ZT 0300 Disappoints...

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knifedude802

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Saw a video where someone spine whacks their ZT, and I thought, surely, it would pass no problem. It failed! They were testing a ZT0200, you could find this video easily enough on the web.

So I own a ZT0300, and figured mine must be better -- it's a Ti frame lock, so I tried it.
I don't normally spine whack any of my knives, and I've only ever had a liner lock fail and close on me.

So I gave my ZT0300 a light whack on the spine and it failed. For reference, I whacked it on my shin, so it wasn't very hard at all. I figured I must have not opened it right, so I tried it again. FAILED.

Unbelievable. I don't want to hear anything about how a spine whack is invalid. I don't care. I cannot close the knife by putting pressure on the spine, but that light whack against my shin caused it to fail, every time.

Anyone think I should even bother contacting Kai about it, or are they just gonna tell me not to spine whack my knife?
 
Well, "any use other than cutting is considered misuse and abuse—and will void your warranty." You might not want to mention that you spinewhacked your knife in your warranty form.

With Kershaw and ZT it's not unusual to have to send the knife back multiple times for your knife to be fixed, so in the meanwhile have something to tide you over.
 
If the lock up is super early then a spine whack would fail on most knives I think. Thus why I don't understand the love of super early lockups. But honestly as has been said a million times, what the hell does a spine whack really prove? When do you use that technique while cutting? I say break the knife in a bit more and see if things change, or better yet just don't concern yourself with this strange fad of a "test".
 
knifedude802 said:
Saw a video where someone spine whacks their ZT, and I thought, surely, it would pass no problem. It failed! They were testing a ZT0200, you could find this video easily enough on the web.

So I own a ZT0300, and figured mine must be better -- it's a Ti frame lock, so I tried it.
I don't normally spine whack any of my knives, and I've only ever had a liner lock fail and close on me.

So I gave my ZT0300 a light whack on the spine and it failed. For reference, I whacked it on my shin, so it wasn't very hard at all. I figured I must have not opened it right, so I tried it again. FAILED.

Unbelievable. I don't want to hear anything about how a spine whack is invalid. I don't care. I cannot close the knife by putting pressure on the spine, but that light whack against my shin caused it to fail, every time.

Anyone think I should even bother contacting Kai about it, or are they just gonna tell me not to spine whack my knife?
Click to expand...


Per your own request, I cannot provide any information regarding your invalid testing.

best

mqqn
 
The only thing that's keeping a frame lock locked is the light pressure of the framelock tab (Which can be easily moved back and forth with your hands.), which pushes it against the tang (Which has to be relatively smooth, to allow it to go back and forth.).

Since, by design, the framelock acts as a spring on the tang, shock is likely to unlock it, or "bounce it" back to its original state.
 
There are angles when cutting that can unlock a knife which happened to me with my ZT 200. That surprised me so much that I looked up online to see why and I saw others having the same issues. I then lightly spine whacked it and it disengaged the lock. I never used my ZT 200 after both experiences.

For reference, I used my ZT 200 for trail clearing purposes so there are often angles that I had to put the knife to to get the job done. I bought a ZT 550 and it worked ever since at all angles I put it to, far more flexible and more heavy working than a ZT 200. So I cannot blame Knifedude for being disappointed in his ZT 200 knife.
 
mqqn said:
Per your own request, I cannot provide any information regarding your invalid testing.

best

mqqn
Click to expand...

Also Mqqn, your remarks can be seen as trolling as it doesn't contributes either pro or con in details to the topic at hand so that was done in poor taste in light of a person's frustration with a product he owns.
 
knifedude802 said:
Saw a video where someone spine whacks their ZT, and I thought, surely, it would pass no problem. It failed! They were testing a ZT0200, you could find this video easily enough on the web.

So I own a ZT0300, and figured mine must be better -- it's a Ti frame lock, so I tried it.
I don't normally spine whack any of my knives, and I've only ever had a liner lock fail and close on me.

So I gave my ZT0300 a light whack on the spine and it failed. For reference, I whacked it on my shin, so it wasn't very hard at all. I figured I must have not opened it right, so I tried it again. FAILED.

Unbelievable. I don't want to hear anything about how a spine whack is invalid. I don't care. I cannot close the knife by putting pressure on the spine, but that light whack against my shin caused it to fail, every time.

Anyone think I should even bother contacting Kai about it, or are they just gonna tell me not to spine whack my knife?
Click to expand...

Video or it never happened...:rolleyes:
 
There's actually several "valid" uses for a spine whack. I've used the spine of my BM Adamas to chop some ice of a larger block (no need to wear out the edge if not necessary) I've also opened wallnuts with spine whacks. That said, I wouldn't do it with a liner or framelocking folder.
 
LadyEarth said:
I cannot blame Knifedude for being disappointed in his ZT 200 knife.
Click to expand...

Decent post right up until this comprehension fail ;)
Knifedude's complaint is with the 0300 (check the title)

NetshadeX said:
There's actually several "valid" uses for a spine whack. I've used the spine of my BM Adamas to chop some ice of a larger block (no need to wear out the edge if not necessary) I've also opened wallnuts with spine whacks.
Click to expand...
I would use the butt of the knife, rather than the spine of an opened blade for chopping at ice, myself...and I likely wouldn't be doing it with a folder. (I rarely find myself confronted by wild blocks of ice, with nothing available for defense than a pocket knife. I've got enough extended tang fixed blades, chisels, hammers, and other more appropriate tools for things like that.)
Walnuts, for the most part, I can still open with my hands; but, if I couldn't, and the only thing available was my folding knife, I still wouldn't use the spine of an extended blade.

(I had to check to make sure this wasn't W&C before responding, and tempered my response accordingly.)
 
hhmoore said:
Decent post right up until this comprehension fail ;)
Knifedude's complaint is with the 0300 (check the title)
[/SIZE]
Click to expand...

I don't think "comprehension" means what you think it means in this regard as it was a slight number mix up because he did mention a ZT 200 testing he witnessed on a video and I had my ZT 200 experience to back it up with. Decent attempt tho.

Also, NetshadeX might have spine whacked a walnut and ice in order to preserve his handle/scale/custom scale/etc. Never assume a person's reason until they state it, hhmoore.

(hhmoore's sarcasm is heavy in his comments, tsk)
 
I'm well aware of what comprehension means. My comment toward your post was intended lightheartedly - hence the ;)

As for NetshadeX, I didn't make any assumptions about HIS reasoning...I simply stated that I wouldn't use the spine of an opened blade for those purposes. I'm sorry if my comprehension remark rubbed you the wrong way, but I'll not recant my statement that I wouldn't do those things.
 
hhmoore, you made his choices seem like a foolish one ("I rarely find myself confronted by wild blocks of ice, with nothing available for defense than a pocket knife..." "...and other more appropriate tools for things like that.", etc)
That is still assuming he didn't do it appropriately. It is very evident what your intentions were; pure assumptions that his choices to spine whack a knife was a poor one via using your own choices to illustrate the point.

Everyone has different techniques for different given situations. My own ZT 200 knife disengages its lock due to the particulars of my labor out on the path. By switching to ZT 550, I was able to continue using the same techniques and got the job done safer. Would someone else have done it differently? Perhaps. But it wont be needed to tell me so, nor was it be needed to tell NetshadeX so.
 
I'll grant that, if he actually does those things, he acknowledged that he doesn't/wouldn't do them with a liner or frame lock. If he feels such activities are "valid" (his use of the term, and the quotes) uses for the spine of his knife, that's all that matters - it is, after all, his knife. I'm not here to argue, nor will I continue feeding into this - Mondays suck enough.

unsubscribed - moving on
 
LadyEarth said:
Also Mqqn, your remarks can be seen as trolling as it doesn't contributes either pro or con in details to the topic at hand so that was done in poor taste in light of a person's frustration with a product he owns.
Click to expand...

Thank you for that insight. Since you have taken it upon yourself to become the defacto thread moderator, please read on.

In fact, the poster came here to vent, apparently, as he or she stated in the first post that they did not want to hear anything about their using the knife in an abusive way to "test" it.

Therefore, the OP's post could be conceived as trolling.

My car does not hold up when I jump it off of cliffs, so I am very disappointed in it, and don't try to tell me that jumping my car off of cliffs is not a valid use for a car, because I don't want to hear it. I don't care.

best

mqqn
 
mqqn said:
Thank you for that insight. Since you have taken it upon yourself to become the defacto thread moderator, please read on.

In fact, the poster came here to vent, apparently, as he or she stated in the first post that they did not want to hear anything about their using the knife in an abusive way to "test" it.

Therefore, the OP's post could be conceived as trolling.

My car does not hold up when I jump it off of cliffs, so I am very disappointed in it, and don't try to tell me that jumping my car off of cliffs is not a valid use for a car, because I don't want to hear it. I don't care.

best

mqqn
Click to expand...

True, his post could be subjectively seen as "trolling"...until people like me are having the same problem with another model (ZT 200), thus giving actual weights to his concerns. Mine was a valid concern enough to replace the knife in question. Now we will just have to see how he will handle his own choices with the knife he owns at this present time.
 
LadyEarth said:
hhmoore, you made his choices seem like a foolish one ....
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Because they are (foolish is using the term lightly). Abusing a tool and complaining that if failed to do what it was never meant to do, is just mind numbingly silly. My folding knife is not a hammer, or an ice chipper, or anything else but a moderately strong cutting tool.

Beyond that, even when you DO have to abuse a tool, a little brain power goes a long way. There is never a reason to use a locked blade back as a strike point. either fold it (so it cannot collapse on your fingers, and you can control it), or use the butt (which on most knives is stronger anyway).

As it is, i on a ZT0200, and with understanding of any folding knives limitations, have no fear of using it.
 
LadyEarth said:
There are angles when cutting that can unlock a knife which happened to me with my ZT 200. That surprised me so much that I looked up online to see why and I saw others having the same issues. I then lightly spine whacked it and it disengaged the lock. I never used my ZT 200 after both experiences.

For reference, I used my ZT 200 for trail clearing purposes so there are often angles that I had to put the knife to to get the job done. I bought a ZT 550 and it worked ever since at all angles I put it to, far more flexible and more heavy working than a ZT 200. So I cannot blame Knifedude for being disappointed in his ZT 200 knife.
Click to expand...

I think the lock is acting as a spring and when you whack it, it compresses it and it springs back into the unlocked position. The 550 has a stabilizer that prevents the lock bar from compressing. Now why does the 300 do this when it has a stabilizer?
 
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