Received today: ZT 0566

I was waiting on a Zt0566 in BW but just saw the shotshow pics on the new ZT0562!:cool:
If the 0562 production model grind is the same as the pics then the 0562 will probably go to the top of my ZT want list!
 
Saw that. I'm still leaning strongly toward a second 0566. Or even a 0550. The 0562 is nice looking, but I fear it will be out of my price range.
 
Received my 0566 today in a trade with marino_lp.

I like the 0566. As others have mentioned, it's very ergonomic, built tough but in a smaller package than many ZTs are.

This is my first one, and as many have reported from Shot Show 2014 it sounds like ZT/KAI is getting on a roll. The Emerson collaboration is very nice, what, the 0652CF?

Now I gotta keep my mind/hands off a 0560 as well!
 
I'm guessing/hoping they will have slightly smaller models of all the new ZT/Emerson and ZTs next year. I jumped the gun buying the 560 when what i really wanted was the new smaller 566. This time i'll wait and see if they make smaller versions of all the new ones,lol. Finally found a place in Canada that has the 0566s in stock but at $40 more than it is at the out of stock stores. Can't decide if i should buy it now or wait in hopes of getting it cheaper elsewhere.
 
I've seen them available pretty much lately, but if you live in Canada by the time you pay for shipping from the States that $40 is not so far away. Not all of it, but from the States to Canada/vice versa it's at least $24.00 and the wait for customs seems like forever. It's about a week, seven days it seems is normal with customs and all.

Now if you live in the States, and are contemplating buying one in Canada and having it shipped to the States, hold off and find one here. By the time you pay the extra $40 AND the shipping, you're way overpaying.

You can find a better deal here, just hit all the major sites and you'll nab one somewhere.

Pretty popular knife, look how many pages this thread has! It's a tough little bugger. Nice ergonomics, too.
 
Thanks, i'm in Canada. There are 4 online places here in Canada that would normally have them, only the one place currently has them in stock. While flippers are totally legal in Canada overzealous Customs agents can occasionally be a problem so i try to buy all my flippers and AOs in country to avoid hassles. Up until the last 5 years pretty much all or most of my knives were purchased from U.S sellers. I think i bought my first SOG or Spyderco from Cutlery Shoppe out of Idaho back in 90 or 91. But nowadays thankfully we have a few good Canadian places with fairly competitive prices. Also even though there was no mention of a black wash version of the 0566 at shot show i'm kinda hoping they will put one out. So i may hold off buying one a little while longer, lol.
 
ZT customer service was true to its' word. Tuesday's trip to the Post Office found an envelope waiting for me...probably came in earlier but with MLK day,etc. it was the first chance I had to go there.
Envelope contained not only the two screws I requested but also a new clip as well...pretty cool considering what I've done to the original clip...the surface became scuffed and worn after only a couple of weeks of carry and I do like to tinker with pretty much everything I own so what the hey.
I've sanded and polished the clip using up to 2000 grit wet/dry then using my Dremel to buff it up with the buffing wheel and green strop compound hehehe.

After lots of use I found that the flipper was a bit to smooth for my taste. It required more pressure than I felt necessary and I felt it was due to the smoothness of the flipper surface so using a diamond engraving bit on my Dremel I cut two "jimps" into it. It's much better now and requires much less finger pressure to open it.
I'm thinking about engraving some Viking ruins on the SS side...it is a bit too smooth IMO...but not sure yet...still in the thinking phase also have to think about how hard the SS is and how difficult this will be...suspect I'll start on the inside as I also want to lighten it up a bit by some metal removal inside the frame lock and possibly G10 liners.

Here's a couple of pics:
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ZT05661_zpsce359156.jpg
 
Question for the experts here. I received my 0566 today. Thing screams quality. Gave it a few flips. Tight as hell. Hurt my finger! Proceeded to deassist. It's funny - had EXACTLY the same issue that Iceman had on camera - some crud in the screws. For one brief moment I thought I might have cross threaded one - but luckily I used a microfiber cloth on the threads. One tip - don't remove scales while blade is closed! Little torsion bar gave a little jump. No harm done. Here's the question. I forced some finishline flouro through the scale side hole which smoothed it out some - but I'm wondering what giving this the full clean out and reassemble would do. How does one do that? Remove the screws on the stainless side? In answer to someones question above: I spoke to Cuscadi about a carbon scale for this knife. 60 Euros in a nice brushed finish. 10 Days turn around. Second factiod - I made a little chart - the Ti versions of these type knives aren't heavier that this and the stainless feels nice - for anyone considering. Anyone have insight into the full deassemble?

 
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Mine too was stiff out of the box and also caused some discomfort when pushing the flipper.
As with all new purchases I took it completely apart and cleaned every part, including all screws, with food grade silicon spray then wiping dry with a clean cloth. I also polished the washers and areas on the liners and blade where the washers sit with 2000 grit wet/dry. I then applied a tiny bit of Benchmade Blue Lube to a finger tip and lightly coated the liners and blade where the washers sit. Reassemble. I used a bit of blue thread lock on the pivot screw to give me precise control on how tight/loose and adjusted the pivot screw until the blade was opening quick and easy.

Blade is centered and no play with a nice quick open...can't ask for more than that.

I've left the torsion bar in as I prefer AO knives in general.

PS: to add to my picture/post a couple up...I set aside the idea of engraving anything on the liner. I tried using a diamond tip engraving bit with my Dremel on the inside of the lock liner and it barely scratched the surface and what marks it made look very amateurish. I guess at this point I'd need access to machine shop tools...CAD machine would probably work perfectly but no access so this idea/plan is on hold. I did use my Dremel and several metal grinding bits to remove some of the SS on the inside of the lock liner. It worked well but was not easy and does not look particularly attractive. Again a machine shop tool would have done a much better job...ah well...if you don't try you don't learn.
 
I just picked one up. I had been on a waiting list and was notified they were in stock; I am super excited, I can't contain my joy. :p

It could be that I also found it for a low price and free shipping. :D
 
The 0566 is freakin awesome. Upgraded from a griptilian. You can never have too many pics right? ;) Enjoy!

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I sure have been oscillating between a 0550 Gen 2 and the 0566. I mean I HAVE to have at least one of them. It seems to me that I should have the 0550 for posterity. And I would also think about waiting for the 0562.
Oh man, too many knives...never enough money!
 
With all the hoopla on ZT's Hinderer offerings and how they are the bee's knees, I succumbed and ordered a ZT 0566 a few days ago. Knifecenter delivered it in 7 days internationally, including customs delay etc, so full marks to them and Fedex.

Now my opinion may be tinted by the fact that this is my first proper high end folding knife. And yes, I am well aware that my definition of "high end" is a fair bit lower than a lot of members here, but I have been holding back on investing in high end folders in favour of a few fixed blades.

This a great knife. Indeed, the hoopla is true enough, at least in terms of the build quality and design of the knife. Sharp enough OOTB and the grind seems to be very even. The blade is centered perfectly and opens fast. My leek is assisted too and opens at "lightspeed". This is a little slower but I think I can either adjust it or wait for it to "wear-in". I am unsure if the mass of the blade slows it down because the torsion bar is the same size as it would be on the Leek. At least in theory the interia of a higher mass should make it pop out faster. Would de-assisting speed it up or slow it down? The lock-up is solid with no play in any direction and the lockbar is at a little over 50% of the blade tang's width. Am I correct in assuming the lockbar is a heat-treated slab of steel and will wear slower than the titanium option? Only a guess, as I am yet to experience a Ti frame knife.

Pictures never do justice to the size/scale of a blade and I have to say this is NOT, by any standards, a small knife. Fits well in my hand (Medium size), but is bigger than my usual folder carry options (Leek, RAT2) and significantly heavier too. But just as using a Blackberry after a Samsung Galaxy Note 3 makes the BB feel tiny, I suppose, for those that have used the bigger sisters of the 0566, this knife will feel small.

All told, I am very kicked with my first ZT folder, though I doubt it will replace the Leek as my workday edc because the ZT would not lend itself to wearing with a suit. Might even end up a safe-queen, blasphemous though it may be, to a lot of ZT fans. Though, I doubt this will end up as one of those knives that appreciates in value as time goes by, I acquired it to basically have an example of Elmax in my collection. Will chuck the box after I see how it turns out :D
 
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Indian: Remove 4 screws (3 handle one pivot). Remove torsion bar and discard (kidding keep it in the box). Remove all sticky goo (factory grease?). Install Nano Oil. If you can, order the Teflon washers for an XM-18 from Monkey Edge. They are not a DIRECT replacement as the center hole is larger but that doesn't seem to matter. Reassemble knife. With the nano and the Teflon washers you SHOULD be able to adjust for zero blade play and lightning, no wrist flick deployment...... :-). Blazing fast.
 
mattpeyton said:
Indian: Remove 4 screws (3 handle one pivot). Remove torsion bar and discard (kidding keep it in the box). Remove all sticky goo (factory grease?). Install Nano Oil. If you can, order the Teflon washers for an XM-18 from Monkey Edge. They are not a DIRECT replacement as the center hole is larger but that doesn't seem to matter. Reassemble knife. With the nano and the Teflon washers you SHOULD be able to adjust for zero blade play and lightning, no wrist flick deployment...... :-). Blazing fast.
Click to expand...

Can't you get teflon washers from a hardware store for much cheaper?
 
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