Got one too. It would be cool if they had a smaller version, something to compete with their 0121.
yeah i know off topic, but damn that makora is HUGE. hahahaha that thing is insane.
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RJ Martin Zero Tolerance 0170
- Thread starter kneedeep
- Start date
yeah i know off topic, but damn that makora is HUGE. hahahaha that thing is insane.
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- Dec 9, 2003
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what are your thoughts on the knife for a basic multipurpose camp knife to include batonning through wood and such? I am looking at this as an alternative to an ESEE 6 or fallkniven S1/A1.
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How so? Is it the edge geometry?
That, and the handle design.
The ZT 0170 has some rather abrupt edges along the handle which could easily create hot spots. The Fallkniven uses nicely rounded Thermorun which is much better for “camp use”. The Esse’s handles are similarly rounded and made for such use.
The 0170’s handles are more “combat” specific and provide a very secure and controlled grip. They also promote a very good point reference due to their angle.
Also, the 0170 is not blade heavy, which is exactly how it was designed. You could chop with it, just like any knife, but the other two you mentioned are completely different in their weight distribution; they are blade heavy.
I’m not trying to talk you out of the 0170. You certainly could use it for camp use. It is a good knife at a good price. It certainly would be a better choice than one of the value priced sub-hilt fighters from the likes of Boker or Cold Steel. Those knives would not be good for outdoor use.
I already have, or have owned, a few camp knives, including ESSE’s, Falknivens, and Fehrmans. They all worked well for camp knives. I don’t need another camp knife. I simply bought the 0170 because I don’t currently have a large fixed blade combat/fighter design. In that role, the ZT really looks like it would shine.
The ZT 0170 has some rather abrupt edges along the handle which could easily create hot spots. The Fallkniven uses nicely rounded Thermorun which is much better for “camp use”. The Esse’s handles are similarly rounded and made for such use.
The 0170’s handles are more “combat” specific and provide a very secure and controlled grip. They also promote a very good point reference due to their angle.
Also, the 0170 is not blade heavy, which is exactly how it was designed. You could chop with it, just like any knife, but the other two you mentioned are completely different in their weight distribution; they are blade heavy.
I’m not trying to talk you out of the 0170. You certainly could use it for camp use. It is a good knife at a good price. It certainly would be a better choice than one of the value priced sub-hilt fighters from the likes of Boker or Cold Steel. Those knives would not be good for outdoor use.
I already have, or have owned, a few camp knives, including ESSE’s, Falknivens, and Fehrmans. They all worked well for camp knives. I don’t need another camp knife. I simply bought the 0170 because I don’t currently have a large fixed blade combat/fighter design. In that role, the ZT really looks like it would shine.
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- Dec 9, 2003
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I see what you mean about the handle. I was actually thinking that I could shape the handle a little bit to my liking.
I do have an Fallkniven F1 and love that knife though.
I do have an Fallkniven F1 and love that knife though.
I took the fine diamond file on my Leatherman to all the abrupt edges of the ZT 0170 handle. I went slow and just took a little off at a time.
It is much nicer now. The handle is now far more comfortable and feels great. (It helps having a fantastic R.J. Martin design to start with.) It looks perfect since the fine grit didn’t leave any marks at all on the G10.
It’s still a very tactical handle design though so I wouldn’t swap it for an ESSE/Fallkniven in the woods.
It is much nicer now. The handle is now far more comfortable and feels great. (It helps having a fantastic R.J. Martin design to start with.) It looks perfect since the fine grit didn’t leave any marks at all on the G10.
It’s still a very tactical handle design though so I wouldn’t swap it for an ESSE/Fallkniven in the woods.
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Actually at 12 oz it is the same weight as a fallkniven A1 and the ESEE6
The fallkniven A1 is .24 inches, S1 is .2 inches, ESEE6 is .188 inches, and the ZT is .121 inches thick.
So I can see it is definitely much thinner than the others I mentioned, though probably has a wider blade. I am not sure how that factors into the strength of the blade though.
The fallkniven A1 is .24 inches, S1 is .2 inches, ESEE6 is .188 inches, and the ZT is .121 inches thick.
So I can see it is definitely much thinner than the others I mentioned, though probably has a wider blade. I am not sure how that factors into the strength of the blade though.
Not able to leave well enough alone, I took the handles off and took some 600 grit wet/dry sandpaper to every exposed edge, inside and outside, on both handle slabs.
Let me emphasize that I did not take off a huge amount of material. I spent less than an hour, from disassembly to reassembly, using only my bare hands and the sandpaper. There was no belt sanding or anything drastic. The 0170’s handle is already very good. I just “melted” it a bit.
I hit the entire length of the inside edges, where the G10 meets the tang. This area almost never mates exactly anyway, even on very expensive knives. The unfinished side is always a bit sharp; you can feel it with your fingers. Rounding off the sharp edge made a big difference in the looks and feel. The transition from handle to tang to handle feels much smoother now. I also hit the outer side of the bolt holes with the sandpaper.
Even though I had lightly filed off the outer edges of the handle with a diamond file, I still felt the handle could be a bit more contoured. So, I sanded the entire outer handle edge, just enough to really smooth it out.
It’s hard to explain, and I don’t think I could capture it in pictures, but the scalloping on the G10’s edges, that you can see in Kneedeep’s pictures of the handle, is totally gone. The handle edges are completely melted.
My hand feels absolutely no anomalies or potential hot spots at all. The handle feels nothing short of fantastic now.
Let me emphasize that I did not take off a huge amount of material. I spent less than an hour, from disassembly to reassembly, using only my bare hands and the sandpaper. There was no belt sanding or anything drastic. The 0170’s handle is already very good. I just “melted” it a bit.
I hit the entire length of the inside edges, where the G10 meets the tang. This area almost never mates exactly anyway, even on very expensive knives. The unfinished side is always a bit sharp; you can feel it with your fingers. Rounding off the sharp edge made a big difference in the looks and feel. The transition from handle to tang to handle feels much smoother now. I also hit the outer side of the bolt holes with the sandpaper.
Even though I had lightly filed off the outer edges of the handle with a diamond file, I still felt the handle could be a bit more contoured. So, I sanded the entire outer handle edge, just enough to really smooth it out.
It’s hard to explain, and I don’t think I could capture it in pictures, but the scalloping on the G10’s edges, that you can see in Kneedeep’s pictures of the handle, is totally gone. The handle edges are completely melted.
My hand feels absolutely no anomalies or potential hot spots at all. The handle feels nothing short of fantastic now.
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- Feb 23, 2011
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- 834
Totally agree with you here. I'm sure the type of steel is adequate, and I'm also sure by its looks that the ergos are nice. However, I do question its thickness. Why so thin?
I want to get this knife real bad, but the 0.121 inch thickness really gets to me. Heck, 1/8 inch is 0.125. This is actually less than an 8th of an inch.
I've known ZT for their rugged hard-use designs. This is almost contradictory to that. Someone please tell me I'm being too harsh.
I want to get this knife real bad, but the 0.121 inch thickness really gets to me. Heck, 1/8 inch is 0.125. This is actually less than an 8th of an inch.
I've known ZT for their rugged hard-use designs. This is almost contradictory to that. Someone please tell me I'm being too harsh.
The 0170's design is more aimed at combat, not tactical redneck wood hacking.
The stock is plenty thick enough for what it is designed for.
In fact, I wouldn't want the blade to be any thicker. It would mean more weight and that would mean a slower blade.
The 0170 is not a wimpy knife by any means. it is rock solid.
However, if you want a sharpened prybar, look elswhere.
The stock is plenty thick enough for what it is designed for.
In fact, I wouldn't want the blade to be any thicker. It would mean more weight and that would mean a slower blade.
The 0170 is not a wimpy knife by any means. it is rock solid.
However, if you want a sharpened prybar, look elswhere.
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- Feb 23, 2011
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- 834
I understand it's designed for combat in mind. But I think it's still too thin. What a shame. It's a beautiful knife.
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