Chris Reeve Inkosi: strong and durable
In 2015, Chris Reeve launched the small Inkosi and the large Inkosi. This brand commonly chooses names that refer to South African cultural or ethnic elements. 'Inkosi' means 'Chief', as in 'leader'. This is a fitting name because Chris Reeve Knives is a market leader, and this brand is known for their high-quality knives.
Features of the Chris Reeve Inkosi
The Inkosi took the pocket knife world by storm, in part because of the innovative upgrades such as the oversized bronze washers. The Inkosi is exactly what we have come to expect from Chris Reeve. Pioneering ideas and quality were at the top of the design process. Think of the best features of the Sebenza 21, the Umnumzaan and the Sebenza 25; add it all up and you'll get the Chris Reeve Inkosi!
The Chris Reeve Inkosi: the evolution of the Sebenza 25
In terms of appearance, the Inkosi is quite similar to the Sebenza 25. Like the Sebenza 25, the Inkosi has the very distinctive finger recesses in the handle. However, the Inkosi is a lot more innovative and has a lot of new upgrades. The main difference can be found looking at the washers. The Inkosi has oversized bronze washers.This makes the knife extra sturdy and the CPM MagnaCut blade is completely sandwiched at the hinge screw. The stop pin has also been made a lot stronger, and the pocket clip has been slightly twisted so that it no longer rests on the lockbar.
Furthermore, the Inkosi is equipped with double thumb studs, so that it can be used both left-handed and right-handed people. The standoff and the lanyard pin function as one at the back of the handle. This makes the knife more beautiful and compact. An interesting detail is the ceramic detent ball in the lockbar. This is located at the tip of the lockbar and acts as both lockface and detent ball. Unlike the Sebenza 21, the titanium part of the lockbar does not touch the blade of the Inkosi. This prevents most wear and tear of the titanium. However, it does not make the Inkosi's lock-up any less strong. Unlocking has even become a lot smoother as there is a smaller contact point with the blade.
The blade is 8% thicker than that of the Sebenza 25 and enhanced with a large hollow grind. Chris Reeve achieved this by using a bigger wheel to create the grind. As a result, the blade has the same strength as a full-flat grind while ensuring an extended sharpening durability. It's clear to us why Chris Reeve chose the name 'Inkosi', meaning 'Chief' or 'leader' in Zulu: this robust all-rounder can handle any task!