Why no safety lock on 0350!!?? while scallion does?

S

summerman

Joined
Jul 24, 2008
Messages
141
I have a scalion and it has a great little safety lock to keep blade in. I have a 0350 with a much bigger blade and twice it opened in my pocket and almost cut off my balls. I looked down at my desk and there the blade was full out sticking through a slit in my jeans, the other time a nice pair of dress pants. I also reached into my pack once and cut my finger. Such a sharp knive needs to stay closed better... especially since it can be opened so easily by just touching it. I don't want to have a sheath for a folder, what's the point? Anybody else have this issue? I also am afraid that to sharpen such a hard steel with such a curve is going to be a nightmare.
 
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it is not a very good idea to have an assisted knife bouncing around in your pocket or backpack. flippers are almost as bad, and when put together, they are very bad news. knives have different carry options so that they can be carried in your preferred pocket, tip up or tip down with the spine of the blade against the seam of the pocket. i have had knives open in my pocket and cut me pretty good becuase they were not clipped and i had too much crud in there. in short, clip it. whether it be to a pocket in your backpack or a pocket on your pants, clip it against the seam.

as far as the lack of a safety goes, it is not very common, but I would not mind seeing it more.
 
Are you carrying it tip up and in the right pocket? That way, the blade would have to open towards the right edge of the pocket and if it's securely clipped it won't be able to open up. You know, like if you were to wave it from the right front pocket. That should be safe.
 
if you are stowing it in a pack you could rubberband the blade closed. or just clip it to your pocket. i have not had any problems with my 0350 deploying inadvertently.
 
Summerman:

Recurve blades can be sharpened with croc-sticks / a sharpmaker. You can also send it to Zero Tolerance and they'll put a perfect edge on it.

With regards to it opening in your pocket -- if the flipper gets bumped or compressed (happen when bending / sitting) that's how it can open in the tip-down carry position. If you switch the carry to tip-up, then you won't have this issue (or alternatively, moving the knife tip down to your left pocket) The spine of the blade should be resting on the seam of your pants.

I haven't had any trouble with an 0350 opening, but I do carry tip up. I also feel tip-up is much faster, if not already safer, due to the spine being against the seam.

The Scallion was designed with the lock because it's much easier to bump the lighter blade into the open position with the generous flipper-cutout. Not only that, it is tip-down carry only.

Hopefully this answers your questions :) Please post up your results if you do swap the pocket clip. (Just try it, you'll like it ;) )
 
I won't carry it anymore. I could have easily been gelded. That knife is so sharp I would have just seen my sack on the floor before I even knew it. Great construction, nice materials. I would love a 300 but think the same issue. Thanks for the reply. Are the new ones coming out with the lock?
 
I've never had a knife open unintentionally in my pocket.The only instance I can recall is when I was pulling a waved Emerson out of my pocket & the wave(hook) caught on my pocket (like it was designed to) when I didn't want it to & it cut through the denim & nicked my finger.That's why I don't buy waved folders anymore.

Also summerman,You'll want to edit out the last part of your first post with the offers of selling or trading,before you get a warning or infraction.
 
I have my 350 tip-up in my left pocket, with the spine against the seam. I've never had it open in my pocket. I can pull the knife out with my finger on the flipper. Conversely, I've had my Leek open in my pocket before. I now keep that one locked :D
 
I would consider opening up the knife and disabling the assistance. i have done it with my blur, and i prefer it as a manual. it is very easy, mainly removing a little piece of metal, and it takes care of most of your problems. Most ZTs have a pretty good detent ball to keep the blade closed.
 
You could still carry it with the clip flipped to tip-up... The 0300 won't have the same issue either, if you carry tip up. Or, just move the knife, tip-down carry, to your left pocket. I know of many people carrying tip down right pocket though who have never had your issue.
 
Sorry to break it to you dude but if your knife is deploying in your pocket, you are simply carrying it wrong. Assisted knives should be carried clipped to the pocket, tip up, blade to the rear of the pocket. Push the knife as far back on your pocket as you can.

As far as safety locks go, any safety can and will fail and should not be relied upon. Same as a safety on a gun. The best safety is the one between your ears. And I doubt that ZT would consider putting a safety lock on any of their knives, since they market them as life-and-death tactical blades. Anything that could delay you from deploying your blade in a tactical situation cannot be tolerated.
 
Agreed with everyone on how you are carrying it.

IMO, the little lock on the Scallion/Leek is the worst part of the knife, and I usually took them out and threw them away or tightened them up so they wouldn't move anyway. Though, I gave all of my Leeks away, so it isn't an issue for me anymore.
 
You could also consider taking out the torsion bar, which would disable the assisted opening. I did this on mine, and it still opens nicely. It just needs a bit of a wrist-flick.
 
My 350 requires a decent amount of pressure to deploy> I usually carry tip up in rf pocket but sometimes I just drop it in the pocket.
 
Sounds like the pivot tension could be tightened up a little more too. The tip up carry suggestions could be the best solution. The 0303 I carry has not opened in my pocket, I find that it requires mure pressure on the flipper (with properly set pivot tension) than on smaller folders.
 
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