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

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Comeuppance said:
I know this is just short of getting on my knees and unzipping ZT's pants, but, really...
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This, is signature worthy!!!

I just bought my first ZT on Tuesday after much hemming and hawing and I am very impressed with the quality of it. I like big folders and the 0350 is a great "big" small folder. I will be buying more of these then I will be buying any of manufacturer.
 
glocker199 said:
Frame locks were cool 15 years ago.
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And yet there remains a consistent demand for them today. There's a lot to like about them: efficient use of materials, potential for extremely sturdy lockfaces, automatic adjustment from wear, visible and measurable life, ease of disengagement... Easily my favorite type of lock. I'm all about flawless lockup, and I don't find that most knives with compression, axis, bearing, or backlocks tend to keep that vault lockup with extensive use. Every benchmade and spyderco I've used that had any of those locks developed unfixable play. Only Cold Steel has pulled off a lockback that is consistently perfect.

Of course, this is all personal experience and opinion, but it's been fairly consistent for me.
 
I like what the company's doing, but very few of their designs actually appeal to me. Knives that come with flippers, AO or G10/Ti handles go to the bottom of the list for me. I tend to like more compact knives as well.

Still, I agree they are at the pointy end of what's out here right now regarding production companies.
 
Meh. I'm sure they're nice, but the more I use knives the less appealing I find them. They seem heavily focused on providing production versions of custom folders and if that's what you want, that's cool, but not really my thing. Frame and linerlocks remain among my least favorite lock type and I just don't see very much real innovation in the ZT line. Not trying to diss them, but if they want my money they need to put out more models like the MUDD.
 
There's a reason why my zts are my only production knives. Everything else is a custom and they are the only ones that stack up.
 
ZT is doing some really cool things and I can't wait to try out some of their offerings. That being said though, I think the pocket clip is probably the best thing to ever happen to knives. Either that or the concept of a locking folding knife in general.
 
Bear Claw Chris Lappe said:
Not for this southpaw, 3 ZT frames locks, and several by other makers. I do not get why some find them to be a problem???
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I agree. Another southpaw here and I've never found a problem with RH frame locks. In fact, when compared to watching my right-handed friends try to flick open my 0550blk, I have a much easier time as I can grip the knife naturally without compressing the lockbar (and thus forcing the detent into the blade). The more I think about it, I actually prefer a RH frame lock to a LH for that reason.
 
chrispy513 said:
I agree. Another southpaw here and I've never found a problem with RH frame locks. In fact, when compared to watching my right-handed friends try to flick open my 0550blk, I have a much easier time as I can grip the knife naturally without compressing the lockbar (and thus forcing the detent into the blade). The more I think about it, I actually prefer a RH frame lock to a LH for that reason.
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Same here with my ZT0560's.

I agree with the OP also, since I got into knives, nothing has hit me like ZT's after I got one. The consistent high quality and performance is amazing.

For years I dreamed of a Sebenza, but after buying my ZT0561, I have no plans to get one now.
 
Heathen619 said:
Back lock would be interesting
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That'll never happen, there's just no way anyone, even ZT, could build a back lock that would hold up to their in-house QC, blade play is inevitable. If they made a back lock model 75%+ would have to be sold as blems.
 
I held a 350 yesterday and thought it was too bulky and heavy for me. The knife was put together well but I don't like flippers and found the thumb stud hard to deploy. Good quality but not comfortable for me.
 
I'm super excited for the stiff that has come out this year and last.

I loved the 560 bit it is just too big for me. I've owned several bit I inevitably sell them because they just sit in a drawer.

The new crop is much more my size and style. I still need to get an 801 and I'm putting the 562, and 620 on my list for sure. I will probably go for the CF versions. I really like the look of the 180 as well.

With that being said, yes I fully agree. No one is doing what ZT is doing....


Pushing the envelope.

That's what every industry needs, someone to push the boundaries of tradition and set the pace.
 
They are sure neck and neck for the best if anything. I've owned just about every leading brand of knife and I've always leaned towards Spyderco but ZT is sure right there with them for making EXCELLENT knives. One thing I LOVE about them is that their high end knives are made right here in the US.
 
Comeuppance said:
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.
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I agree with everything but this statement. I can't imagine that a mass produced blade that probably involves very little actual labor cost (machine cost is extremely cheap) cost them that much to make. Material cost should be cheap given the volume of steel they use. Shipping cost should be cheap due to high volume discounts. Installing the blade for a trained employee shouldn't take long at all. I also don't think they would chose to loose money on replacement blades, it's not logical. $30 may be close to their total cost, but I doubt it's more than that. The only exception I could see are the composite/limited production blades.

With that being said, I have bought several ZT's here lately and I absolutely love them. The 0777 and 0888 are works of art that I have yet to see any manufacturer come close to. I have only found a few custom folders that I would consider as nice and given the price difference, I wouldn't even consider them close.
 
sunandsteel said:
I held a 350 yesterday and thought it was too bulky and heavy for me. The knife was put together well but I don't like flippers and found the thumb stud hard to deploy. Good quality but not comfortable for me.
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Have you tried a Blur?
 
I've warmed up to the zt blade style more but I wish they would come out with more non-flipper style folders.
 
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