560, socom elite, or select fire? experience needed please

J

jwblack911

Joined
Dec 15, 2011
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710
I am currently in the market for another blade, and i have come to a point where i can no longer make an educated decision because of all the qualities of my options.

Right now my attention is torn between ZT 0561, micro tech socom elite tanto, and a micro tech select fire manual (black version)

i own a few zt's and love them all, the 560 seems like an amazing knife with no recorded flaws to date. the only thing i do not love about the 0560 is the silver pocket clip as silly as it sounds.

the elite is a design with years of positive comments, again only thing i don't care for is the silver clip. and the micro tech hardware makes it impossible for me to take the clip off and even paint it.


lastly and right now the front runner is the select fire in all black. i think the design is amazing and extremely pleasing. i love the edges and angles. this knife concerns me only because i cannot locate a picture or find feedback on how it rides in someones pocket. where the clip is the knife sticks out of the pocket about an inch it looks like.



I would appreciate it if anyone had feedback with some or all of the knifes I'm interested in at this point to help me make a final choice

Thanks
 
I can't speak for any of those knives, but Kershaw is amongst the best in customer service, and Microtech is amongst the worst.
 
Planterz said:
I can't speak for any of those knives, but Kershaw is amongst the best in customer service, and Microtech is amongst the worst.
Click to expand...

I would definitely echo this. If there's ever an issue with your ZT, Kershaw will make it right. MT...probably not.
 
Big fan of the Socom Elite, I think it is one of the best factory knives ever produced. That being said mine are from the early 2000s when production was in Vero Beach. I have never needed their warrenty so I wont comment on it. As per design and function mine are as good as it gets.
 
Go with he ZT. Get the clip coated by one of the many guys that do customizations.

At this point, I wouldn't give Microtech my money if I could get 3 for 1 prices.

ZT/Kershaw stands behind their products and offer some of the best customer service in the business. If something goes wrong with the Microsuck you'll just end up buying the ZT because you'll be left waiting on the crappy customer service that MT is infamous for. Not to mention that you get way more for your money when you buy the ZT. 3D machined G-10 and Ti with a big fat blade of Elmax awesomeness compared to an Al handle and S35VN. That sound like no comparison to me. And that smooth flipping action on the ZT is just so sweet.

You're going to buy what you like, but if you really want advice then you should take it from the majority here. You can support ZT and get the better quality knife or you can support the company that needs to steal designs from ZT to keep paying their bills.
 
Love the ZT0560/561. I was pleasantly surprised how compact/narrow it felt for a knife with a 3.74" blade. I normally prefer folders in the 3 - 3.5" range and this knife doesn't feel too big at all. If anything I would say it felt very similar to my Strider SNG CC in regards to the slimness.

I have a similar gripe as you... the pocket clip. Luckily for me I never clip my knives to my pocket so I just took it off. I do have to warn you that there seems to be a lot of inconsistencies. I got a ZT0560 and a ZT0561 at the same time and the ZT0560 flips open a lot easier and a lot more crisp. If you go on youtube you will see some people complaining that they bought multiples and some of them would have a really strong detent. This one other guy had issues with his lockbar going past 50% and sticking really bad. So it's a draw of the luck it seems.
 
i also prefer my blades to be black, with my day to day uses i don't get to clean the knife often and i have wrecked blades after a few months from the constant corrosive substances left on the blades even until i can rinse it off. so the painted or dlc blade is almost a must for me. i might wait another few weeks/months and check out the zt560 with the black blade. but at the end of the day i don't love the looks of the 560. i see it as an amazing knife no doubt. but something about it just doesn't draw my in at much as i like, especially on something semi pricy for a knife. (not implying its not a value)

unfortunately i still am a huge fan of the select fire's looks and geometry. but the thinner blade makes me not to happy. but besides customer service issues and past implications of stolen designs i still really would love to get to handle on of these knives. locally there are no shops with zt, or microtechs. but the shop locally has all the surfire line of blades. kinda strange buying a funky aluminum / 154cm blade for $375 at the shop ha but not popular zt's
 
I havent held nor seen the select fire or the socom elite but I finally was able to get my hands on the zt560, and man was I impressed. I've been watching reviews on it for the past couple of days, and holding it in hand verified everything for me. Like previous posters have said, the action is extremely smooth, ergos are excellent, and the steel is great. Absolutely a future purchase of mine... hope this little bit of info helps.

for what its worth i also want a socom elite lol
 
I haven't owned, nor handled the MT Select Fire, but I have had the MT Socom Elite & still have the ZT 0560. For the money, I think the 0560/0561 gives far more "bang for the buck" than the MTs, IMHO. There're some people on BFs that can "fix" the issues you have with the ZT (Coating the blade & clip).
 
+1 on the ZT 560, better blade steel, better quality, and if you need to send it in for any reason, it won't be 8 months before you get it back.
 
I've handled the 560 (which is quite big -- bigger than the XM18s it was designed after) and I own a Socom Elite. Love the socom. For a 9 inch knife it is surprisingly "Edc'able". Pocket clip sits low in the pocket and its ridiculously light.

I say go for the Socom.

Cant speak as to how the Select Fire is.
 
I own the ZT 0560 and the select fire. They are both nice knives but if I could only keep one, it would definitely be the ZT.

Plus, Microtheft suck.
 
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