A question about the current state of ZT (and the 0452CF specifically)

On topic, as someone who handles a decent number of recently made ZTs frequently, I can say that their build quality is as good as it has ever been, with a few exceptions. Sometimes, as mentioned, detent strength can vary, but there seems to be less variation in the 0452 and 0450 models. If you like the look and feel of a given design, most are perfectly adequate cutting tools at minimum. The action on most models is great. I personally still carry a 0620CF and a 0707 (talk about opposites!).

Regarding Alone Alone , I have found the 0308 to be a big tough knife in feedback from friends who regularly use it... With the exception of the ball bearing pivot. This is something that just doesn't do as well with a super gritty environment, but if you're able to keep your knife clean and don't apply a lot of lateral pressure to the pivot through the blade, you'll be fine. Personally, I prefer washers over bearings for most dirty or rough tasks. But the usual caveat applies here: if you use your knife as a cutting tool, you don't need to worry about a thing.
 
shinyedges said:
And to answer your question, yes the zt would be a hard use folder. So would the sebenza. The framelock is strong enough for the tasks I consider hard use.
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The_Iron_Joe said:
...Regarding Alone Alone , I have found the 0308 to be a big tough knife in feedback from friends who regularly use it... With the exception of the ball bearing pivot. This is something that just doesn't do as well with a super gritty environment, but if you're able to keep your knife clean and don't apply a lot of lateral pressure to the pivot through the blade, you'll be fine. Personally, I prefer washers over bearings for most dirty or rough tasks. But the usual caveat applies here: if you use your knife as a cutting tool, you don't need to worry about a thing.
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Thanks for the posts, guys. :thumbsup:


Being around Farms and Ranches most of my life, I've been around a lot of "hard use" stuff. When it comes to fixed-blade knives, I can pretty-much tell what will fit my needs. However, for some reason (*I really can't explain), that guy's YouTube reply kinda' threw me for a loop. For years, I'd heard about ZT building robust/hard-use folders. However, as I stated, I am neither a "ZT" nor an "overbuilt" folder guy. So, I reckon his opinion kinda' played on my ignorance, despite what my eyes saw and my hands felt.


In my hands, the 0308 feels like a really well-built tool. I shoulda' just trusted my intuition(s) instead of falling prey to a keyboard warrior.
 
Alone said:
Thanks for the posts, guys. :thumbsup:


Being around Farms and Ranches most of my life, I've been around a lot of "hard use" stuff. When it comes to fixed-blade knives, I can pretty-much tell what will fit my needs. However, for some reason (*I really can't explain), that guy's YouTube reply kinda' threw me for a loop. For years, I'd heard about ZT building robust/hard-use folders. However, as I stated, I am neither a "ZT" nor an "overbuilt" folder guy. So, I reckon his opinion kinda' played on my ignorance, despite what my eyes saw and my hands felt.


In my hands, the 0308 feels like a really well-built tool. I shoulda' just trusted my intuition(s) instead of falling prey to a keyboard warrior.
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Honestly, there's nothing necessarily wrong with second guessing your conclusions and revisiting opinions. Sometimes all it takes is an offhand comment to think about something slightly differently!

Part of the problem is that "hard use" isn't a super well defined term, and everyone seems to have a different definition in their head. At the point I might stop and break out my Leatherman to pry or pull or twist something, someone else might try to make do with a folder. Every tool has its limits.
 
The term hard use is marketing mumbo jumbo. The cold steel tests that everyone loves to reference didn't apply lateral pressure to the blade, salt water exposure tests, mud and gunk tests (where triad locks will really show weakness, and a frame lock will excel). They also failed to take into account how a strong grip forces the lockbar from moving to unlock.

Having used a variety of cold steel folders for a long time, I can tell you my cold steel ak47 hardware rusted badly and I had wood chips from a chain saw actually stop the knife from locking up (though removing the debris fixed it).

The amount of weight a knife will hold off its handle is almost useless. I'd rather a knife that didn't have hardware that corroded away from going on a light adventure with it clipped to my shorts.
 
I have a 0308 that is a pocket guillotine and is amazingly smooth with perfect centering. Just a big beautiful knife IMO. I got mine with the carbon fiber scales that were offered by USA Made Blade a few years ago, haven’t seen them offer them lately at all, shame because they are beautiful. Kershaw got me into knives and I quickly jumped to ZT. When ZT stopped releasing and discontinuing knives a few years ago I turned to Spyderco, Benchmade, traditionals, etc. While I’m grateful it helped me expand my knife collection and all a large part of me really wants ZT to come back strong and be the awesome knife manufacturer they once were. I’ve never had an issue with the 33 ZT knives I’ve owned, something I can’t say about the other knife manufacturers.
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