ZT 0550 vs 0551

M

monk3yfist

Joined
Mar 24, 2009
Messages
622
Just a question for all of you ZT experts out there: I've carried the 551 for a long time and recently just picked up a 551. Has anyone else noticed that the 551 has just slightly thinner bladestock and more taper towards the tip? Also the grinds on the swedge are a bit thinner with rounder edges. I measured them side by side and the 551 is indeed a touch thinner, it is so just a bit lighter. Is this common among the two blades? Thanks.
 
With different blade materials on the knives, anything is possible. And wouldn't see it as an issue. Now if the shape was different on 2 same generation 550's then I would be worried.
 
They are powder formed steel. Not machined. I do believe.


Range13, Are your 550's all the genrations?
 
Limpy88 said:
They are powder formed steel. Not machined. I do believe.


Range13, Are your 550's all the genrations?
Click to expand...

ZT doesn't make the metal so yes, they are machine ground.

To the OP, my 0551 is Ser# 0035 and it has the thickest ZT blade I have ever sharpened. Much thicker than the runs of S35V 0550 blades.
 
knifenut1013 said:
ZT doesn't make the metal so yes, they are machine ground.
Click to expand...


I'm pretty sure most of the zt blades are formed with powder metal. Thus making less waste and less maunfacting time.


From Zt web site.
http://zt.kaiusaltd.com/technology
"It is capable of producing highly complex blade geometries for knives with great strength and hardness—and great style. As an environmental bonus, the powdered steel process produces very little scrap material. The ZT 0560 and 0561 feature an ELMAX blade."

And every pic posted o their facebook page of blades with a forming tab only need the cutting edge applied.


DREW78 said:
Not to hijack but what is the difference between these 2 models?
Click to expand...
The 0551 was a limted run with elmax blade and slightly different scale. The stanard 0550 is s35v.
 
The 0551 was the first release and used elmax steel instead of S35V.
 
The 551 is a limited run with Elmax steel. The 550 has gone through gen 1, gen 1.5, gen 2, all with S35VN. The 550 has seen some subtle changes. IMHO the changes are for the better
 
Limpy88 said:
They are powder formed steel. Not machined. I do believe.


Range13, Are your 550's all the genrations?
Click to expand...

bought a first gen blem that had the thickest blade I likes that knife enough to buy another non-blem first gen (thinnest blade) that had to be sent in for warranty work and got a second gen back
(whole new knife) that had a thicker blade then the non-blem but thinner then the blem
 
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