Random guys honest assessment of the Slysz Bowie.

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Pickmansmodel82
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Re: Random guys honest assessment of the Slysz Bowie.

#41

Post by Pickmansmodel82 »

Great comparison. I was hesitant to buy and missed out, this makes me feel better. It’d also be the most expensive knife I’ve ever bought, second being the subvert. That knife is well worth the money, at least as I see it.
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Re: Random guys honest assessment of the Slysz Bowie.

#42

Post by TkoK83Spy »

Sonorum wrote:
Thu May 06, 2021 11:47 am
TkoK83Spy wrote:
Wed May 05, 2021 12:34 pm

They are similar in size, but obviously the blade shapes are quite different. For my preferences and line of work, I find the Bowie shaped blade a bit tough to get used to. Really have to crank my wrist to utilize the tip, where the Insingo blade on the CRK is much better suited for my duties. The grind on the Bowie is very even, and the ffg is ideal. The CRK too a lot of work to get to where I have it now. Both knives have a beautifully done crowned spine, with the Bowie also having a flat area before the crowning just past the jimping, a great touch for added comfort and control when really choking up. So out of the box, the Bowie wins there. I'm sure I could get used to the tip with more practice and pocket time.
May I ask what you did and why that took a lot of work with the Sebenza?
I was pretty unsatisfied with how it cut. I knew it had a convex grind, which isn't something I'm very familiar with in use or sharpening. I was able to determine that it was at 17 degrees on one side of the blade and around 25 degrees on the other. I ended up thinning it out and making it an equal 17dps...made a world of a difference!
15 :bug-red 's in 10 different steels
1 - Bradford Guardian 3 / Vanadis 4E Wharnie
1 - Monterey Bay Knives Slayback Flipper / ZDP 189
1 - CRK Small Sebenza 31/Macassar Ebony Inlays
1 - CRK Large Inkosi Insingo/ Black Micarta Inlays
1 - CRK Small Sebenza 31 Insingo/Magnacut

-Rick
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Re: Random guys honest assessment of the Slysz Bowie.

#43

Post by TkoK83Spy »

Menipo wrote:
Thu May 06, 2021 10:56 am
After reading your analysis (congratulations because it is excellent (complete and balanced)) I have doubts. In your opinion, an Insingo is really worth the 550 USD that it costs in the US (I will not refer to its price in Europe because the factors we have been talking about many times would distort the picture)?

Thanks in advance.
That's a good, and tough question to answer. I actually got my Inkosi for $440 in a killer deal on Ebay. I honestly didn't expect the seller to accept my offer, I just threw it out there as a feeler! For that price, it's absolutely worth it. $550 is definitely more to stomach and think about though.

After sitting here for a good 5 minutes thinking about it since typing that paragraph above...I'm going to say yes, I think it's worth it. It's not that it does anything better than a Spyderco folder in terms of cutting performance. Heck in my experience it was worse until I correct the "issue" myself. I've now got it on par with my slicey Spyderco's, though I do think it should have been that way out of the box for that price. I also think it should have a higher end steel than S35VN, but that could also be because we're so spoiled with all the offerings from Spyderco and great experiences I've had with a handful of those steels. I do think S35VN is a good steel though, and easy to work with (which I REALLY appreciated when grinding off all that steel to get the sides to match)

So we're talking about a knife, a cutting tool. You'd think that aspect would be most important in buying a knife, and that makes me seem unsatisfied with the knife because it didn't cut as well as I liked and used a "lesser" steels in production. But, after looking past that (especially after reprofiling) there is really NOTHING bad I can say about the Inkosi Insingo.

The knife really works for me, and my hand. My fingers fall perfectly in line with those finger grooves, kind of like a Manix does for me as well. The combination of being a stout and sturdy knife, yet so comfortable and maybe even a bit elegant with all the subtle machining work makes for a great overall knife. I can't find any flaws in this knife, no matter how many times I look it over. It's so incredibly easy to take apart and maintain as well. It's got great action, deploys and locks up strong, easy to disengage and give a little shake shut (action continues to improve the more I use and fiddle with it)

The (bead blasted??) titanium finish is very nice looking and textured. I also love the tumbled stone wash finish on the blade. It's a very unique looking knife compared to the rest of my collection, and I gravitate towards it when I'm in my workout/knife room. Sometimes I grab it just to hold it or play with the action a bit, more so than I do a lot of my other knives (their all sitting on display stands that hold 7 knives each) so it's an equal opportunity fondlefest...but the Inkosi gets played with more than some of the others :p
15 :bug-red 's in 10 different steels
1 - Bradford Guardian 3 / Vanadis 4E Wharnie
1 - Monterey Bay Knives Slayback Flipper / ZDP 189
1 - CRK Small Sebenza 31/Macassar Ebony Inlays
1 - CRK Large Inkosi Insingo/ Black Micarta Inlays
1 - CRK Small Sebenza 31 Insingo/Magnacut

-Rick
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Re: Random guys honest assessment of the Slysz Bowie.

#44

Post by Menipo »

TkoK83Spy wrote:
Thu May 06, 2021 12:28 pm
Menipo wrote:
Thu May 06, 2021 10:56 am
After reading your analysis (congratulations because it is excellent (complete and balanced)) I have doubts. In your opinion, an Insingo is really worth the 550 USD that it costs in the US (I will not refer to its price in Europe because the factors we have been talking about many times would distort the picture)?

Thanks in advance.
That's a good, and tough question to answer. I actually got my Inkosi for $440 in a killer deal on Ebay. I honestly didn't expect the seller to accept my offer, I just threw it out there as a feeler! For that price, it's absolutely worth it. $550 is definitely more to stomach and think about though.

After sitting here for a good 5 minutes thinking about it since typing that paragraph above...I'm going to say yes, I think it's worth it. It's not that it does anything better than a Spyderco folder in terms of cutting performance. Heck in my experience it was worse until I correct the "issue" myself. I've now got it on par with my slicey Spyderco's, though I do think it should have been that way out of the box for that price. I also think it should have a higher end steel than S35VN, but that could also be because we're so spoiled with all the offerings from Spyderco and great experiences I've had with a handful of those steels. I do think S35VN is a good steel though, and easy to work with (which I REALLY appreciated when grinding off all that steel to get the sides to match)

So we're talking about a knife, a cutting tool. You'd think that aspect would be most important in buying a knife, and that makes me seem unsatisfied with the knife because it didn't cut as well as I liked and used a "lesser" steels in production. But, after looking past that (especially after reprofiling) there is really NOTHING bad I can say about the Inkosi Insingo.

The knife really works for me, and my hand. My fingers fall perfectly in line with those finger grooves, kind of like a Manix does for me as well. The combination of being a stout and sturdy knife, yet so comfortable and maybe even a bit elegant with all the subtle machining work makes for a great overall knife. I can't find any flaws in this knife, no matter how many times I look it over. It's so incredibly easy to take apart and maintain as well. It's got great action, deploys and locks up strong, easy to disengage and give a little shake shut (action continues to improve the more I use and fiddle with it)

The (bead blasted??) titanium finish is very nice looking and textured. I also love the tumbled stone wash finish on the blade. It's a very unique looking knife compared to the rest of my collection, and I gravitate towards it when I'm in my workout/knife room. Sometimes I grab it just to hold it or play with the action a bit, more so than I do a lot of my other knives (their all sitting on display stands that hold 7 knives each) so it's an equal opportunity fondlefest...but the Inkosi gets played with more than some of the others :p


Many thanks, Rick. It has been really useful and you have helped me a lot to make a decision.

Geez! I have to stop coming around here so much. Thanks to your (Insingo) and Warstein's (Manix LW Spy-27) recommendations, almost 1,000 euros (1,200 USD) are gonna fly out of my bank account tomorrow ...

One last question, abusing your patience ... Sebenza or Insingo?

Thanks again.
Si vis pacem para bellum ;)
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Re: Random guys honest assessment of the Slysz Bowie.

#45

Post by TkoK83Spy »

Menipo wrote:
Thu May 06, 2021 12:45 pm
One last question, abusing your patience ... Sebenza or Insingo?

Thanks again.
That one I can't really answer for you! I have a Small Sebenza, and Large Inkosi. Would be easier if both were the same size! It does seem like more people tend to prefer the Sebenza though. I will be getting a Large 21 or 31 here in the future myself, to see which I really prefer between the Sebenza/Inkosi.

I know there are a few others that could answer that question better for you, hopefully they see this post and can chime in!
15 :bug-red 's in 10 different steels
1 - Bradford Guardian 3 / Vanadis 4E Wharnie
1 - Monterey Bay Knives Slayback Flipper / ZDP 189
1 - CRK Small Sebenza 31/Macassar Ebony Inlays
1 - CRK Large Inkosi Insingo/ Black Micarta Inlays
1 - CRK Small Sebenza 31 Insingo/Magnacut

-Rick
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Re: Random guys honest assessment of the Slysz Bowie.

#46

Post by Menipo »

TkoK83Spy wrote:
Thu May 06, 2021 12:53 pm
Menipo wrote:
Thu May 06, 2021 12:45 pm
One last question, abusing your patience ... Sebenza or Insingo?

Thanks again.
That one I can't really answer for you! I have a Small Sebenza, and Large Inkosi. Would be easier if both were the same size! It does seem like more people tend to prefer the Sebenza though. I will be getting a Large 21 or 31 here in the future myself, to see which I really prefer between the Sebenza/Inkosi.

I know there are a few others that could answer that question better for you, hopefully they see this post and can chime in!

Thanks again!

I spoke too fast. I've been browsing and neither is available in any of the European online stores in the large version (which is the one that interests me). I only find one Small at K&T. So I will leave a request to all of them that as soon as they have them back in stock they let me know. :(
Si vis pacem para bellum ;)
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Re: Random guys honest assessment of the Slysz Bowie.

#47

Post by DSH007 »

TkoK83Spy wrote:
Thu May 06, 2021 12:28 pm
Menipo wrote:
Thu May 06, 2021 10:56 am
After reading your analysis (congratulations because it is excellent (complete and balanced)) I have doubts. In your opinion, an Insingo is really worth the 550 USD that it costs in the US (I will not refer to its price in Europe because the factors we have been talking about many times would distort the picture)?

Thanks in advance.
it's an equal opportunity fondlefest...but the Inkosi gets played with more than some of the others :p
HAHAH! Quote of the day, Rick! :D :p

Menipo - I just recently got into CRK myself.. I have a lot of knives at this point and I usually enjoy rotating through my carry each day, but my CRKs are pretty much all I've even wanted to carry since getting them. They are excellent, excellent knives, for all the reasons Rick mentions. Objectively, the build quality is on point.. regardless of one's subjective feelings on the knife, I don't think any argument can be made against that statement. How you feel about them from an aesthetic or design standpoint is another thing entirely. Yes they are expensive. Whether or not they are "worth it" to you, I cannot answer. For me personally, they are.. Admittedly, I did take issue with the price for a long time (hence my not buying a CRK for so long haha) because, yes, they cost a lot of money! I don't think there's any argument there either.. Now that I have some experience with the brand though, I'm all in.. I've swallowed the coolaid, as they say. I truly believe that if had bought my CRKs years ago, I would have ultimately saved myself thousands of dollars over time not buying other knives haha.. Hah, not every day you hear that logic right?! A $500+ knife will actually save you money! Clearly, I'm a lunatic hahah.. :D
Rick H.

..well, that escalated quickly..
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Sharp Guy
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Re: Random guys honest assessment of the Slysz Bowie.

#48

Post by Sharp Guy »

bearfacedkiller wrote:
Thu May 06, 2021 8:51 am
Why is the Swayback $273 and the Bowie $400. What am I missing?
That's what I said awhile ago. I could see the SB being maybe a little more expensive but not as much as it ended up being. I don't really like all that belly on the SB. So I'm quite satisfied with the Swayback for less money

EDIT: Thinking about it I'm not so sure the SB should be a little more expensive. Yes the SB has a crowned spine but the Swayback has some different angles ground on the sides. The Swayback also has that polished stonewash that we all like so much
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Re: Random guys honest assessment of the Slysz Bowie.

#49

Post by not_the_sharpest »

Nice review. Just from an aesthetic perspective, I love the blade shape of the Bowie, but the overall look of the Sebenza speaks to me a little more. Both would be too rich for my blood...maybe someday.
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Re: Random guys honest assessment of the Slysz Bowie.

#50

Post by Menipo »

DSH007 wrote:
Thu May 06, 2021 1:30 pm

HAHAH! Quote of the day, Rick! :D :p

Menipo - I just recently got into CRK myself.. I have a lot of knives at this point and I usually enjoy rotating through my carry each day, but my CRKs are pretty much all I've even wanted to carry since getting them. They are excellent, excellent knives, for all the reasons Rick mentions. Objectively, the build quality is on point.. regardless of one's subjective feelings on the knife, I don't think any argument can be made against that statement. How you feel about them from an aesthetic or design standpoint is another thing entirely. Yes they are expensive. Whether or not they are "worth it" to you, I cannot answer. For me personally, they are.. Admittedly, I did take issue with the price for a long time (hence my not buying a CRK for so long haha) because, yes, they cost a lot of money! I don't think there's any argument there either.. Now that I have some experience with the brand though, I'm all in.. I've swallowed the coolaid, as they say. I truly believe that if had bought my CRKs years ago, I would have ultimately saved myself thousands of dollars over time not buying other knives haha.. Hah, not every day you hear that logic right?! A $500+ knife will actually save you money! Clearly, I'm a lunatic hahah.. :D

Thank you very much, Rick (H). I really appreciate your comments. But they make my life much more miserable because Rick (TkoK83Spy) had already convinced me and when I ran to buy it, it turns out that it is sold out in all European online stores.

So if you now confirm that it is a knife that I should have bought a long time ago, my frustration grows exponentially. :D :D :D

About you being a lunatic ... here we have a saying: "Lo barato sale caro y lo caro sale barato" (Cheap is expensive and expensive is cheap). So I understand perfectly what you mean
Si vis pacem para bellum ;)
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Re: Random guys honest assessment of the Slysz Bowie.

#51

Post by AlexRus »

RamZar wrote:
Wed May 05, 2021 5:30 pm
At $400, I’d like a nice machined titanium clip, steel lock bar insert, titanium barrel spacers, M390, original finish on both blade and titanium.
Agreed
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Re: Random guys honest assessment of the Slysz Bowie.

#52

Post by Trav64 »

Great review, i was never tempted to buy the bowie anyway, ive got many knives as it is.
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Re: Random guys honest assessment of the Slysz Bowie.

#53

Post by Danke »

RamZar wrote:
Wed May 05, 2021 5:30 pm
At $400, I’d like a nice machined titanium clip, steel lock bar insert, titanium barrel spacers, M390, original finish on both blade and titanium.
It should be a front flipper too and have fluted Ti scales for that price!
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Re: Random guys honest assessment of the Slysz Bowie.

#54

Post by RamZar »

I checked my emails and my original Slysz Bowie was purchased on September 26, 2014 for $279.95 shipped. MSRP was $499.95 so my street price was 44% off MSRP. I guess Spyderco went with a MAP enforcement of 40% off MSRP on January 1, 2016.
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Re: Random guys honest assessment of the Slysz Bowie.

#55

Post by RadioactiveSpyder »

The SB arrived at NGK on September 30, 2014 and was listed at $299.94 (60% MSRP).
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Re: Random guys honest assessment of the Slysz Bowie.

#56

Post by sn0wman72 »

Menipo wrote:
Thu May 06, 2021 12:45 pm


Many thanks, Rick. It has been really useful and you have helped me a lot to make a decision.

Geez! I have to stop coming around here so much. Thanks to your (Insingo) and Warstein's (Manix LW Spy-27) recommendations, almost 1,000 euros (1,200 USD) are gonna fly out of my bank account tomorrow ...

One last question, abusing your patience ... Sebenza or Insingo?

Thanks again.

Insingo is a blade shape and is a option in several CRK models

Sebenza is a model of CRK knife

Personally I would recommend the classic drop point blade in a Sebenza 21 large, as the starting point into a CRK
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Re: Random guys honest assessment of the Slysz Bowie.

#57

Post by Menipo »

sn0wman72 wrote:
Thu May 06, 2021 11:38 pm
Menipo wrote:
Thu May 06, 2021 12:45 pm


Many thanks, Rick. It has been really useful and you have helped me a lot to make a decision.

Geez! I have to stop coming around here so much. Thanks to your (Insingo) and Warstein's (Manix LW Spy-27) recommendations, almost 1,000 euros (1,200 USD) are gonna fly out of my bank account tomorrow ...

One last question, abusing your patience ... Sebenza or Insingo?

Thanks again.


Insingo is a blade shape and is a option in several CRK models

Sebenza is a model of CRK knife

Personally I would recommend the classic drop point blade in a Sebenza 21 large, as the starting point into a CRK

Thank you very much for the clarification. This shows how little I know about this brand ... In any case, there are no CRKs available in European online sellers apart from some left-handed models and some Small ones (which I'm not interested in).

So I'll wait for the Sebenza 21s to be available again (although I personally like the Insingo shape more than the drop point)
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Re: Random guys honest assessment of the Slysz Bowie.

#58

Post by Wartstein »

TkoK83Spy wrote:
Thu May 06, 2021 6:07 am
Wartstein wrote:
Wed May 05, 2021 10:46 pm
Rick, did you put enough use into the knife to give an opinion on its XHP? I actually really like that steel in my Chap, but can never tell exactly how much of this is due to the steel, and how much to the exceptionally good cutting geometry of the Chaparrals blade.
This particular exclusive came with M390 steel. I only gave it some use yesterday, I'm thinking I'll most likely end up selling it off so I don't want to chance any damage. Great thing about this model is you can definitely get your money back if you choose to part with it! Still on the fence though.

I did have a Chap frn a few years ago, I think it was my 4th Spyderco knife. The late Michael Scott used to rave about that knife, and he, like you do with the new guys around here these days...convinced me to grab one ;)

I enjoyed the knife and the steel. Easy to work with and sharpen, one of the first steels I really started to notice an improvement in my sharpening ability.

Thanks for the reply! :)

Must have missed that this Slysz Bowie is an M390 version when I read your review.
/ Don´t want to derail this thread too far, but yes, XHP is good stuff! For me as not a sharpening pro at all it feels like if it holds an edge like S30V but is a bit easier to sharpen (but again, I only know it in the Chap with its thinner than most blade and very low bevel)
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Re: Random guys honest assessment of the Slysz Bowie.

#59

Post by Evil D »

I don't own either knife so maybe I really have no idea, but I'm pretty baffled at the hype over this knife. To be completely honest I wouldn't be interested at $150 let alone $400. I just don't get it.
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Re: Random guys honest assessment of the Slysz Bowie.

#60

Post by Matus »

Menipo wrote:
Thu May 06, 2021 11:51 pm

... In any case, there are no CRKs available in European online sellers apart from some left-handed models and some Small ones (which I'm not interested in).
You can find the large Sebenza here - it is my preferred shop, 100% reliable with super nice stuff running it.
https://altonaer-silberwerkstatt.de/sho ... al?number=
... I like weird :bug-red :bug-white-red :bug-white ...
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