Is this ZT a Fake? (Looking out for a buddy)

Pàdruig

Pàdruig

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Hi all,

I have a knife that I wanted to run by the collective experience here and get some thoughts/opinions.

I carried a ZT 0301 for several years and it, on more than one occasion, piqued the interest of a good buddy of mine. At some point down the line, he found one at a pawn shop that he was doing some work for. As the price was a bit steep, he didn't buy it but he did tell his wife about it - who promptly went back and bought it for him.

He has carried it for a bit and has used it pretty hard. He brought it to me not too long ago to ask if I could sharpen it and maybe tighten up the screws on the pocket clip (he didn't have the right tool for it). I examined it and one of the screw heads is completely stripped out so I made the suggestion that he could send it to ZT for a "spa treatment" and that they would likely replace all the screws, the pocket clip, washers, etc. I had sent mine in before and had a terrific experience.

However, something about the blade gave me pause so I told him I would inquire here and get your thoughts before I sent it to ZT. I told him, if I sent ZT the knife and they determined it to be a fake, they wouldn't return it and he would be out money and a knife.

The thing about the blade that I thought strange is that there are no markings whatsoever. On mine (which I do not have anymore), the ZT logo was visible on the mark side and on the pile side, the model number, serial number, origin, and steel were etched (IIRC). Also, the washers on the pivot look to be considerably smaller than the ones I remember mine having.

Unfortunately, I do not have mine anymore so I cannot do side by side comparisons so I figured I would reach out here.

Thank you all for any input.

(Also, I currently have the knife with me so I can provide any additional pictures if needed)

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That looks legit to me Dylan. I had an 0300 at one time and I don't see anything with that one that leans towards counterfeit or anything.
 
Other than the logo being gone, that looks legitimate to me. Maybe some military unit ordered some of them with a sterile blade, and it ended up in that pawn shop. Stranger things have happened.
 
Thanks, fellas. The frame looks pretty dead on - it was the blade that threw me off. If I send this into Kershaw/ZT, they would recognize it to be a sterile blade? I suppose I could reach out to them and confirm - I've had positive dealings with them in the past.
 
Mine has a much different lockbar. The grind out of the lockbar is different. I have a lock-stop built into an adjustable tang bar, not the lock-stop at the middle of the bar.

My camo pattern is different, too. I don't have a sterile blade. My serial No. is in the 1200s.

Otherwise, it seems identical, just a different model 301.
 
Yes, looks like a sterile blade replacement like rycen said. Added bonus of a sterile blade is no strider logo :eek::D. I've had several 300 series and it looks legit. Still, I'd send pics and confirm with ZT as best you can if you do send it in.

I'm not sure the 300 series was ever faked, the 350 yes, but the 300 I've never seen a fake. A quick google search confirms that they weren't faked in mass like the 350. I doubt they would use Ti or aluminium on a fake, so hit it with a magnet for a little piece of mind. Also, since the rest of it is so spot on, I'd think they would have put the logos on as well, to complete the deal. Of course, yours has no logo.
 
Twindog said:
Mine has a much different lockbar. The grind out of the lockbar is different. I have a lock-stop built into an adjustable tang bar, not the lock-stop at the middle of the bar.

My camo pattern is different, too. I don't have a sterile blade. My serial No. is in the 1200s.

Otherwise, it seems identical, just a different model 301.
Click to expand...
Yes, yours is a later gen with the lock bar insert rather than LBS, added around 2014.
 
Thanks guys, this was very helpful. I'll reach out to Kershaw/ZT to double check but it sounds like my buddy can breathe a bit easier.
 
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