Should I Buy a Kizer Splinter?

VermontEdge

VermontEdge

Joined
Jun 10, 2015
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On kind of a tight budget but itching for a new knife! My local shop has great prices and I stopped by to pick up a ZT 0450 today (for a crazy good price) but it was gone!

Back to the drawing board...

I've been eyeing the Kizer Splinter for months now. Could anyone with experience with it throw down some thoughts?

Good flipping action?
Any blade play?
Blade centering?
Thoughts on blade shape?

Those are my biggest questions but really all thoughts are welcome and appreciated!

Thanks all!
 
All of those factors you mentioned are great! What's also great is that the good people at Kizer decided that the best way to provide you with an amazing value was to equip the Splinter with not one, not two, not a bunch more consecutive numbers, but NINE cutting edges! Here's the only problem with this strategy: just one of those is on the blade.

The handle is loaded with semi-sharp edges they should've chamfered, and it hurts the ergonomics, in my opinion. And I don't think my hands are like delicate lumps of marzipan, either. But hey, YMMV.
 
It's a great knife. Centering, flipping action, and lockup are perfect, at least the ones I've handled (three). No blade play. The cutout of the lock bar has some sharp edges; they're an imperfection but not a deal breaker, in my opinion. The blade shape is versatile.

I like the Splinter more than the 0450.

Go through this thread for more opinions: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1302526-Another-Kizer-Passaround!
 
Blade shape, centering and sharpness are great. Great flipper action although due to the low profile flipper tab a little jimping would've helped.

The frame and clip are the issue for me. Too many sharp points and the bottom of the handle tapers off to too narrow a width. Loses points on ergos.

ZT 0450 is much more comfortable to hold and that includes the jimping on the blade spine plus the flipper tab has some jimping. Different strokes for different folks.
 
I got one of the very first Splinters and I love the knife ... one gets far more cutting edge than one would initially think ... BUT ... as stated already there is a very nasty edge on the handle below the lock face. I'm now used to work around it so it doesn't bother me that much any more but it's a really STUPID mistake by Kizer. Anyone that handled the knife at the factory should have picked the problem up immediately. So easy to fix for them, and I hope they will do so.

This sums up Kizer for me. They get so darn close to perfection but then drops the ball just when they cross the scoreline. Simple things.

Okay, now that I think about it ... maybe the sharp edge is there to be true to its name: Splinter. The user gets reminded what its called all the time. :)
 
Hm....thanks dudes. You're definitely not making it any easier! Could anyone recommend an alternative at the same-ish price point?
 
VermontEdge said:
Hm....thanks dudes. You're definitely not making it any easier! Could anyone recommend an alternative at the same-ish price point?
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So are you just looking for a relatively compact (~3" blade) flipper like the 0450 or Splinter?
 
Thanks for the thoughts everyone. Just placed my order! Definitely plan on owning a ZT 0450 at some point, but I just really, really love the Splinter's aesthetics. Yahoo! I love having a knife in the mail!
 
I hope you end up liking your Splinter as much as I like mine. :thumbup: :D

I can sum up my issue with the ZT 0450 in just 8 characters . . . the ZT 0770CF. It's completely filled the bill for a ZT in my lightweight folder collection. I don't even care that it's AO I like it so much. Do yourself a favor and check one out before you get an 0450. You may be glad you did.
 
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ZT 0450 and Kizer Splinter are much narrower in width than ZT 0770CF.
 
Oh yeah! The 0770 CF is a hoss compared to the 0450 and the Splinter. And yet it only weighs 3 ounces. How did ZT do it? ;)
 
bld522 said:
Oh yeah! The 0770 CF is a hoss compared to the 0450 and the Splinter. And yet it only weighs 3 ounces. How did ZT do it? ;)
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Full CF, truncated liner lock on the lock side and the other side has the container for the SpeedSafe torsion bar. It was designed with light weight in mind.

I personally prefer narrow folders but you can't argue with the excellent ergos of the 0770CF. A solid and comfortable hold more so than either 0450 or Splinter.
 
Nellem said:
Just curious, did you read my first post in this thread?
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I missed it. I only asked because I was going to ask your impression of the knife, but I see you've already provided that. Sorry for the confusion.
 
brancron said:
I missed it. I only asked because I was going to ask your impression of the knife, but I see you've already provided that. Sorry for the confusion.
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Cool. The Splinter is a really nice design that is somewhat let down by Kizer's lack of attention to detail. I love the knife and I happily live with the splinters but it should have been finished better. One cannot help get the impression that maximum profit mattered most to Kizer.
 
Thanks for all the help again guys! Received it today but unfortunately it's going back due to some slight lock rock. Just wasn't quite for me.
 
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