First ZT - 0560 blem - WOW!

Uncle Malice

Uncle Malice

Joined
May 13, 2012
Messages
692
First post here in the Kershaw/ZT forums (I think). I've been a knife guy for a long time - a big fan of fixed blade 'survival' type knives. I like good folders, and I always liked the looks of the ZT line, but I never thought I would really have the desire to spend that kind of money on a folding knife. I've been a Kershaw fan for a while. My EDC has been the JYD II for about a year or so now. I like everything about it, except for the ugly clip. I keep wanting to take the Dremel do it and thin it out.

Anyways, I actually recently had a knife that I returned to BladeHQ and wasn't sure what I wanted with the money. After some deliberation, I ended up going for the ZT 0303 as a replacement. I haven't even received that knife yet... but in doing more research on the ZT line, I found out about the Kershaw Guy site and that he sells the ZT blems at a substantial discount. After checking it out, I figured, what the heck? I should give it shot. Everyone raves about these knives. So I ordered the 0560 blem on Wed. It was delivered on Friday - amazing shipping!

I must say, I am extremely impressed with the knife as well as with Dave's service. So much so, in fact, that I just ordered the 0200 blem yesterday morning... and then I got a tracking number yesterday evening - on a Sunday, let alone during the Super Bowl. Dave will definitely be getting more of my business as well as recommendations to friends.

I did some research on the blems, and many people say that they can't figure what makes it a blem - and I tend to agree. Everything about this knife seems near perfect. The only thing that I can come up with that must be the cause is that the frame lock is a bit sticky when closing the knife. It seems that there is a burr or rough spot where the frame and blade connect and it can take a little bit of extra pressure to release. Not a huge deal - maybe it will smooth out, or maybe I might be able to hit it with the Dremel or stones to smooth it out. I haven't taken it apart to see if that's something I'm comfortable with or not. Seems like it should be easy. I'm pretty competent with small stuff like that. I do a bit of small time gunsmith work on Glock, M&P, XD, Sig, and AR trigger groups.

With that, I'll leave you all with a few pics. Nothing too fancy. It was pretty dark at work. I generally work with the lights off - computer guy thing. The 0200 should be here on Wednesday, and the 0303(not blem) should be here on Wed or Thu! 3 ZT's in a week... seems like a good start!

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Here are a few comparison pics with the JYD II, in case that helps anyone out.

They are somewhat similar in size. The ZT is a hair bigger. Similar weight - with the JYD maybe being a hair heavier, even though the ZT blade a significantly thicker.

I originally got the JYD II after it was recommended to me as somewhat of a "poor man's ZT"

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9blades said:
Nice!!!.......so where's the blem?
Click to expand...

Thanks man. From what I can tell, the only thing that doesn't seem perfect is that the lock up is just a little gritty. It locks open perfectly, but closing it seems to have a little bit of a burr or something that sticks sometimes. I'm figuring it will smooth out with use, or I may take a light stone to it and polish the edges. It has to be that... the grind is perfect. The blade, G-10, etc all looks perfect. Really impressed with the knife... and at nearly $100 discount... I'll take that any day!
 
congrats on your pick up. . . there's plenty threads on the hard disengaging of the lock up. it's quite normal. . . some fixes are to do the sharpie trick, or pencil lead trick . . . it gets smoother over time also. . .

great knife, and like you said, great service from Dave. ..


congrats again. . .
 
Totally agree.
So, I'd generally consider myself a Benchmade guy - I like a lot of their models, I like the Axis lock, I like the way they feel and operate, etc. A while back I got a ZT 350 and really just thought it was OK. It went in a drawer after carrying it for a short time, but I wasn't in love with it. Recently however, on a late night internet spree, I picked up an 0561. When it arrived I just thought it was enormous and that I'd never be able to, or want to, carry it regularly. Here's the thing though - I haven't carried anything else since I got it a couple of months ago. It is truly a spectacular knife. Even with it's size it's still easy to carry, and the operation is so smooth and flawless that I don't want to carry anything else. I've ordered a 0550 just in the past day as well, mainly because I'm so impressed with this 0561 and wanted to see what the 550 is like, but it's going to take a pretty amazing knife to take the place of the 0561
 
Love the 560.

Some ZT's are on my tax returns list.... :D

on edit: I hope the KershawGuy is stocking up on ZT blems!
 
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The lockup issue could be the carbidizing on the lock face. I had the same issue with my 0550. After enough opening and closing, it seems to have evened itself out. I got my 0560 through a trade and it did not have this issue, I'm sure the previous owner broke it in for me. Interestingly enough, the detent on the 0560 seems to be a bit tougher to overcome than the 0550. I would consider that as your next, but not last, ZT purchase! :D

DD
 
Thanks for the info. I've been messing with it a lot and it does seem to be smoothing out a bit. I'm actually not terribly interested in the 550. We'll see. Maybe it will grow on me. I think I need some time to recouperate from these 3 purchases - for a few weeks anyways. ;)
 
Truly, that's what I thought also. I decided since Dave had some DEEPLY reduced blems that I would give it a shot and then hit the exchange with it if it didn't grow on me. It's been my daily carry for going on 3 weeks now. Now I rotate it with the 0560, but seem to prefer the 0550. Just don't tell the 0560, that's one helluva knife to get bitten by!!!

DD
 
that lock stick is pretty normal on these knives if you take it apart and color the lock face and blade tang with some sharpie it will go away and once the knife is fully broke in it will no longer stick (takes a few hundred flips and closings). The blem is most likely something cosmetic on the knife that is so minor you can't even see it. I can usually find what the blem is on the ones I buy but I wont lie it takes some studying lol. Enjoy the knife, in my opinion it is the finest production folder on the market (at least that I have handled I can't afford to try the 800 dollar ones lol).
 
Is it possible that they examine the heat treat in some special way, with a UV light or something, and reject the ones that are uneven? I've thought about that, and it sorta depends on when they strike the xxxx. If they do it after the knife is put together it's unlikely to be a heat treat issue. And if they found a bad blade, why would they put the knife together at all? So I'm just asking, in case someone knows. The blems seem so invisible.

Update: About the stickiness of the lockbar, mine was very sticky but it has mostly smoothed out with the sharpie trick. I had the same problem with another Ti framelock (CRKT Eros) so it's not particular to that knife but is probably a characteristic of titanium against steel. In fact, I've heard that it's a feature not a bug. The "galling" caused by two different metals makes a safer lockup.
 
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I think I found it! The blemish, that is. After examining the knife very closely under fluorescent lights at work... at the right angle, you're able to see 2 slight scratches or lines in the blade steel. I was kind of able to get my phone to pick it up.

This has to be it... After opening and closing the knife a lot today, the frame lock is perfectly smooth now. No more sticking.

Really liking this blade! Can't wait for the 303 and 200 to get here in the next couple of days.

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It's almost ridiculous how "strict" Kershaw/ZT's quality control is. You get a great knife for some minor scratches on the blade that you can barely see and will most likely appear over time with some use.
 
Uncle Malice said:
I think I found it! The blemish, that is. After examining the knife very closely under fluorescent lights at work... at the right angle, you're able to see 2 slight scratches or lines in the blade steel. I was kind of able to get my phone to pick it up.

This has to be it... After opening and closing the knife a lot today, the frame lock is perfectly smooth now. No more sticking.

Really liking this blade! Can't wait for the 303 and 200 to get here in the next couple of days.
Click to expand...

Mine already has a couple of scratches much worse than that, from sharpening without taping the blade. I tried staring them off, but my super-laservision isn't what it used to be.
 
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