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Zero Tolerance might be the best thing to ever happen to knives.

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Comeuppance

Comeuppance

Fixed Blade EDC Emisssary
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Who else is doing what they do? They've raised the bar for production knives in a way no other company has ever done. Tolerances that are fantastic, prices that are more than reasonable, materials that are high-end, designs through collaboration with talented and industry-changing makers... Right now, you can buy a titanium framelock bearing flipper made with elmax for at or under $200. You can't get most custom makers to spit on the ground for that much. What does that mean for the custom market? Competition. Better tolerances are needed and better materials are demanded. What does that mean for the production market? The same.

You can use that knife without any fear, because they have a warranty and customer service department that beats almost any you would find in any industry. Slight wiggle if you force it? Fixed for free. No return shipping charge - just get it there. Baton a blade to bits? $30 to replace the blade. You can bet it cost them more than that just in labor to produce the replacement blade, let alone install and ship it.

They make well-priced knives out of good materials at good prices. Always coming out with new, extremely different models. Almost all of their products have become classic standbys. How many times have you seen someone here talking about their 05XX, 03XX, 08xx, or 0777?

I know this is just short of getting on my knees and unzipping ZT's pants, but, really, there's nobody else out there doing what they do. It's strange to see a company offshoot that I initially disregarded as a niche for the overbuilt market turn into a major competitor on it's own, but I'm glad it did. It means good knives at good prices, and it means better workmanship and materials for all of the competitors.

It's a good time to be into knives, I think, to no small degree because of Zero Tolerance.

(Thomas, just PM me and I'll send you my shipping address. I'll take an 0888, please and thank you.)
 
Can't disagree w you, they are the cutting edge for production
knives now, no doubt. Their customer service is incredible,
in 09 they sent me a replacement 0302 when the one I had
would fail a spine whack. They didn't even ask me to send
the defective one in, said to keep it!!
 
I agree that ZT seems to produce high value knives for the money. Their customer service is some of the best service Ive ever experienced with any product. This company will raise the bar for the knife industry in general. I applaud them.
 
You're right on the money (no pun intended). I recently e-mailed ZT to get new screws for the clip on my 350. Got an immediate response that they would get them out to me, of course, free of charge. Told her it was good they were free, because I would need every penny I could get for a couple of the new models!
 
I don't own a ZT yet but I've started looking at them and wondering if it's time to add one to the stable. So far I haven't gotten past the asthetics. I mean, to my eye they are downright ugly. But then I ain't no beauty myself.

I need someone to talk me into one. My biggest problem so far has been finding the right specs. Do they even make a 3" or less blade? Everything I've seen is 3-1/4" and up. And it's gotta be a manual; no AO's. That really limits the field.
 
I wouldn't mind a few different locking mechanisms. The frame lock is great but it's getting boring.
 
ZT is definitely one of my favorite production companies and with what they unveiled at Shot show it looks like they have done it again, can not wait to get my hands on some of them. A custom always adds character but if I need an everyday user that will get the job done even if I beat on it a little then as of now ZT is my choice.
 
I really can't disagree with this, honestly. And my collection of ZTs is fairly modest. I can say with all honesty that my two favorite knife lines/companies are ZT and Spyderco.
 
Comeuppance said:
--- snipped lots of praise to ZT ---
Click to expand...

What he said! And he did not even mention the lifetime free sharpening ... get your ZT to them, they will sharpen it and get it back to you free of charge!

To those who wonder about my location: Yes, even to Germany!
 
I got a bunch of Benchmades, Spyderco's, and Striders, that I really like, but I'm finding that I'm trading them off to finance the next ZT. When it comes to knives, I'm afraid I'm developing tunnel vision.
 
I have yet to own one. Can I ask how do their blades cut/slice in general relative to Spyderco's ffg blades. To date I have not been impressed with most of Kershaw's stuff. Aside from an OD2, Skyline fixed blade and Skyline I have not liked any of their offerings.

I keep looking at the ZT566 though, as it was different from the regular ZT's that were overbuilt and too much recurve. The 566 just comes off as having a lot of fun factor, style and usefulness built into it. I was going back and forth between wanting a Spyderco Caly and Sage 2. I seemed to have found my favorite BM as of current. But now...with the ZT566 having so many good reviews I am thinking about getting one for fun as it's different from what I normally would be interested in.
 
^ I've sold you a few :)

Once you go to ZT everything else seems over priced and under built.. They go head to head and then some with the best... Hell if the 0888 and 0777 was a custom they would cost $3000+.
 
cchu518 said:
I have yet to own one. Can I ask how do their blades cut/slice in general relative to Spyderco's ffg blades. To date I have not been impressed with most of Kershaw's stuff. Aside from an OD2, Skyline fixed blade and Skyline I have not liked any of their offerings.

I keep looking at the ZT566 though, as it was different from the regular ZT's that were overbuilt and too much recurve. The 566 just comes off as having a lot of fun factor, style and usefulness built into it. I was going back and forth between wanting a Spyderco Caly and Sage 2. I seemed to have found my favorite BM as of current. But now...with the ZT566 having so many good reviews I am thinking about getting one for fun as it's different from what I normally would be interested in.
Click to expand...

The 0801 is ground quite thin down at the edge, and given how high the flat grind is, the whole profile remains pretty thin. It slices more robust material very well, and feels like a fixed blade when deployed. It's quite solid, and cuts very well. Rexford designs a wicked knife, and ZT does a wicked job of putting it together.
 
Being a huge fan of the lower end Kershaws, I've been hesitant to spend that much more on what I consider to be just a much, much nicer version of a knife I already own.
But when I saw that pic you posted of the mirror polished blade you had done by that guy, and the video you posted of your collection, I started to seriously consider checking out a ZT.

What would you suggest?
 
chester22 said:
^ I've sold you a few :)

Once you go to ZT everything else seems over priced and under built.. They go head to head and then some with the best... Hell if the 0888 and 0777 was a custom they would cost $3000+.
Click to expand...


Yea, and I still have every one of them. And I completely agree.

The conundrum for me is going to be when I run out of other knives to finance my ZT's. Get a third job, sell the kids, sell the farm, the family jewels.?... I see some difficult decisions in my not so distant future.
 
drichardson67 said:
Yea, and I still have every one of them. And I completely agree.

The conundrum for me is going to be when I run out of other knives to finance my ZT's. Get a third job, sell the kids, sell the farm, the family jewels.?... I see some difficult decisions in my not so distant future.
Click to expand...

You can adopt or make more kids..
 
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