Spyderco Chubby vs Techno vs ZT 0900?

[wiredbeans]

What a perfect post. It has but one problem... It's going to cost me close to $600 dollars. I now need to have all three. Thanks.

My DPX HEAT just arrived.

I hate it.

It won't open fast or smoothly. (It takes a lot of effort to push past the detent then slows down very quickly before locking up)

The lock sticks. (It came with some sort of silver color painted around the lock face... Which makes me uneasy)

The lock face resembles the squiggle above the n on apple or tomorrow(if you don't get it I don't care/truly know what happened)

It takes two hands to close, I think i'd prefer the ZT.

Try give the detent ball a half drop of oil, did you adjust the pivot so it drops free when unlocked? The "silver paint" part is the carbide plating/coating to help prevent stickiness. If none of the above works then the lock bar pressure is too strong.
I'm not sure how you feel about removing the blade or taking your new knife apart to adjust the lock bar tension. I had a couple ZT the are exactly like what you described, adjusting the lock bar tension fixed them.
How early/late is your lock up? And where does the lock bar seats? 30% 40 or more than halfway?

 

[TheGearGuy]

....one problem... It's going to cost me close to $600 dollars. I now need to have all three. Thanks.

LOL...I personally find that 6 $100 bills are way more fun to play with after they're converted into awesome knives.! :thumbup:

 

[Sonnydaze]

The ZT 0900 is much larger than the Techno or Chubby. The 0900 has a blade that is 2.75". The other knives have blade much closer to2".

Spyderco says the blade-length of the Techno is 2.55". I've had several and it's a great folder. I have no experience with the other two.

...and Senseless!
If you don't like the Dpx Heat, then send it back for a refund. Do NOT take it apart...you might void the warranty, particularly if you try to "adjust" anything. There are many other fish in the sea.

 

[NeilB]

I don't mean to make things worse...oh, wait! Yes, I do!

Take a look at the Boker Pipsqueak. I have one and it's a hefty piece of steel with a lot of cutting edge!

 

[WK ONE]

Take a look at the Boker Pipsqueak. I have one and it's a hefty piece of steel with a lot of cutting edge!

Seconded, I love my Pipsqueak. Best little fat knife out there, lots of personality!

 

[RamZar]

My DPX HEAT just arrived.

I hate it.

It won't open fast or smoothly. (It takes a lot of effort to push past the detent then slows down very quickly before locking up)

The lock sticks. (It came with some sort of silver color painted around the lock face... Which makes me uneasy)

The lock face resembles the squiggle above the n on apple or tomorrow(if you don't get it I don't care/truly know what happened)

It takes two hands to close, I think i'd prefer the ZT.

I have three of the DPx HEAT/F folders. Only the full titanium one was smooth from the beginning but the other two including the Shred CF are smooth now as well.

Loosen the pivot (need Hex 7/64 bit) until it open easily even if the blade is not centered. One drop of nano oil on both washers and the detent. Open and close several times until smoother. Tighten up pivot until blade is centered and no more. Keep opening and closing until it gets smooth.

Make sure there's no oil on the lock interface.

 

[senseless]

Try give the detent ball a half drop of oil, did you adjust the pivot so it drops free when unlocked? The "silver paint" part is the carbide plating/coating to help prevent stickiness. If none of the above works then the lock bar pressure is too strong.
I'm not sure how you feel about removing the blade or taking your new knife apart to adjust the lock bar tension. I had a couple ZT the are exactly like what you described, adjusting the lock bar tension fixed them.
How early/late is your lock up? And where does the lock bar seats? 30% 40 or more than halfway?

I added a bit of lube to the detent ball which did help with the opening problem. I adjusted the pivot a little and the blade fell out of alignment... I moved it back. It locks up at around 50% maybe a hair more. I'm not going to "adjust" the lock bar and I'm not going to return it. It's my first titanium framelock and I'm sure I'll get used to it a bit more.

 

[Oilers Fan]

I currently own a ZT0900 and have owned a Spydie Techno. I carried the Techno twice before I decided it wasn't for me. The 900 on the other hand is quite possibly my favorite knife. I have not owned a Spyderco Chubby, and I doubt I will. That's unfortunate about the DPx Heat. I was really interested in picking one up at some point, but this gives me pause.

 

[senseless]

I've come to love my DPx HEAT

I still experience a bit of lock stick, but in general I appreciate the pure quality of it. It's an amazing knife.

My apologies for the misinformation.

 

[dc50]

I've come to love my DPx HEAT

I still experience a bit of lock stick, but in general I appreciate the pure quality of it. It's an amazing knife.

My apologies for the misinformation.

That's great! I was feeling guilty for suggesting the HEAT. My titanium HEAT sticks once in blue moon, the g10 model doesn't stick at all.
To tell you the truth, I'd rather have a sticky lock than one that slips.

 

[Monofletch]

The Techno is a great knife, but is on the small side. It was catch and release for me because of this. If it were a tad longer in the handle it would be much better.

 

[YmatisU]

+1 for a great post. + 2 for great accompanying photos, -4 for the new uncontrollable desire to acquire more than 1 stout, beefy shorty

I have all three because I like "little big knives".

They may be roughly the same length (short) and roughly the same blade thickness (thick) but they're all fairly different from one another when you use them.

The Chubby is the fanciest looking IMO with it's carbon fiber in-laid Ti handle, and designer inspired pocket clip. It has a hollow ground blade that is all belly, giving it more cutting edge than you might expect for it's length. It makes a good utility knife. It can make very clean shallow cuts (it can have a very fine edge) but cannot slice thick items cleanly due to the thick hollow ground blade geometry. The construction is fantastic (like all Taichung folders) and the action is smooth and solid without ball bearings.


The ZT 0900 is a tough little tank of a flipper. It has a good looking bowie blade and a nice stonewashed finish. It too does well with utility work. The blade has a nice flat area as well as a good belly. The grind combined with the blade thickness makes for a bit of a "wedge-like" shape. It does well when you need a sharp edge for a short cut or a sharp point. It handles most EDC tasks with typical ZT toughness. It does not slice well, but that shouldn't be any surprise. It pivots very smoothly and easily on ball bearings. The flipper on this one has a little more "horsepower" than most, and some will like it while others may not.


I'll say right off, the Techno is my favorite of the group. I like the finish on the handle and the blade. The pivot is precise, smooth and solid. No ball bearings but it's just as smooth anyway. The overall construction is flawless. The blade is thick and short like the others but it also has a full flat grind that lets it slice a bit better than the other 2. It handles utility cutting and EDC tasks very well. The shape of the blade is about as non-threatening in public as a knife can be IMO. Since this one is my favorite little big knife, it goes with me every day in my left pocket as a money clip. Every other knife in my collection rotates through my right pocket, but the Techno is the only knife that is truly with me every day.