So which 2017 ZTs have you bought?

Mrgauth said:
Man, I love the darker color of the scales of your 220. How did you get it that way? Like mine but it is kinda plain.
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Got mine at USAMadeBlade. They do custom annodization work at no charge on many knives they sell, especially ZTs.
 
halden.doerge said:
Got mine at USAMadeBlade. They do custom annodization work at no charge on many knives they sell, especially ZTs.
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Interesting. I have yet to buy from them. I'm planning a new ZT and Spyderco purchase very soon. Perhaps I'll give them a try. I've heard good things.

And the custom anodizing is a great perk.
 
Wolverine666 said:
Interesting. I have yet to buy from them. I'm planning a new ZT and Spyderco purchase very soon. Perhaps I'll give them a try. I've heard good things.

And the custom anodizing is a great perk.
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They are great to deal with. Highly recommended.
 
None of the new 2017 ZT production models yet: 0055, 0460, 0801TI, 0850, 0920.

However, thus far in 2017, I did get three limited editions / sprint runs: 0392BLK, 0392BOWIE, 0452G10.
 
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I couldn't be more happy with the 0460 & 0850! If those were someone's only two folders, he/she would have all bases nicely covered. (Why do I have a whole collection again? ;) )

Even though I'm pretty much spent-out for the year already, the 0055 still intrigues me. I'll have to get one in-hand before I decide.

The 0920 is an amazing knife, but probably not for me. If it were a bit smaller or recurve-free I might've been unable to resist. As for the 0801 Ti, it didn't loose quite enough weight for me to double down (I have a PJ already). I still dream of a helium infused 5.0 oz. 0801 someday. :rolleyes:
 
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This is a little shocking but I haven't bought a production ZT in 2016 and 2017! I guess the last production ZT I bought was the Russian version 0095. I did buy in on the 0606cf late last year, but that was an LE and that was such an awesome knife. I've planned all along to grab an 0460 but the lack of special pricing due to MAP enforcement leaves me in no hurry to part with my cash.

Maybe a lightly used 0460 on the secondary market...?
 
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Wife picked me up a 0460 for our anniversary. Really digging it, especially, after lubing the bearing
 
So far for this year I have picked up the following:
0095S90BLK
0452G10
0920
0801TI

JonesE
 
My only ZT purchase so far this year was the 0456BW. I seem to be in dire need of addiction-reinforcement therapy.
 
i changed my mind on buying 2017 ZT's for several reasons. i still love the ZT's i own for the most part tho.
 
PURPLEDC said:
Why did the 2017's not make the grade?
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https://zt.kaiusaltd.com/knives?newF=746

no stainless bearing races (unless its riding on cf or cf composite).

carbon composites thats not completely carbon fiber and poo brown is not cool to look at. had this been carbon copper or carbon brass, like some vendors offer then def. instead its carbon and micrata iirc.

0850 is just ugly with the back spacer and thumbstud.

0055 gimmick that is just too plain and to exotic for my taste... i like the reate k3 far better in every aspect (compound blade or not, but not that big on the blade shape anyways).

change from carbon fiber to G10 for some models does not appeal to me, tho the steel upgrade does appeal to me.

s35vn cut tests didnt go over well. not all s35vn models tested, but until they are, im avoiding s35vn from ZT.

not to impressed with the designs offered really. at least the initial honeymoon wore off.

still not using ceramic detents.

i bought a zt 0801brz and im very disappointed in it other than its looks. horible flipper/action, lockbar not easy to disengage, heavy, no bearing races.

i can only image the replies to my nitpicks. if you like em get em. ZT is still great, even tho i dont like this years lineup.
 
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Mo2 said:
https://zt.kaiusaltd.com/knives?newF=746

no stainless bearing races (unless its riding on cf or cf composite).

carbon composites thats not completely carbon fiber and poo brown is not cool to look at. had this been carbon copper or carbon brass, like some vendors offer then def. instead its carbon and micrata iirc.

0850 is just ugly with the back spacer and thumbstud.

0055 gimmick that is just too plain and to exotic for my taste... i like the reate k3 far better in every aspect (compound blade or not, but not that big on the blade shape anyways).

change from carbon fiber to G10 for some models does not appeal to me, tho the steel upgrade does appeal to me.

s35vn cut tests didnt go over well. not all s35vn models tested, but until they are, im avoiding s35vn from ZT.

not to impressed with the designs offered really. at least the initial honeymoon wore off.

still not using ceramic detents.

i bought a zt 0801brz and im very disappointed in it other than its looks. horible flipper/action, lockbar not easy to disengage, heavy, no bearing races.

i can only image the replies to my nitpicks. if you like em get em. ZT is still great, even tho i dont like this years lineup.
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I have zero criticisms of your analysis. In fact I agree on most of them. I really haven't been excited over the last few years of ZT products. Just wondering why others also weren't feeling them.
 
Mo2 said:
https://zt.kaiusaltd.com/knives?newF=746

no stainless bearing races (unless its riding on cf or cf composite).

carbon composites thats not completely carbon fiber and poo brown is not cool to look at. had this been carbon copper or carbon brass, like some vendors offer then def. instead its carbon and micrata iirc.
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Bearing races aren't necessary, titanium work hardens and once the initial track is worn in the wear becomes so slow that it'll pretty much never be an issue. Some custom makers will preform a track by cold rolling a track into the titanium. There are so many titanium ball bearing flippers out there that have been flipped thousands and thousands of times, if this was actually an issue we'd hear about it more (I personally haven't heard about this being an issue even once).

You're okay with copper wire being put into carbon fiber but not a little fiberglass to add color (assuming you're talking about lscf)? I don't understand this criticism.
 
4844889345853489-435 said:
Bearing races aren't necessary, titanium work hardens and once the initial track is worn in the wear becomes so slow that it'll pretty much never be an issue. Some custom makers will preform a track by cold rolling a track into the titanium. There are so many titanium ball bearing flippers out there that have been flipped thousands and thousands of times, if this was actually an issue we'd hear about it more (I personally haven't heard about this being an issue even once).

You're okay with copper wire being put into carbon fiber but not a little fiberglass to add color (assuming you're talking about lscf)? I don't understand this criticism.
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they are not necessary, i prefer them. its very much an issue to ME.

yes, i would rather have just carbon fiber. but if they were going to make it unique i would prefer carbon with material flecks in them like copper or whatever.
 
Mo2 said:
they are not necessary, i prefer them. its very much an issue to ME.

yes, i would rather have just carbon fiber. but if they were going to make it unique i would prefer carbon with material flecks in them like copper or whatever.
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Fair enough.
 
Keepers:
0850, 0460

Bought & sold:
0920, 0801 (gen2)

On the way:
0055

The 0850 is hands down my favorite knife of 2017 so far.....though the Hinderer Maximus is coming in a very close 2nd. The 920 was very nice...just wasn't getting any pocket time thanks to the 0850. the 460 is a good knife to take along when weight and size are issues...like basketball shorts or shorts with shallow pockets. I'm hoping the 0055 will be the runaway star though, that's the one that I'm most excited about. The SLT on a custom airborne is amazing, so I'm very interested to see how ZT put theirs together. again, I see this as being a very polarizing model, but I get the feeling its going to do well at the $220 price point. Personally, I like that they took a chance with the colored CF, not many companies are doing that outside custom/mid-tech offerings. The ZT aesthetics are very strong this year, so I get why many people would be turned off by them, but look at who the designers are. Sinkevich and Rexford in particular routinely push the limits of design, they wont be for everyone.....and Im glad to see them getting away from all the wavy, bumpy, organic lines of the onion models of years past. I'd like to see something other than s35vn on the regular production models. Just my thoughts...
 
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Said I was getting an 0850 and a 0055 and I have both and love both. They are seriously killer pieces. The 0850 is such spec monster, size weight, comfort, blade shape... all killer. The 0055 is such fun piece to play with with a very useful blade shape.
 
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