Umnumzaan “The Boss”
Pros:
-s30v steel and titanium frame construction
-Robust frame lock
-very light weight
-very strong lock and grind
-USA made
Cons:
-Polished thumb stud provides no traction
-Thumb stud O-rings can wear out, but can be removed.
The CRK umnumzaan is extremely well designed, engineered, and manufactured to perfection. Every nook and cranny of this knife is designed and made with care. The knife is made out of ideal materials. S30v has proved itself to be an exceptional working steel, and the thick titanium handles are very strong and light. The thick stock and hollow grind provide a mix of strength and sharpness. The harpoon swedge helps pull apart material when stabbing through.
Key features that set this knife apart:
-The ball detent on the corner of the lock bar. This makes the umnumzaan extremely smooth to open, and it has no detent ball drop off/dead zone. I believe this is completely unique to this knife.
-lock bar thumb grip is milled out. this feature allows the knife to have no cut out to release the lock, the milled out section grabs your thumb for closure.
-no sharp corners, all are beveled or rounded.
Lock bar thumb grip:
lockup:
Hollow Grind:
Common criticisms/claims:
-The knife is hard to reassemble because you have to use Loctite
-the knife is hard to flick open or slowly open
-hollow ground.
-the knife has no pivot bushing like the CRK sebenza
-The knife isn’t worth its cost ($425) and ($12) tool kit
None of these things should sway you away from the Umnumzaan. It is an improvement over the sebenza in almost every way. The Sebenza is a classic, but the umnumzaan takes first place in my opinion. Using Loctite is easy, just make sure you use purple Loctite, 222ms. This way you can get the pivot anywhere you want it.
When correctly lubed, the knife flies open like an auto if you want it to. They omitted the pivot bushing in favor of a more robust and adjustable pivot. The thumb studs are an issue thought. they could have been made to provide better grip.
Hollow grinding is known as being cheap to produce and machine. It is sometimes frowned upon in favor of full flat grinds. However I enjoy hollow grinds, they can produce a very thin and wickedly sharp edge. the hollow grind and thick stock can cause problems when cutting certain materials. cutting something like a watermelon can be a problem. the stock at the top will split the watermelon without the edge cutting it.
As far as the umnumzaan being worth it, I think it is worth it. You can get a knife with the same materials as the umnumzaan or Sebenza for around $200-250. The Chris reeve knives can’t be beat by those offerings. There is simply more detail and time put into them. You also get incredible customer service with CRK. The price is high, but nobody beats their knives for less money. Whether it’s worth the $425 is anyone’s opinion.
