scratches on new zt0400?

Artfully Martial

Artfully Martial

Joined
Jun 8, 2005
Messages
4,761
My Shoki 480-1 is totally botched so I'm going to have to send it back to the dealer. Since I'm sending it back I'm thinking about just throwing my 0400 in there (same dealer, same shipment).

It has many tiny little scratches in the all aluminum side. It's got like 4 very long, very faint scratches and then a mess of tiny 1cm scratches. They're not highly visible.

Do all ZT0400s come with these scratches? I like the knife otherwise. But since I'm sending one back already...
 
sorry, my phone camera isn't good enough to see them. it's too out of focus when you're close enough to get it on my screen. They're similar to the normal crappy scratches you get on pretty much all coated kershaw clips, but not as bad or as frequent.

Really all I need to know is if all the 0400s come with it. If the one I'm going to get to replace it has it (and the scratches I have now don't devalue it) I'll just deal with it.

I wish we'd all stop using coatings though.
 
Try to rub them off and see if they're not just superficial.

The "scratches" that are on the pocket clips are a result of the parkerizing process. IIRC, they aren't scratches, it's just a result of how it's treated.

Can you borrow a camera?
 
definitely not superficial...tried my "real" (cheap) camera and it couldn't get them either...they're pretty minor
 
All the parkerized clips look fairly mottled, the blur also has a parkerized clip along with the ZT line knives, take a look at some images via google. If your's is worse than most then give them a call, KAI has great service for all their brands.
 
well, I've long ago accepted that the clip would be terrible on any modern knife (if it's coated). But it's the actual scale that's scratched...not bad...but wondering if I should send it in anyway
 
Artfully Martial said:
well, I've long ago accepted that the clip would be terrible on any modern knife (if it's coated). But it's the actual scale that's scratched...not bad...but wondering if I should send it in anyway
Click to expand...

Then it's not DLC coating on the aluminum, it's the actual anodization which could be scuffed (and the aluminum needs to be anodized). The anodizing will get wear just from it being in your pocket (brass fitting at seam of pocket) and it banging on objects inside your pocket and on chairs, tables, and doors as you EDC it.

If everything else about the knife is perfect, I'd be okay with it, simply since I know that it'll get used and look worse eventually. Have you tried to rub it out with the squishy side of a sponge, soap, and water? (Or use a paper towel and soap and water)

How is the pocket clip terrible? Most people prefer coated clips so that they don't attract attention to the knife. At least it looks "worn" so you won't be afraid of scratching it. Use the sucker! :thumbup:

If it's really bugging you, get a standard beadblasted "Kershaw" pocket clip such as the skyline uses.
 
Oh, don't get me wrong, the clip doesn't bother me at all, but that's basically because I know that they're all messed up. If I knew that all ZT0400s came with a few scratches on their scales it wouldn't bother me at all.

I think I'm too demanding for my price range right now. But I can't help it...I think I should keep my near-perfect MUDD, sell everything and wait until I've got a 6 figure income and hopefully customs will be more consistent.
 
Artfully Martial said:
Oh, don't get me wrong, the clip doesn't bother me at all, but that's basically because I know that they're all messed up. If I knew that all ZT0400s came with a few scratches on their scales it wouldn't bother me at all.

I think I'm too demanding for my price range right now. But I can't help it...I think I should keep my near-perfect MUDD, sell everything and wait until I've got a 6 figure income and hopefully customs will be more consistent.
Click to expand...

Dude, it's scratches. Tiny ones. Ones that can't be seen even on a camera. Just use it and enjoy it and stop scrutinizing the darn thing! Go cut something with it! :)
 
I guess the important question is it a user for you or a collection knife? If its a collection knife send it back and get a different one, if its a user, then it will get dinged eventually anyways why cry over spilled milk that was going to spill eventually anyway :)

I wouldn't collect the ZT line, just because they all scream louder than most knives "USE ME". For me a scratch would be a relief, no one likes putting the first scratch on something expensive.
 
I know how inane I'm being, trust me. I drive MYSELF nuts with this stuff. I do use all of my knives, no matter how rare (not that the 0400 is especially rare or anything). I might baby some of them, don't get me wrong, but they all work.

For whatever reason, I have some sort of psychological defect that whenever a knife comes with a defect that I think I would have caught on the assembly line, I just can't stop staring at it. If it's really small or subtle and I say to myself "man, even I'd have missed that one" I get over it. I don't know what it is--I wasn't always like that.

But trust me, I'm not trying to be a jerk about these things--god I wish I didn't care about these tiny dings I get. But half my collection is for sell on eBay right now precisely because they got a little ding here or there over the years that I just couldn't get over.
 
Oh, and side note: the knife is great--I'm not ragging on ZT at all. From my like hour long experience with it, I'd totally recommend it. It's right up my alley.

Now Benchmade on the other hand...they and I are going to have to have a talk.
 
Hahaha, theres a reason the term is "knife nut" :D We've all been a bit nutty about something or other, personally I try to buy used to avoid exactly this.
 
man...talking to ZT/Kershaw today and just asked if I could buy a replacement scale. They said they can't help me even if I send it in.

It's such a small problem that I didn't expect warranty service or anything, but I thought they'd at least let me just pay money and replace the scale.

Pretty disappointing. I guess I'll just try to sell it for a small loss while I can still say it's brand new.

I think this is just how I'm going to have to do knives for now. Just have a big rotating group of knives coming in and since the fit and finish isn't really very good from any brand these days, just liquidate them for a small loss until I get lucky and get a keeper.
 
I need to make some corrections and clarify a few things:
First, the knife is great. I'll review it this weekend.
Second, like I've said earlier in this post (kind of hidden in the paragraphs), I don't blame Kershaw/ZT for this. These are SO small. I wouldn't have even thought of sending it in except that I had to send my truly messed up Benchmade back, so it was just a convenience thing.
Third, I rather expect that someone trying this knife out had it in their pocket and their keys touched the bottom of the scale, where there's a small mess of tiny scratches. The others look like when the clip was put on (or maybe someone later moved it?) because they trace the areas of contact to the clip. At any rate, I'm pretty confident it didn't even happen at Kershaw's factory.
Fourth, Thomas W sent me a message today offering me another scale. I'm insisting I pay for it because, like I've said earlier, this is just too small an issue to warrant a company spending their time and money even if it were their "fault." But, the important point is, Kershaw is working with me even over something this small.

So I just wanted to make sure everyone's clear that this isn't some big defect and that Kershaw is going above and beyond. Buy ZTs with confidence. And my other ZT is nearly flawless even in my ridiculously obsessive viewpoint (as flawless as a non-custom is going to get really). The third ZT I got used, so I'm not counting it.
 
oh man you sound like you are spending way more time worrying about your knives than you are enjoying them. scratches and marks will only give the knife character, its own personality. dont let it bother you so much, everything in life doesnt have to be perfect.

look forward to your review, i have a zt 400 also that i was able to get for a very good price, i love the knife. its a kershaw shallot on steroids.
 
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