- I smell success
My first impressions of this knife from Sencut were very good. I have had no reason to revise those opinions after a closer acquaintance. Rather, they have been strengthened after carrying and using the knife for a while. This model is called Sachse and is my third knife from Sencut. They have all been capable knives but in terms of design and feel in hand, my first experience with the Episode was better than the second from the Acumen. That knife just didn't fit my hand.
Sachse, on the other hand, is a knife that appeals to me more and I intend to talk about why, so maybe you can decide if it can also be something for you?
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| Sencut Sachse |
At first glance, Sachse may actually be similar to the aforementioned Episode. Both have green handles, they share the steel type and have the same model of the clip and both knives come with a flipper. The size is also almost identical with close to the same weight and the same applies to blade length.
But that's where the similarities end and the differences take over. Sachse does not have the same blade shape, a straighter handle, and not least a different locking mechanism. Then Sachse also has thumb studs as an alternative to the flipper. It was mainly the latter that makes me have both knives. I'm one of those "weird" people who generally prefer thumb studs to flippers although there are exceptions.
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| Sachse is characterized by simple lines and a "button lock" |
Twitter version: Sencut Sachse, is undoubtedly a contender for the budget knife of the year. Good function with a high level of quality in a nice costume for not much money at all.
Blade
Since I pointed out that the blade is one of the differences between the two models, it can be said in passing that the Episode has a clip-point blade. At Sachse, a drop point blade is found instead. In this case, it is black. If you don't like it, the knife can be had with a satin-finish blade instead.
The labeling is fairly discreet. Logo and name on one side, what is commonly called the presentation side, and steel type in microscopic text on the opposite side's ricasso. It has become something of a sport from Sencut/Civivi to provide their blades with as little marking as possible regarding the steel. It is always there but is hard to find.
The appearance is otherwise enhanced by a substantial swedge. The blade has an almost full flat grind There is, however, a small, flat surface and this is thankful as it aids in use with some sharpening systems, even if the thumb studs can then get in the way.
At the base of the blade, there are also some transverse grooves to improve traction for the thumb when it has found its way to the back of the blade.
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| If in doubt, then choose simplicity and the result will be a drop-point blade |
The steel is not much to say as it is identical to what is found in most Sencut models. But for those who are not familiar with them, it is a Chinese steel that has the designation 9Cr18MoV. Sometimes they are called somewhat condescendingly "number steels" by those who do not understand better. In context, it can be said that there is a big difference between the steels included in that group of materials.* In fact, this is fairly nice steel to be found in knives in this price range.
My experience with them so far is that they are easy to maintain with a strop and honing steel, holds an edge fairly well, and are very rust-resistant. Without having done any comparative studies, I spontaneously want to place it in the same class as, say, Japanese VG10, American 440C, or Swedish 14C28N. The feeling is that it can't be quite as sharp as VG10, but in return, it keeps its sharpness better than its Japanese competitor and definitely better than 14C28N, which is otherwise one of my "favorite budget steels".
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| The marking is small but is there and says the steel is 9Cr18MoV |
Behind the edge, the thickness of the blade is measured at 0.5 mm. And yes, it could be slightly thinner in my opinion. Otherwise, the blade stock starts with three millimeters which is gradually thinned out through the high grind. That geometry is reflected in how the knife feels to cut with.
It is excellent. For most things actually. Like the rest of the knife, the blade and its geometry are adapted for "EDC" or everyday use. Now it varies a lot from person to person what that might mean depending on where you live, what you work with, and what your free time looks like. But whatever you need a knife for, Sachse can handle it. Possibly with the exception of the heaviest tasks, but then folding knives are still excluded. But cutting cardboard, tape, string, tamp, rope, paper, an apple or a notch in a piece of wood is no problem.
Handle
Personally, I have been in a period of "Micartafanatism" if that is an expression. Or simply put, I think it is one of the better materials to use for knife handles and it is found in Sachse. This version is light green but it is also available in black and brown for those who prefer it. As can be seen in the pictures, the color varies a little depending on how the light falls, but it also darkens after a while of use.
Micarta** is a material which, despite being an art material, has the positive property that it ages with dignity and acquires a patina. In addition to that, it is extremely durable and resists most wear and tear. That is the main reason it was used.
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| The shape of the handle is fairly straight, although the back curves a little. The material in the sides is Micarta |
The Micarta is then screwed onto a 1.5 mm thick steel frame, colored black in this case. The back is open and there are two hourglass-shaped spacers. There is also a bolt with the purpose of acting as a lanyard attachment point. A clever solution that eliminates the requirement for a large hole right through the handle.
The shape of the handle is fairly straight, although the back curves a little. In addition, there is a recess for the index finger and, not least, the edges are softly rounded. The same can be said about the frame both on the back and around the blade notch. The frame is also greatly lightened on the inside.
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| The knife is open in the back and there is also an attachment bolt for a lanyard |
The length of the handle is 11 cm and it is matched by a height of 2.4 cm to 2.1 at its narrowest. The width is 1.4 cm. The available length, if you put it that way, is 9.7 cm. That means the surface that your hand can actually grip behind the flipper/finger guard to where the handle ends. Whether it is enough or not depends of course on hand size and whether you include work with gloves on or not.
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| The handle on the Sachse is just enough for me to get a full four-finger grip |
I tend to argue that if you don't have any particular plans with a knife blade or handle, you should keep it simple. That's what Sencut's design team has done here. A slight curve to fit the inside of the hand and a recess for the index finger provide a secure grip. It is enhanced somewhat by the friction that Micarta naturally has and the grooves on the back of the blade.
The shape also makes it easy to let the hand change grip if necessary. Hammer grip is one of the standard grips, not least when you have to use a little force and it feels good here. The same applies to the saber grip with a thumb on the blade. But here I want to point out that is with the exception of the back end of the clip, which ends up against the fleshy part of the hand and is a little of a hot spot.
Opening and Lock
Another of the differences I initially highlighted between the Sachse and other Sencut models can be found under this heading. The first becomes obvious when you look at the knife. It can be opened in several different ways. Preferably, the flipper is used, but thumb studs are just as effective. If you don't like such modern inventions and want to be a bit conservative, you can grab the blade with a pinch and open it with two hands as well. If you want to feel a bit rebellious, you can flick the knife open either by breaking the resistance in the lock with a strong flick of the wrist, or alternatively use the lock function and the same movement but with less force, so-called "gravity opening".
That basically covered all the ways to produce a knife blade that isn't spring-assisted I think. This means that Sachse is very flexible in this regard.
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| Sachse can be opened in several different ways, with the flipper fin being the most visible |
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| In addition to that, thumb studs, the locking mechanism, or two hands can be used |
Here I would like to point out two things. One is that, of course, it makes the knife an excellent finger-training toy for those who appreciate that feature in their pocket knife. In practical terms, it mostly means that all tastes are satisfied. It is for the simple reason, which is my second point by the way, that Sencut has managed to produce a knife that does not favor any of the methods. It is not easy to achieve the corresponding function that a "detent" ball has in a lock like this at all, especially not if it is to work together with both thumb studs and a flipper function.
In fact, they did it so well that this knife is really damn good, not least for the price range when it comes to handling. The flipper tab provides a good purchase on the finger and has a well-balanced size and good geometry. That, together with ball bearings and the previously mentioned resistance, gives good thrust to the blade. The same can be said for the thumb studs which are well-placed and have a nice "travel" on the way out. They can also be used in three different ways. To slowly open the knife, flick it with the thumb or by flicking the index finger on the opposite side.
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| The lock mechanism seen here is a button lock |
The function itself is also very good. The lock holds the blade in place without play in any direction. Certainly, you have to tighten the pivot screw from time to time. Knives of this type where the blade goes out with speed sometimes have a tendency to unthread themselves. It can be fixed with a dot of thread locking if you want.
The lock is also extremely easy to access and use. This also applies if you are left-handed. You then use your index finger instead of your thumb. Something that, incidentally, is almost easier. This means that the Sachse is a completely ambidextrous knife.
To Carry
Sachse is a good pocket knife. The thumb studs protrude a little but not beyond the width of the handle and then of course there is the slightly proud flipper tab. They are what they are and are one of the reasons why I generally prefer thumb studs.
But otherwise, the knife is sympathetically streamlined with a handle that has a light rectangular cross-section with well-rounded edges and a soft surface. These properties make Sachse easy to carry and easy to pull out and put away again. Especially as the outer dimensions are not discouraging and the weight is written at a low 102 g.
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| The clip works well but is not one of my favorites despite that |
The clip found on Sachse is recognizable and I can copy what I said about it earlier. It is exactly the same type as the knife I compared with at the beginning. This means a steel clip that allows the knife to sit deep in the pocket. In this variant, it is black to match the color theme of the knife. It is attached with two screws, the last of which is also used to hold the sides of the knife together. This a clever solution as it means that the knife has one less hole on the opposite side when it is not in use. The clip is moveable.
Another plus is that they chose to use screws with flat heads recessed into the metal. Even better would have been if the clip itself was recessed in the handle side as well. But that costs processing time and therefore money.
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| Sachse is very discreet when carried |
The function is very good with relatively good tension, a nice ramp, and a tip that does not point outwards. On the other hand, I discovered a major disadvantage with this clip that I hadn't previously thought of. It's weak! I accidentally hit a door frame and the entire clip bent outwards. Nothing else to do but remove it and place it in a vise and bend it back in shape.
In addition, the rear end has a tendency to feel uncomfortable against the hand in certain grips. It is the result of a "deep ride" clip combined with a relatively angular shape of the actual bend of the clip that does that.
To Conclude
With Sachse, Sencut continues on the established path of delivering competitive knives at a low price. In this case, you get a certainly not expensive but fairly good steel combined with a good quality Micarta handle. Packages also include a really well-executed "button lock" which is matched with fine ball bearings and gives the blade a hell of a speed on the way out. In addition, you can send it flying in almost any way possible.
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| With Sachse, Sencut has created a damn good EDC knife |
But above all, it is a series of details that make this knife likable. The first less important one is about color matching. The black breaks with the green and repeats itself in both the frame and clip as well as the screws and lock button. If you choose a brown handle instead, the corresponding parts are polished steel instead. It gives a worked impression and is simply beautiful.
Then shaped spacers are found in the back. Something that the simplest knives on the market usually do not have, as straight spacers are cheaper. In addition, the screws that hold the sides in place are nicely countersunk into the Micarta. This also applies to those found on the clip, as said. When we still study the frame, it can be stated that it is heavily lightened inside, which both affects the scale and improves the balance. The latter affects the feeling of the quality of a knife enormously.
Sencut has also created fewer holes in the handle partly through the way the attachment for the lanyard has been created and partly through how the clip is attached to the side of the handle.
There are many details that are positive that appear. A few knocks on the other side can be made by pointing out that the clip could have been a little thicker and thus more durable. The shape could also be tweaked so as not to be felt against the hand. But it's possible that it's something tied to hand size as well. A small hand probably doesn't have that problem, I suspect.
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| Sencut Sachse, is a really good pocket knife! |
It is enough to state that Sencut with Sachse has achieved a real hit! The overwhelming impression is positive and to that must be added a price that is good. In Europe, it can be bought from €55 and in the US from around 50$. This means that the Sachse is one of the better budget folding knives you can buy.
Specification:
Length Overall: 198 mm
Length Folded: 110 mm
Weight: 102 g
Blade Length: 88 mm
Blade Thickness: 3 mm
Blade Steel: 9Cr18MoV
Handle: Micarta
Lock: Button lock
Produced by: Sencut, made in China
/ J
* In the same way that Sandvik 12C27 is not the same as 14C28N, Crucible CPM154 is finer than 154CM, AUS6 should not be confused with AUS10 and 440A is not comparable to 440C, etc.
** Micarta is a brand name for a material that consists of canvas fabric (linen or cotton) or paper interspersed with phenolic resin which is a synthetic resin that is then bonded together under high pressure and heat, simply put.
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