New ZT's for 2017 what do you love?

I've been hoping for the 0460 for quite a while now. Although I'd prefer a full size version, it still looks nice. I'm already thinking ahead to all the potentially wicked sprint models they might come of with!!!
 
craytab said:
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So they aren't as bad as I originally thought. And who knows, maybe the things I don't like (funky looks) will lesson over time (I use to think Spydies looked weird) but I am not willing to through down that kind of coin right now to find out. To each their own. Just my opinion. I'm sure others will love this stuff and I am sure it will sell.

Now, back to the haters vs fanboy battle! Go!

:D
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What makes you think you can come in here and get all rational and reasonable about this? Sheesh. It's all hate or all love. I don't make the rules...
 
HappyDaddy said:
What makes you think you can come in here and get all rational and reasonable about this? Sheesh. It's all hate or all love. I don't make the rules...
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I know right? How dare we have a discussion without hurt/hurting feelings!
 
Well, the video did make me warm to them a bit more, but my general feeling is still that if someone gifted me an 0055, 0850 or 0920 I would be delighted and carry it a lot. That said, none of them make me reach for my wallet.
 
Sometimes knives look rediculous and hideous to the point we go 'what were they thinking, is this a joke?' Then we get that blade in our hands and we are like 'where have you been all my life?'

Looks can be deceiving don't judge a book by its cover, or a knife by its looks I guess.
 
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The ZT0920 really stood out to me (amongst the new offerings) and I was considering a preorder until I saw the blade length. I wish it were in the 3.25 to 3.5 range. I am happy to see the ZT081 back, but am not excited about the price hike.

The ZT0850 is absolutely atrocious in my opinion. It's an example of ambition and expectation that doesn't translate in execution. I could also do without the silly Post Honeycomb accents.

All in all, I find the knives to be rather 'meh' and I think ZT went to the "Titanium Framelock, Bearing Flipper Well" far too many times.
 
I can't find love for this 2017 collection. Maybe some bargain basement pricing will change my feelings. I bought two from the 2016 line.
 
Last year was a tough act for them to follow.

More trailing points are always welcome, at any rate.
 
Gideons said:
I was replying to this comment:

He didn't ask about my thoughts on the 0300.
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Doesn't matter. When you say weight is an issue with the 0909 and one of the knives you think is superior to it weighs even more it kinda takes the steam out of your argument.
 
Mick_1KRR said:
Just because it sells, doesn't mean it's a good knife. All it means is that the market wants it, weather the market be real knife USERS or teenagers that love collecting and flipping toy art knives. ZT don't give a hoot about knife performance anymore, they are in the business of money, and it clearly shows from these star trek looking knives. My opinion of course.
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if the market wants it and they sell well then the majority of people who buy ZT disagree with you on what is and isn't a good knife. Just because you like your knives, doesn't mean they are good to me.

Mick_1KRR said:
How's that exactly? Do you need it explained better?

It happens in all markets, knives, video games, tools, household products, software.

People "wanting" something doesn't mean it's actually a good product, ZT make a lot of money being able to make knives with respectable build quality that mimic other high end custom maker designs that guys like Jim Skelton like to review - for a decent price. Does it mean they cut well? no. Does it mean the ergo's stand up to hard work? no. Does it mean they will last a lifetime like some of their old models if you use the crap out of them? - you see where i'm going with this?

It's easy to milk the market, smart companies know what they're doing.
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You don't see the irony of your posts? You being a person who dislikes these designs and thus probably has never held or used one claims that they are not suitable for any tasks. I usually have a pretty good idea via a picture if I will like something or not. But I have been surprised many times in the 25+ years I have been collecting. And I personally feel to judge a product without even handling it is pure ignorance no matter how experienced you are.

Mick_1KRR said:
I understand your point, i've also owned dozens of ZT's over the years and used them a lot. Still got 300's and 550's that have taken a beating. It's just a shame they're all such sci fi looking knives now, nothing but bearings and Ti framelocks with pink and purple anodizing as far as the eye can see. ZT are a smart company, they know what sells these days, doesn't always mean it's a good tool tho.
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Complains everything is nothing but ti framelocks. Then claims favorite ZT knives are the 0300 and 0550 which are both ti framelocks. Doesn't acknowledge that one of their releases has no flipper and is riding on washers. Then claims everything is pink and purple of which I have seen no ZT's in that color sans a couple limited editions. Colors doesn't make it a bad tool either. Especially if you have never held one.
 
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I'm glad they released a regular production version of the newer 801 design. Been waiting to see that since they released the bronze one a while back. The other new models look pretty interesting as well. Especially the 850. :)

Not to knock the 850 too much, but was the designer eating a bowl of honeycomb cereal while coming up with that design? :P
 
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PURPLEDC said:
if the market wants it and they sell well then the majority of people who buy ZT disagree with you on what is and isn't a good knife. Just because you like your knives, doesn't mean they are good to me.
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No. Something selling well does not mean it is good. It means it sells well. Bud K's sell well, they must be good? I can guaran-damn-ty you the honeycomb thumbstud and back spacer do nothing to make a good knife. ZT used to build tools. Now it seems they make what sells well (which are still tools, but a departure from what they set out to do, "serious missions, serious knives"). Can't blame them for that, they are a business after all.
 
I've had to stop reading.... it seems pretty apparent many new memebers are not even of legal age to buy a knife (yup under 18). I see members from when I used to be a regular make reasonable unbiased points or simply say i like this one but not this one... then I see extremely biased immature people attack anything they say or make broad generalized statements and present them as fact. Knives come in all shapes and sizes, everyone's tastes are different and that is fine. I can tell you I carry nothing but ZTs and have for the last 5 years working on a farm. My knives see harder use than the majority of owners will ever subject their knives to and I have never had a ZT fail to hold up to it. These forums have gone drastically down hill, even the for sale area is full of threads made by non paying memebers... where have all the mods gone?
 
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Wow, never thought I'd see a blade community dislike ZT's lineup so much. I clearly don't share the opinion of many of you on their new lineup, but I'm quite glad with the knowledge I can come here for opinions that'll give me a different perspective before I spend money on a knife.

It really feels like KAI is flexing their production abilities with this lineup and keeping costs down on materials that were commanding a premium price this past year. I doubt the 0055 will be a very good work knife, but it makes sense for ZT testing the waters with a variation on deployment and more of an art knife in general. Heck, nearly all their new knives are each an expression of a different segment of the market. I wouldn't be surprised if next year they refine each number class of models even more and keep similar themes within each run - even if the collab artist changes. They're definitely strengthening their position as a company that's bringing customs to the masses at excellent prices, while keeping quality of materials and F&F extremely high. Spydie has their collabs(what doesn't Spyderco have lol), but ZT's seem distinctly different.

I'll be picking up the new Sinkevich blades and that 0055, the rest don't really interest me.
 
I think it's fine to express disinterest or even dislike for designs, but I agree a few posts are over the top
 
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The backspacer, thumbstud and pivot of the ZT0850 reminds me of the lotus root.
 
While none of these are going to send me rushing out to buy one, I do find them intriguing, and I certainly don't see anything to hate about them. And pardon my ignorance, but I'm not entirely sure that I understand what people mean when they say that certain knives are not cutting tools but merely pocket jewelry. Wouldn't most high-end customs fall under the category of pocket jewelry by those standards? Besides, what's to hate about variety? I have some knives that are strictly hard-use tools, some that I like mostly for their aesthetics, and many that fall in between the two. Though individual tastes vary, we are all enthusiasts within the same hobby, and (justify it as we may) I'm sure we all have knives that we don't "need". It's odd to me that many seem to have such a visceral hatred for anything that is not boring. I appreciate ZT for the knives they put out, even the ones that are not my cup of tea. I buy the ones that I like, and give little thought to the ones that I don't like.
 
kniferbro said:
No. Something selling well does not mean it is good. It means it sells well. Bud K's sell well, they must be good? I can guaran-damn-ty you the honeycomb thumbstud and back spacer do nothing to make a good knife. ZT used to build tools. Now it seems they make what sells well (which are still tools, but a departure from what they set out to do, "serious missions, serious knives"). Can't blame them for that, they are a business after all.
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It doesn't automatically make it a bad knife either. And you cant judge it without using it, period. If you limited what you put on a knife to only needed utilitarian features you might as well buy an opinel because that covers all "needs" of a knife. And I'm sorry but I COMPLETELY disagree that ZT is doing anything significantly different than it has in the past. If anything I'm of the opinion that they do the same thing over and over and I for one am appreciative that they are doing some different things this year even if they aren't suited to my tastes. As for things selling well? I also disagree with you. Initial sales of a product means there is a certain amount of hype involved with a product and it sells well from the onset because of a certain amount of buzz attached to the product. But after that when an item or brand continues to be popular its usually because people like it and find it acceptable for their needs. Again you may disagree and think that every single knife Kai makes is a poor knife. Unfortunately that's not a fact. Its your opinion. And given the sales of kai products you are in the minority. And even in the scope of knives in general, this forum and its membership are the minority. You can get as anal with this as you want. You are not the standard in which all others should aspire to be. If you think a knife is bad, and I think its good who is right? Both of us? neither of us? Or just you because you want it to be that way and it supports what you believe? The answer is none of the above. Their is no way to quantify "better" when it comes to personal preference. Also, increasing your font size does nothing to further your argument.
 
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