Is a ZT worth it?

Congrats on making a choice. I had the luxury of handling a number of ZT before buying. The size is what kept me at bay.... just don't like a big EDC. Anyway, hope you enjoy this knife and let us know what you think of it in this thread.
 
MIGUY said:
Well... you could say I bit the bullet... I looked around on the side the blemish one was on, and saw the 560 BW Hinderer first gen, $185 on closeout, and decided to just do it... So Ive got a 560 on the way :) Ive been doing a lot of research and you guys all affirmed that its worth it, and I liked the looks of the 560 over the 350, also has a deeper pocket clip, so here goes nothing! well... here goes 185 bucks :)
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MIGUY said:
Advice on a model, affirmation on the brand... I had a lot of people say the 560, or something similar, and it was within my price range, so I decided to go for it :) a small blemish I wont mind, im not a serious collector, yet... and I hope to use it for work too, it should be great!
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My favorite knife is the 560CBCF... I'm sure you'll love yours, the blackwash blades look great in my opinion.
 
Some ZT knives are overpriced in my opinion, or perhaps they just depreciate like a BMW. I just saw a LNIB 0560 up for sale on the forums for $150 shipped, and it still took 24hrs to sell. Meanwhile Blade HQ and other retailers want $260. Same thing with my ZT0770CF I think I paid $190 for it new from a retailer. It was a catch and release for me (I like the aluminum version better) and I struggled to sell it NIB for $130 shipped.

On the other hand, the 0801 is a flawless Ti framelock that rivals Taichung titanium Spydercos which are about a hundred bucks more on average.

So I'd judge the price on a case by case basis.
 
I keep a special case with my favorite flippers to play with, the knives in the case are what I consider the best flippers made. It says a lot that I put the zt 0562 in that case next to a q36,, l51 & mod 95. the Q36 is 7x the price of the zt 0562 but fires only a step below.

So, yeah I think ZT's are absolutely worth it and a great value.

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Comeuppance said:
I know that debate well, and I go back and forth on it constantly to this date: Do I want a 1-3 high quality knives, or 5-10 medium-quality knives?

Variety is nice, but how often are you really going to carry any of them? I am currently on a quality > quantity kick, and have pretty much just been carrying my ZT 0801 (which is the knife I would recommend picking up). At present, the 0801 is an incredible deal:
- All Ti handles, highly customizable.
- Utilitarian blade shape
- Elmax steel
- GREAT warranty service
- Captive bearings
- Deep carry clip
- Steel insert on lock interface (reduces wear, prolongs life of knife)

All of this for well under two hundo if you know where to look. Heck, you can often grab them under 150. I've never had a CRKT folder that I would say was a steal for the price, but the current 0801s are freaking mid-techs.
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Well said....good call.
 
I have 2 of the 'smaller' ZT's (350 and 0566) and really like em, i guess it's the feeling of indestructability that does the trick :)
 
NeilB said:
My god! You guys are such pushers! :)

The ZT is a good knife. However, and this is a big however (notice I'm using "however" and not "but" for what I hope are obvious reasons), the differences are usually only perceptible to the educated knife knut. Regular people, mundanes really, who just use knives to sharpen pencils, open packages, and maybe kill a bear, won't notice anything special. Only an actual accredited knife knut can feel the differences, the slickness of the bearings, the mind-blowing edge retention from boutique tool steels manufactured by indentured Martian metallurgists, the liberal and sometimes frivolous use of titanium and carbon fiber, these things are not available to the mere gas-station knife user, regardless of how many Harley Davidsons they have ridden upon.

So, really, is it worth it? Probably not. Stick with a lovely CRKT knife and blow the extra cash on an X-Box or something.
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Ditto this with the exception of spending the extra money on an X-Box. Take a nice girl out for pizza and a show. They are a lot more fun than messing around on the web listening to people argue the merits of knives they have probably never carried.

I have a nice 550 which I think I bought for about $125 on this forum. I like it. But because of my large hands I also will carry a Spyderco Manix XL that I paid about $75 for. There are so many great knives for EDC that I think you just need to find one that peaks your interest, like that girl you will take out for a pizza and a show with the extra money you have.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdS5mTBTzDs (this review is X rated sort of)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZoP8ZsBpyw



Here are a couple of good YouTube videos about the Spyderco Manix XL and the ZT 0550 if you are interested in seeing them in action.
 
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The ZTs are excellent, bulletproof knives. I own a couple of them--0200 and 0550--and plan on a couple of others in the future. The biggest downsides are the wide profiles and weight. They take up a lot of real estate in a pocket. The 0200 is one of the best fitting knives in the hand that I own but it's also heavier than any other folder I own. It tugs on my pants to carry it. My knife uses these days are more sedentary than many posters here so I don't carry my ZTs much. I still love 'em.

In my estimation, and others might disagree, ZTs are in their element with a working person where they can ride in Carhartts, leather and heavy denim and get really dirty every day.
 
GatorFlash1 said:
Ditto this with the exception of spending the extra money on an X-Box. Take a nice girl out for pizza and a show. They are a lot more fun than messing around on the web listening to people argue the merits of knives they have probably never carried.

I have a nice 550 which I think I bought for about $125 on this forum. I like it. But because of my large hands I also will carry a Spyderco Manix XL that I paid about $75 for. There are so many great knives for EDC that I think you just need to find one that peaks your interest, like that girl you will take out for a pizza and a show with the extra money you have.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdS5mTBTzDs (this review is X rated sort of)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZoP8ZsBpyw



Here are a couple of good YouTube videos about the Spyderco Manix XL and the ZT 0550 if you are interested in seeing them in action.
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lol, I have a girlfriend actually, and she will be around this coming weekend from college, its been 6-7 weeks as she is going to school in another state, so I have been planning for that already, so this knife purchase is totally separate that, Ill be sure to treat her well for sure :) and she loves knives too! though doesn't understand/appreciate the higher build quality/materials like I do, but she can learn!

and I hope to have my 560 later this week, I will let everyone know about it when I get it :) I'm excited! its been a while since I got a new knife, and will likely be until Christmas/new years until I can think about treating myself again
 
I owned an 0350, wasn't a fan, but own an 0801 and an 0770CF and they are great knives. Check out the 0770CF!
 
MIGUY said:
but is it worth it?
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If your goal is to cut stuff, then no. A ZT 0300 (or ZT whatever) doesn't cut stuff 4x better than an Endura that costs 25% as much. In some respects - like going through cardboard - the FFG Endura is superior. Ever see an Endura that someone "wore out"? Me neither. I'm just using the Endura as an example. There are hundreds of other options similarly priced knives that cut stuff just as well. Knives that fit your hand. Knives that are tough. Lots of them. The CRKT Foresight comes to mind. Compare its ergonomics, ball bearing pivot and cost to the ZT lineup. So no, if your primary goal in carrying a knife is to cut stuff, then maybe no $230 knife is worth it, because no $230 knife cuts 4x better or lasts 4x longer than many $65 or $120 knives.

If your goal in purchasing a ZT is to feel good, then maybe it is worth it. What's that titanium really doing for you? Its not there to improve performance. Its there to give you some eye candy. Those pretty patterns in the titanium and G10? Its pocket jewelry. But dang it, I do feel good when I play with and carry and use my ZTs.

So if we honestly appraise why we are buying and carrying and using a knife, the fog lifts a little and we can really assess whats going on around here. $230 ZTs or $440 CRKs don't cut better than $120 knives, or many $65 knives. Depending on the knife, some will feel better in the hand, and some hold an edge longer, but that has little to do with price. But these blingy knives can make us feel good, and can even distract us from the job we don't like or the bills we don't want to pay. So in that regard they may be "worth" it from a subjective perspective. But objectively, the answer to the worth question when you start getting up in the hundreds of dollars is almost never "yes".

I own several ZTs and other spendy knives. I just have to be honest with myself about the neurosis that compelled me to buy them. It certainly wasn't their utility/cost ratio. :)

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Since the initial comparison was between ZT and CRKT, I'll offer my reasons for buying knives from each brand. CRKT has a number of designs, specifically among their fixed blades, that appeal a lot to me. A couple years ago, I was on a bit of a tactical fixed blade kick, and among two favorites were the CRKT M60 SOTFB (tanto and spear versions) and the Ultima 7. However, I then bought a ZT 0160 Shifter and it surpassed the CRKTs in terms of look and feel, for not a whole lot more money. Better materials too, although that wasn't really a concern at the time. I also bought a couple of CRKT folders, and while the fit and finish left a bit to be desired (late lockup here, wiggles and rattles there) it was the designs that lured me in.

It wasn't until I saw a ZT 0801 "in the flesh" at a gun show that I felt compelled to buy one, and it was love at first sight. Another 0801 (the blackwash Minuteman Watches version) followed, as did a 0770. Meanwhile, I bought a second CRKT Hammond Cruiser after having bought one previously, and it was a trainwreck. An email to CRKT customer service inquiring about replacements for crooked thumbstuds was unsuccessful - they are apparently discontinued - and the liner lock proved to be faulty. I was fortunately able to exchange that Cruiser for a good one, but it reinforced my opinion that a cool design doesn't carry any guarantee of good workmanship. In comparison, while a ZT designed by a "big name" designer may not be at the same level as that designer's custom knives, the workmanship on every ZT I own was spot on right out of the box. Yes, the knives cost anywhere from two to ten times that of the most comparable CRKT, but between initial QC and a strong warranty, I'm confident in buying a ZT sight unseen. I really like most of my CRKTs, but as with my experiences with Boker Plus and Gerber, there is no assurance of a functionally solid knife, so I only buy those brands from a seller (private or retail) where I can at least be assured that there are no obvious flaws.
 
No they are not they are heavy in your pocket and unless you want people to know you have knife on you from a mile away go with a bench made or some other company. just my 2 cents.
 
Being biased any knife purchase is a good one, but ZT's are certainly worth it. It's more about fit and feel which may not be a perfect match. I remember in College, I got an Emerson CQC-7 and carried it with no problems. Still have it til' this day...sharp, chisel grind lasts long and the wave kept it legal to carry. ZT would have been too bulky for my taste back then since phone's took up all the space. Good luck in the hunt!
 
To the OP,

First, congrats on your incoming 0560! It will not let you down, Kai produces a great product and will not let you down in any way.

Second, Should you be upset in any way about its cutting performance; just reprofile it ;) The only ZT I've ever found 'not slicey enough' was my 0350. I brought it down to a 32 degree inclusive (from my measurement it was 44 degrees) and now its perfect (for me).
 
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