Zero Tolerance knives what is all the hype?

I bought my first ZT at Blade Show many many years ago. It was a ZT 0350 and I thought it was too big but something about it appealed to me. By the end of the week it was the only knife I would carry. I still think their ZT 0350 is one of the best EDC knives made. The size does not bother you after you get used to it. From there the addiction snow balled. I think lately they have just come out with all the right designs and they are using all the best materials. Cap that off with the fact they are made in the United States and there is just nothing not to like!
 
Folderguy said:
You make interesting points..

However, if it isn't "overbuilt" then, to me at least, it's isn't really "Zero Tolerance."

It would be a pity to see the brand go to pot.
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I read on the defunct subforum that above a certain pricepoint say, $120 and up will be all ZT territory moving forward. Nothing is set in stone obviously but that's the route they apparently went and have been seeing through. If you ask me, I liked Kershaw getting high level and special knives also and perhaps ideally, if they wanted to keep Kershaw lower, come up with a whole different brand name to sell up scale knives on and keep ZT it's own but it is what it is and as long as KAI as a whole makes quality products, I don't see them going anywhere.
 
To the OP, have you ever thought about purchasing one and trying it out for yourself? Or would that just make to much sense?
 
poolhustler said:
To the OP, have you ever thought about purchasing one and trying it out for yourself? Or would that just make to much sense?
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Almost as much sense as asking for owners opinions before purchasing. ;). Last year I posted a similar thread about the spyderco paramilitary 2 "hype". Based on the responses I got I purchased one...then another and another. It is now one of my favorite knives. The point is, a "what's all the hype" thread shouldn't be instantly construed as negative or as an attack. More often than not it is just someone who is interested in the knife and looking for feedback.
 
My 0777 killed those broccoli so easy and fast I swear they didn't feel a thing :-)
I sharpened to 1600 grit with ceramic stones and my arm hair jumps scare shitless before becoming in contact with the blade :D

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I've owned some but ended up selling them all. I ironically couldn't get myself to actually carry and use them because they were so nice.
 
Wharn said:
I've owned some but ended up selling them all. I ironically couldn't get myself to actually carry and use them because they were so nice.
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They are very nice; I was in the same boat as you but once I started using it I saw no harm was done and they would be hard woking knives I'm not prying with them though ;) )
 
I just picked up my first ZT a week ago here on the forum. It is the 550, and I really like it. Very solid, well built, and sharp. It has not left my pocket since. I have several Bench made Axis locks, Axis Assists, and a SOG Arc Lock. I was looking for something different, read about a bunch of different knives, and decided to see if the hype was worth it... I think so. I can't speak about some of the high end ZT stuff, but for a $200 knife they are worth every penny. At 6oz, it is 6oz lighter than my Leather man Surge, which I have no problem carrying all day. I would recommend picking up a used one and trying it out. If you don't like it, you can sell it at little to no loss. Or you could end up like me and wanting another one...
 
mjolnir74 said:
Yeah, I figured that. Ha
Well, they seem to really try to accommodate, so maybe it will happen at some point.
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My request that ZT make a variant of the 3" XM-18 is sort of a standing joke between me and Scurvy. It adds a little spice to the conversation while I wait patiently (or impatiently) for ZT to build THE lightweight knife they ought to build. Hmmmm. Maybe ZT could call it the 0563. That number hasn't been taken yet. ;)
 
For the time being, the 0770CF hasn't left my pocket since receiving it Sat. I would prefer bearings, but can live with the torsion bar. I've never been a huge fan of small knives, but this one has changed my opinion of what a great edc can be. So, I would like to see a 3" XM also.
 
I'm fortunate in owning a number of great lightweight knives from custom and production makers and I count the 0770CF among them. In fact, I consider the 0770CF to be among the most unique lightweights I own in that it maintains an overbuilt look and feel while coming in at only 3.1 ounces. It's such a radical departure from the rest of ZT's offerings that it's arguably the most interesting knife they've ever made. And it will definitely see its fair share of my pocket time.
 
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Warranty/ Customer service Yes! I bent or snagged a clip on my ZT 801. Sent an email to cusotmer service and recieved a new clip back in just over a week. There was no hassle, no send photo of damage, or send damaged clip. Just a simple replacement.
 
bld522 said:
I'm fortunate in owning a number of great lightweight knives from custom and production makers and I count the 0770CF among them. In fact, I consider the 0770CF to be among the most unique lightweights I own in that it maintains an overbuilt look and feel while coming in at only 3.1 ounces. It's such a radical departure from the rest of ZT's offerings that it's arguably the most interesting knife they've ever made. And it will definitely see its fair share of my pocket time.
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I like mine a lot. :)
 
EEEICE said:
Warranty/ Customer service Yes! I bent or snagged a clip on my ZT 801. Sent an email to cusotmer service and recieved a new clip back in just over a week. There was no hassle, no send photo of damage, or send damaged clip. Just a simple replacement.
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I had a similar experience. I had a cosmetic issue with a ZT knife. I filled out a warranty service request form I found online, sent it in, got it back a little more than a week later and the issue had been resolved. I never spoke to a soul at ZT. I just mailed my knife to the address on the form and it got fixed quickly.

If that's hype, it's my kind of hype. :)
 
Why would they make a knife that nice with a liner lock? That limits it to being a city knife relegated to opening letters and UPS packages. I need a knife that I can depend on to get stuff done. They are pretty though.
 
wfsltt said:
Why would they make a knife that nice with a liner lock? I need a knife that I can depend on to get stuff done.
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Plenty of people use their ZT linerlocks to "get stuff done"

The 0200, 0350, 0700 all seem pretty damn tough to me.
 
wfsltt said:
Why would they make a knife that nice with a liner lock? That limits it to being a city knife relegated to opening letters and UPS packages. I need a knife that I can depend on to get stuff done. They are pretty though.
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Liner locks are just as strong as frame locks. Just because the liner is thinner means nothing. The contact patch on the blade tang is only a small area no matter how thick the lockbar is.
 
Of course, one could always put their folder in a vice and baton their blade with a hammer to see how much of a pounding it can take before the lock fails. :rolleyes:

In all my years of using linerlocks and framelocks, I've never personally had a lock fail in actual use. I've had a few that didn't fully lock up when the blade was completely deployed and had to be returned, but none that collapsed if the lock engaged the tang correctly. But then, I don't tend to abuse my knives and I generally cut things with the sharp side of the blade. Maybe that has something to do with it.
 
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