Zero Tolerance, Strider, Chriss Reeve?

I've had several examples of all three brands, but all that remains with me is a Strider SnG CC.

IMO ZT and Strider (my picks) are about equal in worthwhile-ness vs. cost.
ZT can give you the same materials and fit/finish for less money, but Striders are cooler. :P
 
Hairlesstwinkie said:
In terms of quality, as everyone will state and I will happily agree CRK wins easily followed by ZT and Strider will be last. However, which knife is for you depends on your needs and uses.

Out of the 3, I'm most satisfied with my Strider SnG. I have literally batoned, chopped, pryed, and even thrown this knife. Nothing on it broke, it had just acquired some scratches on the blade. When it did eventually develop a funny lock up problems, I sent it into Strider. The first experience wasn't great, but I contacted Mick himself and he really did take care of me. When I inquired about the repair status of my knife (it was delivered on a Friday) on Monday, Mick apologized that he hadn't got to it yet. Later that evening, I received a shipping notification from Strider. I was pretty impressed. All the issues were addressed and this thing feels like a fixed blade. SnG is not a marvel of engineering like a Sebenza, but it is designed as a workhorse that'll just keep on pushing till it breaks. Fit and finish isn't great on it, but for the performance and the service that I received, I'm quite happy with my SnG. No Sebenza has been able to replace my Strider, and I've gone through 4 different Sebenzas before I settled on my current one. Strider run their steel on the harder side so edge retension won't be an issue. Striders will have the most distinct ergos since nothing on the market is like them. It's an odd cup of tea, but it really grows on you after a while.

I still own a Sebenza because I just recently picked up an inlayed version. I went through 4 other Sebenzas (Small Insingo, Large Classic, Large 21, & 25) before I was finally satisfied with my Micarta inlay 21. Edge retention on Sebenzas are not really that great when compared to other knives with the same steel. CRK run their steel on the softer side to ease sharpening, personally I would rather have an edge last longer, than having to sharpen more often. My experience with CRK customer service was not a pleasant one. I had sent my Large Classic in for lock stick issues. At first they misplaced my knife when it came into them, so it wasn't even being looked at for the first few days. When I had the knife back, it's nice that they went ahead and refinished my handle even though I didn't request the service, but they did not address my lock stick issue. It eventually got worse and worse to a point that I just sold the thing.

I owned a ZT0560 and I was quite impressed with it. For the price point and the features that you get it's quite the bargin. KVT on the ZT is fantastic and the detent is superb. Kai sure knows how to make good flippers, each one is better than the other. The only two reasons why I got rid of my ZT is because I had a XM-18 at the time and the 0560 is too big for what I would like to carry. Elmax is a really good steel. From my personal use I've found it to be an excellent steel, when the elmax controversy was floating around, I tested out my Elmax knives ( ZT 0801 and Lionsteel TiSpine) they both performed extremely well. I would recommend the 0801 as an alternate to the 0560.
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What fit and finish issues have you noticed with striders? I know back in the day centered blades were an issue.
 
Since you are in BC are you close enough to Warriors and Wonders to make a trip over there? They have a huge supply of CRK knives so you could get a nice feel for one if you are able to. they also have a decent amount of ZT knives. Unfortunately they don't carry any striders.

I have 2 small Sebenza 21s, 2 strider PTs, an SNG and a 0561. I definitely prefer my small Sebs and PTs but its just size preference. The 0561 is an incredibly well built knife for about half the cost of a sebenza or an SNG. The bearings are super smooth and detent is perfect. ZT warranty you can get a totally new blade for $30 if you ever need to. With CRK you are way less likely to need to even use the warranty. The one thing I think Strider has over the others is the forward finger choil, it makes their knives so much more ergonomic and comfortable specially on the CC models.
 
I actually ordered my Sebenza 21 from Warriors And Wonders (preferred place for knife purchases for my location), however to make a trip there would cost me roughly $100+ plus a whole days worth of driving. In the end I had no way of easily handling any of these knives (to my knowledge) and just went with what my gut said.
 
I'll bottom line it: if you are a teenager, probably a Strider will fit the bill. You can abuse it all you want in front of your friends, and pretend you are a SEAL, etc. If you are 30 or over, I recommend the Chris Reeve knives: you will be mature enough to understand the fit and finish qualities. If you are in your 20's, go for a ZT: it is a middle ground between the uber-tactical Strider and the exquisitely made CRKs. And if you are over 30 and still want a tactical feel, the CRK Umnanzaan is made for you.

PS: I just saw that you bought a Sebenza. Great choice: it will last a lifetime.
 
drichardson67 said:
Also a huge fan of ZT. I've had dozens come and go--and every one of them was perfect. In fact, just picked up a used 0777m390 a couple of days ago and can't friggin wait to give it the torture test. And that new ZT 0562m390cf looks like it should be absolutely awesome, if you can wait until it's released.
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I've been carrying a 0777M390 quite a bit the last couple of months myself and really like it. And I've pre-ordered the 0562cf as well. I've not owned a better quality knife than the Triple 7:

 
PURPLEDC said:
What fit and finish issues have you noticed with striders? I know back in the day centered blades were an issue.
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My blade isn't perfectly centered, which I think it's because of the new detent ball that they put in and it wasn't set in the right depth. It doesn't impede the function so I don't really care. I noticed the G10 to the Ti side don't match. Very minor stuff. I still love the knife.
 
I'm noticing black stuff coming out of the pivot of my SNG
is that sharpie somehow?
 
I'm 18, however I take exquisite care of all my possessions. Showing off is on the bottom of my list, making sure my investments last as long as possible is most important to me. I also looked at the Umnumzaan however it wasn't in stock at the place when I order from, plus it was $20 more. Thanks for your input.
 
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