Knife Recommendation - Hinderer or ZT?

J

Jpchillin

Joined
Jun 15, 2015
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27
Hey BF, i'll begin my post with a rather sad story, a recently came into the possession of a BM 581 barrage and had planned to run it as my hard use edc for the foreseeable future but unfortunately, while loading a customers truck at my place of work the pocket clip bit into the bag as i lifted it and was carried into the truck without my knowledge :( , so now that's lost forever, (my faith in humanity isn't very strong so i don't suspect it'll be returned when discovered). So, now lacking a hard use edc i've decided to begin the search for another, may or may not be coming into some money soon (enough to look for a LNIB hinderer), my question is this: What are your opinions of the hinderer xm-18 3.5 and the often compared zt 0562cf? Is the zt just as good a knife or possibly even better given the cost difference? Just looking for opinions on the use of the two knives, any experiences with them, pro's and cons, etc... any info would be appreciated to help be make my decision! Thanks! :)
 
Accelerator said:
Do you want the real thing or do you want a copy?
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The real thing isn't all that great anymore. It was a long lasting fad when there weren't many people making quality knives that locked up well, had high quality steel, and had good fit and finish. Now that there are all kinds of companies doing it there's no reason to get a Hinderer proper unless you simply want one. Back a decade or 2 ago he was one of a very few doing it. They're not bad knives by any means but you can get something just as good or better for less any day of the week. That's not a slam on those knives, it's just a reality.
 
bodog said:
The real thing isn't all that great anymore. It was a long lasting fad when there weren't many people making quality knives that locked up well, had high quality steel, and had good fit and finish. Now that there are all kinds of companies doing it there's no reason to get a Hinderer proper unless you simply want one. Back a decade or 2 ago he was one of a very few doing it. They're not bad knives by any means but you can get something just as good or better for less any day of the week. That's not a slam on those knives, it's just a reality.
Click to expand...

That's your opinion and you are more than entitled to it, but you make it sound like fact, which it necessarily is not.....

There is a big difference in feel between an XM and a ZT 'Hinderer'
I am not going to sit here and debate which one is better, but they are very different knives....

At the end of the day, this is a personal decision based on more than just price or materials.

The 'intangibles' of knives are not talked about enough, even though they play a huge role of what a knife is.

A great example is CRK. $400 for two slabs of Ti and S35VN?
It's just not that simple, there is much more to it than that, much more than just being a fanboy as well.....

We always want to break it down to materials for some reason, but a knife is much more than just the sum of it's parts.
 
I'd suggest the 0562CF. The performance is so good that I struggle to justify the extra $$ for a Hinderer if you're considering one or the other. Both would be a good option IMO... but when choosing just one, I have to say the 0562CF is a great high-quality piece in every way, with a really nice grind on the blade as well. Plus, it leaves you with plenty of money to "pimp" it if you want to make it uniquely yours.
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This question can be answered by 10,000 knife knuts and you are going to get the same results from the last 7 posts. The truth is it is a matter of what you really want. I tell customers all the time, get what you really really want. If you don't you will end up questioning yourself and going back and getting it anyway. Both are fantastic knives. If you just love the design a ZT is perfect. If you love the Hinderer name and the extra special touches the Hinderer is worth every penny. Good luck in your decision!
 
In my opinion.....
I have owned many of both. I prefer Hinderer knives in most cases. It's not a "buy the original" type thing. It's just that the XM-18 is a perfect knife. It's not lacking in any way. ZTs are great but there's just something about the feel of the XM-18 in your hand. Most knife brands get me buying lots of knives looking for that perfect one. That includes ZT. If you feel the need to keep buying, you haven't found that "one" yet. My Spearpoint 3.5" is the perfect knife for me. ZT has much better customer service though.

Oh and since people are comparing prices, comparable ZTs are pretty close to Hinderer prices nowadays.
 
If there's a possibility of an unplanned truck ride for your next work knife I'd buy a kershaw Link. Great knife and you won't cry yourself to sleep next time your knife takes a road trip and doesn't invite you.

Mike
 
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