Are ZT's overpriced?

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Well apparently the current rules in this sub-forum have been taken offensively by some. Despite clarification, they feel you can't post topics that may be seen as negative or controversial. They don't want to participate now.

One of the questions that won't be asked (I'll do it for them today), is the following:

"Does anyone else feel that the zts are similar to the old higher quality Kershaws, but at 2-3 times the price? I don't think I would be allowed to post that question in kai's forum. Compare a Kershaw spec bump, which you could get for about $120, or the Tyrade, which was insanely good at about $200, to the zt 560, which you apparently can't expect to be perfect at $260".
 
I'm a mall ninja and want a ZT0500MUDD
otherwise ZTs are pretty cheap when you got stuff like Emerson floating around with his beloved 200$ 154cm knives
 
IMO if you gave someone a kershaw knife and a ZT and said person doesn't know knives they would never know that ZT is made by Kershaw, I know because I have done it. I have shown people my old 0300 and 550 even my 560's when I had them and people were like What does ZT mean? When I told them it was Kersahws Military brand they were kinda in disbelief. Do i think they are over priced? NO, not for what you are getting, Especially on the 030x series , IMO that is one of if not the toughest folding knife on the market today, and IMO opinion its a bargain at 272.00, but when you do your shopping and find them for less than $200 then it is just a steal....
 
I spent a lot of time with the new 0801. It is, for lack of a better word, perfect. I just bought one, from the first run, for under $200. It is a full titanium handle, a Rexford design, with a steel lock bar insert. Under $200.

Theoretically, I could get it in the mail, stick it in a vice and snap the blade in half and ZT would replace it for me. Overpriced? Probably not.
 
Seilu said:
I'm a mall ninja and want a ZT0500MUDD
otherwise ZTs are pretty cheap when you got stuff like Emerson floating around with his beloved 200$ 154cm knives
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Emerson knives have and continue to serve a lot of our service men and woman out their today, Their price is based on the size of the company, the warranty you get etc. but this is the KAI subforum so different topic altogether, I'm not going to stray to far off topic , but EKI makes a quality knife as does ZT
 
I don't think some people realize the materials that go into most knives that would make them seem "expensive". Titanium, the blade steel itself and carbon fiber to name a few. Then you get texturing on the handle for knives like the 0600 and the 0560CBCF. After all of that, you get the person(s) that designed the knife. RJ Martin, Todd Rexford and Rick Hinderer......to name a few :).
 
Allen R. said:
Emerson knives have and continue to serve a lot of our service men and woman out their today, Their price is based on the size of the company, the warranty you get etc. but this is the KAI subforum so different topic altogether, I'm not going to stray to far off topic , but EKI makes a quality knife as does ZT
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+1 :thumbup:
 
short answer: No, they are not over priced.

long answer:
thousands of the 0560/0561 have been produced (I assume) and I'm sure there are thousands of people that are completely satisfied. The problem is that the majority of people that actually take the time to start a thread have a tendency to post about the bad before the good. Which in my mind is a big problem, I'm not saying this is true for everyone, but it holds true for most. Here's a thread I started that (IMO) makes for an interesting read: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1078563-My-thoughts-on-the-recent-flood-of-warranty-threads

Using the 0200 for an example, you get 4 inches of 154CM, 3D machined G10, milled liners, stand offs, ect. compared to other knives with similar It's an amazing value. I guess that want much of a long answer:o but maybe it's better that way...Kirby
 
Overpriced I'd have to say no, definately not. I'll admit I don't always buy zt knives but when I don't price isn't a factor at all.it really boils down to my personal prefence and what works for me. If I like it and the price isn't to crazy I buy it. Simple as that. So far I think zt has quite the affordable line up if you ask me but then again I have dropped anywhere between $150 to $250 on knives so my view is a little subjective.:p Hope this helps.
 
Are they overpriced, as the OP (err, well, you know what I mean) stated, compared to the older premium Kershaw's?
 
Honestly I do feel that msrp gets ridiculous sometimes. Street price however...kai cannot be beat for value vs price point. It's said that you get what you pay for; with ZT you get more than what you pay for.
 
All you need to do is look at some other manufacturers and see that ZTs are VERY VERY VERY competitively priced and huge values.

I also find it funny how people compare knives that are 5-6 years old to current prices. How many of us would love to go back to the days of sub $3.00 gas?

The year the Tyrade won knife of the year (2007) a brand new base Honda Accord costs $18,600. A base 2013 Honda Accord now costs $21,600.
 
My answer still stands at no. Don't see how anyone could think otherwise considering how far kai as a whole has evolved and how much more can be offered at a similar price in some cases in the ZT's.
 
I don't think they are overpriced, for the steel the design and warranty they are pretty much right on the money compared to other knives. You know a happy person pleased with their purchase will generally tell 5 people. A unhappy person will tell 75.
 
I don't think they are. I own several Striders (which I feel are fantastic quiality) but I feel ZT is just as good for less that half the price.
 
SHKnives said:
I don't think they are. I own several Striders (which I feel are fantastic quiality) but I feel ZT is just as good for less that half the price.
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I agree with this and was gonna say it myself but refrained, the 0300 had input from mick strider, I actually miss the crap out of my 0300 and can't get rid of my strider for nothing....again off topic, but I just felt the need to say it again, I've owned a lot of knives from a lot of companies and I liked the 550 for an edc knife, I owned a few 560s and a 1 or 2 561s but I just could never warm up to them, but for a true hard use no non sense do whatever you need it to do whenever where ever the 030x series is hard to beat....
 
Overpriced? No. The machining, materials, and time that go into a lot of the knives is hard to beat for the price, especially LE models. I've brought up pricing on another item Kai produced in the past but we won't get into that here. ;) I suppose the only thing I don't particularly care for with ZT or ANY company is putting a MAP price on their product. They have a MSRP which any dealer can charge if they'd like. Said dealer probably isn't going to sell a whole lot of knives if their customers do any shopping around. On the other hand I'm assuming all dealers pay the same price so if some want to charge $2 over what they bought the knives for that should be their prerogative but they better sell one HELL of a bunch of knives or they too will soon be out of business.

I hope that this isn't taken as a little off topic. :(
 
I think that the market does a good job of keeping street prices at a reasonable level. Some models (0200, 0350, 0400, 0700, 0550, and 0750, to name a few) are downright bargains.
 
The prices are what the market will bear. Its not like there is a lack of competition in the knife world. If you want a beefy rugged folder many manufacturers have them (Kershaw, Benchmade, Spyderco) with some focusing solely on that type (Emerson). So if they were so overpriced they wouldn't sell, period.
 
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