What is the story behind the ZT0550 / 0551?

EZ Bake

EZ Bake

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Mar 5, 2009
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I've tried reading a couple of the threads, but some are just too long and some don't really explain the details I'm curious about.

These are both Zero Tolerance knives that happen to be collabs with Rick Hinderer correct? The 0551 was a limited run and the 0550 is going to be (or already is) the production version?

The 0551 is not going to be made by ZT again correct?

Was there some sort of issue with the 0551?

There is a new Hinderer ZT collab on the horizon from what I understand in the long thread - is it supposed to be related to this knife?

I have not historically cared too much for these knives, but recently been really digging the looks and what I've read online so now I'm curious.
 
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They're the same design, just with different blade steels and a different pattern of texturing on the G-10. Think of the 0550 and 0551 as being related in the same way as a regular production Spyderco and a sprint run variant of that same model (with a different steel and handle material/texture): the ZT 0550 is the base (regular production) model, and the 0551 is the sprint run with a different steel/handle texture. In this case, it just happens that the limited edition knife made it into production well before the regular production version.

There was an issue with unfinished (and thus rust-prone) liners on the first batch of ZT 0551s, but that's not why they won't be made again: it was always planned to be a limited edition of 1000 knives.

The new Hinderer/ZT flipper collaboration is related to the 0550/0551 insofar as it's the same designer and company involved, but other than that there isn't any special connection. The Hinderer/ZT flipper will be its own knife, not a variant of the 0550/0551. (Although of course there will be some similarity in style since both are Hinderer designs.)
 
Might I add, because of problems with procuring the steel ZT wanted to use for the 550 (it was from Uddeholm, I believe Vanax 35...), they decided instead to use CPM-S35VN.
 
cant really add to that except the 551 is elmax steel and the 550 is s35v. the 551/550 is designed off of rick's camp knife and the new flipper "i think" will be off the xm series.
 
Nice to see simple clarification. I thought the new flipper was the 550 to be. Thanks for clearing that up.
The "recall" on the 551 has always been a turn off to me. An XM is in my near future.

Edit: what's the new flipper steel going to be?
 
The flipper steel hasn't been announced yet. Maybe at Blade Show in June.
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R0CKETMAN said:
Nice to see simple clarification. I thought the new flipper was the 550 to be. Thanks for clearing that up.
The "recall" on the 551 has always been a turn off to me. An XM is in my near future.

Edit: what's the new flipper steel going to be?
Click to expand...
 
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