550?

Manual, but it's extremely smooth and fast opening after a little practice.

Gen 1s have a regular clip and gen 2s have the deep carry
 

Hey hey be nice. Don't be negative because I don't know everything about every knife ever made. I have a lot of ZTs but no 550. (2x zt561 & 2x 350ts). Most places around me are lucky to have a $120 benchmade. I have only once seen one Zt knife in a store and it was a 350. So I don't have the opportunity to handle every knife by ever made by every manufacturer.

Anyways thank you for the replies.

Is it bronze washers? Or ball bearings like the 560? I'm thinking no on the ball bearing because its cheaper than the 56

I loveeee my 0560s

Some on my ZTs with scales I made
56703210-2801-486F-834B-AC72B1EBB2B2-3080-00000440CC121FD8_zpsc662f3fb.jpg
 
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No bearings but it does feel very smooth.
 
Thank you. No flipper makes it a no for me. I'm just antsy for another Zt and I'm excited the 566 I preordered.

Sorry to hear about the no go without a flipper. It really is a great knife. It works very well without a flipper.
 
Sorry I seemed overly negative. I don't like it when people on here act that way towards me, so I really am sorry. However, given that your questions are so rudimentary, they could've been answered by simply browsing the ZT catalog or most dealer descriptions...let alone all of the current and previous threads here.

My apologies for any true insult.
 
Shep
First off your scales look awesome! I wish I had that talent or maybe the time and drive to do it.

Second, don't let the non-flipper be the deciding factor without trying one, it's a really great knife. I'm new around here (not new to knives and other cool things) but have loved the 550 for quite a while meaning ever since I got my hands on my first. I have a couple 560/561 and don't feel the lack of flipper is a negative on this knife and I really like flippers.

Keep making cool scales!
Pete
 
Those really are great scales.

I agree, don't let the lack of bearings or flipper dissuade you from a great knife. They open very easily. Once that large blade starts moving it really goes. It won't require any more effort than the Benchmade Lums.
I actually prefer thumb stud opening, but like to have a flipper as a backup (in case I slide the tip of my thumb off). I carry a 0561 and find myself opening it most of the time with the thumbstuds much of the time. Some people have difficulty with
the thumb stud opening on the 0560/0561 so you might not want to use that as a measure of thumbstud appeal, but I think if you give the 0550 a chance I think you will love it.
 
Thank you for the apology. I did do some searching and didn't find all my answers plus I was in a weird hurry to know the answer mood


It's not so much the no flipper that turns me off. It's the thumb stubs. I just personally hate them. As much as I try to use them I find myself hating them.

I love the spyderco holes for fast flicking action. Middle finger and thumb opening. On the benchmades I love the ability to open and close the knife with the same axis lock. I can do it really fast like an auto. Flippers are nice too. I like them but not as much as the axis lock.

I thought the 300sn would be perfect but I hate the handle in my hand.
New handles like the hinder with ball bearings, axis lock, flipper, with a spyderco hole would be like my all time fav. :)
 
I say snag a cheap used or blem 0550 and see what you think. If you end up liking it but not the studs, tap em out and dremel your own spyder hole. It really is a knife worth trying; and if your relationship doesn't work out, there's more than enough love around to pass it on. Just an idea.
 
That's actually a great idea. I've been thinking about making some of my non spyderco hole knives with the hole.

I've been playing with steels more lately

Here's a izulu I just finished for a friend

Before
A4C4B76D-90BF-4F8A-AA96-4EEC40218981-6869-000005B3B79973AB_zps495746ee.jpg


Progress

AD27E339-6697-4C99-835B-C94492E08C9B-6869-000005B3C5F37126_zpsa23a24c4.jpg

D650922E-BFC2-4FCE-B6AA-3A629254AE0B-6869-000005B3D6AEA76F_zps24ee9818.jpg


Finished

E25CAC54-9132-4AC6-8329-11EA384D1A2F-6869-000005B3E471B5B6_zps0869787a.jpg

CD98F91A-167F-434D-8A19-0990674CDE96-6877-000005B4ACD40D4C_zpsb0631a16.jpg
 
I like the scales on your knives. And that Izulu is pretty nice too, I love OD green and black together. I made a small fixed blade knife and I love having it around. I use it for anything I wouldn't want to put a production knife through.

Like you, I have resisted the 0550 but I love ZT's so sooner or later I'm gonna pick up a user or blem to try it out. Usually see a few on the exchange weekly. I recently picked up a 0200 and a Junk Yard Dog 2.2, both are excelent flippers. I wish the JYD had a thumb stud though, its flipper only. Thought it was kind of weird at first but its really smooth, both are actually. Good luck in which ever way you go
 
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