Someone say my name!? My ears were ringing!
Looks slim (closed width) and funky good. -Not really! Its beefy and awesome but still light! Aluminum handles are 6061-t6 which was a higher grade than they originally settled on, and the g10 is the most aggressive I've ever seen.
Anybody carry these as in EDC? - Once we in awhile. Weighs in at 5.0oz on my scale.
How many were made? -Nobody knows exactley, I assume low thousands. Probably 1000 - 2500 are my guess. Not nearly enough. Unfortunatley assembly and tool time took more than expected and was a pain that in the butt.
When were they last manufactured? Only manufactured for about a year or two as I remember (07-09)
Here is a review:
Grant & Gavin Hawk have been making knives in Idaho since the 1990s. Their first tactical folder was the DOG, an acronym for Deadbolt Over Grabstep. A description for the locking mechanism, his unique lock functions with debris in and around the lock mechanism. This same debris-tolerant knife design has carried forward to the Zero Tolerance 0500 Folder.The 0500 folder is a larger version of the Hawk MUDD knife, designed by the father-son team of Grant and Gavin. The G&G Hawk MUDD has a 3-inch, ATS-34 blade while the ZT 0500 has a 3.6-inch 154CM blade. The 0500 blade is a stout 0.156 inches thick. Again, the blade finish is Tungsten DLC.The 0500 saves weight by the use of 7075 aluminum handles strengthened by rough-texture G10 scales. In an age of heavily contoured handles, the 0500 has a mostly straight handle profile. However, it is surprisingly comfortable. The overall grip is improved by an angular index finger groove and a slight little finger groove. The vastly oversize pivot pin also adds to the index finger grip.The 0500 uses a Hawk (internal tang) lock. Tang locks are the strongest locks and the least likely to be accidentally unlocked. The Hawk lock can be released by a right-hander’s thumb or by a left-hander’s index finger. The 0500 also comes with a reversible pocket clip so right-handed officers can carry the tactical folder in their left pockets.One of the most unique features of the 0500 is its debris-tolerant design. Polyurethane seals and O-rings protect both the oversize pivot pin and the Hawk lock. The result is two-fold. The folder is simply impervious to dirt and sand. The blade also opens as smoothly as you will ever experience.The 0500 is a manual-opening folder with a very quirky design. It uses twin thumb discs screwed to the sides of the blade back. Is that different just for the sake of being different? The twin discs actually work just fine. In fact, they serve two functions. One is an ambidextrous opening device, where the thumb engages the bottom of the disc. The other is an excellent thumb support with the blade open, where the thumb rests on the top of the discs.While the ZT 0500 is a fairly big knife, it weighs just 4.9 ounces
I wish I could find and afford one of the original g&g hawk ones. They were actually much smaller than the Zt version.
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