New ZT offering : 0545

I dig it, but I don't think I would carry it much over my TRM Neutron 2. I like the look and materials but, as others have said, I'd prefer matching scales, though I would go with double carbon fiber and a liner lock. Of course, that would make it even more like my Neutron.

All that said, I dig the new Launches that dropped with it a lot more!
 
I saw the model today, and I have a mixed feelings about it, there are elements I like and some other stuff I don't know what to think about...
I like it because it's a smaller and easier to carry knife compared to most ZT knives.
I'm not a fan of "small" knives and I love most of the classic ZT model, but releasing this model makes sense to me - I think it would be fairly popular model
for a specific target market, probably people sort of familiar with the brand but not so much into knives to pay attention to details knife nuts usually notice right away....
I don't care for CF, but IMO it's better than G10, I think is less brittle if you drop it. Not a huge fan of liner locks or metal handles,
Ti or something else, not really practical for what I'd be doing with such designs with "utility" in mind, I think, but its bearable. Looks like they did a decent job designing it.
The clip I find awkward being deep carry... as a form It's inconvenient to draw, but they thought about not placing it on/over the lock bar,
or the pressure point - not close to the cut-off of the lock bar, as most frame locks are. It's just a thought, I usually use fobs threated on the deep clip and it'll work for me.
US made seems to be plus, Magnacut is fine, hope they HT it right, but it's not a reason to price it this way... I don't like the price but everything is messed up this day so...
I would love to see if a user share opinion how it performs, quality of manufacturing, HT of the blade steel and such.
 
I still consider the ZT 0470 to be the best ZT - it feels great in the hand, looks great, and the action is wonderful.

The 0562Ti or CF is also great, with a snappier detent than any of my Hinderer XM-18 knives (I have one of each, and until today I had three ZT0470, now two after a partial trade for a Shirogorov). I don't like the actual CF weave they used, but my aftermarket contoured marbled carbon fiber scale is great looking and feeling. It doesn't feel as good in the hand as the 0470 or 0640.

My ZT Emerson 0640 is also a fantastic knife; and, as the CF is more of a chamfered inlay there are no sharp edges. So I don't see myself jumping on a ZT 0545 right away.
 
I dig it. It's not the usual ZT style, being .09" thick on the blade stock, however that'll be a cool change I suppose. Man.. I really hope that they give the Magnacut a good heat treat. Not a bad looking knife. I also really don't like deep carry clips, especially super thin ones like that. I may pick one up a year from now when I happen on a good used one for 100 bucks off.
 
One of my favorites is the Benchmade 940-1 so I figure this is the love child between that and a Leek.

Many notable cutlery manufacturers started out as one thing, tool and die makers, making scissors or shears, farm implements and then moved to making knives as they grew and didn’t look back. My guess is Zero Tolerance doesn’t want to be the heavy overbuilt, Lego G10, sharpened pry bar guys anymore. Thin is very much in these days.
 
I dig it. Reminds me of the Kershaw Federalist, which I really want to pick up, but I just can't get over the lack of a pocket clip.
 
First ZT. Have to say, this is not all that impressive a knife. Action not great - feels a bit grindy and it is possible to have it only open part way. Curious to the cause, I found two issues. First the face of the lock bar is carbidized, but it was not properly finished on the edge near the detent ball. There are grind marks like they passed it over a belt, but missed the actual edge. There was actually one burr high enough on that edge that it was hitting the blade and wearing a track in it parallel to the detent ball track. The caged bearings are steel and small (1/32") with super thin washers between the bearings and blade. The metal on these washers is so soft they have very rough tracks worn in already and those are not symmetrical. I think this is the cause of the roughness in the action. Fit on the bearings is also loose on the pivot (3/16") so there is some lateral movement. Edge is just okay and uneven 20/25 degrees. I think the jumping on the flipper tab should extend a bit farther, bit too easy to slip off.

On the good side, the knife is exceptionally light and the blade is nicely thin. That cutout on below the lock bar actually seems to keep your finger off of it when opening. Lockup is good and there is no stickyness. No blade play in any direction. Clip is reversible and if you use the cutouts correctly, you can swap it without removing the whole scale.

Since I disassembled am going to send it in to ZT to see if they might have some better washers they can swap in.
 
mrinella said:
First ZT. Have to say, this is not all that impressive a knife. Action not great - feels a bit grindy and it is possible to have it only open part way. Curious to the cause, I found two issues. First the face of the lock bar is carbidized, but it was not properly finished on the edge near the detent ball. There are grind marks like they passed it over a belt, but missed the actual edge. There was actually one burr high enough on that edge that it was hitting the blade and wearing a track in it parallel to the detent ball track. The caged bearings are steel and small (1/32") with super thin washers between the bearings and blade. The metal on these washers is so soft they have very rough tracks worn in already and those are not symmetrical. I think this is the cause of the roughness in the action. Fit on the bearings is also loose on the pivot (3/16") so there is some lateral movement. Edge is just okay and uneven 20/25 degrees. I think the jumping on the flipper tab should extend a bit farther, bit too easy to slip off.

On the good side, the knife is exceptionally light and the blade is nicely thin. That cutout on below the lock bar actually seems to keep your finger off of it when opening. Lockup is good and there is no stickyness. No blade play in any direction. Clip is reversible and if you use the cutouts correctly, you can swap it without removing the whole scale.

Since I disassembled am going to send it in to ZT to see if they might have some better washers they can swap in.
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I just got mine late tonight and haven’t played with it too much but the action on mine is smooth not gritty. It has a steel lockbar insert, don’t think they would carbidize a steel insert. I’ve give mine a better going over tomorrow in the daylight.
 
XtianAus said:
What's wrong with MagnaCut?
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In reality.. Internet hype.. the fact that so many mfg's are using it now because its the "new thing". I wasn't impressed when I had a knife in it and yes it did measure 63.4 HRC when I poked it, but edge retention was no where near as good as S45vn and S90V for me.

I think for a fixed blade where toughness is more the primary goal it would work well. But thats just my opinion.

If you like it, buy it.
 
A lot to like here with this one if you want as thin as possible. It’s real thin. Standard Bugout is .400 or so thick across the scales and this is .375

Not much substance though for $275 which I can see is off putting for some. I like the shape and thin blade stock for sure. The flipping action is nice.

I have discovered a design flaw for which I will be returning this one unfortunately. The relief they milled for the clip on the inside of the scale is not deep enough for the thickness of the clip to sit flush within the pocket inside of the lock side scale. The problem is the stand-off overlaps this area and as a result the stand-off does not sit flush and is indeed cockeyed. You can see the gap created and with the naked eye tell doesn’t sit square between the scales. I can fit paper between the stand-off and the scale.
View attachment 2384992
View attachment 2385002

I’m not the most critical person, small finishing issues I can often overlook but not being able to make things, true or flat and square is a deal breaker. Which is disappointing.
 
mrinella said:
First ZT. Have to say, this is not all that impressive a knife. Action not great - feels a bit grindy and it is possible to have it only open part way. Curious to the cause, I found two issues. First the face of the lock bar is carbidized, but it was not properly finished on the edge near the detent ball. There are grind marks like they passed it over a belt, but missed the actual edge. There was actually one burr high enough on that edge that it was hitting the blade and wearing a track in it parallel to the detent ball track. The caged bearings are steel and small (1/32") with super thin washers between the bearings and blade. The metal on these washers is so soft they have very rough tracks worn in already and those are not symmetrical. I think this is the cause of the roughness in the action. Fit on the bearings is also loose on the pivot (3/16") so there is some lateral movement. Edge is just okay and uneven 20/25 degrees. I think the jumping on the flipper tab should extend a bit farther, bit too easy to slip off.

On the good side, the knife is exceptionally light and the blade is nicely thin. That cutout on below the lock bar actually seems to keep your finger off of it when opening. Lockup is good and there is no stickyness. No blade play in any direction. Clip is reversible and if you use the cutouts correctly, you can swap it without removing the whole scale.

Since I disassembled am going to send it in to ZT to see if they might have some better washers they can swap in.
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Adding some images.

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