Added Inkosi vs Sebenza photos here, rather than stacked in previous post as promised, previously, as well. Which makes me a liar, and you can trust me on that.

Note hugely larger diameter pivot and freefloating blade stop pin (held captive by cap screw on far scale). Strong.

Pet peeves, starting with lanyard. Original Sebenzas had only a hole, later filled with a blue anodized cross-drilled bit of rod, the lanyard threaded thru cross-drilled hole and actually retaining it. A nice bit of color to match stud up front. Lanyards must be snug to not strike blade tip.

Hole now eliminated, and lanyard relocated directly into heel of palm. If removed, a very bland knife, indeed.

Formerly Reeve made great hay as to ease of access to lock bar over liner locks, now eliminated via fingergrooves/ambi-thumb-stud....
"A difference between the Sebenza and other liner locks is that you can get in behind the lock of a Sebenza and push it over. With the others, you can only push from the top of the liner which is a less effective movement."-Anne Reeve 11/03/98
Am rubbing this one in, as it is absolutely true, and what got me into integral locks, along with stronger lock face and bar, where you WANT the extra room to overcome that strength.

New hardware up front not as well finished as standard hardware, a mismatch on premium knife, and downgrade missed at shop.

In short, my opinion, only, good idea, still needs work. But, if you need strong but Sebenza size, here it is, only weight difference essentially the heavier blade.







Given the sandblasted scales, and current stonewashed blade, a very monochromatic knife, the Sebenza blue touches at front and rear a welcome touch. Aesthetically, it seems to lose something with the monolithic simpler threaded spacer.




Highlighting the above mentioned access to locking bar. I find the finger grooves well shaped, but, from a marketing standpoint, grooves can also eliminate half the prospective buyers simply due to mismatch.



The Inkosi features fixed larger diameter, non-rotating thrust bearing washers which butt against stop pin, making assembly/reassembly less fiddly.



I have no clue as to notch in heavier Inkosi blade. Assumption it being to be held by tooling, just as famous/infamous Sebenza scale hole is from blanks drilled and stacked on a mandrel for exterior circumference initial shape cutting (something obviously licked on the new frames).

My closing comments might be only a question, in that, yes, the Sebenza is getting a bit long in the tooth, and dated. Dated from the standpoint of more massive construction, running through entire knife world, thicker locks, thicker blades, larger pivots and stops, thicker edges and tips, swoopier ergonomics, simpler construction needing less precise tolerances, fancy bushings, etc.. But, is trying to cram all of that into a standard large Sebenza shaped handle the answer? Is it even really needed? Perhaps, instead, an all new knife incorporating all of that? And getting external feedback (from outsiders, different observations from not as close to the center), before going full tilt production?

Again, no denying they nailed a stronger Sebenza sized knife. As far as successor goes, will let market be the judge of that. It IS a big tough folder, and better than many.


(maybe I should instigate a media and marketing storm with hashtags, tweets, instagrammys or whatever, convince everybody to run go buy a Sebenza and NOW, get Fox News involved, and see what becomes of the Inkosi?.....or.....I could munch on a bag of Chile Cheese Fritos?............Fritos.)