Question about the 0777

KLJTech · Jul 9, 2012

I can hardy wait to get my hands on the 0777, my last three knife purchases have all been ZT's (0551, 0300 and my favorite the 0560) all have exceeded my expectations. I'll want to EDC the 0777 yet I have zero experience with carbon fiber (I know its strength to weight ratio is great) and I'm curious if the knife were accidently dropped (between waist and shoulder height) on a hard surface would there be any issue with the carbon fiber frame?

I certainly won't be abusing this knife, just want to know that if an accident did occur (I don't make a habit of dropping my knives) that the frame wouldn't crack or chip. In other words is it any more likely to become damaged (if dropped) than any of my other frame locks?

Thanks in advance for any info you can provide!

TEFL0N_D0N_81 · Jul 9, 2012

Frame shouldn't crack or chip. Especially from that height. That should go for any knife, regardless of brand. And speaking of brand, ZT is tough as nails anyways.

peter r · Jul 9, 2012

on the contrary, every knife will dent or chip or scratch if you drop it from that height. it all depends on how it falls. ive handled the 777 several times. it is very light. i mean very light! in that respect the energy stored from a fall that high would be less and thus may create less dammage.

KLJTech · Jul 9, 2012

peter r said:
on the contrary, every knife will dent or chip or scratch if you drop it from that height. it all depends on how it falls. ive handled the 777 several times. it is very light. i mean very light! in that respect the energy stored from a fall that high would be less and thus may create less dammage.

I'm not surprised that the 0777 feels light light in the hand, does the knife still feel very solid? I was surprised that the 0560 feels as light as it does but in no time I was used to it and its now one of my favorites, if not my favorite knife.

Any knife that you drop from a few feet will show that it was dropped but it wouldn't crack/chip and that's my main concern (only because I have no experience with CF) with the 0777 BUT I certainly trust ZT.

I look forward to getting my own, I think its going to be something really special and one that I'll pass down to one of my boys.

KLJTech · Jul 11, 2012

Is there any reason why the 0777 as long as it wasn't abused, wouldn't hold up as well as any other knife as an EDC? The carbon fiber is my only concern and that's just due to never having owned a CF frame knife. I plan to buy one more nice folder this year (money is tight) and it's going to be either the Strider SMF or the ZT 0777 (two very different knives) but that 0777 looks like a work of art to me.

Thanks so much!

spiralarchitect · Jul 11, 2012

Carbon fiber is a tough material. I sincerely doubt that it would break.... it might chip near the edges (as G10 will) , but, the weave should ensure that full on catastrophic failure doesn't happen. Look at a Formula 1 driver's helmet.... it's CF and it is designed to sustain strikes from flying debris at about 200 MPH.... Don't worry so much

KLJTech · Jul 11, 2012

spiralarchitect said:
Carbon fiber is a tough material. I sincerely doubt that it would break.... it might chip near the edges (as G10 will) , but, the weave should ensure that full on catastrophic failure doesn't happen. Look at a Formula 1 driver's helmet.... it's CF and it is designed to sustain strikes from flying debris at about 200 MPH.... Don't worry so much

I wouldn't say that I'm worried (this is ZT we're talking about), I'd say that I have absolutely no experience with a CF frame knife and I'm just looking for some feedback/info to find out if it should hold up as well as any other well made knife used as an EDC. I use my folders A LOT, mainly on cardboard boxes, some with double wall thickness and any other use I can think of around the office. I don't plan on using the 0777 as my camp knife but my hope is that it'll hold up perfectly as an every day user for common daily tasks. It's a beautiful knife and I'm not sure if most plan on placing it on a shelf like a work of art rather than using it...if it's not meant to be used a lot then it may not be what I'm looking for even though it looks stunning. If I had more/any experience with carbon fiber and how well it holds up I wouldn't be asking because so far all three of my ZT's have blown me away with how well they're built.

buckmaster96 · Jul 11, 2012

its brittle but i think in a short drop it would be fine

viper89 · Jul 12, 2012

0777 should be able to take everyday use including accidents on the job such as dropping. CF should be strong enough to take it. Although I'd be interested to know if anyone has cracked CF before.

A.Dragg · Jul 12, 2012

CF is definitely tough. It IS brittle. It's very strong but it doesn't flex much and will break with enough force. There was a recent YT video that TuffThumbz did with two equally thick pieces of G10 and CF and they performed about the same to being stepped on, smashed with sledge hammers, etc. Although the CF broke a little sooner. You'd think it would be very flexible because of the weave, but it did unexpectedly snap with enough force. I guess it doesn't matter that the weave is flexible if the resin is brittle enough to snap before flexing. Anyway, I wouldn't worry about CF breaking or chipping anymore than G10 (aside from the fact that CF is more expensive and prettier and therefore you're more worried about keeping those things from happening to it in general). However, I would worry about EDC'ing my 0777. It's a limit production knife, right? Anyone know how many units will be made, or when they heck they will be coming out? I have a Kershaw Tilt, which is a very similar sort of knife (unique design, carbon fiber, Ti frame lock, very high end, limited production, Vanax composite blade, etc) and I just can't bring myself to use it for much.

dark impaler · Jul 12, 2012

I've cracked carbon fiber seats from mountain biking downhill because of the impact of my weight at the weakest point- between the two supports. And I'm only a buck '60, wet. However, the ends of my carbon fiber handlebars, didn't care much for bar ends, have seen their share of nicks, chips and scratches from being dropped on the trail, be it hardpack or rock. The bars themselves stayed intact. Granted there are fundamental differences between the structural geometry of these components.

That being said, the scales (frame) on the 0777, should be fine, don't foresee it cracking. Unless of course you forcefully slam it at a hard edge or something crazy like that. Would be more worried about dropping it on concrete or any surface with hard aggregates- it will make it's mark- be it a ding, dent, chip or what have you. It will not leave unscathed. But on a hard smooth floor, and with the scale's edge- at worst- a ding would probably mark it.

Perhaps if you want to minimize dropping it all together, attach it to a retractable cord or just put an adjustable lanyard on it with a toggle cordlock. If it still jumps out- just send it over to me and I'll give a good talk to- heck, I'll pay for shipping.