Have to decide on one. ZT Sinkievich, Spyderco Positron, Spyderco Mantra 2

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billinvegas

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Jan 27, 2005
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Hi,
Have the funds for one new knife, having trouble deciding between the small Sinkiewicz, Positron, and Mantra 2

I was wondering if any of you could share your thoughts and experiences with these knives.
They all seem to be similar in size, all are flippers, and all are in the ballpark of each other in price.

So far, nothing about the descriptions seem to be a deal breaker, so I'm looking for feedback.

Thanks!
 
Well ZT has a better warranty imho. They offer blade replacements for only $30. They also send you all the screws, pocket clips, etc. that you could need. As far as the actual knife goes, the M4 on the Mantra is excellent and lots of people love it, but it is not stainless. The s30v Positron is great and stainless, but the ZT's S35vn is seen as an upgrade to S30v. Once again, ZT wins for me. I've also heard about the pocket clip getting caught and ripped out of the CF on the Positron. If it was me, I'd definately go for the ZT.

Sent from my Z987 using Tapatalk
 
I like the ZT 0450CF best in the category of an EDC flipper with a blade length of 2.75"-3.25" and going for under $200. It's light, flips great, great stainless steel and very narrow profile. Positron is a little too pointy at the bottom of the handle and liner lock disengagement a little cumbersome. Mantra 2 is nice and thin but M4 steel needs more care. Neither of the two Spydercos flip as well as ZT.

A few others to consider in the aforementioned category are: ZT 0808, ZT 0909, ZT 0450, LionSteel TRE G-10, Viper Kyomi, Brous Bionic 2.0 and Kizer Gemini. I have all of the ones mentioned in this post and I'd be glad to answer any questions.

I'd have to say that the value winner is the Kizer Gemini with anodized titanium hardware including clip and backspacer. However, but it's wider than ZT 0450(CF), Positron and Mantra 2.

By the way, Mantra is quite a bit wider than Mantra 2.
 
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Maybe add the Spyderco SpydieChef as a possible. Knifeworks is taking pre-orders. Some pics look like the frame is darker.
 
thanks for the input...
It looks like the ZT is getting a lot of recommendations
I will admit, I also handled the ZT at a local BassPro, so I am a little biased in that fact. (Holding a knife make a lot of difference versus reading about them online)

I wouldn't say that I'm a Spyderco fanatic, but I own a fair amount of them. I've always been pleased with my Spydie purchases.

I only have one ZT (I forget the # - it's the one that is very similar to the Hinderer XM-18) it's really well done - the only complaint I have is the size (smaller hands)
that's the reasoning for the Sinkiewicz, and the two Spydies...
 
I'm also fond of Carbon Fiber. Also a fan of frame locks.
So - the Positron is attractive for the CF, however, it's a liner lock from what I understand.

The Mantra 2 is attractive as a framelock, however it's Titanium on both sides. I also like having the grippiness of G10

So, with the recommendations for the ZT, and the fact the that the CF version is also a framelock - I think I'm going that route.

It's bedtime - I'll check and see if there's any more recommendations or comments in the morning that will sway my decision,
but based upon the comments made, and the CF/Framelock situation I'll be going to bed wanting the ZT.

thanks again for all the input!
 
I've heard the positron has a very thick handle. If carbon fiber is your thing, the Southern Grind spider monkey is great. S35vn, comes in at $225 though. ZT and Kiser is the way to go for a flipper under $250.

Sent from my VS986 using Tapatalk
 
I have had both the Positron and 0450cf. The Positron is thicker in the hand and shorter handled. The 0450cf is very light and super thin, to thin for me. Another difference of course is framelock vs liner lock as mentioned previous. There is also a price difference. You can regularly pick up new Positrons on the exchange for around $100 while a new 0450cf on the exchange is likely to cost ya $140ish. I don't think you can go wrong either way actually. They are both great knives in their own right. To me it's simply preference. I think they both offer a lot for the $$$$
 
Considering customer service:

Benchmade, ZT > Spyderco, Emerson.

Screws, clips for free, better fit and finish.

Have you seen Benchmade 320?
 
I am a Spydie nut, but in this case I'd have to go with the 450. I have the full Ti version with blue anodize from USAmadeblade and the knife is amazing! It is the best flipper I be handled, awesome blade profile and oozes cool! Tough little knife that is a joy to play with!
Joe
 
I had a positron and sold it after a few days. Not good in the hand, uncomfortable for me at least. I have never had either of the other ones you listed but I do have a ZT 808 which is a cousin to the 450, love it, it's in my top 5 favorite knives.
 
City74 said:
I have had both the Positron and 0450cf. The Positron is thicker in the hand and shorter handled. The 0450cf is very light and super thin, to thin for me. Another difference of course is framelock vs liner lock as mentioned previous. There is also a price difference. You can regularly pick up new Positrons on the exchange for around $100 while a new 0450cf on the exchange is likely to cost ya $140ish. I don't think you can go wrong either way actually. They are both great knives in their own right. To me it's simply preference. I think they both offer a lot for the $$$$
Click to expand...

I think it's pretty telling that the resale value on the Positron is so poor compared to the 0450 considering the Positron is 17 bucks cheaper new but $40 cheaper used.

I've seen quite a few people comment on how uncomfortable the Positron is including review sites:

http://www.everydaycommentary.com/2016/01/spyderco-positron-review.html
 
I like the whole concept of the 0450, considering that 90% of zt knive are very heavy. I owned an 0770cf, and I would have kept it if not for the assist. Unassisted simply did not work.

Despite the fact that I dislike framelocks, the 0450 may be in my future. That and another Kizer.

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Handled all three the other day at my local shop, loved the 450. The Positron was really quite nice, super light weight and fun to flip. The Mantra didn't flip that well, but it could've been because it was brand new. Overall I liked the looks, form and function of the 450 the best, with the Positron being close behind. Careful though, because they are both pretty tiny
 
CJZ said:
Handled all three the other day at my local shop, loved the 450. The Positron was really quite nice, super light weight and fun to flip. The Mantra didn't flip that well, but it could've been because it was brand new.
Click to expand...

Definitely the result of the Mantra being new. There's a pretty decent break-in period- took almost two weeks for my first one to settle in.

As for your question, OP, I'm a big fan of the Mantra 2. The 0450 is a nice knife, but the finicky lockbar was a huge pain, and the blade grind was not at all conducive to cutting. The Mantra 2 isn't going to blow you out of the water in that regard but it is a very capable slicer, especially in comparison to the 0450.
 
SaintZe said:
Definitely the result of the Mantra being new. There's a pretty decent break-in period- took almost two weeks for my first one to settle in.

As for your question, OP, I'm a big fan of the Mantra 2. The 0450 is a nice knife, but the finicky lockbar was a huge pain, and the blade grind was not at all conducive to cutting. The Mantra 2 isn't going to blow you out of the water in that regard but it is a very capable slicer, especially in comparison to the 0450.
Click to expand...

Couldn't agree more, brother. The 0450 is a better looking piece...Sinkevich is a master of design, absolutely. But in real world use, I couldn't love it as much as I wanted to. The blade finish shows every tiny scratch, the need for a specialized grip to ensure 100% deployment was an annoyance and the grind indeed was better suited for stabbing than slicing. The Mantra 2 has better ergonomics, a more utilitarian blade shape, more useful flat grind and deep carry wire clip in addition to the minimal pocket profile.

Basically. If you want to look at your knife more than actually use it, get the 0450; if you're going to use it and want something that disappears in the pocket while not scaring people when deployed, get the M2. Unless you're constantly cutting wet/salty things and don't clean off your blade after use (as you should always do anyway), the M4 steel will serve you fine. Oh, and the scales are fairly grippy considering the titanium handles...more than enough for EDC use.
 
ZT 0450CF doesn't have the same issue as ZT 0450 where pressure on the lock bar at the early stages makes deployment hard. It's a very good slicer but both Mantra2 and Positron are better for that. Mantra's M4 keeps its edge a long time but needs more care to prevent rust.
 
I've had the ZT the Mantra 2 and a Gemini and I would place the ZT as dead last. The ZT was very well made but the edge geometry was extremely thick. I sent it to Josh at RE to thin it out a bit but it was the grind itself that was the problem. It just wasn't an efficient cutter imho.

The Mantra 2 however was better made and the thin M4 blade was an insane slicer, it felt like there was no effort needed to cut through fruits veggies or fibrous materials. The Gemni was in between this two in terms of performance and fit and finish.

I will need to pick up another Mantra 2 at some point and recommend it highly.
 
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