In need of a Tough EDC

rlacan71

rlacan71

Joined
Dec 19, 2011
Messages
766
Hey guys.
I havn't had a good folding knife in ages, maybe even ever. I was looking for a tough folder that had good edge retention in the ballpark of 250. I am open to any suggestions you guys have. I would prefer it to be 250 or less but that being said, sometimes the difference between a good knife and a great one can be 50 dollars. So lets say ideal 250 or less and max 350.

I came across the following knife while searching the internet. I am a member here and mostly haunt the Busse / Scrapyard forums but I figured what better place to ask this question than here. Not only have I read some pretty nice reviews on the blade, but it is visually appealing to me as well. I found a online site that will cost me 187.99 dollars for the knife with free shipping....

Zero Tolerance Model 0550 Rick Hinderer Folding Knife, 3.5 Inch Stonewashed PlainEdge Blade, G10 Handles. The Zero Tolerance 0550 features a bullet-tough blade of Crucible's S35VN stainless steel with stonewashed finish. The steel is designed to offer increased toughness over S30V, yet be easier to machine and polish. It offers high wear resistance and resists edge chipping. It's chemistry includes niobium, vanadium and chromium carbides and offers an exceptionally uniform distribution of those carbides, too. In other words, this high-performance knife can take whatever you can dish out. Designed by Rick Hinderer.
Specifications:

•Steel: S35VN
•Handle: Textured G-10
•Blade Length: 3 1/2 in. (8.8 cm)
•Closed Length: 4.625 in. (11.75 cm)
•Overall Length: 8.125 in. (20.6 cm)
•Lock 6AL4V Titanium frame lock
•Weight: 5.8 oz.
•Made in USA


That is where I am at now.

I will take any suggestions from my above criteria. The 0550 was the best I can come up with but I know next to nothing about a good folder.

Few quik things. I am not a hunter. Would be A tough EDC blade. Will take it camping. Maybe some walking stick carving, basic camp stuff.

This is where you guys come in. Im calling on you to lay some folder knowledge down on my ignorant self. You might come back and tell me the above knife is the one . You might tell me to forget it and suggest somthing different. I look forward to all feedback.

Thanx in advance,

Rob
 
ZT knives are excellent and if you're looking for a tough folder ZT covers it no problem.
The ZT 0550/0551 are excellent thumb opening manual knives. Slice well for being big, feel awesome in the pocket and hand, come super sharp and get super sharp, hold a good edge, awesome materials, and I can't say a bad thing about them.
It can be a little hard to open when you first get it because of being factory stiff. Just keep your middle finger on the lock bar stabilizer and your other off the lock bar and practice, open it bunches of times. It just needs broke in.

Another awesome knife to look at is the ZT 0560 - you can find them for great prices here on the exchange forums brand new. Under your price range.
Same as the knife above as far as rants and raves. Though this one is a little bigger and has a flipper but is still manual and easy to open by thumb studs. Good steel, good materials, fit and finish are excellent, it's just great. Slices like a dream but can handle what you throw at it. It can be a little stiff at first too but like I said, knives just need break in time sometimes.

Also, you just can't beat the Kershaw/ZT customer service and warranty.
 
BladeChick777 said:
ZT knives are excellent and if you're looking for a tough folder ZT covers it no problem.
The ZT 0550/0551 are excellent thumb opening manual knives. Slice well for being big, feel awesome in the pocket and hand, come super sharp and get super sharp, hold a good edge, awesome materials, and I can't say a bad thing about them.
It can be a little hard to open when you first get it because of being factory stiff. Just keep your middle finger on the lock bar stabilizer and your other off the lock bar and practice, open it bunches of times. It just needs broke in.

Another awesome knife to look at is the ZT 0560 - you can find them for great prices here on the exchange forums brand new. Under your price range.
Same as the knife above as far as rants and raves. Though this one is a little bigger and has a flipper but is still manual and easy to open by thumb studs. Good steel, good materials, fit and finish are excellent, it's just great. Slices like a dream but can handle what you throw at it. It can be a little stiff at first too but like I said, knives just need break in time sometimes.

Also, you just can't beat the Kershaw/ZT customer service and warranty.
Click to expand...

Wow that was quick. Its nice to see that my search foo isnt so weak after all. But Sometimes just searching isnt enough and you gotta just ask for help. Was 189.99 for the blade and shipping a fair price on the 0550? Ill go look the 0560 up now.

Thankx BladeChick777
 
just got my 0560. carries slim in the pocket, large blade, solid lock up, quick deployment, can handle most everything you throw at it
 
I have a 0561. Its the brown G10 scaled version. Its epic and offers a few more features for the money. Ball bearing pivot, ELMAX steel, flipper, milled out Ti side underneath, 3d machined on both sides to give it a rounded feel. Oh yeah, excellent deep carry pocket clip. Its an overall larger knife than the 0550 yet weighs the same 5.8 oz due to some very smart weight reducing milled out areas.

Don't think, just buy. I carry mine all the time, and its not just a good knife, it may be the best production knife under $300 for now.
 
If you are looking for a tough knife for EDC I would have to suggest just about any Emerson knife or Zero tolerance for knives in the 200-300 dollar range and if you would not mind spending more than 300 a Strider SNG may be an option. Those would be my three top choices in a tough EDC knife. There are still some other options for less like a Cold Steel Recon 1 or for even less a Cold Steel Voyager.
 
It's never back to ask for help because it gives you options and ideas maybe you didn't realize were there. $189.99 shipped is indeed fair for a ZT 0550 as they normally go for around $200 everywhere. So $190 is a good deal for $10 off. You can find them sometimes second hand on the forums for cheaper but not by much, they sometimes pop up for $175, but $190 from a dealer is good.
If that's the knife you're set on I wouldn't even worry about it and just grab it from the dealer because you won't save much anyways and you won't have to wait for one to pop up.

You could also pick up a ZT 0551 on the forums for under your price range here on the forums. It's now discontinued, but that's okay. =] It has a better steel(elmax like on the ZT 0560) and a different patterned G-10 handle. Same knife, small changes.
 
Howdy,
As far tough EDC I have a couple of recommendations at around the $110 price range that I carry.
A)Zero Tolerance 0350 or 0350 ST (partial serration )
B)Spyderco Gayle Bradley
Both are great consideratons.
Cheers...
 
189.99 for a BNIB ZT 0550 from a dealer is a good price, jump on it. That's 10 bucks less than most places who have them in stock, it's a very fine knife that meets your needs. It's a great choice all in all and honestly if you don't like it (I'm sure that won't be the case) you can sell it here on the forums for what you paid. Win win in my book.....

If you want a big, beefy and tough folder the ZT 0550 is your knife.
 
Strider and ZT are what com instantly to mind. I have on of the newer Strider SNG's with the much improved lock geometry and basically perfect fit and finish (they seem to have gotten better) and it's a great knife. I can never decide which I would pick if I had to keep only my ZT 560 or SNG without price being a consideration. However, if you consider price, then the fact that I like my ZT 560 as much or more than my SNG kind of makes it obvious that the ZT is the better buy to me.

I dunno, though. Part of me feels like the Strider might be tougher but there's nothing about the 560 that makes it seem less tough. The Strider just locks up so hard and when you try to wiggle the blade, it feels the most like a fixed blade. However, the 560 has a steel liner on the G10 side and the strider is solid G10. I have no idea if the G10 side of the Strider could every crack or anything, though. It's super tough. On the other hand, the 560 has a KVT, which is a ball bearing system and I don't know if that makes it more or less tough, but I'd think less. Neither of the knives has a hint of blade play, though. They both feel as solid as it gets but the Strider probably more so. Sometimes the 560 just feel like the one I'd rather have in my hand tough. You can't go wrong with either.
 
pillowhead9 said:
just got my 0560. carries slim in the pocket, large blade, solid lock up, quick deployment, can handle most everything you throw at it
Click to expand...

TriviaMonster said:
I have a 0561. Its the brown G10 scaled version. Its epic and offers a few more features for the money. Ball bearing pivot, ELMAX steel, flipper, milled out Ti side underneath, 3d machined on both sides to give it a rounded feel. Oh yeah, excellent deep carry pocket clip. Its an overall larger knife than the 0550 yet weighs the same 5.8 oz due to some very smart weight reducing milled out areas.

Don't think, just buy. I carry mine all the time, and its not just a good knife, it may be the best production knife under $300 for now.
Click to expand...

Endololz said:
If you are looking for a tough knife for EDC I would have to suggest just about any Emerson knife or Zero tolerance for knives in the 200-300 dollar range and if you would not mind spending more than 300 a Strider SNG may be an option. Those would be my three top choices in a tough EDC knife. There are still some other options for less like a Cold Steel Recon 1 or for even less a Cold Steel Voyager.
Click to expand...

rlacan71 said:
Wow that was quick. Its nice to see that my search foo isnt so weak after all. But Sometimes just searching isnt enough and you gotta just ask for help. Was 189.99 for the blade and shipping a fair price on the 0550? Ill go look the 0560 up now.

Thankx BladeChick777
Click to expand...

BladeChick777 said:
It's never back to ask for help because it gives you options and ideas maybe you didn't realize were there. $189.99 shipped is indeed fair for a ZT 0550 as they normally go for around $200 everywhere. So $190 is a good deal for $10 off. You can find them sometimes second hand on the forums for cheaper but not by much, they sometimes pop up for $175, but $190 from a dealer is good.
If that's the knife you're set on I wouldn't even worry about it and just grab it from the dealer because you won't save much anyways and you won't have to wait for one to pop up.

You could also pick up a ZT 0551 on the forums for under your price range here on the forums. It's now discontinued, but that's okay. =] It has a better steel(elmax like on the ZT 0560) and a different patterned G-10 handle. Same knife, small changes.
Click to expand...

Ray Allen said:
Howdy,
As far tough EDC I have a couple of recommendations at around the $110 price range that I carry.
A)Zero Tolerance 0350 or 0350 ST (partial serration )
B)Spyderco Gayle Bradley
Both are great consideratons.
Cheers...
Click to expand...

Thanks for all of your replies so far. Si its down to If I want to spend more for the better steel. (That ZT350 was nice as well). One last consideration. I have very large hands. Would that mean that the 0560 wins by default? The handle looked substantially bigger than the rest.
 
Urban Dweller said:
189.99 for a BNIB ZT 0550 from a dealer is a good price, jump on it. That's 10 bucks less than most places who have them in stock, it's a very fine knife that meets your needs. It's a great choice all in all and honestly if you don't like it (I'm sure that won't be the case) you can sell it here on the forums for what you paid. Win win in my book.....

If you want a big, beefy and tough folder the ZT 0550 is your knife.
Click to expand...

A.Dragg said:
Strider and ZT are what com instantly to mind. I have on of the newer Strider SNG's with the much improved lock geometry and basically perfect fit and finish (they seem to have gotten better) and it's a great knife. I can never decide which I would pick if I had to keep only my ZT 560 or SNG without price being a consideration. However, if you consider price, then the fact that I like my ZT 560 as much or more than my SNG kind of makes it obvious that the ZT is the better buy to me.

I dunno, though. Part of me feels like the Strider might be tougher but there's nothing about the 560 that makes it seem less tough. The Strider just locks up so hard and when you try to wiggle the blade, it feels the most like a fixed blade. However, the 560 has a steel liner on the G10 side and the strider is solid G10. I have no idea if the G10 side of the Strider could every crack or anything, though. It's super tough. On the other hand, the 560 has a KVT, which is a ball bearing system and I don't know if that makes it more or less tough, but I'd think less. Neither of the knives has a hint of blade play, though. They both feel as solid as it gets but the Strider probably more so. Sometimes the 560 just feel like the one I'd rather have in my hand tough. You can't go wrong with either.
Click to expand...

I was close on pulling the trigger on the 550 but the handle seems small.

The strider is to pricey for me atm.
 
Can't go wrong with ZT. Kewshaw/ZT cust service is 5 star. All ZT's imo are good value for money
 
A buck 110. $35 at Wal-Mart. At home in the woods, and at home... at home. :D

But seriously, a good Spyderco for EDC and a fixed-blade for camping. An Endura4 will cost $70 or so. Lots of good fixed-blade options can be had for less than $100.
 
emopunker2004 said:
all the big zt knives pretty much fit the bill
0200
0300
0350
0550
0560
Click to expand...

Of those what one has the largest handle? The 0560 had a bigger handle than the 550. My palm, across the knuckle area is 4 1/4 inches. I guess that means the 0560 is the best bet... unless some of the others above are on the larger side?
 
I've been looking at the different kinds of Gunhammers. Trying to get a little feedback currently but they look friggin' awesome.
 
Zero Tolerance Model 0350 Folder, Assisted Opener, 3.25 Inch Black S30V PlainEdge Blade, Black G10 Handles. Slightly smaller and slightly lighter than the 0300--10% to be precise--but just as aggressive. The 0350 is fully equipped with SpeedSafe® for one-handed assisted opening. Even in combat gloves, you can easily deploy the blade using the large, ambidextrous thumb stud or blade protrusion. The blade is S30V stainless steel with Tungsten DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) coating. S30V provides extreme durability, while the black Tungsten DLC is non-reflective, enhances hardness, and reduces friction drag. Textured, matte-black G-10 scales provide a secure grip. Includes a quad mounting system for tip-up, tip-down, left-or right-handed clip carry.
Features:

•SpeedSafe® Assisted Opening
•Quad Mounting System
Specifications:

•Steel: S30V stainless-steel with Tungsten DLC coating
•Handle: Textured G-10, matte black
•Blade Length: 3.25 in. (8.25 cm)
•Closed Length: 4.625 in. (11.7 cm)
•Overall Length: 7.75 in. (19.7 cm)
•Weight: 5.6 oz.
•Made in USA
Found one of these free shipping $ 112.00

Lotta options with ZT.
 
The 0200 and the 030x knives have large handles too... Check over onthe Kershaw ZT forum for pics of them. There are some that show them together, and while I love the 0350, I wouldn't consider it ultra big. Its fairly small for a tough folder.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...haw-ZT-Picture-Thread!!!-Let-s-see-em!/page24

rlacan71 said:
Of those what one has the largest handle? The 0560 had a bigger handle than the 550. My palm, across the knuckle area is 4 1/4 inches. I guess that means the 0560 is the best bet... unless some of the others above are on the larger side?
Click to expand...
 
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