ZT 0550 or Emerson Horseman?

J

jabroneeman

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Jan 29, 2013
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Which of these 2 should I buy? I'm leaning more towards the ZT because of the F&F issues I've heard of with Emerson Knives. However I absolutely LOVE the look of the Horseman! I have never had a knife from either brand and it will be used for general EDC tasks. Any suggestions or comments are greatly appreciated.
 
I own 6 Emersons and not of them have fit issues. The liners are rough, but I use all of my knives, so I don't care about that. Emerson's fit and finish is much better than it was a few years ago from what I've seen.

ZT knives are also great knives. I don't think you'll go wrong with either. There is also an Emerson/ZT collaboration coming out soon, the ZT0620.
 
I just got a Horseman, and I am not in love.with it. While there are no fit and finish issues, I wish I have a grinder to mod it.When I use the thumbdisk to open the knife, the tip of thumb will always rub against the scale. Emerson design the knife handle to have a very secure handhold when you use it to stab someone. The cut out is just too deep for edc easy of opening. Also, chisle grind is not ideal for slicing, paper or cardboard. 154CM steel works just fine for doing real work, but shaving sharp all day should be leave to super steels. The factory edge was rolled in a few areas after cutting some thin cardboard. I will leave the chisel grind as is, because this is my only Emerson, and the only chisel grinded blade.
 
Hmmm. They are very different knives. I've had a horseman. I've never had that ZT, but I have had others. Since I can't compare apples to apples, I'll just say I would expect the ZT to have the better fit and finish if that is important to you. The Emerson is no slouch though. They are great knives, but so are ZTs. It will be interesting to see more opinions on this. Anybody out there have both? Maybe post some pics and opinions?
 
Both are great knives, and I really love the horseman/CQC-8 ergos and blade profile. I'm sure you're aware that you can't expect perfection on Emerson F&F. There will be machining marks on the liners, there will be lock stick during break-in, and the blade will likely develop play over time - especially if you wave it open frequently. While this generally doesn't affect the function of the knife, it bothers me enough that I rarely carry my Emersons any more and sold one off - but then again I've been spoiled by ZT and CRK.

If you do go with the horseman, I recommend looking for a used one on the exchange if possible. While the smaller Emersons are not priced unreasonably, the larger ones frequently lose about a third of their value on resale (not sure if this holds true for the smaller ones).

It's also worth mentioning that the satin finish Emersons hold up a lot better with use than the soft black finish (plus the two-tone stonewashed/satin look is just darn cool).
 
I can personally vouch for the ZT 0550, it is simply a great knife all around to me. It looks good, good F&F, tough as nails, and, despite what else you may see, there is generally nothing wrong with the detent, as it is stiff at first but breaks in nicely. Of course, you can always find one where it is not perfect, as with any brand or model.

I have never owned a Horseman, but have had a couple of other Emerson models, and I think overall they are fine knives as well. The F&F on my CQC-7V is fine. Are there marks on the liners? Yes. Does it bother me even on a knife at "this price point?" No. Would it bother me on a full custom with a big price tag? Probably. But it doesn't affect the utility, performance or function of the knife, nor does it, at least for me, mar the appearance. Listen to the others who actual have and/or have handled the Horseman for its feel and performance, but don't be put off by generalizations that, at the end of the day, are inaccurate of the brand overall for either one. And good advice above of looking on the exchange for either - you can find some good deals on knives that have been well-cared for and in excellent condition. Good hunting.
 
Get the ZT 0550. Probably my all time favorite knife, it does not disappoint. I could go on and on about it but just GET IT!
Great steel, über customizable, amazing fit + finish, amazing customer service, and you can get it in BLACKWASH! Go get one! *que Schwarzenegger voice* DO IT NOW!!
 
After owning a few Emerson's and ZT's I would take any ZT any day over any Emerson. And the 550 is an amazing knife, my favorite ZT to date.
 
The 0550 is becoming my favorite knife. I put mine to work as soon as I got it and have been very impressed. It holds an edge well, is very corrosion resistant, and was shockingly easy to touch up despite being so durable.

That's my recommendation.
 
It seems like the 0550 is the one I should go for. Tho at some point I will have to get an Emerson. No matter all the complaints I hear about their quality, something about them just urges and urges me to pull the trigger on one.
 
ZT 0550 for me any day. Nothing wrong with the Horseman. Just love that big fat slab of titanium.
 
They cost about the same, but with the 0550 you get better blade steel (S35VN vs 154CM), more refined fit and finish and what I think is a better edge geometry (I don't like Emerson's chisel edges). There are also tons of aftermarket scales to customise your 0550.

The Horseman is a good knife, it's got the typical Emerson strengths (wave, excellent ergonomics, great overall design) but also what I consider to be Emerson's weaknesses considering the price tag, i.e. basic materials (154CM is OK, I actually like it a lot, but it's no super steel) and lack of attention to detail (my Emersons don't have fit and finish issues, but they've got tool marks and they leave me with the impression that they could benefit from a couple more hours of cosmetic work).

I really enjoy Emerson's designs, but I prefer ZTs materials, fit and finish, etc. In fact, my next Emerson will probably be the collaboration with ZT. Since I get the best from both companies.
 
Love my ZT0550 Gen 1. Picked up a used one on here and put a set of OD Preacher scales.
Beat out my Strider SnG, Sebenza and many more for pocket time.
Great loud solid lock up, fits my big mitts like a glove. Great blade shape and ZT is American made.
Hits all the right points for me.:D
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I've had both. Ended up parting with the Horseman. Both should serve you well, but it's key points like the ZT's framelock and true V edge that make it the winner in my eyes.

The Horseman has killer ergos and the Wave is awesome. But the 0550 is just bulletproof. There's a video of some Russian dude just pounding away at his 0550, pushing it to it's limits. It holds up really well.

Plus you can't go wrong with the ZT warranty.
 
If you want to use it hard, even abuse it, go with the ZT550. Not a knock against the Horseman, as anyone here that is familiar with my taste in knives knows that I love my Emersons, but you would be hard-pressed to find another folder as tough as the ZT550 from any maker, especially at its price point. Hell, double the price point. Same result.
 
The 0550 is one of my favorite knives, good size, not too heavy, flips open like a rocket. I prefer the gen 1 clip.

I've never had a Horseman but I have a CQC-8. The CQC-8 feels great, flips well and of course you can wave it too, like any Emerson it takes some work to break it in but I really like Emerson knives especially compared to the more blingy ZTs etc.

Of the two I would pick the 0550 but I don't think you can go too far wrong.
 
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