ZT 0350 blade off center - should I send it in?

T

tsuki2000

Joined
Jan 20, 2011
Messages
9
I just got a new ZT 0350 today and love it, except for the fact that the blade it off center to the point of nearly rubbing against the liner (it's not, but really close). I tried playing with the pivot with the knife both opened and closed, but it didn't help. I also tried a trick posted on the Emerson board hear involving loosening the screws and using a cardboard shim, but it didn't work. I've also had a hard time finding the sweet spot with the pivot. (I either start getting a little blade play or it gets hard to open (I'm wondering if the latter has to do with the blade hitting the liner).

I don't really want to send it back to Amazon since I've been unfortunate enough to have had to return a few defective few items recently, and I've heard horror stories of people getting banned forever for having too many returns in a short period of time. I also figure that, as much as Kershaw/ZT is a high quality company, an exchange would still be a bit of a crapshoot whereas if I sent it in for service, I'd know it would be be getting fixed. I should also note that my other Kershaw knives are centered, and they're cheaper ones.

I'm worried that it will start rubbing sooner or later, but what do you guys think? Since I haven't been able to fix this no matter what I tried, is it worth sending in?


zt0350.jpg
 
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softrockrenegade said:
Sounds like you should stop buying knives from amazon to me:D I recommend you contact kershaw/zt for this !
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The items I had to return weren't knives, actually, and every other knife I've purchased from Amazon has been perfect (including a Kershaw Packrat last week, zero problems).


I've decided to just contact Kershaw. I've just read comments by a few different people (here and elsewhere) regarding the 0350 and they all said their blade was centered, so mine must have slipped past QC or something.
 
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I would have it fixed...that would drive me nuts. Especially a knife that'll become very hard to replace (and very valuable to sell) in a few years.
 
Artfully Martial said:
I would have it fixed...that would drive me nuts. Especially a knife that'll become very hard to replace (and very valuable to sell) in a few years.
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Do you expect it to be discontinued?

But yeah, since none of my other Kershaw knives are off center and reviews of the 0350 mention a perfectly centered blade, I think this one definitely needs service.
 
Before you send it in, if you are comfortable with loosening all the screws, you might try this. (I had it posted in the Kershawholics social group).

Blades can be centered by loosening the handles and shifting them slightly in relation to each other on the long axis. This in turn changes the angle of the pivot's axis. A tiny movement of the handles can move the tip of the blade quite a bit.

bladecenter.jpg


Reverse directions to get the pivot to shift the other way.

This will frequently solve slight centering problems.
 
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