Overbuilt Folders

anthony cheeseboro

anthony cheeseboro

Joined
Aug 8, 1999
Messages
5,094
I am seriously considering a Zero Tolerance knife. The 0561, 0550, and 0200 all appeal to me, but they are pretty heavy. I understand the reasons behind super stout knives, but I have never had a problem with light knives light knives like Enduras or Militaries for the things I do. Who genuinely needs an overbuilt knife, and what do you do with it?
 
ZT knives are not designed for the happy-go-lucky office/gentleman demographic. The knives are designed for military and LEO demographic. However, KAI discovered the afis loved both the designs and the overall build quality they provided. I own 15 different ZT knives, and there is usually one in my pocket every day, I use it mostly at work (I don't work in an office or wear a suit).
 
anthony cheeseboro said:
I am seriously considering a Zero Tolerance knife. The 0561, 0550, and 0200 all appeal to me, but they are pretty heavy. I understand the reasons behind super stout knives, but I have never had a problem with light knives light knives like Enduras or Militaries for the things I do. Who genuinely needs an overbuilt knife, and what do you do with it?
Click to expand...

there's no such thing as an overbuilt knife :D I've got a ZT 0200 and i take it when i go out to the field for training, never know when something needs cut, and better safe than sorry
 
I really like how the 0561 and 0200 feel in the hand. The 0550 is nice too, but is closer to the sort of knives I usually carry.
I will get one some time this spring or summer.
 
anthony cheeseboro said:
I really like how the 0561 and 0200 feel in the hand. The 0550 is nice too, but is closer to the sort of knives I usually carry.
I will get one some time this spring or summer.
Click to expand...

ya i got the 0200 cuz i'm not a fan of framelocks, but Bladehq has extra scales for 0550's and 0561's
 
I use my knives at work and I prefer heavy duty type folders, sometimes even fixed blades. (I also don't work in an office)
 
When I carried overbuilt knives I used them for... well... everything.
Breaking down boxes? Done.
Helping a friend put stuff up in her room and such? Done.
Chopping some wood? Done.
Zip Ties? Done.

Anything really?? Done. Lol.

I just found that I don't really NEED overbuilt knives for everyday tasks. That my regular EDC knives handle it all fine.
 
Cutting drain hose.

3/4" vulcanized conveyor belting.

1/2" unvulcanized belt skirting.

As the thickness and density of the material increases, cutting it with a larger knife is easier. I also appreciate a thicker blade, because thicker blades tend to be more resistant to lateral stress. A larger handle makes it easier to apply leverage to a blade which has lost some of it's edge after cutting through grit-encrusted plastic, and scraping against metal. I don't always have the luxury of stopping to sharpen my knife.
 
BladeChick777 said:
When I carried overbuilt knives I used them for... well... everything.
Breaking down boxes? Done.
Helping a friend put stuff up in her room and such? Done.
Chopping some wood? Done.
Zip Ties? Done.

Anything really?? Done. Lol.

I just found that I don't really NEED overbuilt knives for everyday tasks. That my regular EDC knives handle it all fine.
Click to expand...

That sort of epitomizes its for me. For 98% of the stuff I do, a simple little knife would work just fine, but there are two major benefits (to me at least) in the larger more overbuild folders. The first, is just having that extra durability that makes me feel more confident in the task. I could cut feed sacks, hack down reeds for starting a fire (I'm a fan of impromptu bonfires), breakdown boxes, and even clean fish with the little moore maker slipjoint I occasionally carry in my front pocket, but I'd feel less confident about my cuts and worry more about my knife than the task at hand. The second is pretty simple- the bigger and more overbuilt typically the easier to open. Adding large hands to gloves makes some knives sort of a nightmare to use, and again I want my task at hand to be my focus more than the tool I'm using. Oh and I like the looks of overbuilt folders better ;)
 
I use mine to disassemble Dodge Furies.

Seriously, I get by most days with the knife below, but I like the confidence the ZT's inspire when I go on hikes or camping trips.

P1050532.jpg
 
Here are my "overbuilt" folders, all when they were nice and new.

P1050291.jpg


IMG_3229.jpg


P1020808.jpg
 
Strider- Huge pivot screw. Bolt together construction and a solid two piece handle.
 
If you want an overbuilt folder that's IMHO the epitome of "tacticool" take a look at the ZT200, it's not a very people friendly folder that's very cool to someone who really enjoys modern styling. While I can't say I care or don't care for recurves in a blade profile I can say it definitely adds to the knife a great deal as far as aesthetics go. The handle sports some very aggressive G-10 that's very hard on the pockets. I enjoy mine for what it is.

With all of that being said this is what I'm carrying today.
An Opinel 06
IMG_0166.jpg


First of all learn to use knives to the best of your ability, then go from there. They're all different and have a place as far as I'm concerned. I don't diss tactical or traditional and try to incorporate both into my EDC rotations. I'm a knife enthusiast and a bit of a collector so I like diversity.
 
I just picked up an SJ75. Striders low profile cutter. I have a lot of large overbuilt folders and can say with confidence that I love and use them all but could easily "get by" with my slippies. The difference is where it real application of the word tool is inserted. A large knife is a very versatile tool, a thin bladed knife is good for cutting things. The SJ75 is my go to for now but it sits with a microtech whaleshark, Lionspy, Hall Bounty Hunter, and Ouye flipper. The Ouye has the thinnest blade but the Hall is the best cutter (chisel hollow grind).
 
I own a MPR 755 Benchmade, and a ZT 550. While both are built like tanks, I always find myself going back to my mini griptilian or spyderco calypso jr. Most times the ZT is too much knife.
 
Right now my main EDC is a BM 300SN, which is sort of a mini overbuilt folder. After years of carrying thin and light knives I thought it would be too bulky but I forget it's in my pocket and I love it!
 
I love over-built folders, but most days a 3.5" slipjoint will handle most of my cutting chores. Growing up in North Carolina, I remember hearing the term "Hell-for Stout". Some of the older folks I knew said they heard their grandfather's saying it, and it meant over-engineered, over-built, and sometimes it wasn't said as a compliment.

All of my overbuilt folding knives have been lockbacks & linerlocks, but I do have two traditional non-locking knives that qualify as "over-built" as well. As far as their uses, most of the time I carried them when hiking or camping, and they served very well in camp duties; the previous owner of the SOG Tomcat was a serviceman, and as I understand it, he used it for years as his EDC for a lot of rough work. I chopped kindling with a Cold Steel Spartan a couple years ago at a Scout camp. The Tarani First Responder opened cans when we forgot our can opener.

SOG Tomcat, one of the first generation models; I think the blade is .200 thick, and the knife is all stainless except for the rubber scales:
SOGTomcat10sizecomparison001.jpg

SOGTomcat10sizecomparison020.jpg


Cold Steel Spartan; 4mm thick blade, Triad lock:
Largefolders11-8-2011001.jpg


Ontario XM1D. With gloves, it's a big, fat, tough handful. I had one, sold it, and just got another one.
SnowtripotherfromJan2013116_zps02e7a09b.jpg

SnowtripotherfromJan2013113_zps82e9d358.jpg


Tarani 5.11 First Responder; really thick S30V blade, thick liners, massive handle that allowed several grip positions: (Man I miss this one)
511FirstResponderJanuary112012001.jpg

511FirstResponderJanuary112012002.jpg


Here's an Ontario Hossom Retribution: .200 thick blade, thick Ti liners, fat G10 handle scales; it's to the left of the Spartan:
Modernknives029.jpg


~Chris
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top