I've finally done it, 300 time!

[whitty]

NjHart,

Everything you are saying and have said sounds like me from 3-4 years ago. I could not decide between my Sebenza and my ZT 0301. I finally made myself carry my 301 everyday for a month straight. That was it, I have not carried my Sebenza since. My 301 handles anything I throw at it. I have never worried about it and it still looks darn near new when cleaned up. Best knife I have ever owned and I will not get rid of it ever! The recurve is easy to sharpen if you practice and the weight is not noticeable unless you wear loose slacks or work out clothes. As for sweat, dirt, grime and even salt water, as long as you clean it up it is no problem. I carry mine in a custom made sheath for when I go jogging in the woods. It gets soaked in sweat and has no rust spots to show for it. I also carry it fishing on the Chesapeake Bay and have had no problems with rust from salt water. It is easy (with practice) to take apart and reassemble and with the pivot screw it is easy to adjust with my multi tool if I set it wrong.

Hope you enjoy your new ZT when you get it and it is to you what mine is to me!

Whitty

 

[NjHart]

NjHart,

Everything you are saying and have said sounds like me from 3-4 years ago. I could not decide between my Sebenza and my ZT 0301. I finally made myself carry my 301 everyday for a month straight. That was it, I have not carried my Sebenza since. My 301 handles anything I throw at it. I have never worried about it and it still looks darn near new when cleaned up. Best knife I have ever owned and I will not get rid of it ever! The recurve is easy to sharpen if you practice and the weight is not noticeable unless you wear loose slacks or work out clothes. As for sweat, dirt, grime and even salt water, as long as you clean it up it is no problem. I carry mine in a custom made sheath for when I go jogging in the woods. It gets soaked in sweat and has no rust spots to show for it. I also carry it fishing on the Chesapeake Bay and have had no problems with rust from salt water. It is easy (with practice) to take apart and reassemble and with the pivot screw it is easy to adjust with my multi tool if I set it wrong.

Hope you enjoy your new ZT when you get it and it is to you what mine is to me!

Whitty

That's really great to hear! I sometimes think I'm being overly picky or irrational about the few little thing I'm uncomfortable with on my Sebenza (again, no knock on the knife itself- just how I use it and how I feel using it). As much as I like knives, my favorite part is knowing I have it for all the little things I use my knife for and not having to worry about it. I want something that can sit in my pocket (with no fear of falling out) that can open packages, cut limbs, go camping, filet fish and do everything without me ever having to think about it and that I can use quickly and easily. I have no problem maintaining my gear and sort of enjoy it, I may have worlds cleanest fly rod that is regularly used, but I don't want to feel like I have to drop what I'm doing the instant I use my knife to clean or touch it up. I'm looking forward to giving it a go.

Oh and on related note, I thought I was the only person to ever try and pick between these two. They are quite different that usually leads to all sorts of use related questions that I can't answer. I use one knife for everything, so that's a ridiculously difficult question.

 

[Skripka]

It's been sort of an unusual trip. I ordered my sebenza after handling one in a sort of local knife shop. They really are great knives, but I there a couple of things that have slowly bothered me more and more. First, and I know I'm in the super minority, but I do not really like the sebenza clip- since my sebenza fell out of my pocket I don't trust it like I should. Second, the sebenza despite being super smooth isn't all that fast sadly. I really miss having a flipper/speed assist option. My JYD was just too handy in that aspect. And finally, I still found myself shying away from harder use tasks. I know the sebenza can handle them but it does feel a bit too delicate in my hands at times.

I've looked at the 560 series and I like them. I handled both the 560 and 300 the same day I first handled a sebenza (the guys at house of blades were super helpful and accommodating). I don't have anything against it, but I have a preference for the 300. Weight is one of those things that doesn't even vaguely bother me and my folder only has to share a pocket with a few keys so it's no big deal. The recurve was a huge worry for awhile, but as I've gotten into freehanding (and I use small stones), I'm not all that worried!

For perspective, the JYD2 and the 30x are about the same handle/blade length...whereas the big difference in feel is the depth of blade and the handle. I didn't like the stock clip on JYD2 for how high it rides, 30x the clip needs worked/worn-in a bit because it is very tight to start with but rides at a good height.

30x is a tank. Recurve I get by, by having the partial serrated variant which is handy for rope/tie-line at work.

Someone above mentioned the distance of the pivot bolt from the frame lock as a concern (it is quite tight)...which given the popularity of the 30x, if it was ever an actual design problem/defect 1) people would be raising bloody murder over it online due to handles breaking on a $200-300USD knife 2) Kershaw would probably warranty no questions asked, as they're just cool cats like that.

 

[BobSig]

I don't want to feel like I have to drop what I'm doing the instant I use my knife to clean or touch it up.

The 0301 will suite you well. I have misused mine a lot and its going strong. Right now its sitting there, covered in dirt because I forgot to clean it after cutting out rope and black berries from my tiller tines yesterday. The 0301 will keep on going, its a beast of a knife. Recently I got the chance to use a Sebenza for a week and a few days, I carried it for 3 days then put one of my ZT's back in my pocket. While it was a very nice knife, smooth and sleek, but wasn't my style.

 

[NjHart]

My serious consideration of the 300 series again came the other day when I lost my sebenza out of my pocket. I don't have an extra $400 laying around and lefty sebenzas are in short supply at the moment anyway, and I had to reach for my backup- the basic JYD2. I was thrilled to find my sebenza but the day I carried my JYD I noticed that I felt more comfortable using it, I like the wider blade (not sure why, but its a feature I like), and I'd forgotten how wonderfully easy flippers make things. Even with the modified clip though, it still is rather ugly, and it is a little higher in the pocket than I'd prefer (though that's also probably just a combination of the clip and tip down shape).

I have my trade up in the trade section (obviously a trade would be ideal and benefit everyone) and hopefully I'll get my gold membership updated soon and can try to sell if none come up.