DPx HEST better than ZT 0560??? Better value??? Matter of taste???

kestrel57

kestrel57

Joined
Jun 4, 2012
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193
Called a good retailer and their experts (separately) seem to prefer the HEST to the ZT. (Because it's newer?) Anyway, the HEST has very good D2 (Lion Steel) and is said to be well finished and a workhorse; even a small self-defense blade in a pinch). Black blade. It does come with a tool, too. Looks good in the pic.

The blade is smaller (although very thick and said to be very sharp despite the thickness), I presume D2 is cheaper and not quite as good as Elmax (even from Lion). I don't know but the locks may be similar.

The ZT was at least recently (if not still) a bit of a holy grail and this opinion on their part surprises me. Maybe the Hinderer name, Hinderer royalties, maybe in-house heat treatment of Elmax, maybe DPx is a smaller company which helps.

Anyway, the HEST folder is $175 and the 0560 about $260. A lot more...of course way cheaper than an original Hinderer folder. :-) (And a new composite blade 0560 is coming out --- presumably better and the 0600 is coming out.) (I thought European prices were high.)

I'm curious but I can also return a just received and unopened ZT 0560 (they sold 50 in a day so I went for it) and get a HEST and maybe another blade for about $100. (Should do soon.)

Thanks. I'm really interested; if you know both great. If you know one, that's fine, too. I love learning and hearing opinions.

Best!
 
Open the ZT. Lion Steel is cool, but the HEST is kinda gaudy I think. I have a 561, and I carry it a ton.
 
I just asked this question like two days ago.
It's a really good question and I believe both are respectable blades. The truth of it though, I've used my ZT for just about everything and I think the value and quality of this knife out do a lot of knives. I was thinking about just trading the ZT for a DPX H.E.S.T. 2.0 because I do like the H.E.S.T. but I just don't think it will be loved more than I already love my ZT. While it's a good knife, the ZT is just beautiful wonderful amazing and just top notch in every aspect. The Hest is a good knife but I don't think it would kick the ZT out if I had both. I've sure if you start carrying and using your ZT, you may just find that to be true for yourself as well.
 
The definition of a knife is: "a cutting tool with an exposed cutting edge or blade"

Both the ZT and HEST are tools that serve the same purpose. Everything else is a matter of cost, steel perfomance, preference and taste.

Theyre both great knives. Get the one you like and you'll be happy with it.
 
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I have both. I carry the ZT all the time. I mainly bring the HEST with me when I plan on drinking so I can use the bottle opener, that's about it though. The ZT is SO smooth and easy to carry.
 
I'm not sure that comparing the 0560 is the best comparison to the HEST/f 2.0. I think the 0550 is a much closer comparison. It also just so happens to put the price differential in the region of $30.

I have both the HEST and the 0550 and for me there really is no comparison. The 0550 is everything the HEST aspires to be except it comes in a marginally bigger package. No doubt the size difference is a bigger when considering the 0560.

My ZT also out cuts the HEST by some considerable margin too.

I cannot recommend the ZT highly enough, not so for the HEST no matter how much I wanted to love this knife.
 
I too think the 560 is the wrong ZT to compare the HEST to. They are 2 completely different styles. The 550 is the better comparison. And I will go against the grain and say I preferred the HEST 2.0 to the 550's I handled. It felt better in the hand and the pocket. The ZT has a thinner blade so may beat the HEST in sone cutting/slicing areas but the HEST is a great knife for the money and can be found for considerably less than the ZT if you shop around. Both are great knives and either would treat you well. Try and handle both before you buy and decide which you like best. Nobody can tell you which you will like better.
 
I have both, they are both good values but have to give it to the HEST for being the better value

but now I am carrying the 560 more(maybe because its newer)
 
I have a ZT 0550 and Hest T3, as well as a ZT 0350.

All three are really capable blades. I did a little comparison post a couple of days ago, which sort of went unnoticed. Maybe it will help you:

2012-07-25181511.jpg


http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...e-comparison-ZT-0350-0550-DPX-T3-amp-Native-5

While I prefer the Hest for its proportions, size and wear comfort, I really love the 0550 for its superior finish and quality. This is not to say the Hest is not as high quality, I just feel ZT goes the extra mile and finishes their knives to the nth degree. All edges are rounded off, all seems are perfect. No rough areas and the blade is just so exquisite.

Anyway, these are just my opinions, your mileage may vary...

Hope this helps,
 
My HEST/f 2.0 is a nice knife. My ZT-0561, like my pair of 0551's, is a super knife. They are different sizes, of course, and different functionally - a direct comparison just isn't fair. I have both, but if I could have but one... it'd be the ZT-0561, for sure. That is the important question - if you had both and could keep but one, which would it be?

Stainz
 
I have both and I would say it's a matter of taste. Both are excellent and when you're holding either one in your hand - that's the better one (until you pick up the other one).
 
Let's see...I have three 551s, a 550, a 560, and a 560CFCB on the way. Two 350s. One HEST 2.0, and a reground (FFG) HEST 2.0 on the way.

In terms of 'better', I think I prefer the 551 overall. I've had a beast of a time getting the HEST to open smoothly, and it still won't flick consistently. As a point of reference I adjust the pivots of every knife to have no perceptible lateral blade play.

D2 is not 'stainless' but performs about on par with ELMAX when all is said and done. I have yet to break a blade on any of these folders (though not for lack of trying).

The HEST 'waves' open with the bottle opener on the spine of the blade. This is a faster deployment than even the 560s but tears up the corner of the pocket. I have yet to need the glass breaker but it is nice to have. Admittedly my crash axe lives in my car so that feature is redundant.

Sharpening the ELMAX to a shaving edge was easier for me on my Naniwa bench waterstones than with the D2.

The HEST does not fill my medium-to-large hands as well as the 550, though it is more comfortable than the 350. The pocket clip has a sharp edge that kills seats, especially vinyl upholstery.

In terms of unlocking, the inside edge of the HEST locking side has rough-cut jimping, that will in the short term give you a sore thumb, and eventually lead to dense callus formation. Its action is noticeably heavier than on the Zero Tolerance knives.

I personally prefer the Torx pivots on the ZT knives to the proprietary HEST pivot and hex spacer screws. The included tool does not feature a bit for the hex screws.

Some of the cost of the 560 comes from the milled titanium and G10 sides, the presence of a steel liner under the G10 side, and the fact that it is made in America. IKBS makes for a smoother opening (though that may be a downside as I end up playing with the flipper more often than not).

Whatever you get, I'm sure you can make it work.

EDIT: crap, I just realised I got baited into a necro thread bump by XIECHENG's HEST chasing. I want those fifteen minutes back.

How are people's opinions of the HEST these days? Consistency is an issue from what I'm hearing, but is it worth doing the fine-tuning to get a reasonably functional blade? I've polished the washers in mine, and it still opens like a hydraulic piston with a high-weight oil. Meaning slow, unless I wave it.
 
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