Help me choose: ZT350, Spyderco

[Ankerson]

Ankerson I don't agree with anything you say about Spydercos. I've used them and other brands to do what a knife is meant to do and they have always held up as well or better than the others.
In fact i use a lighter weight Pacific Salt everyday to chop brush and limbs off hiking trail. It's held up and performed better than anything that preceded it. It not only is undamaged by hard chopping of all sorts of green limbs, it cuts them very well and is easy to maintain and keep sharp. If you have a beef with Spyderco you are going to find yourself very much in the minority.

That I would like to see, I have done things like that when I had mine and they loosened up very quickly and didn't chop very well because they are too light and the blade profile is too thin for that kind of work.. LOL

Well I might be, but then I really use my knives for more than pocket ornaments or to show off to friends.

 

[Josh K]

Sure they cut just fine, they are overbuilt because they are made to take some punishment like they are advertised unlike some others that are under built and weak for the said market.

If you market a knife as a hard use knife or as a Military type knife then at least make it tough.

Plenty tough for me. It's the application of a proper tool for the job, and a knife is not a perfect all around matter separator.

Hard use is not abuse, and it seems you don't understand that. I want my knives to cut. Drywall, ceiling tiles, wood, wire, cardboard, plastic, string, paracord, rubber, food. Chopping bolts is not part of what you use a knife for, and definitely not part of hard use.

Go ask Yab how "weak" and "under built" the Military is.

 

[jill jackson]

Here is my Pacific Salt that has and still is out performing many knives of other brands before it. It's built way lighter than the Military, BTW.
My 240 pound 6-3" strong as hell brother just hammer fist-ed it into this hard chestnut tree, (upon my request) and it was undamaged. It's all I can ask for in a light weight knife and the Military surpasses it. So what you used a hammer to try to drive a Military through metal screws and it broke? That was plain stupid to put it bluntly. You tryed to pry firewood apart with a folder? That was another stupid move.

 

[Ankerson]

I don't find "hard use" a problem, your definition (batoning logs, cutting bolts) is abuse of a knife.

Knives are designed to cut, not to pound on them.

That's what hard use means, they should be able to take a certain amount of abuse without falling apart loosening up or snapping the blade easy.

That's how they marketed the knife anyway, I wouldn't recommend it for that personally because it's not strong enough for that.

Now as a normal EDC yeah they are fine.

 

[Josh K]

That I would like to see, I have done things like that when I had mine and they loosened up very quickly and didn't chop very well because they are too light and the blade profile is too thin for that kind of work.. LOL

Well I might be, but then I really use my knives for more than pocket ornaments or to show off to friends.

Yes, I carry a 4" folder to show of to my friends. :barf:

Using a two or three finger grip on the Military, you can easily get enough leverage to chop light branches and green wood. It's all about how you use it.

Try getting that kind of leverage with the 350.

 

[Josh K]

That's what hard use means, they should be able to take a certain amount of abuse without falling apart loosening up or snapping the blade easy.

That's how they marketed the knife anyway, I wouldn't recommend it for that personally because it's not strong enough for that.

Now as a normal EDC yeah they are fine.

No, it doesn't. It's not abusable. Go baton with your 300 until it breaks and ask Kershaw to replace it because "you were just showing it some tough love." See how well that turns out.

 

[Ankerson]

Yes, I carry a 4" folder to show of to my friends. :barf:

Using a two or three finger grip on the Military, you can easily get enough leverage to chop light branches and green wood. It's all about how you use it.

Try getting that kind of leverage with the 350.

You are going to be there awhile chooping those branches, well unless they are very thin.

It's just not built for that.

A fixed blade would be a better choice or a heavier folder.

 

[Josh K]

You are going to be there awhile chooping those branches, well unless they are very thin.

It's just not built for that.

A fixed blade would be a better choice or a heavier folder.

Key word, light branches and brush. Under a half inch.

I've done that and haven't "been there for a while." Maybe you should get out of the house once in a while.

Speaking of which, that's what I'm going to be doing. You kids play nice.

 

[Ankerson]

No, it doesn't. It's not abusable. Go baton with your 300 until it breaks and as Kershaw to replace it because "you were just showing it some tough love." See how well that turns out.

I use my fixed blades to batton wood and do the chopping.

But I do use the folding knives to make kindling, shave the split pieces etc or maybe split smaller stuff. (Little)

 

[Ankerson]

Key word, light branches and brush. Under a half inch.

I've done that and haven't "been there for a while." Maybe you should get out of the house once in a while.

Speaking of which, that's what I'm going to be doing. You kids play nice.

Waiting for it to dry up today so I can get some work done in the yard etc, been raining almost every day for the past 2 weeks here.

 

[jill jackson]

What was it you said Ankerson? (in the other thread) You have broke 25 folders over the years by beating on them? Gets a bit expensive after while I'd think.

 

[Ankerson]

What was it you said Ankerson? (in the other thread) You have broke 25 folders over the years by beating on them? Gets a bit expensive after while I'd think.

I do beat on them when I need to, but not like you would think......

I tap them very lightly when I need to.

I have snapped more prying with them than anything else.

Now on the fixed blades I beat the crap out of them with a piece of wood when in the field or my Hard rubber mallet when at home. My fixed blades take a lot of abuse.

 

[jill jackson]

I do beat on them when I need to, but not like you would think......

I tap them very lightly when I need to.

I have snapped more prying with them than anything else.

Now on the fixed blades I beat the crap out of them with a piece of wood when in the field or my Hard rubber mallet when at home. My fixed blades take a lot of abuse.

No what you said was over the past 25 years your plumb 22 oz. hammer has broke more knives that you can count. If that's so I think I'd stop using it to beat my blades through stuff that doesn't cut easily. But, that's just me.

 

[Ankerson]

No what you said was over the past 25 years your plumb 22 oz. hammer has broke more knives that you can count. If that's so I think I'd stop using it to beat my blades through stuff that doesn't cut easily. But, that's just me.

When I used to be in the construction field yeah I busted a lot of knives, but that was over 25 years ago.

Messed up more when I was installing cable for awhile doing assorted tasks I thought they should have been able to do. When you are in a crawl space under a house you can't take all of your tools with you and crawling out on your belly would take a long time so you use what you have handy at the time. (You can't carry a fixed blade because it would scare Joe or Jane Home Owner)

Doing stuff around the house I broke a few in the past 3 or 4 years. Newer models that looked like they could take it, but I guess not.

Tore the blades up on a few more, big chips etc out of the edges or cracks.

So I buy over built ones these days except for my CS Voyagers that seem to take a lot so far and the blades are pretty beefy, they are cheap enough to replace if needed.

No I am not going to beat on a $250 folding knife with a hammer.

 

[Thomas W]

The ZT lineup doesn't even cut well.

Not that I like to get involved with these "Vadar vs. Yoda" threads, but Josh if your going to throw out broad stroke negative comments, you might back it up with some real world experiences, minimum.

I own the entire ZT line up, and give them light to mid range use, they cut "well" for me. The 0350 fits my hand, fires hard, has assuring thick stock/liners...on the flip side, I own a Military (ATS-34 variation), great knife, quick, nice ergo's, thin geometry.

Both are nice choices, possibly in different sub category...it's all in what the OP is after.

There is no need to get all offensive and start slamming the knife that's not your brand of choice. Some common decency and focused comments keeps the temp to a simmer in these type threads...but you already knew that didn't you?

 

[MODkevin]

ThomasW, thanks. What I am looking for is a knife that is very durable and more heavy duty knife. Something that is a do-it-all type of tool. If I got stuck out in the woods for a week or stuck in the middle of neworleans during katrina for a week, what knife is best suited for that type of situation and climate? Thanks everyone.

 

[hwpaintballer]

The 350 has a thicker tip, a DLC blade coating, and a lower profile clip, and is assisted opening. One of the down sides is it is a little on the heavy side.

The military has a thin long blade, good for slicing, and a large handle. The down sides of the military is the over all size of the knife, and for some reason spyderco clips seem to catch on to random objects more so than almost any brand I own, not dissing spyderco but i believe it is the raised part at the end of the clip that seems to want to snag things.

 

[SPXTrader]

Modkevin, Thomas is a class act which is very refreshing around here. I'm glad you appreciated his spot on comments.

In my opinion, and from actual ownership and use of many different brands of knives, if you are looking for something to use in situations as you described above, I'd first suggest a fixed blade.

If it is a folder you're after, I would recommend the ZT 0200. A flipper (no internal parts to gum up, break, etc), the liner lock is .07" (thicker than some frame locks), a Tungsten DLC coated blade, and great ergonomics. It's a great slicer, and will handle just about anything you throw at it. And it is unconditionally guaranteed and made in the USA.

For your application, you can't beat the ZT line, and the 0200 is my favorite of the bunch. I've owned a Military, and for what you describe, I'd take the ZT everyday.

Happy hunting!

 

[Josh K]

Not that I like to get involved with these "Vadar vs. Yoda" threads, but Josh if your going to throw out broad stroke negative comments, you might back it up with some real world experiences, minimum.

I own the entire ZT line up, and give them light to mid range use, they cut "well" for me. The 0350 fits my hand, fires hard, has assuring thick stock/liners...on the flip side, I own a Military (ATS-34 variation), great knife, quick, nice ergo's, thin geometry.

Both are nice choices, possibly in different sub category...it's all in what the OP is after.

There is no need to get all offensive and start slamming the knife that's not your brand of choice. Some common decency and focused comments keeps the temp to a simmer in these type threads...but you already knew that didn't you?

The ZT lineup doesn't cut well for me. It was a personal opinion, not set in stone fact.

I'm not getting offensive, I'm getting defensive. Ankerson seems to think that if you can't abuse it, it isn't worth the paper the box is made out of. Continually saying that it is a weak and light duty knife because it won't cut bolts or pry? Don't single out my one statement and turn a blind eye to the rest.

 

[SPXTrader]

The ZT lineup doesn't cut well for me. It was a personal opinion, not set in stone fact.

I'm not getting offensive, I'm getting defensive. Ankerson seems to think that if you can't abuse it, it isn't worth the paper the box is made out of. Continually saying that it is a weak and light duty knife because it won't cut bolts or pry? Don't single out my one statement and turn a blind eye to the rest.

...nevermind.