Are ZT knives worth it?

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KLJTech said:
Obviously we're all talking opinions here and they will vary but I have to wonder what motivates someone to make blanket statements like they're "bulky," "over hyped" and "not worth the price" Do you have an axe to grind with ZT or are you simply in the mood to put down a extremely popular, multiple award winning brand just for the heck of it.

To those making these statements, ask yourself, have I actually used and carried these knives? If not, what are your opinions based on? Pictures?
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Let me try to answer.

Axe? None at all.
Simply in the mood to put down? No.
Carried? Yes.
Based on? Carry.

As I qualified before, I don't put a premium on ZT's philosophy of "...being “built like a tank” or “a real beast” or even being—proudly—“overbuilt.” " (From the ZT website.) That isn't something I place "worth" in. Hence...to me...not worth the money. As they say, YMMV.

I'm sorry we disagree. But I haven't used that disagreement to assume you, or anyone else here who likes ZTs, has an "agenda" or could not have possibly used the knives. We just happen to have a difference of opinion.

On that...I'm out.
 
cncpro11 said:
Since I am the one who mentioned the brick thing, I'll go ahead and assume this was partly aimed at me.

I own 4 ZT knives. Bought each one brand new, 2 from Blade HQ and 2 from Kershaw Dave.

Every year for the past 15 years I have went on 7 - 10 day backpacking adventures in different parts of the country and have never felt the need for an overbuilt tank of a knife to add extra weight to my pack, and I find them bulky and cumbersome for edc.

After carrying, using, and sharpening, I have decided that I do not like ZT knives and won't buy any more.
That doesn't mean I have an ax to grind or an agenda, it just means I don't like ZT and don't think they are worth the money.
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I wasn't aiming at anyone, I was trying to speak to the points that were brought up and being "like a brick" or "brick like" was just one of the things mentioned. I have to assume those that find ZT knives to be heavy and or brick like will not be buying any of the latest Direware knives (which I happen to like).

I can completely understand someone saying, "I've tried them and they're just not for me" but once you add that "they're not worth the money" then you get into materials used, production cost and so on.

Frankly, I don't see ANY other production knife company making knives beyond the level that ZT manufactures them when you take in account the material choices and technology integrated into their designs...speaking of designs, not many are doing a better job than ZT. Hence the reason that we're seeing ZT win awards year after year at Blade.

You may not like the style of knives they make, they may not be for you, yet ZT still manufactures (at times) near custom quality knives at production knife prices. For instance, ZT's new 801 does nothing for me, it just doesn't speak "to me" and I'm not sure why, BUT I've watched the YouTube video reviews and I cannot deny that it is a superbly built knife.
 
In my opinion, KAI is the best knife manufacturer out there. I just think that nearly every single Kershaw and ZT is absolutely disgusting looking. I don't like any Kershaw's except Cryo and out of ZT the 560 is ok. The ZT 777 is a huge step in the right direction though. I don't like all the curves on their blades. But yeah, I think the quality is all their. Although, any ZT besides the Hinderer designed ones don't seem to justify the +$300 MSRP's at all. Therefore, I own mostly Benchmades. My Adamas is over a $100 cheaper and of the same quality.
 
RamZar said:
I have quite a few ZT knives and have yet to send one in! The praise is sometimes for rudimentary things like requesting screws, pocket clips, torsion bars, pivot bolt screws and handle screws which are sent FREE for the asking. I have heard of cases where they go beyond their warranty obligations. If you want your knife sharpened just send it in and they'll take care of it at no charge to you (you pay shipping to their factory). If you break your blade for whatever reason they'll fix it with a new blade for $30.

To equate praise for Warranty / Customer Service as poor quality products doesn't compute to me...
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You failed to mention blade play, lock rock, sticky locks.....

The op asked for opinions and I gave mine, I even qualified my opinion based on my experiences, so if that doesn't compute with you, it's not my fault.
 
cncpro11 said:
They do nothing for me, period, so I don't need to consider other variables.
Ever since I have been on BFC, I have read lots of threads praising Kershaw / ZT for their warranty / CS, which tells me that lots of people are returning their knives for lots of quality issues, which leads me to believe that perhaps the quality is suspect.
By the way, my 0550 developed up down blade play within the first month, I just haven't got around to sending it in yet.
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If that's what you're doing, then you're just bashing. You should really qualify your statement to make it valid.

cncpro11 said:
You failed to mention blade play, lock rock, sticky locks.....

The op asked for opinions and I gave mine, I even qualified my opinion based on my experiences, so if that doesn't compute with you, it's not my fault.
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And since you found that a certain model didn't fit your uses, you bash a whole product line and brand?

Unless you have a realistic idea of what the materials, research and development, and worksmanship cost, you really can't say with vailidity if a knife is worth the purchase price.
 
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In my humble opinion ZT knives are well worth their price. The materials, design, fit and finish, and customer support are all well worth the price. Whether or not anyone likes the design esthetic of the ZT line, IMHO, has very little to do with whether or not they are worth the price.

ZT/KAI/Kershaw actively seek out customer input, as evidenced by their active presence on BFC. Their customer support, basically providing everything but a blade or handle scale or liner component at no charge just for the asking, is phenomenal. Their warranty support for current owners who may be 2nd or 3rd generation owners of a particular knife is unprecedented. Offering full value replacements of current production knives for discontinued knives, plus returning the original knife and frequently adding a bonus gift blows every other company out of the water.

Its one thing to not care for a knife because the size, design or whatever, doesn't appeal to you, but that doesn't mean they are not worth the price. It just means you don't value those things. And regardless of the price wouldn't buy them anyway.

The great thing about the knife world is you can be perfectly happy with an $8 Opinel (my favorite backpacking knife) and never have to venture in to the high end. But if you want to appreciate quality manufacturing and high-end materials they're available for you.
 
Is it me or am I seeing all those that stands against Zero Tolerance stand on a stage performing vast generalization against the brand and company, while those whom praises KAI started with one little knife and it spread from there, opening their eyes to the horizon of all what KAI has done above and beyond that person's little knife?

Guess there is no pleasing certain people these days....
 
I wouldn't buy any of the newer models like the 0801 or 0454, but I love my 0350. I've had Spyderco, Benchmade, Buck, Cold Steel, Boker, CRKT, Gerber, and a few others. None of them have held up as good as my 0350 under stressful use, and the Cold Steel Ti-Lite was the only other folder I've pushed even remotely as hard. That says a lot for a liner lock too.
 
cncpro11 said:
Ever since I have been on BFC, I have read lots of threads praising Kershaw / ZT for their warranty / CS, which tells me that lots of people are returning their knives for lots of quality issues, which leads me to believe that perhaps the quality is suspect.
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RamZar said:
I have quite a few ZT knives and have yet to send one in! The praise is sometimes for rudimentary things like requesting screws, pocket clips, torsion bars, pivot bolt screws and handle screws which are sent FREE for the asking. I have heard of cases where they go beyond their warranty obligations. If you want your knife sharpened just send it in and they'll take care of it at no charge to you (you pay shipping to their factory). If you break your blade for whatever reason they'll fix it with a new blade for $30.

To equate praise for Warranty / Customer Service as poor quality products doesn't compute to me...
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cncpro11 said:
You failed to mention blade play, lock rock, sticky locks.....

The op asked for opinions and I gave mine, I even qualified my opinion based on my experiences, so if that doesn't compute with you, it's not my fault.
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I isolated the portion of your argument whereby you concluded that because people are praising ZT customer / warranty service then it must be that they have "quality issues" and therefore "lots of people" are returning them. That's just speculation on your part.

What I have read about are people praising ZT customer / warranty service for getting small parts for the asking for free, free sharpening, inexpensive broken blade program (some have not even been charged for that) and warranty going beyond their legal obligations to fix issues.
 
singularity35 said:
If that's what you're doing, then you're just bashing. You should really qualify your statement to make it valid.



And since you found that a certain model didn't fit your uses, you bash a whole product line and brand?

Unless you have a realistic idea of what the materials, research and development, and worksmanship cost, you really can't say with vailidity if a knife is worth the purchase price.
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You must have missed the part where I said I own four ZT's (this makes the fifth time I said it) and I feel I've more than qualified my opinion.
I don't care what went into making the knives, they sit in a drawer and collect dust, they don't fit my uses, and they do nothing for my serotonin levels....so in that regard, they are not worth my money and never will be.
 
So basically your thought process when you bought those ZT kinves didn't reflect what your actual needs were. And you wasted your money on knives you'll never use. Sorry to hear that you mistakenly bought knives that you didn't like and would never use. Luckily most ZT knives hold their value and can be resold for close to their original purchase price or depending on their rarity for considerably more. Maybe you should list those four ZTs on the exchange and use that money to buy knives that you'll use and like.

cncpro11 said:
You must have missed the part where I said I own four ZT's (this makes the fifth time I said it) and I feel I've more than qualified my opinion.
I don't care what went into making the knives, they sit in a drawer and collect dust, they don't fit my uses, and they do nothing for my serotonin levels....so in that regard, they are not worth my money and never will be.
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PG5768 said:
So basically your thought process when you bought those ZT kinves didn't reflect what your actual needs were. And you wasted your money on knives you'll never use. Sorry to hear that you mistakenly bought knives that you didn't like and would never use. Luckily most ZT knives hold their value and can be resold for close to their original purchase price or depending on their rarity for considerably more. Maybe you should list those four ZTs on the exchange and use that money to buy knives that you'll use and like.
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Thanks for that, and I have been considering doing just that.
I even question them holding their value, just today in the exchange I saw two separate sale threads for ZT 0560's, both more than $100 less than the cost if a new one.
 
So $100 less than MSRP or $100 less than original street price? On e-bay they seem to be going for more than original street price. Guess you need to make sure to sell them where you'll get the best price.

cncpro11 said:
Thanks for that, and I have been considering doing just that.
I even question them holding their value, just today in the exchange I saw two separate sale threads for ZT 0560's, both more than $100 less than the cost if a new one.
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Seems to be a lot of back and forth about "not appealing to me" vs "not worth the money". Well if a knife isn't something I would want then it would not be worth even one red cent. As for me, since I am not a fan of recurves, flippers, assisted openers or design for the sake of appearance ZT's are obviouslly not worth the money.
 
exactly. I hold zt/Kershaw in about as high esteem as I hold any company. I think they are an absolutely stand up act, and the knife industry is richer because of them being around.

that said, zt designs regularly check all the boxes that I find undesirable in modern folders. it doesn't make them bad folders, it just makes them not right for me. I won't necessarily bad talk them, but I will openly say they are not worth the cost TO ME.

If their designs interest you, then they should absolutely be worth the cost because of their exceptional build quality and materials used.
 
Agenda's, axes to grind? I think so, but it's all cool, because at the end of the day, the knives are strong, the tolerances are tight, we back them up, and the majority (here) have spoken as such.
 
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