New ZT offering : 0545

I'd like to know why they did that too, never seen that before. Well one thing about ZT is they'll make it right if you give them a chance, they're super friendly people. Maybe this one went out the door just a tad bit too early in order to meet holiday guidelines or some such thing. Something like when Benchmade released their first 3v Bailouts that were reportedly much lower HRC than normal, then realized their mistake and corrected. I really like ZT and Kershaw's US made knives, and always try to bring them up rather than put them down. You know how knife rumors go, if you're not careful people 5 years from now will be saying "I'd love to get a ZT 545, but I heard that the milling on their pocket clip isn't deep enough." Even though they (hopefully) realized their mistake and fixed it 4.9 years ago. Sending a knife back is a pain in the butt, however it'd be best really if you sent it back to ZT with a note so they can realize what they did.
 
Such an overpriced meh knife and we spend four pages discussing it. If it does not have a ZT tag on it, it would be at most a $200 knife assuming the fit&finish is good. Given the issues reported by far in this thread, I would not even spend $150 on it.
 
sharp_edge said:
Such an overpriced meh knife and we spend four pages discussing it. If it does not have a ZT tag on it, it would be at most a $200 knife assuming the fit&finish is good. Given the issues reported by far in this thread, I would not even spend $150 on it.
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While it certainly deserves all the criticism, yes let’s definitely not devote any more time on the subject in General Knife Discussion. Nobody comes here looking to research and learn about new models whether stinkers or not.

Should we just create a thread that said this knife is overpriced and has QC issues, lock it and move on?
 
I have collected over the years I have been on this forum, a list by manufacturer, of posts started to describe issues with new knives.
There are many posts describing defects in each of the brands which can seemingly do no wrong according to fans of those brands.

I won't post the list here, but if someone really wants to review them let me know.

The big manufacturers all have a paid presence here, save for Kai.
The reasons really don't matter, but Kai does not participate and that does not have any impact on product quality.

Those of us who buy knives and collect knives and like to enjoy the sharing of pictures and discussions of knives aren't concerned with personal conflicts that people or companies have had in the distant past; it makes no difference to us.

However,, the difference is that derisive posts that drag on for pages are not regulated here for Kai as they are for the paid participating brands. It is a fact, and not "right or wrong" either way.

You can see it in any new product postings from Kai. The usual suspect "hard pass meh I wish ZT would cater to my needs ZT is going downhill I love China knives" people are quick to post.
Another indisputable fact.

Paid memberships can have moderators to watch over the flock, and Kai has chosen not to do this and thus is partially responsible for the drama llama haters proliferation. An easy target for posts.

What I also note is that the folks here who enjoy Kai products don't go into other brand knife threads to exhort how they don't like other brands offerings and tell all of the fans in those discussions that they're not buying this or that and pile on the negativity bandwagon.

There is just more respect shown.
My post count would be triple if I decided everyone need know what knives I think are overpriced, poorly made designs that I would never buy. What would be the point?

The 0545 is a very nice knife.
Anyone with even a passing thought about how something like the 0545 is manufactured would not be speculating that "batches" were produced with a pocket not machined deep enough.

One knife was pictured in this thread with terrible assembly pictured, an one cannot make any forensic determination otherwise.

The other negative views are either "too gritty, not smooth" or whatever bugaboo they observe, and some are sending the knife back.

I guess I am just lucky, having bought hundreds of Kai knives over the years with exactly two product issues, both minor and easily corrected.

ZT as well as the other brands don't go out of business nor cater to the people here.
Input is good, but to insist that "the company better do things like I want or go out of business" is pretty much self puffery.

Please take note of the serial numbers on the many ZT knives that are pictured in the forum, and if so many different designs are showi ng tens of thousand serials, sales must be reaching further than the perhaps 150 people here that buy them, let alone the few that consistently throw shade their way.

I sincerely believe Kai will make right any issues people in this thread have indicated with knives they actually own, and dealers are required some responsibility for reporting issues and taking care of their customers in kind.

So until the next ZT abomination is released, just go cut something already!!
 
mqqn said:
I have collected over the years I have been on this forum, a list by manufacturer, of posts started to describe issues with new knives.
There are many posts describing defects in each of the brands which can seemingly do no wrong according to fans of those brands.

I won't post the list here, but if someone really wants to review them let me know.

The big manufacturers all have a paid presence here, save for Kai.
The reasons really don't matter, but Kai does not participate and that does not have any impact on product quality.

Those of us who buy knives and collect knives and like to enjoy the sharing of pictures and discussions of knives aren't concerned with personal conflicts that people or companies have had in the distant past; it makes no difference to us.

However,, the difference is that derisive posts that drag on for pages are not regulated here for Kai as they are for the paid participating brands. It is a fact, and not "right or wrong" either way.

You can see it in any new product postings from Kai. The usual suspect "hard pass meh I wish ZT would cater to my needs ZT is going downhill I love China knives" people are quick to post.
Another indisputable fact.

Paid memberships can have moderators to watch over the flock, and Kai has chosen not to do this and thus is partially responsible for the drama llama haters proliferation. An easy target for posts.

What I also note is that the folks here who enjoy Kai products don't go into other brand knife threads to exhort how they don't like other brands offerings and tell all of the fans in those discussions that they're not buying this or that and pile on the negativity bandwagon.

There is just more respect shown.
My post count would be triple if I decided everyone need know what knives I think are overpriced, poorly made designs that I would never buy. What would be the point?

The 0545 is a very nice knife.
Anyone with even a passing thought about how something like the 0545 is manufactured would not be speculating that "batches" were produced with a pocket not machined deep enough.

One knife was pictured in this thread with terrible assembly pictured, an one cannot make any forensic determination otherwise.

The other negative views are either "too gritty, not smooth" or whatever bugaboo they observe, and some are sending the knife back.

I guess I am just lucky, having bought hundreds of Kai knives over the years with exactly two product issues, both minor and easily corrected.

ZT as well as the other brands don't go out of business nor cater to the people here.
Input is good, but to insist that "the company better do things like I want or go out of business" is pretty much self puffery.

Please take note of the serial numbers on the many ZT knives that are pictured in the forum, and if so many different designs are showi ng tens of thousand serials, sales must be reaching further than the perhaps 150 people here that buy them, let alone the few that consistently throw shade their way.

I sincerely believe Kai will make right any issues people in this thread have indicated with knives they actually own, and dealers are required some responsibility for reporting issues and taking care of their customers in kind.

So until the next ZT abomination is released, just go cut something already!!
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The other manufacturers with subs here pay for them?
 
craytab said:
The other manufacturers with subs here pay for them?
Click to expand...

I am not sure on paid I guess, a bad assumption on my part, but they do have moderators dedicated etc, like a paying entity might have.

The point is, there are official members defined as having moderation powers, that moderate.

Out in the wilds of gkd.....
 
mqqn said:
I am not sure on paid I guess, a bad assumption on my part, but they do have moderators dedicated etc, like a paying entity might have.

The point is, there are official members defined as having moderation powers, that moderate.

Out in the wilds of gkd.....
Click to expand...
Hmm.... You said it a lot and it was a point of emphasis in your argument. It had always been my understanding that manufacturer subs were given by request and the company would be required to moderated them. I was wondering if that had changed recently but I do not think it has. Manufacturers do not pay to be here and thus receive no favor for their pay to play.

Kershaw had a sub and it was a fiasco. I'm sure you remember. IMO it was not moderated well. The archives are all still there for people interested in reading up on what happened.

I don't really see people trashing ZT or this knife all that much in this thread so I'm not sure your wall of text here was really necessary. That said, everyone is just giving their opinion and you certainly gave yours!

A point of yours is worth emphasizing though. A few bad apples does not a bad knife make. Happens to every major manufacturer. People sometimes lose that perspective so it can be nice to gently remind them. I'd be pissed if I paid that price and got that knife though....
 
craytab said:
Hmm.... You said it a lot and it was a point of emphasis in your argument. It had always been my understanding that manufacturer subs were given by request and the company would be required to moderated them. I was wondering if that had changed recently but I do not think it has. Manufacturers do not pay to be here and thus receive no favor for their pay to play.

Kershaw had a sub and it was a fiasco. I'm sure you remember. IMO it was not moderated well. The archives are all still there for people interested in reading up on what happened.

I don't really see people trashing ZT or this knife all that much in this thread so I'm not sure your wall of text here was really necessary. That said, everyone is just giving their opinion and you certainly gave yours!

A point of yours is worth emphasizing though. A few bad apples does not a bad knife make. Happens to every major manufacturer. People sometimes lose that perspective so it can be nice to gently remind them. I'd be pissed if I paid that price and got that knife though....
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Honestly, this is the reason I tend to avoid jumping on production knives right away, sometimes companies haven't had time to iron out the kinks and the runs after the first often seem to have fixed the issues that some have in the initial release.
 
I am definitely going to pick up a user 0545 when I have a chance. It checks almost all of my boxes so I am sure it will be great.

It is my favorite length/general profile (basically like the Southard Mini Tolk). it has a thin profile (crucial for me), bearing action, thin blade stock, flat grind, deep carry pocket clip, can be deployed multiple ways, premium steel.

Although there is only a flipper tab, apparently this is really easy to reverse flick.

They did everything that made the Ferrum Forge Stinger the best edc “bang for your buck” IMO.
They took it a step further though with the Magnacut. That said, this thing would benefit greatly from coming in closer to $200 than $300. Which is why I will wait to pick up a user here at a price that makes it more compelling.

Can ZT please move away from the the CF/Ti scales and just do straight Ti? I know that is a personal preference, but that configuration hasn’t been popular in years.
 
Fair assessment craytab craytab

The point was not about paid manufacturer, but no manufacturer presence does allow the runaway threads.

Thanks for your feedback, I am out of my tree now after doing some very dusty mowing and firing up my smoker.

I do put some pride in a producing readable and reasonably well structured wall of text though. :)
 
mqqn said:
I guess I am just lucky, having bought hundreds of Kai knives over the years with exactly two product issues, both minor and easily corrected.

ZT as well as the other brands don't go out of business nor cater to the people here.
Input is good, but to insist that "the company better do things like I want or go out of business" is pretty much self puffery.
Click to expand...
I’ve bought about 50 ZTs new, maybe more. And I think I exchanged one back to the dealer because of a cosmetic flaw. No warranty issues at all with ZT.
For the most part it seems like the QC has gone up. At least on the other models. I have several of the (white box) ones made in the last couple years like the 0393, 0452, 0308. The grinds, lockup and everything seem more consistent than ever.
That said, I don’t think this knife is for me. I like what they did with the 0562 Magnacut/Micarta sprint.
When they do a 0452 or 0393 in Magnacut I hope I have some extra $$$ in the bank lol
 
Also for what it’s worth, on one of the 0545 reviews I watched (think it was neeves) he hinted that they have another New knife coming out soon. Supposedly a “tank” 🤔
 
mqqn said:
Fair assessment craytab craytab

The point was not about paid manufacturer, but no manufacturer presence does allow the runaway threads.

Thanks for your feedback, I am out of my tree now after doing some very dusty mowing and firing up my smoker.

I do put some pride in a producing readable and reasonably well structured wall of text though. :)
Click to expand...
That you do! Not a meltdown, just a worth mentioning wall of text! 😁

Over on the spyderco sub, Sal gives lots of leeway and responds to some silly nonsense in a politely measured fashion. He's one classy guy for sure.

One thing I've noticed about these ZT threads over the years is that if you respond to the haters, more of them will come out of the wood work!

Back on topic, like Insipid Moniker Insipid Moniker mentioned, I am far more interested in a few of the Launch knives Kershaw released with this ZT. Kershaw has been knocking it out of the park with their autos recently. Tanto Livewire and Launch 16 are on my short list.

Two recent wins from KAI:

JycnCPeh.jpg

kjBAA5Nh.jpg
 
craytab said:
That you do! Not a meltdown, just a worth mentioning wall of text! 😁

Over on the spyderco sub, Sal gives lots of leeway and responds to some silly nonsense in a politely measured fashion. He's one classy guy for sure.

One thing I've noticed about these ZT threads over the years is that if you respond to the haters, more of them will come out of the wood work!

Back on topic, like Insipid Moniker Insipid Moniker mentioned, I am far more interested in a few of the Launch knives Kershaw released with this ZT. Kershaw has been knocking it out of the park with their autos recently. Tanto Livewire and Launch 16 are on my short list.

Two recent wins from KAI:

JycnCPeh.jpg

kjBAA5Nh.jpg
Click to expand...
The plain edge 16, the 17 and the 18 all look very, very nice to me. I absolutely love my Launch 15.
 
So someone who thinks and says this is an overpriced knife especially when it has issues reported here is trashing ZT? Oh ok.

I am not as big a ZT collector as some of you guys here though I have tried about 30 ZTs and still keep some including five 0452's.

I say what I see and it's merely my personal opinion. Doesn't matter whether it's ZT, Spyderco, Benchmade, Cold Steel, CRK, or RHK (and I have knives of all of them). And it doesn't matter whether they have a presence here or not.

I'm old enough to not blindly fan any brand, knives or any other goods. How other people do is none of my business.

On a side note, the micarta 0562 is overpriced as well again IMO; actually most ZTs nowadays are overpriced. Adding about $100 I can get a true hinderer xm-18. There you go if anyone wants to criticize.
 
Nice pics craytab craytab ,

I have been using the 9000 for almost everything to see if an auto otf is a good edc, and so far yes!

Pictured with the 7150RAW I gave to my wife for her birthday. She has a thing for those since buying one from Mr. Diskin at Blade a while back.

20231104_124852.jpg
 
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