Most exciting brand?

Will Batayte said:
I'm not sure how that makes any sense. So ZT's are more visually appealing but don't work as well? And spydies are ugly but outperform the ZT's? I don't think this is the case at all. Both companies make great looking damn hard working knives. Overall I'd say spyderco has a few more ugly ducklings but they have some lookers too. Zt has some real beautiful knives that are tough as nails and cut with the best of em.
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I stand by my comment. While both make knives that cut the similarity stops there. Kershaw/ZT focuses on sexy recurves, ball bearings, assisted openers, flippers and dramatic eye appeal. Spyderco makes solid, "designed in the dark" knives that just work with great ergos, the hole, premium blade steel and maximum knife for the weight. I'm talking trends and history here. I see Spyderco occasionally stepping out of that zone and doing collaborations with bearings, flippers, recurves, flippers and such (beginning with that abomination called the Spyker) but relatively rarely. I'm not saying either is wrong, just that they are different.
 
Interesting. Last I checked, Spyderco was making the Domino, the Dice, the Southard and the Rubicon. 4 ball bearing flippers.


Zt currently has the 0801, 0560, 0562 being sold at the moment as their only ball bearing flippers.
 
Scurvy092 said:
Interesting. Last I checked, Spyderco was making the Domino, the Dice, the Southard and the Rubicon. 4 ball bearing flippers.


Zt currently has the 0801, 0560, 0562 being sold at the moment as their only ball bearing flippers.
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Yeah, they seem to be responding to the younger knife crowd who get off on shiny, fiddly things. They'll get over it and back to business with any luck at all. :)
 
I guess what's needed for Spyderco to branch off with a flashy new separate line. Just like Byrd is the affordable brand these new school folks need a new line filled with super sizzle and flash and a new name to get excited.

Not me. I get excited by the re-issues.
 
I like one or two of the upcoming ZT designs, but I have really loved what they have done overall the past few years, partly because of the different steel choices. I am somewhat letdown by the change to S35VN. While I like the steel, I also like choices. I would be thrilled to see ZT innovating some new locks, but seeing as their framelocks are in such high demand that seems unlikely. ZT would have the edge for me if we are talking about the past 2-3.

That being said, Cold Steel is that brand that has caught my eye most for 2015. I like CTS-XHP and love the Triad lock, and for the price they are a great deal.

No real complaints from me regarding the knife industry. I am not partial to any one knife company and have models I have loved and hated from all across the board. I have liquidated most of my customs and mid-techs because the high end productions are so exceptional nowadays. As long companies keep putting out cool new toys for me to buy, I am satisfied.
 
jstn said:
I like one or two of the upcoming ZT designs, but I have really loved what they have done overall the past few years, partly because of the different steel choices. I am somewhat letdown by the change to S35VN. While I like the steel, I also like choices.
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If changing to S35VN gives ZT the ability to bring enough knives to market to satisfy demand in a reasonable amount of time, I'm OK with it. Choices are fine, but not if they slow down production.
 
Will Batayte said:
I'm right there with you on boker. It's a shame. If they could just get their qc together they could really be someone in this industry
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I agree, given the 2015 catelog the Boker lineup seems very neat. I may give some of these a try in the near future.
 
ZT and Spyderco for sure. Benchmade seems to just produce products that are so similar to each other that they all just kinda don't excite.
 
mqqn said:
No worries -

Scurvy and I were having an inside joke about another thread. If you look, Fanglekai brought up the issue of the cracking in ZT0560s. He did not bring up the not uncommon quality issues with GEC, however. Neither pertain to this thread.

I guess it depends on whether you think the chicken came first, or the egg.

Frankly, many of the people that keep the anti-ZT vitriol in the air were not hatched when the old mafia was here, so they must have an agenda.

best

mqqn
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This thread is about exciting brands. I mentioned GEC because they are doing exciting things.
 
Of the big players the past 3-4 years it would be hard to make a case for anyone other than KAI/ZT. Not that spyderco/bm have not had some impressive offerings, but I think overall KAI/ZT is pushing the market more than anyone else. I do think cold steel took a great step in upping their blade steel which is what people have been asking them to do forever.

That said, in terms of smaller companies/makers it's also amazing how many good, low number, mid-techs (I hate that term) makers are bringing out in the $400-500 range to the masses where in the past many of those makers were only offering a few custom knives a year. It's debatable if they are better quality/value than higher end big company production knives, but it's certainly an exploding market.
 
knife117 said:
I'm just saying it would be nice to see Spyderco come out with a brand or line of knives that could compete with ZT in terms of quality.
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knife117 said:
I think Spyderco needs to up their QC game to compete with ZT in the high end production knife market.

My favorite is definitely ZT right now.
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mqqn said:
Uh huh.

best

mqqn
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Notice who started the bashing. Notice I responded with an example of a quality problem at ZT as a counterpoint. Everyone can see the KAI fanboys rush to protect their brand even going so far as to claim the guy who posted pictures of a cracked ZT blade was lying about everything. Notice the guy bashing Spyderco for an uneven grind never posted pictures so obviously it didn't happen right? That's Scurvy's line. But why aren't the KAI fans defending Spyderco with the same ” pics or it didnt happen” line? Instead we see them defending ZT and bashing Spyderco. So much for impartiality.

I made two on topic posts here before responding to you. Lets keep it on topic.

I didn't mention quality issues with GEC because the only issues I've had with their products are minor. Their products that I own have been excellent and useful tools made by a series of steps with a lot of things done by hand or on super old machines. I've made my opinion on sunken pins known in threads pertaining to that topic.

GEC is putting out a lot of great knives and they are in my opinion the most exciting knife company at the moment. They are producing heirloom quality knives with excellent natural materials at prices that are certainly reasonable compared to other types of high quality knives. They did the 2014 forum knife for under $75 thanks to John Lloyd donating stag for the project.

They come out with more patterns and handle variations than most other companies. That's exciting and I hope they continue to see success.
 
Your comment on the 3 cracked blades takes all credibility away from what you have to say. Just because you see something on the internet you might use a little common sense before you repeat it.
 
Fanglekai said:
This thread is about exciting brands. I mentioned GEC because they are doing exciting things.
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Fanglekai said:
Notice who started the bashing. Notice I responded with an example of a quality problem at ZT as a counterpoint. Everyone can see the KAI fanboys rush to protect their brand even going so far as to claim the guy who posted pictures of a cracked ZT blade was lying about everything. Notice the guy bashing Spyderco for an uneven grind never posted pictures so obviously it didn't happen right? That's Scurvy's line. But why aren't the KAI fans defending Spyderco with the same ” pics or it didnt happen” line? Instead we see them defending ZT and bashing Spyderco. So much for impartiality.

I made two on topic posts here before responding to you. Lets keep it on topic.

I didn't mention quality issues with GEC because the only issues I've had with their products are minor. Their products that I own have been excellent and useful tools made by a series of steps with a lot of things done by hand or on super old machines. I've made my opinion on sunken pins known in threads pertaining to that topic.

GEC is putting out a lot of great knives and they are in my opinion the most exciting knife company at the moment. They are producing heirloom quality knives with excellent natural materials at prices that are certainly reasonable compared to other types of high quality knives. They did the 2014 forum knife for under $75 thanks to John Lloyd donating stag for the project.

They come out with more patterns and handle variations than most other companies. That's exciting and I hope they continue to see success.
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You are way off base here. I don't have any clue who the person that was posting about bad grinds on spyderco knives is. He/she joined here recently and has 48 posts.

I also don't have a ton of experience with Spyderco knives, and I have REPEATEDLY stated all over this forum that they make a fine knife. You scurry off and find one post where I bash them or any other brand for that matter.

The difference between you and I is that if I don't have experience I won't jump into the fray. Do you have any experience with ZT Knives? Ever had one crack?

I think YOU are the one that is quick to rush in and bash, but of course since I have shown a love for ZT products that is just going to make me a ZT fanboy in your mind, pretty much the point of my joke with Scurvy.

If you look back without your blinder on, you'll also see that Scurvy said that Spyderco knives are nice, and noted several to make his point.

I apologize to Thomas Carey for going off topic in his thread; I did try to keep on topic because I AM excited at all the great stuff coming out of a lot of manufacturers.

I agree - I love all the new designs coming from GEC. I also like how Canal Street is coming out with more knives (just recently received my first Canal Street, and it is GORGEOUS.) That makes me excited.

I have seen a few knives from brands I have not heard of before in this thread, and that is exciting as well; the reason I frequent this board for the last almost 6 years.
 
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