Blade. Its smooth but not fast deployment and “bank vault” lock up (if you are playing the Sebenza review bingo game, that is defintely one) are still, to this day, 31 years later, unique.
Grip: 2
The powdery, almost dusty blasted titanium gives you a ton of grip initially. The slow, natural stonewashing that occurs ensures that you have grip after the blasted finish has mellowed out. Its pleasing and a reminder of how wonderful a tool this—it changes to fit how you use it. It really does become YOUR Sebenza.
Carry: 2
With its slim size and crowned spine the Sebenza is a joy to carry. It is there enough to let you know you have it, but not so obtrusive that you can’t get things done or it feels like a pocket pendulum.
Steel: 2
I just finished an install of vents for the foundation of my house. While a huge and awesome hole cutter was used to bore into the house, there were a bunch of messy bits—plastic, PVC, roots—that were cleared out manually. I used the Sebenza and my S45VN Para3 for these and I am stunned at how good the steel held up. Both edges look virtually new despite chopping through sandy and muddy visqueen. I even hit the foundation itself a few times and the steel is none the worse for wear. On the flip side, I used the Sebenza almost exclusively for Pocket Knife Lunches this summer and even when caked with cheese or slathered in oils from sopressata, it did not rust or stain.
I am not sure I could tell if S45VN is better than M390, but I can tell you it is not inferior to M390. That is a pretty good place to be. Look for more data in later reviews—the story of S45VN is just starting to be told.
Oh, and for Sebenza Review Bingo: did you know that Chris Reeve had a hand in developing S30V for the Sebenza all those years ago?
Blade Shape: 2
I prefer the looks of the clip point blade over the Insingo blade, but I think I like the insingo blade more in terms of function. Buying an Americanized tanto Sebenza is like putting spinner hub caps on a Rolls Royce. Don’t do it. Don’t think about doing it. And if you are thinking about doing it, go on a retreat where technology is banned and think about your life choices.
Of course the blade shape is excellent, delivering a substantial amount of material to the tip and providing for an accute edge despite the deceptively thick blade stock. As with all things Sebenza, it works well.
Grind: 2
Lots and lots of people think of the Sebenza as a fancy knife despite the fact that it’s name means “work” in Zulu (another point in the Sebenza Review Bingo game). But it really is a work knife. The thick blade stock tells you that immediately. The great thing is that this thick blade stock is whittled down to an absolutely keen razor’s edge. It is a masterful bit of grinding and the fact that it is this consistent over thousands of production samples is a tribute to the craftsmanship at CRK.
Deployment Method: 2
If there is a perennial complaint about the Sebenza it is its thumb studs. All of the following count as entries for Sebenza Review Bingo:
“The thumb studs are too pointy.”
“The thumb studs wear out my thumb if I flip it a lot.”
“It is painful when I slip off the thumb studs.”
Yes, I hear it. I get it. But here is the thing, the Sebenza thumb studs are actually great. They teach you how to use them and you either learn or fail. They don’t coddle you with easy approaches or an overly loose pivot. But once you learn them they are superb, among the best available. But don’t expect the design to follow the “participation trophy” model. You either learn or fail miserably. I don’t mind the learning curve here. In many ways it reminds of the guardless design of high end bushcraft knives. The safety feature of these knives is your innate intelligence and thus the knife is as safe as you are smart.
Retention Method: 2
Here is another comment for the game of Sebenza Review Bingo: the double dip pocket clip allows for excellent retention. I find it fascinating that the only part made by someone else (Piranha Knives makes the pocket clip) is one of the best parts of the knife. Sure, other makers have switched to fancy, 3D sulpteded clips, but the simple, double dip clip is all you need. The rest is frippery. In some cases, extremely attractive frippery, but excess nonetheless.
Lock: 2
Sebenza Review Bingo moment: the Sebenza was one of the first frame locks. And it is really refined because of that. This new version, the 31, has a ceramic ball interface that makes for a very smooth and consistent lock up. It won’t budge once open. Not a bit at all. You won’t find a flaw here at all, though I am aware that earlier 31s weren’t as good on this account.
Other Considerations
Fidget Factor: High
It won’t baby you with a silly snappy detent or mushroom-sized thumb studs, but it will teach you the right way to open the knife and once you get that motion down it will reward you with responsive and quick deployment. There is also something imminently inviting about the finish has it goes from chalky to stonewashed via only the forces imposed on it because of regular use.
Fett Effect: Very High
That conversion from powder to smooth stonewashing is a marvel, and one of my very favorite design choice on the Sebenza. It truly becomes YOUR knife, marked by use, carry, and task. If tools used for a long time have soul, this is how the Sebenza is given one.
Value: Moderate
The fact that the Sebenza now represents a moderate value is a sign of how crazy things are. There are multiple production knives that are routinely selling for more than $1,000. The Shirogorov Russian Overkill sells for $3,200. Liong Mah’s integral from Reate sells for $900. The Barnes from The James Brand sells for $675. The Spyderco Paysan sells for $600 with an MSRP of $920. It is a stunning development. It used to be that only the Rockstead knives sold for more than $1,000 in the production world and they were essentially alone. Now $1,000 is not that remarkable. The Sebenza is still expensive, but it is no longer prohibitively expensive compared to other high end knives.
Overall Score: 20 of 20
The Sebenza 31 is the best Sebenza ever. I do think the steel represents a good and meaningful upgrade over a Sebenza with S30V steel. The price is more in line with the market, not because CRK reduced the price [EDITOR’S NOTE: In fact, they just increased it, but not by a ton] but because the market has gone crazy. This is a vastly better tool than something like the truly awful Spyderco Drunken. If you want to just buy one really nice knife and not play the Knife Game, do not hesitate to buy the Sebenza. Its a perfect knife.
I am not sure I would upgrade if I already had a Sebenza because part of the appeal of the Sebenza is watching age and morph as you use it into this well-worn, personalized tool. If you have one of those kinds of Sebenzas, then ya keep it. If you are a modern knife owner and don’t let things age, then here is how I would view it. I think the current 31 with S45VN steel is a meaningful but subtle upgrade over the 21 in S30V. There I would probably upgrade. If you have the 31 in S35VN, I’d probably stay pat with that knife. The difference is just the blade steel and while I like S45VN better than S35VN, its not a huge difference and certainly not worth $425.
If you don’t have a Sebenza, then you should really try one. If had one and let it go, well be warned—your second is so much better than your first. The knife really is a benchmark in the industry and deservedly so. To finish out the Sebenza Review Bingo cards: this is a knife with the quality of a custom and the availability of a production. Its simply excellent in every way. The Sebenza is the knife for folks that like knives, in the same way that everyone that likes movies likes Jaws, everyone that likes cars likes Ferraris, and everyone that likes philosophy likes Aristotle. The Sebenza is the secret handshake of the knife enthusiast for a good reason—it is a supernally good knife. Easy Perfect here.
Competition
Oh man, when you are the King there is a lot of Dukes in waiting. In a very real sense every knife that costs between $300 and $400 is a competitor for the Sebenza. The Sebenza Barrier, which I have wrote about many times, is a real thing. It essentially goes like this: “Why buy knife X when I could get a Sebenza for X [more or less] dollars?” The other way to look at this is to say “What other titanium framelocks are out there?” That is, as you can imagine, a huge field of knives. This makes pretty much 40% of the entire market a competitor. But that is not helpful or fair. Here are a few obvious comparisons:
Monterey Bay Knives Mini Old Guard
TRM Neutron 2 in Titanium
Quiet Carry Drift in Titanium
Spyderco Slycz Bowie
Sharp By Designs Micro Evo 2.0
Strider PT or SNG
A lot of these knives are great knives. We can move through the competition in clumps.
The Neon is a great knife, but it is exhoribantly overpriced, especially in light of the work that Reate and WE Knives is doing. The Neon is fabulous, but not twice as fabulous. And that’s its price.
The Mini Old Guard is great, especially the the ZDP-189 laminated blade and the yellow paper micarta handles. I am not sure why I like the Sebenza better, but I do, if only slightly. The squared off clip on the MOG is probably why.
The Neutron is really a remarkable knife. With Ti scales it is still less money and it is not a worse knife. I don’t need to extoll the virtues of the Neutron again, but suffice to say this is one of two real competitors for the Sebenza, and it is both cheap and in a few ways, better.
The Quiet Carry’s lock access isn’t great, but otherwise the knife is very good. If they fixed that issue, it would be a real competitor, but you can say that about three dozen good, but not great knives on the market right now.
The Slycz Bowie is a knife I have never handled so I am going pass on it.
The 940-1 is a great knife but a more quixotic design, something no one would call a classic (but for the fact it has been around long enough to a classic). I am not sold on the blunty grinds on any of the 940 family of knives. I’d love to see that same blade with an FFG.
I think that the Micro Evo is a real competitor and if I had a gun to my head to choose between the two, I would probably die before choosing. If you have handled the Sharp By Designs Micro Evo you know that it is the smart person’s Shiro Neon—better, more compact, and significantly cheaper. Unfortunately this is not a readily available knife. That’s its biggest weakness and a good reason to not choose it over the Sebenza. At the price it is going for on the secondary market, the Micro Evo is not a competitor to the Sebenza.
I think the X Series Penas are similarly good and they have wider variety of blade shapes. They are bit cheaper and really good designs. I like them a little less than the Sebenza but that is a preference.
The classic four represent a debate almost as old as the IKC itself. The Mini A-100 is not as refined as the Sebenza and has lesser materials and design. The XM-18 is not as pocket or finger friendly. Its also a bit of a musher and not a slicer thanks to its extra beefy grind. Similarly the Strider PT is not as refined.
If the TAD Mini Dauntless that Hinderer made was regularly available, it would be a strong conteder even with the $500 price tag. It is a truly superlative design.
Of all these knives one really stands out—the Rockwall. Its $300, has better steel, runs an equally refined design, and is more plebian friendly (thumb stud design, clip, etc.). It is also made in the USA by a small company of craftspeople. It is clearly aiming at the Sebenza. Honestly, I think it bests the Sebbie. I still like the Sebbie and I probably like it more than the Rockwall, but that is because I started in the hobby wanting a Sebenza. If I started now, I’d probably take the Rockwall every day of the week over the Sebenza. The Rockwall is the best Sebenza killer ever made and the only knife I think that does exactly what the Sebenza does, but probably better. The price difference [editor’s note: especially after the CRK price hike] is substantial, with the better knife being cheaper. That is a bad thing for Chris Reeve Knives and a very good think for Tactile Knife Company.
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