If you were the boss at Zero Tolerance...

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First and foremost i would drastically decrease the amount of writing on the blade.

Only contain: ZT logo, blade steel and makers mark if applicable.

Serial number, model number/name are just driving me insane on the blade. Its actually a reason i dont buy ZT. Has nothing to do with quality or price or me hating the company (which i dont). There are a lot of models i would jump in an instant if they just simply removed all the excess writing imo. I am nitpicking but i like what i like, cant change who i am or remove my OCD.
 
PURPLEDC said:
If you would please, knock off the political BS and understand this was hypothetical and for fun. You obviously didn't read that I would be doing that under a different name and not ZT. And its really really not anything to get your nuts in a knot over in the first place. Its what I would do. I never said you had to agree. But please no more inflammatory bull crap in which to start an argument. If you want to sit on a political high horse this isn't the sub forum for that. And in this completely fantasy situation in which you obviously don't understand, the americans jobs would be unchanged and continue as it has. So you can call off your hypothetical witch hunt.
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By the way, I understand that your idea was to make some ZT's or versions thereof in China, which as you said, is your idea. Given the nature of ZT as a company, as constituted, that idea seems rather inclined to provoke some discussion. Perhaps expanding on the virtue of your original statement would have been more reasonable.

This only becomes an argument if you want to make it nasty. This balls in your court dude.
 
Focus on innovation and push for more in-home designs. Step out of the Ti/framelock box. Pretty or overbuilt doesn't have to always be the number one goal above all else on every knife. Could look into slicing capability more.
 
I'd start giving the good models some real names instead of a blur of numbers. :D
 
I would instantly bring back the 301 and the 500 Mudd knife. I would also bring back the 550 but would add a flipper to it!

Personally I love the 456 so I would do some variations of it without the blue anodized parts. It is an awesome knife but I think the blue color along with the design scares some people off. Outside of that ZT is crushing it, so I don't think I would change much!
 
Popsickle said:
The 0300 was a ken onion design but wasn't there a strider collab version?
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The ZT 300 was a strider collab, but I feel like that had more of Ken Onion's influence. ZT also made a bayonet with Strider, and I remember them making a boot knife at one point too, but I'm not sure who designed that. Wouldn't a version of the SNG or SMF for around the $200 to $240 range be awesome?
 
Not sure why I want to add my 2 cents but bring back some autos. Again if I could only have one edc it wouldn't be an auto, but I like having them and would buy a well built ZT.
 
RamZar said:
That Russian exclusive 0454204P was the best of the 0452/0454 series. It was simple, elegant and practical. Very nice titanium and G-10 milling plus a great sculpted titanium clip. However, it was not worth the $515 most paid for it. Last Summer ZT released the Sprint Run 0452CFM390BLU for just $260.
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Disnt they also release a ZDP version as well just recently or am i imagining things
 
Popsickle said:
The 0300 was a ken onion design but wasn't there a strider collab version?
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The 0121 was a Strider collaboration.
Edit: I think I misread what you meant. You were probably asking about a folder.

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0566 with ti scale and KVT bearings. Thing would sell like hot cakes.
 
PURPLEDC said:
This is what I would do. Only me, not anyone else, me.

1. I would start a chinese high end division. Exactly like the models made in the usa but with slightly downgraded materials but the same quality as usa models. I would essentially model it after how the guitar industry makes its products. Possibly under a different name so that people buying US produced products still felt the name was sacred.

2. I would do limited editions but i would remove the cap on how many were produced and the amount of knives produced would be based on demand. It would no longer be a product for scalpers but just for those who want the knives. They would be sold direct to customers who join a fan club for the brand. They would be only sold to those fans and they would be marked down considerably. The first knife produced would be a vote from that fanbase with a few options so everyone was happy.
3. I would start a true factory custom program where knives would have a list of possible options that could be added to the knife for an upcharge. Hollow grinds, mirrored blades etc.

4. Any dealers found to be hoarding limited editions for mass profits at a later date would be removed as dealers.

5. I would do limited edition reissues of popular past models in unique variations.

6. I would beg ken onion to come back into the fold. And any custom collabs would be closer to the originals.

7. I would make all knives so that kvt was optional and vise versa so that knives could adopt kvt if desired. Speedsafe would remain optional.
8. I would bring back tim galyean designs and help him relaunch his pro series knives and put him in charge of the factory custom division.
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How do you use downgraded materials and still accomplish the same quality?

Then how do you do all of those other things and still make buyers feel the "brand is still sacred"? All of those things would make me lose quite a bit of faith in the company.

Everything you listed makes ZT who they are abd one of the main reasons they have loyal fans. If you cheapen everything you stand for and make, and you flood the market with cheap crap then you've just cheapened your whole company and your products along with it. Then everyone buys from your competition.
 
How about bringing back the ram under the ZT brand, maybe a titanium frame with carbon fiber slabs, I'd buy that in a heartbeat.
 
RamZar said:
That Russian exclusive 0454204P was the best of the 0452/0454 series. It was simple, elegant and practical. Very nice titanium and G-10 milling plus a great sculpted titanium clip. However, it was not worth the $515 most paid for it. Last Summer ZT released the Sprint Run 0452CFM390BLU for just $260.
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I didnt pay that much for mine. Mine was under $360 shipped from russia. But i agree it was the best in the series.

EDCanAdamas said:
By the way, I understand that your idea was to make some ZT's or versions thereof in China, which as you said, is your idea. Given the nature of ZT as a company, as constituted, that idea seems rather inclined to provoke some discussion. Perhaps expanding on the virtue of your original statement would have been more reasonable.

This only becomes an argument if you want to make it nasty. This balls in your court dude.
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Im not going to expand on anything. I owe you zero explanation for what i posted. And given your response to my initial post and how you turned it into a political stepping stone im simply not going to be baited into providing you the next step. So please drop it and quit derailing the thread over one aspect of a post you disagreed with. Nothing i posted was for the purpose of provoking anything but rather its my feelings i accidentally triggered a nerve with you and I have no interest in taking it any further, period.
 
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Boxer .45 said:
How do you use downgraded materials and still accomplish the same quality?

Then how do you do all of those other things and still make buyers feel the "brand is still sacred"? All of those things would make me lose quite a bit of faith in the company.

Everything you listed makes ZT who they are abd one of the main reasons they have loyal fans. If you cheapen everything you stand for and make, and you flood the market with cheap crap then you've just cheapened your whole company and your products along with it. Then everyone buys from your competition.
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Just because something is made in china doesnt mean its crap. just because something costs less money doesnt means its a cheap inferior product. It would only effect people if they let it. The products you want to buy would still be made. All im going to say is you can move m390 models to s35vn, and s35 vn models can be moved to vg10 for the purpose of an import series and still have them be made well. I dont feel quality is soley placed on materials but rather execution of those materials. In other words just because you change the steel to a slightly less expensive variety doesnt mean the overall build cant be up to par. Nothing would be cheapened. A line would be added. An import series to offer value to those that made in the usa doesnt really matter. China is not limited in what they can produce. They can produce superlative quality if they are commissioned to do so. The only reason most people associate crap with china is because for years that's all we hired them on to build. Creating the illusion that is what they do. But brands like Reate, rike, we and many others are showing what can be done and its quality and machining intricacy that very few American companies are touching regardless of price. Either way, It would be a business model that mirrors the guitar industry which is thriving. The core usa products would remain exactly as they are. Either way this isnt happening nor is it going to happen so please can we not go down the road of argument over non existent issue?
 
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