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just got a ZT0550 and I have a question

Joined
Jul 14, 2013
Messages
51
I'm new to frame locks. I purchased a ZT0550 a few days ago and love it. It has to be the smoothest opening knife I've ever used. Last night I was opening and closing it and figured out that it was possible to flick the blade open with my thumb and have the blade snap fully open. My question is does snapping the blade open like this damage the lock up? I don't want to develop a bad habit if it is going to cause accelerated wear of the knife.

Fred
 
Unless you're wrist flicking it, then no. If other knives are made with AO and flippers, than I don't think a manual one with thumb studs/blade stops will suffer from any excessive wear. I flick my 0551 open with my thumb when I go to use it and I haven't had any problems, and I don't think I ever will.
 
Shouldn't, The lock face is carbidized and the blade is hardened. Should wear the same as opening it slowly.
 
I've seen low quality knives shear the stop pin or break the pivot from flicking the knife open, however the ZT knives are not low quality knives, the pivot pin and stop pin/thumb stud were designed to take the stress of the blade opening with some authority. That said, the less stress you put on the knife the longer it will last, the question is if the stress you put on the knife shortens the life of the tool 10% or .01%, looking at the design of the 0550, the quality of the materials and workmanship, I'd expect that snapping the knife open on occasion wouldn't noticeably shorten the life of the knife.
 
Wrist flicking is generally a no no with any knife. Thumb flicking? Wear your thumb out...the 0550 is a tank and ZT backs their stuff. No worries.
 
Wrist flicking is generally a no no with any knife. Thumb flicking? Wear your thumb out...the 0550 is a tank and ZT backs their stuff. No worries.

Yeah, as long as you don't do nothing fancy like wrist flicking it really hard and going "Wha-pshhh" every time you open it you should be fine...
 
Thanks for the information guys.

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Yeah, as long as you don't do nothing fancy like wrist flicking it really hard and going "Wha-pshhh" every time you open it you should be fine...

I'm almost afraid to ask...

Fred
 
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