All I need is the perfect knife

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wintersix

Joined
Dec 5, 2010
Messages
76
Greetings all!

I am a long time lurker, first time poster and I thought I would share a dilemma that I have been wrestling with and see if this awesome community could set me straight or at least commiserate with me.
I am looking for the perfect knife ( but then again who of us on this forum isn’t ). I have been a knife lover since I got my fist one at age five. I have spent a lot of time abroad the last few years in my travels I discovered the ZT 0200. I love this knife. I have traveled with this knife through many different countries and environment and I have used it hard. I have probably done everything the people who designed this knife ever thought possible and then some and I must say to the makers well done!
My dilemma is now that I am back in the “civilized world” the ZT 0200 is really not practical for a EDC. I have a variety of nice Kershaw, Spyderco and Benchmade’s that I have been rotating through but I have just felt naked without old 0200. It’s been like missing a part of me. Rationally I know that I probably will never need a EDC as beefy as my ZT, but that little voice in the back of my head keeps telling me “you might”.
I picked up a ZT 0350 and really thought I had the answer. Good size, heft, love the blade. However the speed safe is forbidden where I am now. So I am stumped.
I am carrying a Kershaw Junkyard dog now, I love the composite blade, but the flipper on mine kind of sucks. I have ordered ZT 0551 and the HEST folder, but sadly I am in backorder hell and don’t have either one.
I found some custom knives that I really like from Sniper bladeworks, but it would be criminal to use them how I would use them. Looked at Strider but have heard a lot of bad about them.
Outside of finding a knife maker to build me a custom knife to spec or somehow disabling the speed safe on my 0350 I am at a loss.
So I ask you what to try next? I must be missing something.

Thanks for your help!

Winter
 
I highly recommend trying out a Para Militray 2. It really is just an excellent knife. If you don't like it you can easily get your money back.
 
The 350's SpeedSafe can be disabled by simply taking off the top G10 scale and removing the torsion bar. However, its lack of a detent will mean a one-handed opening will require flicking your wrist (and no, it won't flop open in your pocket).

EDIT:
Here's a video showing how SpeedSafe works as a sort of guide.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUnD3kCghOM
 
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There really isn't a "perfect" knife, they all have their place and purpose. I would find a brand and/or style that your comfortable with and trust, have one for all the aspects of your day or needs. I don't believe there is a knife that can fill every need and do it all. not that you need one but it's a good excuse to have many knives. :D
 
I don't think there is a prefect knife. There's a knife for each task, and even then, each task can be accomplished with a lot of different knives.
Even for an EDC, for the last 20 years, for me, the "perfect one" is just for the time I find a better one, that I like the most...

The truth is... We'll never be satisfied, because we like KNIVES, not simple cutting tools...

Regards,

Andre Tiba - Brazil
 
I hope I never find the perfect knife. I don't know what I'd do with myself if I wasn't on the hunt every day like I am now. Turning over all the same stones over and over again in search of the next "one" would not be near as fun as it is now! ;)
 
yea even if you narrow it down to a specific task your still going to get a couple dozen suggestions. id say if your zt is the perfect knife to you without the speedsafe then id take that part of it out.
 
LOL I like the comment about comparing the perfect knife to the grail. Thats the beauty of knives to me is finding that perfect knife for each situation. I think a good chunk of my collection is made up of knives that were the perfect knife at the time (situation) or one that I tried out but didnt quite make it.

I sometimes wish one of my friends was a knife maker. I would love to give them the functional specs of what I am looking for and let them run wild. I have been reading a few books on knife making my self and it seems like I could study for 10+ years and still not know what I need to know for my first knife.

I am going to check out the Para Military, and see how it feels. I like the way spyderco's sit in my pocket, I dont think I realized they made a bigger knife.

I am also going to check out the vid on removing the speed safe, see if it looks like something I could do with my large ape hands.

Thanks for the comments and advise
 
Jkjklkl said:
The 350's SpeedSafe can be disabled by simply taking off the top G10 scale and removing the torsion bar. However, its lack of a detent will mean a one-handed opening will require flicking your wrist (and no, it won't flop open in your pocket).

EDIT:
Here's a video showing how SpeedSafe works as a sort of guide.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUnD3kCghOM
Click to expand...

Worked like a charm. Thanks for the tip!!! Huge help.:thumbup:
 
Just got my Para2 today:D

Here's a quick and dirty comparison if you are still interested in a Spyderco. Sorry for the angle, it makes the Para look a lot bigger when in fact it is only maybe a cm longer.

 
rookie4real said:
Large Reg Sebenza is perfect...for me.:D
Click to expand...

You know I have almost bought a sebenza so many times now, all I hear is great things about it. I might just have to break down an buy one. Maybe it will be the first nice knife.

At some point I would like to move into more collecting less abusing. Right now I am scared if I buy one I am going to carry it and if I have it on me I am going to abuse it and then hate myself for ruining it.

Like taking a Ferrari off road.
 
hvapfsds said:
Just got my Para2 today:D

Here's a quick and dirty comparison if you are still interested in a Spyderco. Sorry for the angle, it makes the Para look a lot bigger when in fact it is only maybe a cm longer.

Click to expand...

I ordered that para tonight I cant wait to try it. I always like the way spyderco's sit in my jeans and the clip on this ZT is a bit to tight, I am afraid I am going to go for it fast and end up ripping my pants off.
 
wintersix said:
I ordered that para tonight I cant wait to try it. I always like the way spyderco's sit in my jeans and the clip on this ZT is a bit to tight, I am afraid I am going to go for it fast and end up ripping my pants off.
Click to expand...

I have the para 2 as well. Playing with it as I was reading the thread actually. Great knife, ergonomic, grippy, one hand open/close, and quick when it breaks in.
 
If you find the perfect knife please let us know - I'm still looking!!

The perfect knife varies for me, depending on what I am doing that day.

If I'm in the office, it's usually the Sebenza or Umnumzaan that tags along.

Nights and weekends around the homestead it's a larger folder - SmF, ZT 0200 or 0500, Hogue EX-01, etc. etc.

I'm starting to flurt with the custom knife scene to try to get a few made to my specifications.

Different knives for different situations, and different knives for different budgets.
 
wintersix said:
Greetings all!

I am a long time lurker, first time poster and I thought I would share a dilemma that I have been wrestling with and see if this awesome community could set me straight or at least commiserate with me.
I am looking for the perfect knife ( but then again who of us on this forum isn’t ). I have been a knife lover since I got my fist one at age five. I have spent a lot of time abroad the last few years in my travels I discovered the ZT 0200. I love this knife. I have traveled with this knife through many different countries and environment and I have used it hard. I have probably done everything the people who designed this knife ever thought possible and then some and I must say to the makers well done!
My dilemma is now that I am back in the “civilized world” the ZT 0200 is really not practical for a EDC. I have a variety of nice Kershaw, Spyderco and Benchmade’s that I have been rotating through but I have just felt naked without old 0200. It’s been like missing a part of me. Rationally I know that I probably will never need a EDC as beefy as my ZT, but that little voice in the back of my head keeps telling me “you might”.
I picked up a ZT 0350 and really thought I had the answer. Good size, heft, love the blade. However the speed safe is forbidden where I am now. So I am stumped.
I am carrying a Kershaw Junkyard dog now, I love the composite blade, but the flipper on mine kind of sucks. I have ordered ZT 0551 and the HEST folder, but sadly I am in backorder hell and don’t have either one.
I found some custom knives that I really like from Sniper bladeworks, but it would be criminal to use them how I would use them. Looked at Strider but have heard a lot of bad about them.
Outside of finding a knife maker to build me a custom knife to spec or somehow disabling the speed safe on my 0350 I am at a loss.
So I ask you what to try next? I must be missing something.

Thanks for your help!

Winter
Click to expand...

Fallkniven pxl ?
 
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