Am I missing out by not owning a Sebenza or a Strider?

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tenaciousj
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Am I missing out by not owning a Sebenza or a Strider?

#1

Post by tenaciousj »

i am a true spyderco fan but lately i have been wondering if i should take the plunge and pick up either a sebenza or a strider? my whole take on the issue has always been that yes a sebenza is obviously a fantastic knife that will probably be 100% flawless and stay that way for the life of the knife, wherein a high end spydie may have A very small cosmetic blemish (very minute amount of vertical play, the blade being less than 1/2 mm away from being perfectly centered when closed, etc.) but that none of these superficialities would add up to a hill of beans in the long run, so in reality, there isnt a HUGE advantage in buying a sebenza that would make it worth spending twice the money that you would spend on a nice spydie, right? and yes i am aware of the RIL MILLIE coming out later this year but lets not include that one in the conversation being that it isnt available yet.

i have to admit though, all the well thought out logic in the world cant turn away my interest in a knife that is advertised as being basically indestructible such as the sebenza or the strider SMF. are these knives as hardcore as their reputation says they are? and if so is it truly worth 2 or 3 Military(s) or Police(s). in this converation i am specifically concerned with strength, durability, and overall "this knife will never fail me in extreme circumstances" types of criteria. flat out, does it make sense to spend $500 on a knife when you can get a Military or Police for well under $200, and if so, under what circumstances?
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#2

Post by yablanowitz »

Honestly, it makes no sense to me. I might feel differently if I liked framelocks, but I don't. I haven't shelled out that kind of money for custom versions of knives I do like, either, but I've certainly considered it.
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#3

Post by subrosa »

The Strider models feel like tanks, the SnG/SmF especially, I currently only own a PT with black g-10 and stonewashed blade/Ti lock. Most of their knives are not friendly for office environments, so I shy away from the tiger strips and the flamed Ti. The "Strider warranty" is something of legend on knife forums, I personally have never had to use it. I love them, just don't buy one because of the hype, buy one because you want to use it or think it is nifty!

The Sebenza is just about as clean as you can get. The problem is, well the plain models are quite plain. The single thumbstud is also kind of a drag, sure it is Ti...but would it kill ya to use two of them? I love the unique graphic models, but not worth the extra cash. If they made a model that was ALL stonewashed...I would be very very tempted.

...all and all great knives, they hold their value, so it isn't like you can't get your money back. I would buy a lightly used one on one of the main knife forums with a B/S/T.

I personally am much happier with Spyderco and Benchmade production folders for day to day use.
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#4

Post by Josh K »

Strider's SMF/SnG are the only two knives of theirs I've owned. Loved them both. The fixed blades are just not me, I can find better for less.

I carry a Military more though. :)
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#5

Post by vampyrewolf »

Wait for the Ti Millie to come out. Should be around the same price range. I wasn't able to kill my 440v millie, it even survived clovisc taking it to Zambia.

I've been working on a S30V millie for about 4 years now.

No worries on reliability with a millie, why go anywhere else for a knife? ;)
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#6

Post by tortoise »

I say buy one if you want one, but understand that that's what it is: Desire.

I have a Sebenza. I've had Striders on passarounds. Both are outstanding.

I bought my first Military around 1996. I've carried one or another version since. I"ve said in the past, and I still believe, it is the finest folding knife ever designed.

The Sebenza is superior in fit and finish/tolerances; perfectly centered blade, easy to disassemble and clean, easy to reassemble with that perfectly centered blade. The S30V is fine, as was that of the Striders I've seen.

My Militaries are CPM 440V. I also own S30V spydies, their steel and heat treat are easily as good as any other manufacturer's.

I love my Sebenza, but honestly I wouldn't buy one again (or buy another.) I bought it because I wanted it. Mission accomplished.

For me (considering your question) it's about: do you want a Sebenza or a Strider? If so, then nothing else will do. I bet we've all been there, and have the collections to prove it. :D

If it's "are they better knives?" then the answer is no. Full disclosure: these days I often wonder if I'd even buy another Military, when an Endura is just as functional. I'm thinking about survival equipment here, and when we're talking 2+ Enduras to 1 Military, or 3 Militaries to 1 Sebenza, (that's a 6 Endura:Sebenza ratio if you're playing along at home) it's difficult to justify the cost.

Unless you want one... ;)
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#7

Post by Phadreus »

I think the Sebenza knife blades are kinda generic/boring, but they are top notch materials. The handles are pretty amazing, but they get covered up when your hands go around them ;) .

The striders are very cool and their folders remind me of spydie millie models; however I'm not a fan of the tiger stripes. They're just not for me. They have some pretty boss tomahawks though.

I'll go with a spydie anyday for the type of cutting work I'm doing. I understand collectors, but I buy knives for use. Just my 2 Cents.
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#8

Post by MCM »

I have a lg BG42 Sebenza. I would not trade it for anything. Great knife, cant say enough good things about it.

I only have one though, as thats all I need. To me they are all about the same....

300 folders from Spyderco, MT & BM. Only one CR. Do carry & use it.
Really like the blade steel.
Just cant see collecting more or less the same exact knife.

Like Strider a bit, no folders though only small fixed.
They have a huge following, just feel kinda clunky to me.
I am not in the Military.
But do carry one in S90v. :D
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#9

Post by quattrokid73 »

Sebenzas are so boring to me. I don't care if it's perfectly put together. I care that it looks as cool as it works...Form + Function. That's why I love Spyderco. There is a beauty in the utility and uniqueness of their design language.

Striders are cool. I'd own one if I had the money and the need. They aren't NKP friendly and they're not the best EDC...But they're cool.
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#10

Post by RazorSharp86 »

I also was asking that question a couple of years back.
Since then, I've had a couple of Striders and a Sebbie by CR. I sold them both after a short amount of owning/using them.
The reason I did it was because I could not see what's so "special".

Yeah, the Striders are tough.... but do you really need that toughness, and does it really MATTER when it comes to knife usage. It is not strong enough for extreme situations, when you need a pry-bar or a fixed blade, and it is waaaay to chunky and heavy for EDC, especially if you're like me, who EDCs a whole LOT of things.

The CR Sebenza was a different deal. I simply prefer more robust knives; this whole Ti thing doesn't float my boat neither. Besides, since I carry a non-Spydie fixed blade on EDC most of the time, I like to carry a Spyderco folder to compliment it.... :D
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Simple Man
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#11

Post by Simple Man »

I got the BF passaround Sebenza a few years back and that pretty much scratched my itch, here are my thoughts from then.

-----------------------------
First impressions
Likes
- double grip clip
- it's linear smoothness, I have knives that are as smooth, but not consistantly smooth throughout the range of opening motion.
- overall fit and finish is outstanding
- offset clip, seems to make the knife more discrete

Dislikes
- base of blade is sharpened too far down to close by swinging it to your thumb after releasing the lock
- straight line ergos, feels blocky
- thumb stud, I really like holes
- the lock is secure but harder to unlock easily
- feels thick when reaching past it in the pocket

I'll let you know after a week what I think of it.

---

I have carried Spydies for 6-7 years now so that is what I am generally comparing the Sebbie to. Remember these are just my opinions and will not apply to everyone.

Most of my first impressions still stand with the exception of the double grip clip. It is nice, but for me it is a solution to a non-existent problem. It grips slacks just right, but with jeans it is too tight. It would shred my pocket in short order. I still like that it is offset.

It is as smooth opening a knife as I have handled, maybe 10%-15% smoother than any other. Very nice.

My opinion stands on the lock, with the addition that it is hard to unlock with wet or sweaty hands. The lockbar is too firm for the small amount of contact area you have to unlock it, it looks like the Classic would work better in this regard.

Overall, this is an incredible knife, real attention to detail. I really wish it would work for me, it just doesn’t though. Maybe later on when I can afford to, I may check out a Large Classic, but for now I’ll hang onto my Spydies.

-------------------------------

My thoughts still stand, I'd still like to have one someday, but too many other things are higher up on the list first.

All that said, if you want one and can afford it, go for it. You can always resell it.
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#12

Post by flipe8 »

I've been EDCindg a small Seb for the past 3+ years and it's a nice knife. But it's not without flaws, nor were two of the other three I owned in the past. Based on my small experience with them, I simply don't think they're as great as people would have you believe. Or, I'm EXTREMELY unlucky to have had not one, nor two, but three duds :rolleyes: . The one I currently own does have movement in the pivot, eventhough the pivot bushing is supposed to eliminate that potential issue. The heat-treatment on the lockbar also has a small chip on the face, so unlocking the knife is sticky at times. The clip also has some movement, so it has to be tightened regularly. I know they'll fix it, but at this point, I'm not prepared to send my knife across the border spending even more money on what was already a very expensive knife(IMO). You see, when I purchased this particular Seb about 1.5 years ago, I had to send the original one back to True North Knives, on my dime, as the first one sent to me came with the blade being so off-centered it rubbed up against the non-lock side. So, to me, I've already spent more on this knife than it was worth.

I think I like the myth of the Seb more than the reality. The idea being you are buying the most precise-fitting knife on the market, but that simply hasn't been my experience.

I've also had around half a dozen Striders and all were high qualilty with no issues. I simply came to the conclusion I'd rather spend less on a tool I intended to potentially abuse for work purposes.

I admit there is something about owning the Seb that appeals to me or my ego. From a performance standpoint, however, it's a very average knife, based on my experiences. My G10 Delica 4 blows it out of the water when it comes to cutting, and that still is what a knife is for, isn't it ;)
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Sebs and Striders

#13

Post by KaliGman »

As Sal says, "All good, just different."

If you want my personal opinion, you really are not missing out on anything. If you want one or more of each brand and can afford it, then pick a few up and have fun. However, I feel that, overall, due to the quality of Spyderco products, the great diversity of design exhibited by Spyderco knives, the quality and caliber of the people who work at Spyderco, the array of very talented independent knifemakers and designers (like Ed Schempp) who collaborate with Spyderco and give us such diverse designs to choose from, and the warranty and customer service exhibited by Spyderco, the company simply cannot be touched by or compared to any other firm. Do I like some other knife companies? Yes, and I buy their products. Do I think that any cutlery firm, anywhere, is superior to Spyderco in the arena of folding knives? No (and Spyderco makes some fine fixed blades, too).


For those interested, here is a quick note on the titanium handled framelock Military. Based on what I have heard, I would be very surprised if the "street price" did not undercut the price of Sebs and Striders of comparable blade length by a pretty large margin.
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#14

Post by Jimd »

I've owned only the Striders, so that's all I'll comment on.

Each one I've owned was excellent for its intended purpose. Very tank-like.

The SnG is perfectly sized for me for everday carry. Very tough. Very sharp. They're difficult to actually damage.

The SMF is just a larger version of the SnG.

Are you missing out? Depends on what you're after. If you're only going to be using your knives for slicing, you might not be missing out. If you're looking to beat the **** out of the knife and pry with it, then I'd say get one.

I know one fireman who is alive today solely because of his Strider AR. He likes it a lot, obviously.
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#15

Post by bigkahunasix »

Are you missing anything? In a word, Nope.

I have owned one or two of every folder Strider makes, overbuilt, brutally tough and most models are very cool, but I buy a knife to be a knife not a prybar and they feel awkwardly bulky in the pocket. They are high quality, just not for me.

Owned one Seb, very high quality and workmanship but not enough to be worth the coin they are asking for them.

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#16

Post by Water Bug »

I say it comes down to personal preference and desire when deciding to own a Chris Reeve Sebenza or a Strider folder. These knives are definitely worth the extra money spent, but only if you really want one. We can all provide you with our opinions, but only you can decide if these folders are worth the investment... and when it comes down to buying a Sebenza, SMF, or even a Military, they are investments that are either prides of joy in a collection, or that are pulled from the pocket and thumbed into place to resolve an issue requiring their service in cutting.

Spyderco knives are really cool, practical, and come in a wide variety of styles to fit just about any need. I really like what Sal provides us and have quite a few. He, Eric, and the Spyderco Crew thought of everything when it came to providing knives to fit any job we may tackle.


Strider

Last year I introduced myself to a Strider SMF. I bought it strictly out of curiosity since I'd read so much about it.

Personally, I really love the SMF's large size, bulk, beefiness, and shear brute design. I like heavy duty designs, and to me the SMF, as well as the AR and RC, are works of art expressing simplicity, beauty, and practicality. And, they cut, too.

To me, these folders by Strider are well worth the money. Due to their size, bulk, and tip-up carry design, they are EDCed in leather sheaths.


Chris Reeve

I reintroduced myself to Chris Reeve's Sebenza, deciding to go with the large Sebenza only.

I bought the Sebenza due to the pure genius of the design. When I hold a Sebenza, I feel that Chris thought of just about everything when he put it together... almost as if he tried anticipating all the ways a person could hold and use a knife. The Sebenza is comfortable and fits my hand no matter how I hold it.

Also, the Sebenza is just about as simple and practical as you can get in its design. To me the Sebenza is far from being plain and boring... my opinion is that the Sebenza is extremely efficient in design while ensuring maximum practicality and use. There's nothing fancy about the Sebenza... if it wasn't needed, Chris didn't design it into the knife.

The Sebenza is probably the most maintenance-friendly folder out there... the Allen wrench Chris includes with his Sebenza is all you need to take it apart and clean.

Chris also recommends the use of the Spyderco Sharpmaker when it comes to sharpening the Sebenza.

The Sebenza is a work of art expressing beauty, attention to detail, fit, finish, and pride of the man who designed it... Chris Reeve. Oh, yeah, the Sebenza also cuts.

To me, the Sebenza is well worth the money spent. Due to its tip-up carry design and tendency to wave open when I pull it from the pocket, the Sebenza is EDCed in a leather sheath.
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#17

Post by FLYBYU44 »

I own neither of these two makes, and I'm sure they are great knives. But, you have to ask yourself how much you are willing to lose? Are you willing to spend $300-$400+ on a knife that you may potentially lose? I'm not and I will be sticking with Spydies until I have enough disposable income to justify a $400 knife that went MIA.
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#18

Post by The Deacon »

In reality, the only way to answer that question is to handle both. Actually using them for a while would be an even better test. I've handled both and neither "did anything" for me, but that doesn't mean one of them might not turn out to be your favorite knife.

Will give Chris Reeve kudos for being one of the few knife companies to offer left hand versions of framelock knives.
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#19

Post by Mr. Shawn »

I've been digging my Buck Strider Police knife for about 6 months now, which I got when Cabela's marked them down to $40 :D . The lock-up is solid and it feels so good in my hands. However, I would not pay $300+ for a full-blown Strider or Sebenza.
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#20

Post by The Mastiff »

I'm much more of a stretch 2 guy than a Strider, or Sebenza knife. I do appreciate the workmanship of the sebenzas, but don't really like them. A strider? No thanks. IMO, you are paying for future repair/replacement. The knives to me are worth no where near their price.

I'll put a spyderco up against one anyday to see which slices better. I don't casrry folders to make into Pitons, Steps pounded into file cases, or whatever else the lore says they have been used for.

The Busse knifes are the same way. Built well, way overpriced, and about as good a slicer as an axe, a dull one. You pay for a replacement you likely won't ever use.

My opinion anyway.
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