How have your experiences been with the ZT 0550?

MikeKu825

MikeKu825

"The Enthusiast"
Joined
Aug 27, 2014
Messages
918
I have many ZT's to compare it too.. but I keep coming back to my 0550's. I love these things so much. The handle fits juuuuust right, the blade is solid and reliable..s35vn seems pretty usable. The gen 3 version with the lock insert is my favorite to carry.. I feel like I trust this knife to get me through anything.Does anyone have a counter point to this? Or maybe a knife like the 0550 that they prefer? I'd love to get some new ideas for the future.

Sincerely,

- mike
 
The 0550 is my favourite ZT and perhaps my favourite modern folder. It's chunkier than what I'd been used to carry daily (I occasionally carried something like a 0300, but my EDC was something along the lines of a Sebenza), but it just feels so great in my hand that it's hard for me to put it down. I've got other knives that are better suited to my objective needs, but there's something about the 0550 that appeals to me.

I've got a Gen2 that took forever to reach me in Argentina, but it was worth the wait. I'll be getting a Gen3 as soon as I can talk somebody into importing one.
 
I got my gen 3 a week ago. Took a bit to break it in. But I really love this knife. Generally I don't like s35vn but this knife has a great heat treat. It's the sharpest edge I have ever gotten from factory. It's the only knife I got that didn't immediately get put on the edge pro. I've got a lot of ZT's and I love this knife. I don't get why they discontinued it. I would love an m390 version. I also want a 0551 cause I love elmax
 
I have the gen1 and gen3 0550, I really like mine , carry the Gen 3. It's built like a tank but feels just right in your hand. A m390 version would sell like hot cakes.
 
Love my 0550! Only thing to kick it out of my pocket is my 0562, very amazing knife too!
 
I just picked one up. Stout but not to large, easy to carry and fits well in my hand.

Reminds me a bit of the Spyderco Manix but the ZT is better executed.
 
I love my 550. Put a custom scale on it and it is just fantastic. I do like the 0560 a bit better though.

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The 0550 is a great knife. It's my favorite ZT. I especially like the fact that it's a non-flipper.
 
Love the 550! The only other ZT that comes close to it for me is the 0801BK. I carry it almost as much. Those two just feel right in my hand. Stout, fast, smooth, and one-handed operation for both. I like 'me all, but those two.....
 
Rebel4ever said:
Love the 550! The only other ZT that comes close to it for me is the 0801BK. I carry it almost as much. Those two just feel right in my hand. Stout, fast, smooth, and one-handed operation for both. I like 'me all, but those two.....
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Almost exactly what I was going to say!
 
ZT550 is my edc and favorite knife. I own many other knives and they get their pocket time during the rare time I'm not working but if it had to be one it would be the 550. I will be picking up another soon due to them being discontinued.
 
craytab said:
I love my 550. Put a custom scale on it and it is just fantastic. I do like the 0560 a bit better though.

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That scale is so freaking awesome! I wish I could get that color. I just ordered an orange one like it. Orange works for me though. I work on helicopters where fod is always a concern so a brightly colored knife is probably a good thing. However that scale you have makes an awesome knife perfect!
 
MikeKu825 said:
I have many ZT's to compare it too.. but I keep coming back to my 0550's. I love these things so much. The handle fits juuuuust right, the blade is solid and reliable..s35vn seems pretty usable. The gen 3 version with the lock insert is my favorite to carry.. I feel like I trust this knife to get me through anything.Does anyone have a counter point to this? Or maybe a knife like the 0550 that they prefer? I'd love to get some new ideas for the future.

Sincerely,

- mike
Click to expand...

The ZT 0550 was my first KAI product and I have been addicted ever since.
I think I owned a benchmade before my 0550 but it didn't feel like a tank.

ZT550 is my edc and favorite knife. I own many other knives and they get their pocket time during the rare time I'm not working but if it had to be one it would be the 550. I will be picking up another soon due to them being discontinued.
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I am working on changing that :D
 
Meh. The 0550 is my least favorite ZT I've had my hands on. Was unfortable in the hands for me and didn't care for the blade shape. It's a nice knife no doubt but perfer any other ZT over it. Call me crazy but like the 0566 and 0700 the best that I've had. Liked the 0560 alot but had to get rid of quick and 0770 nice one too. Probably gonna end up with both again someday. Like the Zt 0566 CF the best. Though weight for it's size is borderline ridiculous. Still my favorite though. Nice size,comfortable, and love Elmax. And it's cheap!!!
 
I only own two ZTs--the Gen 3 0550 and the 0200. I like both but I like the 0550 more. It glides open with just a push of the thumb and it fits my hand just about perfectly.

The only dislikes I have of it concern the wide profile and the positioning of the pocket clip when installed tip up. It takes up a lot of room in my pocket (and weighs a bit more than I like--but it's not as weighty as the 0200). When the pocket clip is installed for tip up carry, it touches the locking bar. I tend to press the clip for leverage to open. This puts pressure on the lock bar and prevents that easy, gliding open it's capable of. I repositioned the clip to tip down and it opens smoothly. It would have been easy to drill and tap the holes for the clip just a smidgen away from the lock bar and avoid the clip ever touching it. Something to consider for Gen 4.
 
a 0550BLK was my first ZT folder and it got me hooked. I don't really love it like I used to because it's so huge in the pocket with that thick frame, but it just oozed quality. I still have it, and I even sent it back to ZT and had them put a gen 3 frame with steel insert on it. But I moved on to a 0566 (which to me is about a perfect EDC size) and now a 0562 which is the most solid folder I've ever had the fortune of carrying. I absolutely love both of those, but have to give it to the 0550BLK for being the gateway knife.
 
Craytab..That Scale is Awesome. Did you make it yourself?

As far as the 550 goes, I love mine, the heft and solid feeling is great. That sound it makes when the lock kicks in is addictive. I was actually thinking of getting an Even bigger ZT (more of a good thing) Anybody want to recommend a BIG ZT folder.

I also recently picked up an 0770CF..that knife kicks the 0550 out of my pocket most days because it is so easy to carry and it is a ridiculously sharp slicer. However when I pick up my 550 at the end of the day I am like "OHHHH YEAH"

Recently I started to notice some blade-play on the 550, but when I tightened up the Pivot screw a bit it went away, is anybody here Loctite-ing the pivot?
 
Therealtwitch said:
Got my new scale. Still loving the 0550

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I'll admit, I don't like orange and black (rival college football colors) but that thing looks like a slicing tiger!

Dman777 said:
Craytab..That Scale is Awesome. Did you make it yourself?
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No I did not make it. It was made by the Preacher, a member here on the forums. He makes some scales for bladehq and for folks on BFC. I got it already on the 550 I purchased here on the exchange. But yes, the scale is awesome! It really makes the knife!

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