Got a new ZT 0550 - how strong is the detent?

[Rolex John]

Just got a new ZT 0550 and I'm concerned about the excessive detent/blade retention. It's pretty darn hard to flip open using the thumb studs without some wrist action. Most of the resistance seems to be early in the opening arc - it's pretty smooth after the initial "stickiness.".

I took it apart and applied some Militec but it didn't help much. I'm guessing this isn't normal? Should I send it back to Kershaw?

 

[The Government]

Try it again, and this time keep your fingers away from the lock bar when you open it. By putting pressure on the lock-bar, you might just be fighting yourself (and stressing the lock bar).

EDIT: sorry, thought it said 0560, though the issue might still be the same...

 

[Leek_Freak]

Keep at it for a week or two and then see how it is. These things break in over a little time.

 

[fatherhudson]

The ones i've handled are very stiff. Don't think theres much you can do unless you pick one out in a store thats loose. I've got mine coming in the mail damm am i excited.

 

[swimmerdude1127]

Store it with the blade half open for a week. See if that helps. It helped a little for me.

If it does make a noticeable difference, always store it this way.

 

[17pes]

My 0550 has a strong detent, think they're actually designed that way. Flick it, with your thumb shooting straight up and it should fly out. Moving your thumb out from the handle doesn't seem to work on any ZT I own, but the thumb flick does.

 

[Rolex John]

Gents - played some more with it this AM - there HAS to be something wrong with this knife. I've tried loosening the pivot screw and the techniques advised. It's so stiff it hurts my thumbs!

 

[Rolex John]

After watching a few more videos on YouTube it is apparent that this detent problem is quite common. This morning I decided to try to disassemble the night and do some more work to try to overcome the detent issue and also change the scale. I applied Militec to it and while I was at it I cleaned and applied Militec to my Hinderer XM-24.

This is ZT0550 was only meant to hold me over until I can get an XM 18 next month anyway. I'll keep working with it to see if I can make it better, if not I'll just let it go after I get an XM 18. Unfortunately this is yet another negative experience with Kershaw for me.

 

[Thomas W]

After watching a few more videos on YouTube it is apparent that this detent problem is quite common.

Sorry to hear of your woes, but let's not generalize supposed issues as common over a handful of videos. While we seen a "few" come back with heavy detents, the number is so low that I'm not seeing them as more than anomalies.

Unfortunately this is yet another negative experience with Kershaw for me.

Yes we unfortunately get those occasional folks that no matter what they buy from us, there is always a problem. Then there are others that no matter how right a knife is, it's always wrong as well. That's the fine lined life we live in with manufacturing, and we do our very best to meet and understand everyone's needs no matter how big or small.

While I know it's a super big inconvenience, you should get that 0550 back to me personally, and I'll ensure your complete satisfaction. We certainly don't want you feeling negative about our brands and products, and will strive to win you over like no other company.

We've had our back and forths in the past, but I truly appreciate you continuing to give us further chances. We realize there are tons of choices on the market, so this is a big deal to us.

Thanks so much RJ for your continued support, and we look forward to fixing your issue here, along with hopefully producing a future product that functions without fault to go along with a perfect fit and finish.

Thanks very much for your patience and understanding.

 

[Rolex John]

let's not generalize supposed issues as common over a handful of videos. While we seen a "few" come back with heavy detents, the number is so low that I'm not seeing them as more than anomalies.

You'll note that I said "quite common." As in more common than it should be quite honestly for a knife at this price point, based on my rather extensive survey of more than a handful of videos, written reviews, and posts. Which is a shame because my preliminary conclusion is that it's an otherwise fantastic knife.

Yes we unfortunately get those occasional folks that no matter what they buy from us, there is always a problem. Then there are others that no matter how right a knife is, it's always wrong as well.

I can only imagine as to which category you place me in...given that the statement is I'm sure common to one degree or another among all product manufacturers, and one wonders what other purpose there would be in making the statement?

While I know it's a super big inconvenience, you should get that 0550 back to me personally, and I'll ensure your complete satisfaction. We certainly don't want you feeling negative about our brands and products, and will strive to win you over like no other company.

I've no doubt that you will Thomas. I'll tell you what - I'll carry it around for a month and see if the problem corrects itself through normal break in. If not, I'll take you up on your offer. Is that reasonable?

We've had our back and forths in the past, but I truly appreciate you continuing to give us further chances. We realize there are tons of choices on the market, so this is a big deal to us.

Understood. For what it's worth, it was the Hinderer design collaboration which made me give the ZT brand a try. If possible, I'd suggest doing more in the future.

Thanks so much RJ for your continued support, and we look forward to fixing your issue here, along with hopefully producing a future product that functions without fault to go along with a perfect fit and finish.

My hope as well Thomas - thanks for taking the time to address the concern.

Now...about those duplicate serial numbers that keep popping up....

 

[Thomas W]

You'll note that I said "quite common." As in more common than it should be quite honestly for a knife at this price point, based on my rather extensive survey of more than a handful of videos, written reviews, and posts. Which is a shame because my preliminary conclusion is that it's an otherwise fantastic knife.

I guess I don't know how to define common. Perhaps you can tell us all what common is for a knife of this price point?

There's no denying it's a fantastic knife.

I can only imagine as to which category you place me in...

I haven't really thought about you as a customer, or which category you fit in.

given that the statement is I'm sure common to one degree or another among all product manufacturers, and one wonders what other purpose there would be in making the statement?

More of a general statement so to give the members perspective on the different customers we field daily.

With knives and other industries we see levels of understanding and expectations. if you spend the money, you get to critique. To me some reviews mean more than others. I've known folks that buy expensive cars, think they're experts cause they dropped the dough, yet don't know anything about the vehicle really, and drive like a rank amature. Guys buy a Rolex, think they're a watch expert. Buy a Sebenza, and they're a knife aficionado. Just saying.

I've no doubt that you will Thomas. I'll tell you what - I'll carry it around for a month and see if the problem corrects itself through normal break in. If not, I'll take you up on your offer. Is that reasonable?

I'm at your service RJ.

For what it's worth, it was the Hinderer design collaboration which made me give the ZT brand a try. If possible, I'd suggest doing more in the future.

Sure thing...We'll see about having the quite common issues erased as well...

thanks for taking the time to address the concern.

It's just what we do RJ.

Now...about those duplicate serial numbers that keep popping up....

Got some lost in translation going on I'm afraid.

 

[ibute21]

The nerve of some people, just another person to add to the block list....

Oh and nicely handled, Thomas. +1

 

[Pilot1]

I don't know but when I buy five knives from a company that look, perform, and seem to be EXACTLY as advertised, even better actually, I become a bit biased. So far the two 0551's, two 0560's, and one 0301 I have bought, sight unseen, came to me in as perfect a condition and operation as I can imagine. I am a bit on the critical side also, and demand excellence for the money spent. Good value. That is subjective, I know, but from what I know of owning knives from other fine production knife companies, I put ZT/KAI at the top. If they can't satisfy you nobody can.

 

[Jayphog]

After watching a few more videos on YouTube it is apparent that this detent problem is quite common.

I noticed you used the word "few". How does that turn it to "quite common"?

Unfortunately this is yet another negative experience with Kershaw for me.

It's usually best to give customer service a chance to fix your issues before you come on their forum and bash their products.

My ZT 0550 is perfect in every way. My ZT 0551 was perfect as well. I also have received excellent customer service from them even when the issue was my fault. Just for kicks, here is my 0550.

 

[Rolex John]

I noticed you used the word "few". How does that turn it to "quite common"?

To be clear, I said that I watched a few videos, and the issue was quite common in the not only videos but written references I found. The majority of folks who had something to say about the ZT 0550 seemed to have something to say about the out of the box detent being a negative.

It's usually best to give customer service a chance to fix your issues before you come on their forum and bash their products.

Actually the point of this thread was part of my considerable efforts to determine if the issue I was having was a known issue, or unique to my knife. Any product made by the hands of men can be flawed or have an error - I don't expect perfection. If it's a unique issue, that's one thing. If it's not unique, that's another thing entirely. My research points to the latter being true.

 

[RevDevil]

The nerve of some people, just another person to add to the block list....

Oh and nicely handled, Thomas. +1

This is not new unfortunately.

 

[KLJTech]

For what it's worth, when I first received my 0560 I had a bit of trouble easily opening it with the thumb studs (strong detent) and closing it due to not getting good grip/pressure on the lockbar BUT I assumed (correctly so) that I was the problem and not the knife. The knife does have a nice strong detent to safely keep the blade in place until I want the blade to fly open. I simply hadn't at that point learned to work the knife flawlessly but after a week or so of actually using the knife to cut things I found that the blade will now fly out of the handle like an automatic regardless if I use the thumbstuds or the flipper and I now have zero problems closing the knife at all without even giving it a second thought.

My 0551 was a bit stiff at first and it does have a strong detent (no doubt) but I'm thankful for this because I don't have to worry about the blade falling out of the scales on its own and possibly causing an injury. The more I've used the 0551 the easier it was to open and close...once again, I just needed to get use to that particular knife. I prefer a strong detent because my BM Skirmish 630's (great knife) blade had a habit of falling free from its scales (after years of use) and it could have caused a injury if I hadn't been very careful with it...I don't have this worry with my 0560 or 0551.

Since some of us (the knife buying public) like/prefer to have solid blade retention from a strong detent yet others prefer to have the knife "a tad" easier to open right out of the box I'm not sure how any knife company can make everyone happy since a knife set up perfectly to please one will only aggravate the other. In my opinion (that's all it is) a company like ZT is best served to setup their knives to be as safe as possible (solid detent for good blade retention) and then just advise the new knife buyer to please take the time to get use to the new folder and more than likely in a week or two the owner will develop the muscle memory to use the new knife effortlessly.

I certainly hope that in no time that your 0550 works exactly as you'd like. Just go use it for a couple weeks rather than trying to adjust it and I'd be willing to bet that you'll become accustom to it and end up being more than pleased with your purchase. I agree with you in that I also hope that ZT make more knives along with Mr. Hinderer, in my opinion the 0551/0550 and the 0560/0561 have set new benchmarks for what knife buyers should expect at those price points. The ZT and Hinderer collaborations have made me question more than one of my over $400 folder purchases.

Best of luck!

 

[NightMare Silverado]

I know there's no nail nick but the knife should be fairly easy to open if you use your thumb and middle finger mid blade. I use this when I don't want to snap my 560 open.

 

[Rolex John]

For what it's worth, when I first received my 0560 I had a bit of trouble easily opening it with the thumb studs (strong detent) and closing it due to not getting good grip/pressure on the lockbar BUT I assumed (correctly so) that I was the problem and not the knife. The knife does have a nice strong detent to safely keep the blade in place until I want the blade to fly open. I simply hadn't at that point learned to work the knife flawlessly but after a week or so of actually using the knife to cut things I found that the blade will now fly out of the handle like an automatic regardless if I use the thumbstuds or the flipper and I now have zero problems closing the knife at all without even giving it a second thought.

My 0551 was a bit stiff at first and it does have a strong detent (no doubt) but I'm thankful for this because I don't have to worry about the blade falling out of the scales on its own and possibly causing an injury. The more I've used the 0551 the easier it was to open and close...once again, I just needed to get use to that particular knife. I prefer a strong detent because my BM Skirmish 630's (great knife) blade had a habit of falling free from its scales (after years of use) and it could have caused a injury if I hadn't been very careful with it...I don't have this worry with my 0560 or 0551.

Since some of us (the knife buying public) like/prefer to have solid blade retention from a strong detent yet others prefer to have the knife "a tad" easier to open right out of the box I'm not sure how any knife company can make everyone happy since a knife set up perfectly to please one will only aggravate the other. In my opinion (that's all it is) a company like ZT is best served to setup their knives to be as safe as possible (solid detent for good blade retention) and then just advise the new knife buyer to please take the time to get use to the new folder and more than likely in a week or two the owner will develop the muscle memory to use the new knife effortlessly.

I certainly hope that in no time that your 0550 works exactly as you'd like. Just go use it for a couple weeks rather than trying to adjust it and I'd be willing to bet that you'll become accustom it and end up being more than pleased with your purchase. I agree with you in that I also hope that ZT make more knives along with Mr. Hinderer, in my opinion the 0551/0550 and the 0560/0561 have set new benchmarks for what knife buyers should expect at those price points. The ZT and Hinderer collaborations have made me question more than one of my over $400 folder purchases.

Best of luck!

I think your point about level of detent being a mater of personal preference is well-made. Personally, I look for blade detent that consistently keeps the knife closed (I generally carry tip up) but deploys successfully and without discomfort every time.

I'll add that I've tried opening the knife with both (either) hands to ensure I'm not inadvertently putting under pressure on the lock bar, which didn't help.

 

[Thomas W]

My research points to the latter being true.

Well I'm having difficulty defining words in this thread, and "research" is the latest one.

I'll say from a company perspective, we have seen little (less than 10) as far as 055X's returned due to a strong detent. Of those, I could open all of them.

Just a little official intel for your research RJ.

Now I will say KLJT brings up a point that we can relate to you specifically RJ. The past here has brought up threads and helpful information from fellow members where your understanding and even abilities were aided. Each knife and pattern is unique, and we all need to be able to adjust to the differences with each of them. If we don't understand the geometry and genre, then that will bring forth frustration. Like with you and flippers RJ, some, if not most of the frustration was operator error. Now that knowledge has been shared, it's much easier.
Of course I'm not saying that is the case here, but perhaps. Detent balance is a fine line.

To reiterate, we're here to satisfy you completely, and win you over as a customer RJ. If that detent is too strong, we will get you a more appropriate one to pocket. Thanks for your patience with us.