Difference between the 0560/0561 and the hinderer?

[gooeytek]

My 560 came perfectly centered, evenly ground, flipped extremely smooth, and doesn't have any blade play whatsoever. That said, the XM-24 is still a league above and is worth the base price difference. However, when you get into the $600 - $1K+ range that Hinderers go for on the secondary, your options are blown wide open.

 

[Per-Sev]

I just did a trade and got a ZT 560, a 551 and a 550. My 560 flipper does have a very hard detent in fact it's so hard I can't open it using the thumb studs/ blade stop, but I had a flipper open once in my pocket and I like the strong detent it works fine using the flipper tang. My other two the 550 and 551 are both thumb stud openers and they don't have near as strong of a detent but strong enough to keep the blade closed. All three are nice examples and none have any blade play or lock up issues. I did have to put more tension on the pocket clip of the 560 but that's no big deal. The 560 is a big knife and if Ricks knife is heavier than the ZT then it might be to much for me. I wear light weight shorts most of the time so my pockets don't support much weight but the 560 carries ok. If I had the money I would definitely buy one of Ricks customs but for now my ZT's will do the trick.

 

[chester22]

I just did a trade and got a ZT 560, a 551 and a 550. My 560 flipper does have a very hard detent in fact it's so hard I can't open it using the thumb studs/ blade stop.

They are only meant to be Blade Stops not Thumbstuds for opening.. Thats why its a Flipper. I know many people say they can use the studs no problem and other can't but from what KAI said they were only meant as Blade stops.. So thats why its hard to use them.. Thats a Nice Trio of knives to get! the ZT0551 is my favorite.

 

[freewheeling]

To me its not even close. An XM feels like a handmade, high quality tool. A ZT feels like a mass-produced, nothing special knife. My ZT also had an extremely weak detent (which I hear is a problem now). They are WORLDS apart IMO, but I'm a stickler for details. I'm sure a lot of people wouldn't really notice or care about the differences. If you really can get an XM for only 100 more it's an absolute no-brainer to go with the "real" Hinderer.

Good luck and thanks for your service.

I have a 561 with a very weak detente as well. Makes it hard to flip the knife all the way open if it's pointed upward. Is there a convential fix for this or do I send it back to ZT to fix?

 

[Per-Sev]

They are only meant to be Blade Stops not Thumbstuds for opening.. Thats why its a Flipper. I know many people say they can use the studs no problem and other can't but from what KAI said they were only meant as Blade stops.. So thats why its hard to use them.. Thats a Nice Trio of knives to get! the ZT0551 is my favorite.

I understand that they are just blade stops but the blade stops on my other ones are thumb studs and they sure look the same as the ones on the flipper. I guess the difference is in the detent because its much stronger on the flipper than the non flippers, and I am glad they understand you need a strong detent to make a flipper function better and not open in your pocket like I had a different knife do that was a flipper with a weak detent and it was a high end custom.
For the money you can't beat the ZT line up. I also like the 551 I wish they still used the pocket clip from the 551 I like it better than the deep carry they use now. Mine was to weak and had to bend it so it would not fall out of my pocket.

 

[2 shot]

I have a 561 with a very weak detente as well. Makes it hard to flip the knife all the way open if it's pointed upward. Is there a convential fix for this or do I send it back to ZT to fix?

Send it in. It is too great of a knife to not have function as it is designed to.

Think I got lucky, I can open mine with the thumb studs and it flips great also. The detent is similar to my 0551. I had another one that behaved exactly like the one I have now.