What's up with Zero Tolerance's New Knife?

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Zombie Zeke said:
Apec, can you do a little review on the knife when it comes in?

Instead of a tactical puuko, it kind of reminds me of a tactical steak knife, no offense intended to the awesome American Kami model of the same name.
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I got a slip in my mailbox today. I have to wait a bit until the desk is staffed so I can sign out for the package. But yes, I will deliver on that.

Also gotta find my camera.
 
Thomas W said:
Yes...
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Care to elaborate? Or is this where the Kershaw posse is going to ride in on the white horses :rolleyes:


I am trying to learn about the steel, the knife's design and everything else associated with it. In my opinion the knife's design is not up to par with other great ZT offerings. Maybe Apec's review, will show aspects of the design that bring it up a notch.
 
Zombie Zeke said:
Or is this where the Kershaw posse is going to ride in on the white horses :rolleyes:
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Don't much appreciate your attitude here, maybe slightly over reactive?. I've always found these type posts bring on hot responses, which of course is not desirable.

I am trying to learn about the steel, the knife's design and everything else associated with it.
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Sorry, didn't notice any learning type questions in your original post, perhaps I missed them? Saw negative comments on the design, inaccurate derogatory steel commentary, and an assumption that the piece didn't live up to ZT standards.

Maybe it's me Zombie Zeke? It usually is. Certainly I apologize if this is the case.

In my opinion the knife's design is not up to par with other great ZT offerings. .
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My opinion is their can't be an opinion on whether a design can be up to par within a particular brands line-up. Build quality, sure...Performance, no problem...To me, it makes little sense when it comes to design as it is just not quantifiable.

Personally, I'm not big on dogging a knife based on an image, but understand why it happens.

Hopefully there will be some reviews that come out that can assist potential buyers if the piece is right for them.
 
I think it's a good idea for ZT to have models that are accessible to anyone, if this were made of 3V, it'd be too expensive for some.. My thinking is, knowing how Kershaw and ZT work.. if the DESIGN is to their liking, I wouldn't be surprised if they did sprints in other steels... I'd love to see the RJ collab. in 3V or some other carbon steel (satin blade, orange g10) - cmon Thomas! haha.

As they are now, I'm sure they are capable lower priced stainless fixed blades that would be great to 99% of buyers. I have no doubt in ZT's ability to appeal to us... more demanding clients as well... and I'm sure they will either have runs for that or other models for that... Right now they are offering a wider variety of knives to appeal to more people, and I'm all for anything that gets ZT to collab with more makers.. especially the likes of RJ Martin and Rick Hinderer.

Another plug.. hey Thomas, how about a production version of the Hinderer FXM? :)
 
Thomas W said:
Don't much appreciate your attitude here, maybe slightly over reactive?. I've always found these type posts bring on hot responses, which of course is not desirable.

Sorry, didn't notice any learning type questions in your original post, perhaps I missed them? Saw negative comments on the design, inaccurate derogatory steel commentary, and an assumption that the piece didn't live up to ZT standards.

Maybe it's me Zombie Zeke? It usually is. Certainly I apologize if this is the case.

My opinion is their can't be an opinion on whether a design can be up to par within a particular brands line-up. Build quality, sure...Performance, no problem...To me, it makes little sense when it comes to design as it is just not quantifiable.

Personally, I'm not big on dogging a knife based on an image, but understand why it happens.

Hopefully there will be some reviews that come out that can assist potential buyers if the piece is right for them.
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I think I may have been a little bit hasty saying that it is ugly. Function over form is more important anyway! It actually looks like a very good usable knife, although the lines of the ZT0170 appeal to me more for around the same price. Is the ZT0160 a in house design? From my use 14C28N is a fantastic steel, it reminds me of S30V that sharpens easier and is up there with 154cm, S30V and D2, Microtech started using it in the LUDT series. :D
 
Thomas W said:
Don't much appreciate your attitude here, maybe slightly over reactive?. I've always found these type posts bring on hot responses, which of course is not desirable.

Sorry, didn't notice any learning type questions in your original post, perhaps I missed them? Saw negative comments on the design, inaccurate derogatory steel commentary, and an assumption that the piece didn't live up to ZT standards.

Maybe it's me Zombie Zeke? It usually is. Certainly I apologize if this is the case.

My opinion is their can't be an opinion on whether a design can be up to par within a particular brands line-up. Build quality, sure...Performance, no problem...To me, it makes little sense when it comes to design as it is just not quantifiable.

Personally, I'm not big on dogging a knife based on an image, but understand why it happens.

Hopefully there will be some reviews that come out that can assist potential buyers if the piece is right for them.
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Yeah, After re-reading some of my phrasing, I guess that could have been more positive, I really didn't mean any disrespect.

The condescending posts of the "Kershaw mafia" usually do a good job of making me walk away from the cpu, this case is no different.

If you look, I actually took the time to edit my original post in red to confirm that I was wrong on the steel, (which is a hell of alot more than most posters, lets keep it real here ) it takes time to learn that kind of stuff and unlike alot of other posters, I am not flawless and quick to admit when I am in the wrong.

I don't have any axe to grind with ZT on the whole, hell I ponied up for a 0301, 0200 and am actively looking for that little 3V fixed blade, just calling a spade a spade with this dog of a design. In the end, the consumers dictate the market and this knife doesn't have the eye appeal of the rest of the line.



I hope it turns out to be better in the hand than on the screen.
 
Zombie Zeke said:
Care to elaborate? Or is this where the Kershaw posse is going to ride in on the white horses :rolleyes:
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You can change your name and buy a Gold membership, but you'll always be "The Chef" to me.:rolleyes:

And personally I tried to look past the "trollish" nature of your original post and provide some useful info for you on Sandvik steel. Plus the first 2 links tied in with both your past and present user names.

I guess I need to heed my past advice and DNFTT.
 
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Zombie Zeke said:
I don't have any axe to grind with ZT on the whole, hell I ponied up for a 0301, 0200 and am actively looking for that little 3V fixed blade, just calling a spade a spade with this dog of a design. In the end, the consumers dictate the market and this knife doesn't have the eye appeal of the rest of the line.
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Dog of a design is a little pretentious don't you think. There's a strong vein of buyers that look for a simple straight forward design. It may be stale to you but to some it's seen as classic. And really a knife is a basic tool, you can only change the shape so much before it becomes flashy and unusable.
 
Flashpoint said:
Dog of a design is a little pretentious don't you think. There's a strong vein of buyers that look for a simple straight forward design. It may be stale to you but to some it's seen as classic. And really a knife is a basic tool, you can only change the shape so much before it becomes flashy and unusable.
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And that is the answer.

Personally, the design looks good to me, in the same way a Bud Nealy design does. Flat, spare, effective. I could carry that 160 inside the waistband and practically forget I was wearing it.
 
It looks like a stout, no-frills and low maintenance (stainless) utility/fighting knife, but with better material than Gerber LMF and cheaper than Benchmade Nimravus. It fits a niche.
 
My ZT 0170 is sitting in my lap right now. I've only handled it briefly, but here's a webcam shot until I find my Nikon. I think it's a great alternative to the ZT 0100. For one, it's non recurve and slightly over half the price at MAP. It's also stainless for those who would prefer that corrosion resistance to the performance of 3V, though I can't say much about that since I've yet to handle a 0100. Ergonomics are great so far, but I have yet to put it to hard use.

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I am quite fond of the Sandvik steels. They hold up and are easy to sharpen and take a very good edge. Helles, Moras, when "stainless" are Sandvik steels. Quality steel. Sandvik is not seen as very glamorous or metalurgically interesting like the super-steels but unless you're a real steel afficianado, I doubt you'd really notice a big difference.

I hate the term "steel snob". I think the super steels are fascinating stuff from about a hundred different standpoints...and I like it. I just don't hold out for it. If I can get a nice knife with a Sandvik or a VG-10 (semi-super) blade for significantly cheaper than s30v or ZDP189, I go that route. I do want something in s90v someday though. Back on topic: Stay away from 440A and a few others and you're good. Sandvik is not one to avoid.
 
Apec said:
My ZT 0170 is sitting in my lap right now. I've only handled it briefly, but here's a webcam shot until I find my Nikon. I think it's a great alternative to the ZT 0100. For one, it's non recurve and slightly over half the price at MAP. It's also stainless for those who would prefer that corrosion resistance to the performance of 3V, though I can't say much about that since I've yet to handle a 0100. Ergonomics are great so far, but I have yet to put it to hard use.

photoon20101015at1351.jpg
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Woh nelly, that ain't 0160...that's one of the good lookin ZT's.
 
Thomas W said:
My opinion is their can't be an opinion on whether a design can be up to par within a particular brands line-up. Build quality, sure...Performance, no problem...To me, it makes little sense when it comes to design as it is just not quantifiable.
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I'm not sure I understand. So you have never said something like "I don't know what company X was thinking when they designed that?"
 
Skates said:
So you have never said something like "I don't know what company X was thinking when they designed that?"
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I'm saying that manufacturers can get wide with their line-up. There can be variety. To say a pattern doesn't fit a specific line-up doesn't make much sense to me.

You can quantify whether a new item is up to the same build quality as its older brethren. You can compare and identify performance from one knife to the next withing a specific brand.

Design? I'm unsure how you can say this just isn't a brand XXX knife. It just doesn't look the part? It's not up to par...you got that from a picture? You need more than the limited eye to make a statement like that, at least in my book.

But hey, that's just me, what do I know?
 
The handle fills the hand nicely, but I would extend and deepen the chamfer around the finger grove. When gripping the handle tightly, the edges of the handles exert a moderately uncomfortable amount of pressure.
 
Zombie Zeke said:
Woh nelly, that ain't 0160...that's one of the good lookin ZT's.
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Man... you really can't stop with the under-handed insults, huh?

I think it looks like a badass, practical design. I think 'basic' is missing alot of time in the knife world. I guess I'm a sucker for simple. YMMV.
 
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