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Re: A higher end knife question for the rich kids here.
Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2025 10:48 am
by abbazaba
So hard to pick, that's why we have multiples lol. I was disappointed in my first CRK, a plain jane, and I rarely find myself carrying a micarta version either. I think the biggest negative of CRK is also their biggest strength - simple, straight forward perfection, copied 100 times over but never quite replicated. The 21 had all the same bolts holding it together interchangeably, the Zaan only has 2 bolts holding it together. The ceramic interface is genius and a pleasure to use. It's the details within the simplicity, if that makes any sense lol.
The Knife Art CF versions are nice because of the weight/balance, and note that the inlay versions weigh noticeably less than the PJ.
However, the Zaan was the first CRK that blew me away.
For me, it's a toss up between a full polish Box Elder Large Sebenza and a Zaan. The Zaan is unique and a wonderful workhorse of a knife, but it's hard to out-class a full polish box elder IMO.
There's also that extra special Bday present...
The LG KA 21 may still be my most carried
FWIW I like the old micarta pattern better, so much so that I got my s35 31 rebladed with an MC Insingo because the steel changed happened at the same time as the micarta change AFAIK
Lots of good info and knife porn here:
viewtopic.php?t=91607
Of note from the above thread:
The Insingo is definitely better for opening packages, but I regard the PM2 as one of the most universally useful blade shapes, and the drop point Sebbie isn't entirely different:
Re: A higher end knife question for the rich kids here.
Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2025 12:02 pm
by Ramonade
My experience might add something.
Spyderco answers most of what I search in a knife. A design that is made for use and not only "looks", a good geometry, a good plunge grind, top of the notch heat treat...
I knew a Chris Reeve knife would answer a lot of it too, and i pushed the moment of buying my first one as late as I could because I knew I would go nuts.
I bought my first one (Small Seb 21), and ended up with 8 CRKs in less than a year.
I am now down to 4, and kept no Small in my collection even if I liked them more on paper.
I have a Large Seb DP, a Large Seb Insingo, a Large Inkosi DP, a Large Inkosi Insingo. All with inlays, even if the Seb does not gain anything from it IMO. The Inkosi does though, enhances the grip a lot in my hands.
I bought "pricy" knives from many brands too after that, but none satisfied me except the arno Bernard iMamba. And I'm still trying to get rid of it just because it does not get used anymore.
The next step for me was custom knives. You can get something that beats everything even in tolerances and heat treat, for the same price if not less as a pimped out CRK.
Re: A higher end knife question for the rich kids here.
Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2025 12:04 pm
by Ramonade
abbazaba wrote: ↑Tue Sep 09, 2025 10:48 am
FWIW I like the old micarta pattern better, so much so that I got my s35 31 rebladed with an MC Insingo because the steel changed happened at the same time as the micarta change AFAIK
I am 100% with you on the micarta. I made fatcarbon inlays to replace the newer ones, I am looking to make wharthog ivory inlays for my newest Inkosi on which the micarta looks and feels like plastic, not like the older micarta
Re: A higher end knife question for the rich kids here.
Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2025 12:23 pm
by abbazaba
Ramonade wrote: ↑Tue Sep 09, 2025 12:04 pm
abbazaba wrote: ↑Tue Sep 09, 2025 10:48 am
FWIW I like the old micarta pattern better, so much so that I got my s35 31 rebladed with an MC Insingo because the steel changed happened at the same time as the micarta change AFAIK
I am 100% with you on the micarta. I made fatcarbon inlays to replace the newer ones, I am looking to make wharthog ivory inlays for my newest Inkosi on which the micarta looks and feels like plastic, not like the older micarta
Ya it's super smooth, lacking the texture and grip that the older "fuzzier" micarta had. It felt more like a textile than molded plastic.
Great points in your post above BTW. I'm mostly in the same exact head space with CRK. Really thinned my collection, keeping almost entirely larges with inlays. I've never done a custom and I don't know that I ever will, but I can say without a doubt that all of the high end knives I have bought have been over shadowed by CRK. Hinderer is the only other expensive brand that gets my pocket time, and not even 10% of what my CRKs see.
Re: A higher end knife question for the rich kids here.
Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2025 2:49 pm
by benben
abbazaba wrote: ↑Tue Sep 09, 2025 10:48 am
So hard to pick, that's why we have multiples lol. I was disappointed in my first CRK, a plain jane, and I rarely find myself carrying a micarta version either. I think the biggest negative of CRK is also their biggest strength - simple, straight forward perfection, copied 100 times over but never quite replicated. The 21 had all the same bolts holding it together interchangeably, the Zaan only has 2 bolts holding it together. The ceramic interface is genius and a pleasure to use. It's the details within the simplicity, if that makes any sense lol.
The Knife Art CF versions are nice because of the weight/balance, and note that the inlay versions weigh noticeably less than the PJ.
However, the Zaan was the first CRK that blew me away.
For me, it's a toss up between a full polish Box Elder Large Sebenza and a Zaan. The Zaan is unique and a wonderful workhorse of a knife, but it's hard to out-class a full polish box elder IMO.
There's also that extra special Bday present...
The LG KA 21 may still be my most carried
FWIW I like the old micarta pattern better, so much so that I got my s35 31 rebladed with an MC Insingo because the steel changed happened at the same time as the micarta change AFAIK
Lots of good info and knife porn here:
viewtopic.php?t=91607
Of note from the above thread:
The Insingo is definitely better for opening packages, but I regard the PM2 as one of the most universally useful blade shapes, and the drop point Sebbie isn't entirely different:
Thank you Ian for the pics and the good read, I may be more confused now than when I made this thread!
I think now I'm leaning more towards an Insingo bladed plain Jane, just need to decide whether a Sebenza 31 or Inkosi?
Re: A higher end knife question for the rich kids here.
Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2025 3:59 pm
by Ramonade
abbazaba wrote: ↑Tue Sep 09, 2025 12:23 pm
Great points in your post above BTW. I'm mostly in the same exact head space with CRK. Really thinned my collection, keeping almost entirely larges with inlays. I've never done a custom and I don't know that I ever will, but I can say without a doubt that all of the high end knives I have bought have been over shadowed by CRK. Hinderer is the only other expensive brand that gets my pocket time, and not even 10% of what my CRKs see.
Maybe it's the french knife makers I've met since venturing into the custom knives world but man there's exquisite knives, that don't only boast good looks but are made with the utmost precision. It's not true for all, some knifemakers don't seek that but the ones I resonate the most with (and ended up befriending) definitely are as avid as I am of the tightest tolerances lol.
Some are at 0.04mm or less (if lucky while using the mill), which means around a thousand of an inch. Truely marvelous !
On my first one I was so darn happy to have 3,76mm on my blade + washers and the same on my backspacer, feels like it's on bearings. Imma need a lot of years of practice to repeat that reliably with only my belt grinder and drill press (or finally buy a crazy good mill lol)
Oh and
@benben that's always the result when someone is trying to choose between knives on a knife forum / knife group ! The true and dark answer is always to buy them all
Re: A higher end knife question for the rich kids here.
Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2025 7:00 pm
by Skywalker
benben wrote: ↑Mon Sep 08, 2025 11:41 am
So to the guys here who have multiples, if it were your $600 CRK to choose one, which one?
None. I'd probably buy more Spydercos or maybe finally spring for one of Benchmade's meatcrafter or fishcrafter fixed blades if you told me it had to be knife money.
I'm currently down to three CRKs, a Large and Small Starbenza 21 LH and a rosewood Mnandi LH. The fit is excellent and the Sebenza is generally a good functional design. I carried some kind of Seb almost exclusively for a while, just to see how it worked for me.
In my opinion, they are very well-made knives, good for general purpose/EDC, and...not designed with the same fanaticism for cutting performance and in-hand ergonomics that Spydercos are. There's a snag-happy gap between the handle and the end of the sharpened edge, the S35VN they used to use on those 21s is disappointingly soft and not ideal for edge retention (though I understand they've gotten better about this), the hollow grind is good but not as good as a Spyderco FFG when cutting all the way through things, and the thumbstud cone + "hydraulic" opening action is not ideal for me with cold or slippery hands.
Eventually I realized I enjoyed carrying a rotation of FRN and G10 Spydercos and occasional Benchmades more so I sold my other Sebs and have mostly stuck to that going forward. If you told me I needed a one knife rotation/collection these days it would probably be a Sage 5 LW in SPY27.
If I was going to advise someone new to CRK folders, spending their own money - start with a Sebenza, either plain jane or micarta inlays, depending on how you feel about bare metal handles and how much you want it to fill your hand. Dual thumbstuds. Personally I feel the design works better as a Large but if you generally prefer ~3" designs Small is fine too.
Put it in your pocket and carry it for a month or a few and make up your own mind. As is often said, you can generally get most of your money back selling it on if you don't like it, especially if you bought used in the first place.
My remaining three. The Large in particular still comes out for carry sometimes. The Small and Mnandi...well, Spyderco's designs for <3" blades are
really hard to beat for my hands.
Re: A higher end knife question for the rich kids here.
Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2025 7:35 pm
by Brock O Lee
There is a subtle width difference between the Insingo blades on the Sebenza and Inkosi. The Inkosi tapers more and is narrower near the tip.
Two large Inkosi's at the top, two Sebenza's at the bottom.
The Insingo does not have a very low tip, contrary to popular belief... Only slightly lower than the drop point.
Drop point and PM2 tips compared. PM2 much lower than both Insingo and drop point.
The Sebenza and Umnumzaan have noticeably thinner hollow grinds, and are better slicers compared to the Inkosi.
Like the guys above, I also prefer the large CRK's.
Re: A higher end knife question for the rich kids here.
Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2025 6:52 am
by benben
Brock O Lee wrote: ↑Tue Sep 09, 2025 7:35 pm
There is a subtle width difference between the Insingo blades on the Sebenza and Inkosi. The Inkosi tapers more and is narrower near the tip.
Two large Inkosi's at the top, two Sebenza's at the bottom.
The Insingo does not have a very low tip, contrary to popular belief... Only slightly lower than the drop point.
Drop point and PM2 tips compared. PM2 much lower than both Insingo and drop point.
The Sebenza and Umnumzaan have noticeably thinner hollow grinds, and are better slicers compared to the Inkosi.
Like the guys above, I also prefer the large CRK's.
Thank you sir for the very informative pics, good stuff!
Re: A higher end knife question for the rich kids here.
Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2025 7:03 am
by benben
Think I'm gonna go to that shop at lunch today and look at that 31 Insingo with black micarta to see if I want one with inlays or not? She keeps 8 or 10 CRK's in stock. This is the same shop that had probably $20,000+ worth of Medford's in stock, no kidding!
I'd imagine it looks just like the one
@abbazaba posted...which is a good thing!
Re: A higher end knife question for the rich kids here.
Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2025 10:14 am
by aicolainen
It's funny, a brand new CRK was one among the 5 knives in my first deliberate knife purchase after discovering the world of folding knives about 9 years ago. Shortly before that I had bought two budget folders from a domestic store, just to get a sense of how it was to carry and use a dedicated folding knife, but nothing else existed in my knife drawer prior to my CRK purchase. So yeah, it escalated quickly :)
I had done so much resea... youtubing, that I wasn't worried about making a bad decision. It had to be a Sebenza, it had to be small and it had to be a plane jane.
I don't think CRK had quite as many options back in 2016, but even today I think I'd pick the Sebenza. Part of the allure is the history of that model. I can't rule out that one of the other models/variants would have been a better fit, ergonomically or for my use, but for my knife interest and visual preferences it was the obvious choice.
Also back then I was aware that most users recommended the large Sebenza. Objectively it may be a better fit for the platform, but subjectively for my use I could not see a large getting nearly as much pocket time as a small.
Why plane jane? Again it was to tie into the history. I wanted a close representation of the original. A true tool in looks, spirit and name.
So how did my considerations hold up over time?
Both good and bad, I guess. I'm pretty sure I would have chosen the same configuration today, so in that regard I think I did my homework as well as could be expected first time around.
I'm less certain that I actually would have bought it today. Like @Skywalker , also my preferences has skewed in the direction of functional features over the years. Not that the Sebenza isn't functional, but 90% of the time I'm better served by a FRN, lockback, Spyderco. Which is a lot cheaper to replace to booth.
To conclude; even though I maybe couldn't justify it today, I'm glad I have it in my drawer and I don't consider selling it at this point. In later times I've warmed up to the idea of having a certain percentage of knives that falls more into the collectable bucket. Some pieces that harkens back to another era, yet still functional enough to be carried and enjoyed from time to time. For this it should ideally have been a newer small 31 in MC, but I don't think that's in the cards any time soon.
Good luck on your decision.
Re: A higher end knife question for the rich kids here.
Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2025 11:04 am
by benben
aicolainen wrote: ↑Wed Sep 10, 2025 10:14 am
It's funny, a brand new CRK was one among the 5 knives in my first deliberate knife purchase after discovering the world of folding knives about 9 years ago. Shortly before that I had bought two budget folders from a domestic store, just to get a sense of how it was to carry and use a dedicated folding knife, but nothing else existed in my knife drawer prior to my CRK purchase. So yeah, it escalated quickly :)
I had done so much resea... youtubing, that I wasn't worried about making a bad decision. It had to be a Sebenza, it had to be small and it had to be a plane jane.
I don't think CRK had quite as many options back in 2016, but even today I think I'd pick the Sebenza. Part of the allure is the history of that model. I can't rule out that one of the other models/variants would have been a better fit, ergonomically or for my use, but for my knife interest and visual preferences it was the obvious choice.
Also back then I was aware that most users recommended the large Sebenza. Objectively it may be a better fit for the platform, but subjectively for my use I could not see a large getting nearly as much pocket time as a small.
Why plane jane? Again it was to tie into the history. I wanted a close representation of the original. A true tool in looks, spirit and name.
So how did my considerations hold up over time?
Both good and bad, I guess. I'm pretty sure I would have chosen the same configuration today, so in that regard I think I did my homework as well as could be expected first time around.
I'm less certain that I actually would have bought it today. Like @Skywalker , also my preferences has skewed in the direction of functional features over the years. Not that the Sebenza isn't functional, but 90% of the time I'm better served by a FRN, lockback, Spyderco. Which is a lot cheaper to replace to booth.
To conclude; even though I maybe couldn't justify it today, I'm glad I have it in my drawer and I don't consider selling it at this point. In later times I've warmed up to the idea of having a certain percentage of knives that falls more into the collectable bucket. Some pieces that harkens back to another era, yet still functional enough to be carried and enjoyed from time to time. For this it should ideally have been a newer small 31 in MC, but I don't think that's in the cards any time soon.
Good luck on your decision.
Thank you, very good read!
Re: A higher end knife question for the rich kids here.
Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2025 1:24 pm
by benben
So to @Skywalker and @aicolainen, thank you both for your insight and honesty! I've been debating with myself today if buying a CRK is money well spent?
I just bought a new Hinderer Eklipse, a new serrated Lil' Native back lock, and a new MSI this past weekend, maybe I should let the new wear off of those first....
As for Spyderco, I don't mean to come across as I'm abandoning them, I'll always be a Spyderco guy, have been for close to four decades! I feel right now I have everything from them I want, now if they ever decide to make / release a Bodacious in 3V, I'll be the first guy in line, but that's another discussion for another day!
Comparing Spyderco's to the other brands I've bought lately, well the Eklipse is just badass, no other way to describe it, it's just a fantastic folder! Both of my Medford's....every Spyderco I own cuts circles around them, period, they're somewhat sharpened pry bars, but I love them! The build quality on both of mine are incredible! Overbuilt bulldozers!
My Pro-Tech / Strider collab, Spyderco's flippers are nowhere in the ballpark compared to this little rocket, it's a great knife!
My brand new Microtech MSI, different, odd, but so tastefully well done, everything about it is just so smooth. And lastly my ZT 0562, it kept me from buying a Hinderer for a long time, well along with never being able to find the exact Hinderer model I wanted. Honestly I do ask myself how my real Hinderer cost two hundred dollars more than this 0562? I think the 0562 is the best model ZT makes, and comparing the price to a real Hinderer, I think the 0562 is one of the best deals going on a folder these days for all you get!
So yeah, I'm somewhat picky and particular about what non-Spyderco knives I spent money on, that's why all the CRK questions, seems like the logical next brand to have in my collection, if I actually decide to spend that money?
Thanks again everyone!