I get why Emerson did the ZT Collaboration

MatthewSB

Gold Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2013
Messages
1,631
After examining the new ZT 0620 and 0620CF, I get why Emerson did it - it really isn't anything like an EKI knife, at least other than the shape. I cannot imagine how it would possibly affect sales of real Emerson knives.

The ZT 0620 are impressive knives, they have phosphor bronze washers for a very slick pivot, perfect fit and finish, perfect centering, finely tuned frame locks with a non-stick steel insert, and are made from Elmax and M390 super steels. The knives are beautiful, and feel great in the hand. They're perfectly balanced at the forefinger, and comfortable in reverse or forward grip. The materials, and features, are similar to those found on knives costing several times what the 0620 and 0620CF do. They really are impressive, however, IMO they could be summed up as heavy duty suit knives.

They're heavy, I mean really heavy, they feel like they're made out of lead in the hand. They're also slick. The G10 is grippier than the CF, and neither are too slippery when dry, but they don't inspire the confidence of a secure grip when held. I can't imagine how bad they'd be with gloves on, or when wet.

Like I said, these would make a great city or suit and tie knife, as they look really classy and wouldn't be hard on pants pockets, but they're nowhere near as efficient as a cutting tool as an combat ready Emerson like the CQC-7, 8 or Commander.

So, again, while it is obvious that these knives are designed by The Man himself, they are not the battle ready cutters that real-deal Emerson knives are. I'm looking forward to see the next ZT/Emerson collaboration, but unless the 'style' is completely changed I would never take one on a wilderness adventure, or to war, with me.

Anyone else get a chance to handle one of these?
 
Last edited:
Ah so these are Emerson designs for the nit picks who don't use their knives.
 
If they're designed by Emerson himself, then I don't see why they couldn't be as combat capable as any of his other designs. As for cutting efficiency, they look like they have a pretty high grind, and don't appear to be any thicker than comparable Emersons.

It seems like I see plenty of pictures from folks that use their ZT's pretty hard, so I'm not sure why these would be any different.

*Missed the bit about handles being slick*
 
Last edited:
I handled them at Blade and I do not recall them feeling overly heavy. They seemed like great knives to me.
 
If they're designed by Emerson himself, then I don't see why they couldn't be as combat capable as any of his other designs. As for cutting efficiency, they look like they have a pretty high grind, and don't appear to be any thicker than comparable Emersons.

It seems like I see plenty of pictures from folks that use their ZT's pretty hard, so I'm not sure why these would be any different.

*Missed the bit about handles being slick*


this is spot on here...... I think the OP is an Emerson knife fan and is hating on the new ZT models. In my personal opinion..... the ZT model is in fact superior not only in materials but in price for what you get as well. 200+ for 154cm...... 400+ for framelocks. great knives and all but for the money you can do FAR better. at 200-240 you get a heavy duty titanium framelock, elmax or M390 steel, g10 or carbon fiber, dlc or satin/stonewashed. The real understanding behind why he did it is simple..... to broaden his business. I applaud him for that. Lots of people happen to love emerson knives, while many others just don't feel the materials are worth the cost, or are left wanting a little bit more... whether that may be blade steel upgrades, or materials, etc. The ZT model branches out to the people who love the designs and get the "super steel", upgraded materials, a true V edge, and whatever else they seem to be looking for. While two separate groups can argue why each is better or worse, ill quote Sal Glesser "Not bad, just different".
 
Ah so these are Emerson designs for the nit picks who don't use their knives.


I call Zero Tolorence Knives FOO FOO KNIVES. Honestly they are pretty, they have clean lines, but I honestly never sprung open my wallet for one. Why it would be a safe queen, and I have no safe to store thing to show off.
 
I call Zero Tolorence Knives FOO FOO KNIVES. Honestly they are pretty, they have clean lines, but I honestly never sprung open my wallet for one. Why it would be a safe queen, and I have no safe to store thing to show off.
Why, because they may be more refined than an Emerson, do they have to be safe queens? I have three ZTs and every one of them sees regular use. I'm fairly confident there isn't much of anything you can do with an Emerson knife that I can't do with a ZT 0550, but because the blade is centered and free of play, its a safe queen?
 
I call Zero Tolorence Knives FOO FOO KNIVES. Honestly they are pretty, they have clean lines, but I honestly never sprung open my wallet for one. Why it would be a safe queen, and I have no safe to store thing to show off.

There's a video of a ZT550 being put through some tests on the Hard Use thread. Since you haven't even handled one, maybe you should take some time to view it. There's also a video there of a CQC-7 being run through the same tests.
 
I call Zero Tolorence Knives FOO FOO KNIVES. Honestly they are pretty, they have clean lines, but I honestly never sprung open my wallet for one. Why it would be a safe queen, and I have no safe to store thing to show off.

I generally try to speak from experience so I dont come off sounding like this guy. You might want to try actually using a ZT someday before you start talking about them and their level of "foo foo-ness"

Ah so these are Emerson designs for the nit picks who don't use their knives.

I would call them Emerson designs for people who like higher end materials. Just because a knife uses fancy steel, titanium and comes with a high level of fit and finish doesnt mean it cant/ shouldn't be used. I see just as many Emersons on here that are safe queens as I do from any other maker.
 
The main thing I can see as a strike against the ZT's are slicker handles on the ones that use CF. However, after using an all stainless Spyderco Police model as my only knife when I worked on a fishing boat with absolutely no issues, I have to wonder just how daintily some folks are holding their knives. I used a knife with a slick stainless handle, with my hands covered in water and fish slime, and not once did I have it slip out of my grip. Even with the carbon fiber, the ZT handle looks like it's designed to lock your hand on there.

If the Emersons were made with the same level of fit and finish, would you also say that they aren't meant to be used, and were only suitable for carry in a suit?

I'm not trying to criticize, I'm just trying to understand the line of thinking is all.
 
I think emerson and ZT are sitting back drinking a cold one and high fives all around.

Both are extraordinary companies. Love em both. Each has what one calls strong points and not so desired points. That's what personal preferences do. I think it was a good idea for both companies. Your getting a bit of each in these, but not the whole of either. That's why they blended them together.
 
this is spot on here...... I think the OP is an Emerson knife fan and is hating on the new ZT models. In my personal opinion..... the ZT model is in fact superior not only in materials but in price for what you get as well. 200+ for 154cm...... 400+ for framelocks. great knives and all but for the money you can do FAR better. at 200-240 you get a heavy duty titanium framelock, elmax or M390 steel, g10 or carbon fiber, dlc or satin/stonewashed. The real understanding behind why he did it is simple..... to broaden his business. I applaud him for that. Lots of people happen to love emerson knives, while many others just don't feel the materials are worth the cost, or are left wanting a little bit more... whether that may be blade steel upgrades, or materials, etc. The ZT model branches out to the people who love the designs and get the "super steel", upgraded materials, a true V edge, and whatever else they seem to be looking for. While two separate groups can argue why each is better or worse, ill quote Sal Glesser "Not bad, just different".

I wrote a whole, long paragraph extolling the ZTs for their top shelf materials, attention to detail, and brilliant design.

I believe that Emerson makes the best self defense and emergency use folders on the market, but I'm in no way a fanboy. I grudgingly buy EKI knives for the designs, which are uniformly brilliant, in spite of lack of attention to detail and spotty quality control.

All I said is that they aren't as good as a real Emerson folder, for certain things and that they shouldn't have a big impact on EKI's sales from people who need and use their knives for life or death tasks.

I wouldn't hesitate to wear a ZT 0620 or 0620CF all week long at the office and around town, but when I leave the pavement and enter the foodchain the ZTs are a couple of ounces too heavy and way too slick for me to trust it to stay in my pocket if my canoe tips over or I have to run for my life.

I call Zero Tolorence Knives FOO FOO KNIVES. Honestly they are pretty, they have clean lines, but I honestly never sprung open my wallet for one. Why it would be a safe queen, and I have no safe to store thing to show off.

The ZTs are an incredible value, the best I've seen since the Para2 came out. No reason not to get one and enjoy using it.

If the Emersons were made with the same level of fit and finish, would you also say that they aren't meant to be used, and were only suitable for carry in a suit?

Definitely not. I didn't call the ZTs suit knives because they are so nice, I did so because they are slick enough that I wouldn't trust them to not fall out of my pocket, or my hands, in the woods. On the plus side, they aren't so grippy that I would be concerned about destroying nice clothes, in which I will not carry an Emerson, which is the point of my post - they're different tools for different jobs.
 
Well I was stating my opinion on what I like best, and my option on was made on looking at both the Emerson Product, and the Zero Tolorence product.

I feel fortunate that before I made my person choice what to buy, I was able to inspect Knives in person as I live close to a very fine knife shop in Scottsdale, AZ. This shop carries knives in the $50.00 to over $2,000.00 dollar price range. What to look at William Henry Knives the stock most of the time over twenty.

I am also lucky that we have a Knife Dealer that shows up at our local gun show with I would guess $400,000.00 of inventory. She is from Northern, AZ with a shop on I-40 called I believe nearThe New Mexico Border. Hit if ever in the area. So that was another source of getting to see knives first hand.

My choice for the last purchase I made was made on my personally looking at both the Emerson, Zero Tolorance, and a couple of other knives that were on my short list.

I choose the Emerson because the CQC-7 Left Handed was what felt behest in my had, I like the knife better than the other I liked at.

Like I said I look at the ZT, and it did not speak to me like the Emerson did, do the Emerson was what I ordered.
 
MatthewSB,

I can understand that. I kinda wish framelock manufacturers would leave a rough spot where the clip meets the scale, just to add a little more security. Of course, I've had knives with FRN scales come off my pocket too, so I'm not sure how much it would help something with a titanium scale. Maybe a tighter clip would help alleviate any loss concerns.
 
Emerson is one of the few companies to make a true left handed model, because I am small handed, I honestly look at several other Emerson Models, but honestly the righty models did not work right for me. The true Lefty CQC has this notch that is a 180 of the right model that make us the Thumb opener a total breeze.
 
It's an Emerson design with high-end steel, thicker Ti framelock, thicker blade stock, made by ZT, for way less than the price of an Emerson framelock (HD-7 or CQC-12). Someone pointed out that it's heavy, but for the thicker framelock & blade stock it only weighs a little more than an ounce over a CQC-12. Any other downsides?
 
I actually handled them at BLADE in June and was VERY impressed! They are really nice knives and I don't have anything negative to say about them. I'll have to save up and grab one soon.
 
I call Zero Tolorence Knives FOO FOO KNIVES. Honestly they are pretty, they have clean lines, but I honestly never sprung open my wallet for one. Why it would be a safe queen, and I have no safe to store thing to show off.

ZT 0561 worked well for deanimating my old couch:







Of course, my CQC-12 did great cutting fiberglass and thick rubber hose at the lab (no pics though).

Knives are for cutting stuff, so I use my knives for cutting stuff. :)

Zero Tolerance and Emerson both get the job done, and a collaboration mixing the two should work out just fine.
When I get more cash, I'll check out the carbon fiber version, most likely. :thumbup:
 
Back
Top