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Hey guys just ordered this knife. If any of you have this or know about this knife, can you please give me feedback on this particular knife? Thanks also post pics if you got them....
Chris Reeves Umnumzaan Knife.
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Hi, and welcome to the forum.
You'll probably get a better response if you post a link to a photo and specs.
Umnumzaan | Chris Reeve Knives
There, I fixed it for you!
You'll probably get a better response if you post a link to a photo and specs.
Umnumzaan | Chris Reeve Knives
There, I fixed it for you!
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2,614 Posts
If I pay that much for something it dam well better shoot bullets.
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Not really I heard he makes good knives. I just wanted to hear feedback regarding that particular knife.
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Thanks.... I just picked up the pacific too like 3 days ago.
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Chris Reeve has won the BLADE Show manufacturing quality award every year except for two since that award was a thing. They make fabulous knives. That being said, if they have a weak spot, it'd be heat treat. They do it deliberately, so whether it's a weak spot is a matter of opinion, but since they upgraded to S35VN, I don't see any reason they can't heat treat to HRC 60-62 instead of 59-60, which was itself only a grudging upgrade from the 57-58 they were doing five or six years ago. People were always saying what great knives they were except that they didn't hold an edge as long as you'd think.
Deliberate heat treat to HRC 57 will do that to a knife. Their fixed blades tended even softer.
Now, that's a legitimate school of thought, and with older steels, I'd agree that larger fixed blade knives could be HRC 55 and be fine, you'd just have to accept that in order to get the increased toughness, you'd sacrifice some edge holding.
But nowadays you can have top-end steels that are both nearly as tough or tougher than the older steels... at higher hardness. So there's really no need for the tradeoff anymore, IMHO, until you get into the 6"+ blade lengths.
Assuming you have one of the later production Umnuumzaans (I think 2013 is when they increased their HT to 59-60), you have a fabulous all-purpose folding knife that is basically the pinnacle of the factory custom knife world. In the U.S., only Hinderer and Strider are really competitors, and while both make tank-solid knives with rabid fan bases... Chris Reeve's knives are more elegant and refined. So that's a matter of preference as well. Lionsteel is the closest competitor overseas (Italy), and they managed to dethrone Chris Reeve at BLADE Show once for the manufacturing award. Their TRE flipper and TiSpine integral folders are within arguing distance of CRK, IMHO, and Reate from China is closing the ground quickly.
But it definitely says something when the highest compliment you can give a factory knife is that it might be a Sebenza-killer. The Sebenza is the original and still arguably the best factory iteration of the premium titanium framelock knife.
Deliberate heat treat to HRC 57 will do that to a knife. Their fixed blades tended even softer.
Now, that's a legitimate school of thought, and with older steels, I'd agree that larger fixed blade knives could be HRC 55 and be fine, you'd just have to accept that in order to get the increased toughness, you'd sacrifice some edge holding.
But nowadays you can have top-end steels that are both nearly as tough or tougher than the older steels... at higher hardness. So there's really no need for the tradeoff anymore, IMHO, until you get into the 6"+ blade lengths.
Assuming you have one of the later production Umnuumzaans (I think 2013 is when they increased their HT to 59-60), you have a fabulous all-purpose folding knife that is basically the pinnacle of the factory custom knife world. In the U.S., only Hinderer and Strider are really competitors, and while both make tank-solid knives with rabid fan bases... Chris Reeve's knives are more elegant and refined. So that's a matter of preference as well. Lionsteel is the closest competitor overseas (Italy), and they managed to dethrone Chris Reeve at BLADE Show once for the manufacturing award. Their TRE flipper and TiSpine integral folders are within arguing distance of CRK, IMHO, and Reate from China is closing the ground quickly.
But it definitely says something when the highest compliment you can give a factory knife is that it might be a Sebenza-killer. The Sebenza is the original and still arguably the best factory iteration of the premium titanium framelock knife.
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Thanks for the helpful info madcap. So do you think I made a good decision I was going to go with the sebenza 21 or 25 but I talked to Alicia about which knife I should get for a edc and she recommended that one. And I'm also left handed.
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That's another thing, CRK makes a lot of lefty-friendly knives. I personally like the Umnumzaan blade shape best, but I like the Sebenza 25 grip with the second finger groove better. Unfortunately they discontinued the short-lived 25 in favor of the large Inkosi.
Really you can't make a wrong decision with a CRK. Many of the fans recommend you start with a large plain or micarta 21 and go from there, but I really do like the Umnumzaan myself.
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Ok. Thanks I'm gonna stick with the Umnumzaan.
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Absolutely it's a pain in the ass to say it. Lol it takes me a couple try's sometimes. Haha
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Good on you. If you find the action stiff at first, please do not whine about it. Swallow your pride and earn your calluses and feel free to make some adjustments as needed.
I don't have one. All my Ti frame locks are a we bit cheaper. :wink:
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Yeah on one of the reviews the guy said the same thing. Just I guess take it apart and re grease it. Thanks.... http://thrumylens.org/featured/review-of-the-chris-reeve-umnumzaan/
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CRK actually encourages you to take apart their knives for routine maintenance. If the pivot is tight, you can loosen it and re-lubricate the washers. The lock may take a little bit of breaking in, though, not much to be done about that.
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Pain in the ass to read it, too.
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