This was originally posted by Jimmer when the same questions came up a few months ago. All of this has been discussed at length already.Hope it's ok to copy/paste his response.
jimmer_5
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Jan 2007
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I meant to post in this thread two days ago, but due to an Internet connection glitch, I lost my long, detailed response into cyberspace. I want to give you a little information that should clarify a few things:
1. Stainless Steel Lockside - I'll admit, this is a new concept for a ZT knife. We knew there might be some people who might not like the idea. But let me ask you this - would you really prefer a bulkier liner lock construction, or a steel framelock that brings this knife closer to an XM-18? Early on in the process, it was decided that this knife would be a value product. Our goal was to make this knife cool AND affordable. We were shooting for the same price point as an 0350, and that limits our options a bit. Titanium would cost too much. Thick liner lock/G-10 construction would work, but it would result in a bulkier knife, and a knife that was less similar to the original 0560. So we decided to try it as a steel framelock. Sure, steel is a little more heavy than titanium, but this is not a huge knife. The knife is heavier than it would have been with Ti, but when you handle it in person, you will realize that it's not as bad as you would think. I heard very few complaints about the knife from the people who handled it at SHOT show. So, my point is, you had two choices - bulky liner lock or sleek steel framelock. We thought the framelock was a better choice, and we stand by this decision. Rick wanted one in his pocket right away, so I get the impression he liked it too
2. Size - We played around with several sizes for this knife, and the 3.25" blade length turned out to be the magic size. It is just big enough for big hands, and also works well for smaller hands. It's also quite slim - just under 0.44" thick. The knife will make a fantastic EDC, and it's just the right size. I understand that the size will be a frustration for those who live in states with blade length restrictions, but we wanted it to be the right size, and 3.25" was right.
3. Price - We need knives in all price points, and in this case, a less expensive version made a lot of sense. We could have made a more expensive knife with 3D machining, and titanium handles, but I really believe you will find that this knife offers quite a lot at a great price.
4. Manufacturability - It's not secret that our factory is very busy. One of our goals for this knife was to make it easier to run through the factory. A well thought out design can be easier to produce, and as a result, we can get it out to the customers faster. Everybody wins.
I really believe in this design as it stands. I am a knife snob myself, and I love high end materials as much as anyone. However, when you handle this knife, I really think that most of us will find that the lack of titanium is really not such a big deal as it might seem now.
. I look forward to it and I'm impatiently waiting!!
