I've recently gotten interested in the small Sebenza. Looks like a handy knife with a decent following.
Being the data freak that I am, I started collecting information on the knife. Reading/watching reviews, reading the Crucible data sheets for S35V, reading comparisons on knife steels that include S35V, etc. I'm not saying I do that for everything I purchase, but this is quite a bit more expensive than any folding knife I've ever purchased. Actually it's quite a bit more expensive than any two folding knives I've ever purchased...
Anyway, the general consensus seems to be that S35V provides some benefits over S30V in some areas (toughness) but maybe gives up a little to S30V in other areas (edge retention). It's better overall, but probably not a lot better and not better in every respect.
It also seems that there are better steels out there and maybe it's pretty reasonable to expect a $400+ pocket knife to use a blade steel as impressive as the price.
It also seems that there are some questions about whether or not CRK hardens the S35V in their blades to an optimum level--maybe they leave them a little softer than is ideal. I don't quite get why the maker of a $400+ pocket knife would leave the steel softer than is ideal for the application.
I understand that not too many people are going to buy a Sebenza and then torture test it given the purchase price so I don't expect a wealth of hard evidence of the type: "My Sebenza held up after a full day of stabbing steel barrels while my brand X broke on the third stab.".
I also understand that while S35V may not be the best knife steel available, it's still a lot better than most of the steels the knife community was raving about 20 years ago.
All that said, what's the current dirt on the Sebenza, S35V steel and CRK's choice of hardness for the blade?
Being the data freak that I am, I started collecting information on the knife. Reading/watching reviews, reading the Crucible data sheets for S35V, reading comparisons on knife steels that include S35V, etc. I'm not saying I do that for everything I purchase, but this is quite a bit more expensive than any folding knife I've ever purchased. Actually it's quite a bit more expensive than any two folding knives I've ever purchased...
Anyway, the general consensus seems to be that S35V provides some benefits over S30V in some areas (toughness) but maybe gives up a little to S30V in other areas (edge retention). It's better overall, but probably not a lot better and not better in every respect.
It also seems that there are better steels out there and maybe it's pretty reasonable to expect a $400+ pocket knife to use a blade steel as impressive as the price.
It also seems that there are some questions about whether or not CRK hardens the S35V in their blades to an optimum level--maybe they leave them a little softer than is ideal. I don't quite get why the maker of a $400+ pocket knife would leave the steel softer than is ideal for the application.
I understand that not too many people are going to buy a Sebenza and then torture test it given the purchase price so I don't expect a wealth of hard evidence of the type: "My Sebenza held up after a full day of stabbing steel barrels while my brand X broke on the third stab.".
I also understand that while S35V may not be the best knife steel available, it's still a lot better than most of the steels the knife community was raving about 20 years ago.
All that said, what's the current dirt on the Sebenza, S35V steel and CRK's choice of hardness for the blade?