I Finally Did It...

Bigfatts

Bigfatts

Joined
Mar 12, 2012
Messages
2,453
Well, I finally bought a ZT, an 0770CF. I've been eying it since they came out and was just never able to pull the trigger on it. I have some personal hang ups on ZT, plus the 0770 being Speedsafe was a big turn off for me but I figured I could flip it and get my money back if I didn't like it. But, oddly enough, I do- like it, that is. Love the blade profile, it's so light and I'm a sucker for CF. I just wish they would offer a manual version, KVT or washers, I would buy one.

I also handled the 0566CF and liked it much more than I thought I would. I tell you, I have not been a fan of ZT, but they're headed in the right direction with these smaller, less clunky knives. Now if they'd just lose the Speedsafe- or at least make manual an option. Standard G10 in Speedsafe, CF in KVT? Of course, that just happens to work to my tastes...

I know you've all seen the 0770CF before but oh well, look again! :)
Forgive the poor lighting, it's been storming for days.



 
I know the regular 0770 works fine de-assisted (it has detents already), You could try removing the spring and see if you like it as a manual flipper...
 
If I'm not mistaken you can take the torsion bar out and use it manually, I think there is a detent hole in the blade. I haven't had mine apart in ages. Just remember there is no blade stop.
 
Yea, I may try to deassist it, haven't decided yet. Still kind of playing around with it as-is.
 
Mine was fairly lousy as a manual as well as my 0566. The detent on mine was just to weak to build any pressure. That's not to say yours will be like that. Give it a whirl, it only takes a minute to try it out. It's a great knife regardless of speedsafe or not. Congrats
 
The action is very weak with the torsion bar removed in my 0770 aluminum.
 
I bought an 0566CF last week - and promptly de-assisted it. It turned a good knife into a great knife in a hurry ; )

You should be able to de-assist the 0770CF as well. It is easier than it sounds, takes maybe 5 minutes.
 
I agree - I just recently picked up a 0770CF as well (and a couple 0770's), and I'd rather it was designed as a smooth manual (ball bearings?) flipper. Hopefully the guys at KAI monitor the forums and get the hint.

Still looks great on the outside, though:

 
My experience is that the 0566 was amazing deassisted, but the 0770cf was terrible. Gritty, slow, and with weak detents. Most of the time I couldn't even get the thing to flip out completely:thumbdn:
 
Congrats. I have more ZT than any other brand. If you want something that flips open smoothly on bearings, try the 0562. I have a lot of ZT knives that I like to carry, but the 0562 is best of the bunch. It's a slight bit larger than the 0566 and 0770, but the perfect size to carry and use.

The 0770 is definitely the most streamlined ZT, but I agree the KVT bearing system would be better than Speedsafe AO for that particular knife.
 
I recently got a 0562 and it is flat out incredible.

I also have a 0770 cf and is a sweet knife. I am one of those who would prefer that zt went all to manual with kvt bearings. So smooooooooooooth!
 
mr_anderson said:
If I'm not mistaken you can take the torsion bar out and use it manually, I think there is a detent hole in the blade. I haven't had mine apart in ages. Just remember there is no blade stop.
Click to expand...

What do you mean there is no blade stop? Of course there is, it's the same stop for open and closed on this knife
 
I can only imagine how sick the 770cf would be with kvt!! Try the 801....I like that as well, but only with jeans or cargo shorts
 
Here is mine with the Caly 3.5 cf and the Sage 3 cf. It's a nice-sized grip and fits my hand pretty well.
Perhaps the main design problem (IMO) is that you cannot get up on the blade for close work, as the other two folders allow.


I would REALLY LIKE TO KNOW whether the spring-assisted ZT 0770 cf is legal in Colorado. According to these 2013 regs below, perhaps not. It is NOTABLE to me that SPYDERCO, based in Golden, Colorado, sells knives such as the Brad Southard, Domino, and Dice that do NOT use a spring-assist.
I realize that I can remove the ZT's spring-assist, but there seems to be some controversy whether it flips well without it.
(j) “Switchblade knife” (illegal) means any knife, the blade of which opens automatically by hand pressure applied to a button, spring, or other device in its handle.
It makes a difference for my grand-kids in Colorado...and whether I gift a ZT 0770 cf to them. Thanks in advance.
 
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