Most exciting brand?

I don't think any company is more interesting or innovative than CRKT. New lock designs, unique mechanisms, collaborations, mutlitools and non-knife products...

Great Eastern Cutlery.
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A constant stream of new patterns and variations, and an always-expanding variety of handle materials... That's innovation. :thumbup:


Some of the other brands listed have had moments of true inspiration and innovation, but mostly their 'new' products are slight variations of their old products. Same locks, same handles, same mechanisms... [yawn]
 
calc said:
I mean, they provided pictures as proof. Not really sure what else they can do.

I'm not 100% up to speed on that but I don't really see any reason to not believe them. I personally like Spyderco a lot but I wouldn't immediately dismiss somebody having issues with them because of that, especially if they provided proof.

And before I get called on that, I'll point out that knife117:

- Didn't provide a picture showing the issue.
- Even so, an ever so slightly uneven grind is completely different than a cracked blade.
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Scurvy is talking about the cracked blade/receiving cracked blade replacements issue from ZT... but you may already know that and I may be confused. It happens frequently. I didn't read the cracked blade ZT thread so I know nothing about it.
 
Bob W said:
I don't think any company is more interesting or innovative than CRKT. New lock designs, unique mechanisms, collaborations, mutlitools and non-knife products...


A constant stream of new patterns and variations, and an always-expanding variety of handle materials... That's innovation. :thumbup:


Some of the other brands listed have had moments of true inspiration and innovation, but mostly their 'new' products are slight variations of their old products. Same locks, same handles, same mechanisms... [yawn]
Click to expand...

I haven't bought a CRKT in a long time but given that I love the M21 (I know, it gets a bad rap, but it's a nice larger folder) and the Eraser, I need to revisit the brand. I do think it doesn't get as much attention as it should.

Are there any budget-priced folders you would recommend?
 
RedLynx said:
Scurvy is talking about the cracked blade/receiving cracked blade replacements issue from ZT... but you may already know that and I may be confused. It happens frequently. I didn't read the cracked blade ZT thread so I know nothing about it.
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Yeah, I didn't know what he was talking about until I saw that thread. So I of course can be missing context.
 
RedLynx said:
I haven't bought a CRKT in a long time but given that I love the M21 (I know, it gets a bad rap, but it's a nice larger folder) and the Eraser, I need to revisit the brand. I do think it doesn't get as much attention as it should.

Are there any budget-priced folders you would recommend?
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The Carson folders get a lot of positive feedback, but I don't own one and so can't personally vouch for them.

I do own a few CRKT products, but I bought purely for the innovation aspect. I wouldn't recommend most of them for heavy use EDC. But if you want a good conversation piece for your pocket, check out the Van Hoy Snap Lock.

What would be nice, if some brand could combine the quality of Benchmade with the innovation and risk-taking of CRKT...
Kershaw did it. Once (at least). With their production version of the E.T.
 
Bob W said:
The Carson folders get a lot of positive feedback, but I don't own one and so can't personally vouch for them.

I do own a few CRKT products, but I bought purely for the innovation aspect. I wouldn't recommend most of them for heavy use EDC. But if you want a good conversation piece for your pocket, check out the Van Hoy Snap Lock.

What would be nice, if some brand could combine the quality of Benchmade with the innovation and risk-taking of CRKT...
Kershaw did it. Once (at least). With their production version of the E.T.
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I E.T. was cool. I actually bought one, sold it, bought another years later, and sold it recently.
 
Kizer is one the more exciting new brands in my opinion. Their quality is consistently top notch, and if they start doing more collabs like the one they did with Matt Cucchiara, then they're really going to get people's attention:

nzBuk6L.jpg
 
Therom said:
At the moment I will add +1 for ZT
I won't place the discussion on the QC point.
Spyderco, BM, ZT all offer premium , or at least completely acceptable, quality standards for production knives

but I see more innovation in ZT at the moment.
I feel (only a personal feeling here) that spyderco and bench made stay more in there existing product lines than ZT that seems to try new approaches
Maybe a strength a ZT is to be part if KAI, therefor it's strategy is to be considered with kershaw also....
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What do you mean? Speaking strictly in terms of folders, Spyderco seems to make far more varied, or innovative, knives than ZT. This years ZT offerings did add some slight variety -- among them, their first folder below 3 inches in length, and, I believe, their first production folder above 4 inches. If you take a look at their Knife page, it does seem like most of the knives are a bit similar, and only this years additions really stand out.

And, again, until this years additions, their catalogue essentially consisted of variations on a few designs:

Design 1 -- 550, 560, 561, 562, 566.

Design 2 -- 200, 300, 301, 350.

Design 3 -- 770, 801.

Design 4 -- 620.

200, 300 and 350 are the only ones with serrations. 801 was the only (Standard production.) folder with full titanium. They have 1 tanto design and 1 wharncliffe design -- the rest of their offerings are, essentially, slight variations on drop point/standard

This isn't a dig at ZT -- I like their knives; they are very high quality, good looking knives, with good materials, but, until recently, they didn't really have a lot of variety in their lineup -- probably intentionally, as this allowed them to focus on the production process of fewer designs.

Spyderco, however, has a lot more variety in their lineup, in terms of design "categories", steels, serrations, etc.
 
Here's something new from Taylor Brands' low-budget Old Timer series, on the Copperhead knife. A swinging guard that supposedly, "creates a gut-hook blade."

2145OT_1024x1024.jpg


2145OT_GUTHOOK_1024x1024.jpg


I don't know how useful it is, but I can't say it's not innovative.
 
jac_solar said:
What do you mean?
(...)
Spyderco, however, has a lot more variety in their lineup, in terms of design "categories", steels, serrations, etc.
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I am agree with you on this.
I think it is a fact that spyderco has a larger and more versatile portfolio as most other quality brands.

I had a quick check on the USPTO and I found 68 patents for Spyderco, 5 for benchmade, 60 for Kai USA out of which 18 are for ZT.
Unless obvious mistake sin y query I think it makes pretty clear that Spyderco is a clear leader in pure technical innovation.

However, if the point of the thread is not innovation or "technical power" but "excitement" then it is more about personal feelings.... How we use our knives, how we feel with the developments of the products, the marketing of the brand. Etc....

My personal feelings is that I don't see a clear strategy in the recent products of Spyderco. To be honest the last shot show has been a disappointment for me.
I have a PM2 and I can't decide for another Spyderco... For me they all are quite similar (again I only speak on my own feelings here) or not better than knives from other brands, even if on the price/quality ratio they achieve great successes!
The key USP seems to be the sprint runs.
Maybe a salt can be my next one for diving....

On the other hand the strategy of ZT seems clearer for me. It is about overbuilt knives and they "compensate" pure innovation power with interesting designer collaboration.

I like benchmade but it is all about the axis lock, etc....

So all brands are good and have a market position.
But at the moment I am interested in the partnership development at ZT
For this reason I feel more excitement with ZT than the other brands I like.

Again, no brand bashing in my writings, it is just my personal and humble opinion.
As my favorite brands are ZT, Spyderco and Benchmade I feel comfortable to share my feelings about those brands.
I will buy more of their products anyway ;)
 
Axis Lock, SpyderHole, laser cutouts, ball bearing pivots, bushings, flippers...

All of these are amazing and exciting innovations...


... from the 1990s.

"What have you done for me lately?"
 
Bob W said:
Axis Lock, SpyderHole, laser cutouts, ball bearing pivots, bushings, flippers...

All of these are amazing and exciting innovations...


... from the 1990s.

"What have you done for me lately?"
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The new steels being used are quite exciting IMO.
 
jac_solar said:
And, again, until this years additions, their catalogue essentially consisted of variations on a few designs:

Design 1 -- 550, 560, 561, 562, 566.

Design 2 -- 200, 300, 301, 350.

Design 3 -- 770, 801.

Design 4 -- 620.
Click to expand...

Keep in mind the ZT as a brand also hasn't been around especially long (~10 years?), and they've had a number of other models that have gone through their lifecycles and have been retired (see this list). Another thing to keep in mind is that all ZT's are made in the USA, so factory production capacity is going to be a factor as well. If you include Kershaw and Shun, the KAI product lineup is pretty diverse... and that's just their knives...

To me, Kershaw/ZT has been the most exciting brand in recent years (at least since I started branching out from SAKs into modern folders). They have a lot of designs (both in-house and collaborations) that appeal to me and are at a price point that I find to be a good value, and their 2015 lineup just further strengthens that position.
 
Bob W said:
Axis Lock, SpyderHole, laser cutouts, ball bearing pivots, bushings, flippers...

All of these are amazing and exciting innovations...


... from the 1990s.

"What have you done for me lately?"
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Troof. How about the 3d printed lionsteel? Sure it's 1600+ but that's definitely some serious innovation.
 
Any given year, there will be at least a few Kershaw and Zero Tolerance models that I consider exciting. In 2014, the Kershaw Camber in particular was a "must have" knife for me, and the ZT 0801 (along the Minuteman blackwash version) before that.

However, brands like CRKT and Boker (Plus) seem to have some neat ideas that, with better materials and more consistent QC, could really be something special. I have a couple of knives from each that I really, REALLY like and are flawless, but have had bad experiences with each that sort of tarnish my opinion of them overall.
 
Based on releases scheduled for this year alone, I would have to say; Cold Steel, Kershaw/ZT, and Benchmade. In that order.
 
flarp said:
Keep in mind the ZT as a brand also hasn't been around especially long (~10 years?), and they've had a number of other models that have gone through their lifecycles and have been retired (see this list). Another thing to keep in mind is that all ZT's are made in the USA, so factory production capacity is going to be a factor as well. If you include Kershaw and Shun, the KAI product lineup is pretty diverse... and that's just their knives...

To me, Kershaw/ZT has been the most exciting brand in recent years (at least since I started branching out from SAKs into modern folders). They have a lot of designs (both in-house and collaborations) that appeal to me and are at a price point that I find to be a good value, and their 2015 lineup just further strengthens that position.
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You don't have to defend ZT's decisions, or anything like that, as it wasn't a dig at ZT. I think the "lack of variety" was intentional, and was about establishing themselves, mastering the production process, and ensuring a high and consistent quality of their offerings, instead of offering variety just for the sake of variety. This years offerings does indicate that they are expanding their design parameters, though -- and it makes sense now that they have a lot of experience as a company and maker of tactical folders. It just doesn't seem like they are a company that would make something without knowing they can make it well.
 
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