Review Check the bearings on your ZT

Wait, what's wrong with the ZT ones?

 

Did you bury your two 0562s underground for two years? How in the world can the ball bearings become so rusty?

 

The bearings are the same on the Ti model, as far as I know.

 

My ZT0801 flips like a champ, so I’m doubting I need to even look at the bearings. Ceramic bearings sounds nice, but I’m not messing with this knife as long as it’s performing like it should.

 

If you want steel bearings to not rust use a light grease on them instead of oil, especially if it's a knife not used much. If you open your knife pretty often and maintain it oil is fine. I have yet to have a rust problem with bearings, however switching to ceramic has intrigued me ever since I got my Artisan Tradition. A $50 knife with better action than pretty much all of my much more expensive bearing knives. I'm not sure it is all to do with the bearings though, but it is worth experimenting one of these days I suppose.

 

another reason I prefer phosphor bronze washers on all my knives

 

My ZT 0801 and 0562 are already as smooth as a folding knife can be. This may sound weird but I do not want them to be smoother than what they are currently. Plus, I think you can request free ball bearings from ZT. So I am not sure about spending $22 on the taco bearings. The thin washer added between the taco ball bearings and the scale is a cool idea but that also means one additional part.

 

Ah, I see.

 

I agree. My spydiechef is extremely smooth on pb washers and needs no maintenance. My only ZT is an 0450 and the action was great but it started getting some grittiness. Those bearings look like the OP. If ZT would do ceramic bearings or (even better) pb washers I would be much more interested in more ZT’s.

 

I had bearings that had a little rust like that once. I put them back in and just kept using the knife

 

I picked up a ZT 0452CF used from the Exchange, and the bearings were just as rusty as yours.

It took some baking soda scrubbing, then vinegar to clean them up.

 

I have a beautiful M390 0452 that came (used) with bearings rusted even worse. And there is only so much a cleaning can do, since the rust pits the bearings. Anyways, most of my ZTs now run on ceramic multi-row bearings sold to me by a guy called zone_305 on ebay. Mechanically much better, and also come with steel washers (needed as spacers - the multi-row ceramic balls are smaller than stock ZT bearings). It's a great upgrade, IMO. No other connection to the ebay seller but being a happy customer.

 

If mine ever rust I may upgrade. Until then I'll just keep using them. KAI will also replace them for free, so might be worth getting a new set from KAI and a ceramic set and compare new to new. Maybe one day.

 

My oldest ZT is a Gen 1 0561 without the lock bar insert. The bearings are just fine and so is the lock up. Despite not having a lock bar insert, the lock bar hasn’t moved since break in almost a decade ago.

 

I just picked up a 0562 on the exchange and for the heck of it ordered a set of ceramic replacement bearings. Knife is relatively new and smooth, I'm told, so I will do a comparison and post here.

I ordered the ceramic bearings because I specifically got this knife in -204P to have an all-weather flipper I can use wearing gloves in wet weather. Or if I'm out hiking and decide to go river/creek exploring. I otherwise have mostly carbon steel folders. This will be the knife on board if I expect wet conditions.

So I am wondering what else on the knife may exhibit corrosion if left for a little while. Guess we'll find out.

 

you say its a 204p model, so it should have a carbon fiber show side. The liner under the CF is steel, and will corrode. give it a coat of mineral oil every once in a while and youll be fine.