Zt 0300 vs Reate district 9

M

Miannalfo103

Joined
Jan 7, 2014
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Having a hard time deciding between one of these two knives. Yes I'd love to buy both but unfortunately I can't right now. I like both a lot and I like the Reate a little more I think. However I don't typically sharpen my own knives so I stick to companies like zt or benchmade so I can send them back to be sharpened. Not sure how I feel about spending 200 bucks on a knife that I can't sharpen. What do you guys think?
 
My advice is this. Learn to sharpen your knives. Seriously, if you plan on using a knife, you need to know how to sharpen it no matter if it's a $20 knife or a $200 knife. It's not rocket science. Anyone can learn to sharpen a knife. It takes a bit of practice, but so does everything else.

As to which knife to get? Get whichever you will get the most enjoyment from. But, do yourself a favour and learn to sharpen your own knives. Something like the Spyderco Sharpmaker is easy to use and very effective.
 
Having a nice knife and not knowing how to sharpen the blade is like having a nice pair of shoes and not knowing how to tie the laces. Read up on sharpening, or ask questions in the "maintenance, tinkering, and embellishment" section of this forum. At one point, none of us knew how to sharpen a knife, much like tying our shoe laces.

As for which knife to get, I would personally get the Reate. IMO, they are a much better overall-package than ZT.
 
The 0300 is a really beefy knife. I own that one, and have a buddy who has a couple Reate knives (Horizon C and D-Ti). They are both beefy and really well built, with the Reate knives being a bit more elegant in their execution. I bought the 0300BW because it was/is being discontinued and didn't want to miss out. Eventually I'm sure I will purchase a Reate because they are quite nice for the money. The Reate may be a bit more pocket friendly, although I haven't personally handled the D9.

Because of the recurve blade, the 0300 may be more difficult for you to sharpen. I put a mirror edge on mine on the Wicked Edge, but might shy away from the recurve if I didn't have the ability to properly sharpen it. I think you'd be happy with either one.
 
There are plenty of very talented people on this forum who will cheerfully sharpen the Reate for you should you decide to get it. There may even be someone in your area so you wouldn't have to ship the knives far. Usually a simple sharpening won't cost you very much at all, so I wouldn't let that dissuade you from the Reate.

That said, I haven't handled the District 9, so I can't give much of an informed opinion, but I do quite like the 0300. Just be aware that it's a boat anchor of a knife and if you don't like carrying a pocket brick you'll end up leaving it at home. If you don't mind the weight, however, it's a good knife that cuts surprisingly well given the blade stock and overbuilt aesthetic.
 
I'd echo what everyone else has said about learning to sharpen. It's not rocket science as far as knowing the basics. You don't have to understand micro bevels and all that to put a good edge on a knife. Get a sharpmaker add a couple sticks and your ready to go.
I've had both knives your interested in and I'd pick the Reate in a second. Nothing wrong with the ZT but to me the D9 is a level above the 0300.

Mike
 
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