Chris Reeve Small Sebenza 31 Plain Drop Point

The Chris Reeve Large Sebenza 31 is, alongside its 'baby brother', the standard when it comes to pocket knives, you can find a great deal about it on the internet. There are, of course, other manufacturers who produce similar knives, but we haven't come across such a high level of quality in such an austere looking pocket knife.

For many people, the Chris Reeve Sebenza is the holy grail of the pocket knife world. Reeve’s drive for perfection and the continuous upgrade of the production quality, have inspired a generation of knife companies to aim higher. The Chris Reeve Sebenza is the model that started it all.

The hollow grind blade is enhanced with a convex edge which was applied by hand, and is made from S35VN, an advanced powder metallurgical type of steel. You can easily open the knife with one hand thanks to the anodized titanium thumb stud, after which it is locked by a rock-solid frame-lock.

When you compare this aspect of the 31 with the Sebenza 21 you also find one of the main differences: the Sebenza 31 is enhanced with a ceramic lock interface. Sounds difficult, but it really isn’t. Instead of a titanium lockbar that is pushed against the blade to keep it open, a ceramic ball was pushed into the titanium. That ceramic ball is much harder than titanium, and will therefore have a longer lifespan. A clever innovation we had already seen on the Inkosi.

Another difference is the stop pin. It is hardened to make sure it will last longer as well. To complete the whole the pocket clip has been rotated a couple degrees to make sure it rests on the frame, instead of the lockbar. As such the lock is more consistent.

The top-quality titanium handle is sand-blasted which offers you enough grip. The blade has a stonewashed finished. This can best be described as a kind of satin gloss; it is not completely matte, but also not completely polished. Like all Chris Reeve Knives the Sebenza is razor-sharp upon delivery.