Small Sebenza vs. Strider PT

[Rated21R]

I have been thinking for a while about getting a new folder, a final folder if you will. Replacing the Kershaws, the Benchmades, and various other folders that have seen time in my pocket. I narrowed it down to Strider and Chris Reeve as both are rock solid and both seem to be great EDC folders.

What do you all think? Anyone is welcome to chime in and of course those folks with either, your opinions are what I am after. If you think there is something that I should look at that would be better, please let me know. Looking to keep it around the 300 dollar range. Thanks.

[SRT]

I've spent a small fortune on custom folders over the years, but my EDC for the past 15 years has been a large Sebenza. I haven't found anything better, at any price. IMHO, you can't go wrong with anything by Chris Reeve.

[CyberM4]

I've been looking at the Large Sebenza, SNG and SMF. So I did a Google yesterday and found the XM 18 Hinderer. Now I have a third option too choose from. All great knives at the price point I may go with. I guess it will come down too a coin toss. Now IF I could find a shop that has Strider and Hinderer would make it easier.

[SmokeJumper]

I've been looking at the Large Sebenza, SNG and SMF. So I did a Google yesterday and found the XM 18 Hinderer. Now I have a third option too choose from. All great knives at the price point I may go with. I guess it will come down too a coin toss. Now IF I could find a shop that has Strider and Hinderer would make it easier.

Try these guys: Blue Line carries Strider and Hinderer, Plaza carries all three that you're looking at.
http://www.bluelinegear.com/

http://plazacutlery.com/

[msap]

Sebenza or a Strider? Both great knives that will serve you well. I carry a Strider daily in and out of work. If you go the Strider route I would consider the SnG. Not sure what your everday attire is but, the SnG is the best Strider EDC IMHO. The PT is pretty small.

[SmokeJumper]

Rated21R,
I have an SMF and a full size Sebenza. Both are great knives. The Sebenza is very nice, fit and finish are well done, simple yet rugged and tough with clean/sleek lines. It sees EDC use mostly on my days off, don't want to lose it a work. The only thing I would do to it would be to order one from Reeve with dual thumb studs or send mine back to have it added. Reeve does a Mil/Leo discount if your order direct. I was concerned with the bead blasted blade rusting from sweat, but no issues and I've had it 5 years.
If you want a bit bigger blade, the SMF is the one for prying and cutting. It's just a bigger brother to the SNG, as I have not experience with the SNG or smaller PT. Fit and finish on Strider is a bit rough for the money, but they are meant to use and not be safe queens. My only complaint on my SMF is the butt end has ridges that are a bit sharp and they tend to scuff/scrape my leather OWB holster at work when sitting at a desk or driving. Other than that and the hefty price Strider makes a solid knife.
To throw a curve ball in there, there is the Rick Hinderer XM-18, as CybrM4 mentioned. Cool knife, more like a cross between the Sebenza fit/finish and the Strider strength with a slightly thicker Hinderer Spanto blade. One side of the handle is a full slab of Titanium and the other side is G-10 over a thinner Titanium support slab. Rick was great to deal with and added a few extras, like making mine all black with matching hardware. They are slightly cheaper than the Striders and he does a Mil/Leo discount as well, I think you just have to send a dept./unit patch to him.

[DocMinster]

Sebenza or a Strider? Both great knives that will serve you well. I carry a Strider daily in and out of work. If you go the Strider route I would consider the SnG. Not sure what your everday attire is but, the SnG is the best Strider EDC IMHO. The PT is pretty small.

+1 ......my EDC is also a SNG. and I too rid myself of ALL other folders the SnG is my only folder.

I had a small Sebbe traded it for my SNG it was too small for my hand. I have a buddy that collects Strider ..IMHO pt is small and SMF is a tad to big. SNG is perfect for me and since I use it I had the blade reprofiled to make it easier to sharpen. It seems like the first 1/3 was always difficult to sharpen.

good luck

[SmokeJumper]

Here's a couple of pics for comparison of sizes.
http://i929.photobucket.com/albums/ad139/M4Shooters/DSCN02841.jpg

http://i929.photobucket.com/albums/ad139/M4Shooters/DSCN02851.jpg

http://i929.photobucket.com/albums/ad139/M4Shooters/DSCN02861.jpg

[Rated21R]

Thanks for all the great info and pics too. Looks like I have some more research to do. :D

[Mo_Zam_Beek]

Same / Same

I have a large Sebby and a SMF. The Sebby basically went from the box to being used to bash a stuck door lock open while in the folded position. The SMF has been abused even more including splitting wood / making kindling by driving it through the wood using a rock to beat on the back and spine. Both will take a lot of abuse.

When you take the Sebby completely apart it goes back together correctly and functions the same as when it was new. I am able to get the Sebby sharper than the SMF - but that probably is on me.

The Sebby is a much better daily carry knife as it is thinner and when you deploy it, it doesn't get any notice. The SMF is really big in your pocket but it is rock solid in your hand due to the rough serrations and the G10; however it has more of an effect on every day folks when you deploy it to open your Copenhagen outside the 7-11.

Plaza Cutlery is GTG BTW.



Good luck

[CPR]

I've owned all of the above multiple times over the years and I always come back to a large Sebenza and recently the Umnumzaan. All of these are great knives, but something about the Sebenza's simplicity and build quality always draws me back in. I'm rocking a large plain 21 right now and it's great. I'm trying to purge the complextiy out of my life and find myself gravitating to simpler things that just plain work, have been proven over time, require the minimum amount of maintenance, and are intuitive. Hence my return to a Sebenza, iPhone, Glocks, etc. If I had to stick with one knife for the rest of my life, it would be a large Sebenza.

If you want a thicker blade, check out the Umnumzaan. It's tits, but like a Strider or Hinderer, you will need special tools (sold by CRK) to disassemble.

If you get a small Sebenza, avoid clipping it to your right rear pocket. The sharp edges on the smaller thumbstud have a nasty habit of getting caught on loose threads or fabric. I've had one open up on me and my father cut his leather car seat open with one. Carry it in a leather sheath or right front pocket - or put a small dab of clear nail polish on the thumbstud to break up the sharp edges a little. It's best to have the blade of any tip up folder resting against a seam in your pocket to help keep the blade closed.

[boganz45]

Strider PT next to a standard black Bic pen:

http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx123/boganz45/IMG_000111.jpg