ZT 0551 Dull Factory Edge?

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goat37

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Nov 15, 2010
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My local knife dealer actually had one of these in stock so I jumped on it, I got #247. Got a great price on it too...

I was excited to get home and check out the elmax steel and see what all of the fuss was about with this knife.
I was disappointed when I opened it up, the edge was as dull as a butter knife. It wouldn't cut paper and I could easily roll my finger up and down the blade without even the slightest feel of sharpness.

I threw it on my Wicked Edge and started with the 100 grit stones and worked my way up to the 1600 grit ceramics and got her beautifully sharp, but I was very disappointed with the factory edge out of the box. Did anyone else have this issue?

On a side note, I picked up a HEST he had in stock as well as an ESEE 3 and both of those came shaving sharp.

The ZT 0551 is a nice knife... not sure if I will hold onto it though.
 
It is sharp now and the knife is nice, but I am just not super crazy about it like I am with some of the other ZT knives. Maybe it's the Elmax... not sure.

I was just trying to find out more if others had experienced the same issue as I did and were disappointed.
 
In my experience, all the zts I've gotten thus far have been able to shave arm hair but had a hard time with paper. I don't care really as I sharpen everything anyway. The only edges I usually leave alone are spydercos.
 
I think you'll find that the more you use it, hold it, play with it, etc. that it will really grow on you. It has become my favorite knife to carry at all times. Keep it; you'll be glad you did.

I really haven't heard of anyone having problems with it coming dull. I have #0285 and used it for a month before I touched up the edge with some DMT stones.
 
If you decide you don't want it, I would be more than happy to take it off your hands (seriously) :D
 
You judge a knife by the factory sharpening? If I did that I wouldn't have any knives.
 
You may be right, I think I will carry it for a week or two and see how it goes...

If nothing else, I am sure I could get close to what I paid for it ($179)
 
A lot of my knives are dull, but I wouldn't think about getting rid of most of them. I just need sharpening tools. They are good knives and will sharpen up real well (if I do it correctly).

I really want a Wicked Edge system. :thumbup:
Half of this knife business is a waiting game. :(
 
I never actualy pay any attention to how sharp the knife is out of box. It does not matter. If you use it you will have to sharpen it sooner or later - so what the difference. If you do not use it - then why do you care at all!
I do not like when people buy knives, sharpen them (not always perfect) and then sell - without cutting anything but some paper and hair. I always wish to ask them to leave the factory edge - not to sharpen untill there is actual need!
Nothing personal of course - every knife owner has full rights to make their knives as sharp as he likes. That is just an aftertaste from some knives I have seen or purchased second-hand...
 
It's not so much that I judge a knife by the factory edge, as I do enjoy actually using my wicked edge to sharpen knives...

It's just that when I spend good money on my knives, the factory edge it comes with is usually pretty good already and I can just refine the edge it has. This one I completely reprofiled and basically started from scratch with it. I don't expect to have to do that out of the gate with a $200 knife.

My other ZT's came sharp, but this one didn't... so I just was checking to see if it was something with the production or the steel that it wasn't up to the usual standard that I was expecting out of the box.

The Wicked Edge did a bang up job on it though, so now we'll see how the next couple of weeks with it go before I decide if it is a keeper.
 
Many people are happy to pay $200+ with one from the exchange and you're bummed about a dull knife that they'd be happy to fix up for you at no cost, or that you have the tools to fix? If it were me, I'd be happy to work my sharpener on a brand new steel that I hadn't tried in the past to see how it reacts.

Sometimes there are slip ups in the manufacturing process. For the most part, Kershaw/ZT knives come sick sharp. Never handled a dull one, and I've handled much more (1k+) than most people here. (ThomasW/Kershawguy win there)

To each his own I guess...
 
Holy crap - I didn't expect to be jumped on just asking if anyone else's -0551 came dull. When I say dull, i don't mean 'not really sharp', I mean I couldn't use it to cut a sandwich. It was just sort of a surprise and was looking to see if it was common.
 
I'm surpsied at this. Are you sure the knife hadn't been handled and tested at the store to dull the edge? Or I wonder if it got retumbled at the factory from the send back and it wasn't resharpened after the stonewashing.

Both of mine shave hair, albeit with the slightly rough ground factory edge.
 
I have #350 and I paid just a little more than you. It have several Hinderers, but the 0551 has been in my pocket everyday since I got it. I think it is a great EDC blade. I love my Hinderer's and carried one of those before I got this ZT, my thinking is why beat up a Rick Hinderer when his ZT design is very very good and not a 600 dollar knife. I also have two Hest LE's coming and one of those may very well take the place of this ZT, but I am going to hang on to the ZT regardless, i think it is a fantastic EDC knife.
 
goat37 said:
....My other ZT's came sharp, but this one didn't... so I just was checking to see if it was something with the production or the steel that it wasn't up to the usual standard that I was expecting out of the box.
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Yea, I believe you comments are absolutely valid. If the blade of a new knife is simply not sharpened - it is rather strange, and is certainly worth mentioning.
My comments were rather general - I was always wandering about people who put a particular emphasis on how sharp the knife is out of box. As if that matters!

Sorry, I really could find a better place for that particular observation. I did not mean that it is relevant to this topic - it probably not.
 
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maybe the dealer used and tested the knife?

i can understand the slight disappointment of buying a new, dull knife. on the other hand, i almost never keep a factory edge. i received a knife in the mail last friday and 15 minutes after opening the box i had my 1000 grit norton waterstone out.
 
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