Zt 2010

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Pete2s

Joined
Jan 1, 2010
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I'm looking forward to ZT's new knives for 2010, except the 0750 talon shaped knife. From the SHOT Show pics, the 0750 looks like it will have studs as the stop pin, like the 0300. Will it also feature incredibly useless thumb studs like the 0300? Did ZT mention any continuing improvements on their current series of knives, like making the 0300's studs capable of being used?

I nearly sliced my thumb in half on my Kershaw Skyline trying to open it with the thumbstuds.
 
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It's not that uncommon to find thumbstuds as stop pins. Microtech, Darrel Ralph, ZT of course, Kershaw, etc all have models that have thumbstuds that act as stop pins. I would argue that a thumbstud acting as a stop pin makes a knife that much stronger because the stress imparted on the blade acts against the actual frame, versus a steel post. I'd go further to say that it would be much harder to break a frame versus breaking a stop pin. Then again, if you manage either, you're using the wrong tool.

People don't buy 0300/0350/0400s to use a thumbstud. It's common knowledge that these knives are flippers. The joke's on you if you expect otherwise. Don't like it, don't buy it. Simple as that. Fortunately, in the knife world, there is a knife for everyone.

FWIW, if you practice enough, you can open a knife with a "useless thumbstud" as a stop pin as you call it.

I had custom scales made for my 0350 where there was no finger relief cut out. I still managed to open the knife as fast as I could using the flipper.
 
Yes, the joke is on me. It is a mean joke by Kershaw/ZT that cost me money--"Just push on the ambidextrous thumb stud ..." for the 0300 and "Even in combat gloves, you can easily deploy the blade using the large, ambidextrous thumb stud ..." for the 0350. So, the better question is "Are they going to change the description of their knives or change the actual knives?"
 
Pete2s said:
Yes, the joke is on me. It is a mean joke by Kershaw that cost me money--"Just push on the ambidextrous thumb stud ..." for the 0300 and "Even in combat gloves, you can easily deploy the blade using the large, ambidextrous thumb stud ..." for the 0350. So, the better question is "Are they going to change the description of their knives or change the actual knives?"
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Like I said, it's not that hard if you practice it, especially not with the torsion bar assisted opening. You don't even have to move the stud far before the AO kicks in. This is ofc talking about the ZT knives.

The Skyline has no assist, but the same thing applies...should have done a bit more research. There are countless youtube reviews of either knife.

Combat gloves shouldn't make it much different, unless the combat gloves the person is using are oven mitts (re: the ZT knives and thumbstud opening).

Sux that you almost got bitten by the Skyline, but you live and you learn. Glad you still have all of your fingers. (that wasn't sarcasm either).
 
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Pete, tell me one thing - have you ever handeled 0300/0400 series? Have you tried to open it with the thumbstud? :rolleyes:
It's kinda funny, because I had one 300' and had no problems with opening it either with stud and flipper. Handeled also 400 one time - also no problems with opening.
Back to skyline - I agree. Thumbstuds are useless in this model, but like harkamus said, it has been designed as - mainly - flipper.

But I can't see any sense in putting bad experiences from one model to (completely different) other :confused:
 
Imo the Zt is very easy to open via thumbstud. I can do it almost as easily as I can do the flipper. Still fast and easy and as stated once the assist takes over that big blade hurtles out.

IDK maybe it is just me but i also found after messing with it a bit that the skyline rockets out with ease VIA thumbstuds? And by no means are my hands small... I open it about 50/50 thumbstud and flipper...
 
For the record I don’t have any trouble opening the 300 series with the thumb studs. It’s difficult with gloves (like just about every knife with thumb studs regardless of whether they double as blade stops or not) but then you would simply use the knife the way it seems to have been designed, as a flipper.

If you’re really having such serious problems I suggest you practice.

As for the Skyline, the studs can be used as part of a slow “two stage” opening, a good option if you think flipping it might scare people.
 
I have the Skyline and it is my most used and carried EDC knife. I have not problems at all using the thumbstuds. Like you not understanding why Kershaw put thumbstuds on a folder that can't be used, I can't understand why people have a hard time using the thumbstud to open the Skyline. To me it is easy, but I see my co-worker struggling to open it with the thumbstud AND the flipper and I just :rolleyes:. Everyone else I hand the knife too have little or no problems opening my Skyline. People are different in their skill-sets I guess. If you possess that skill, then Kershaw may be marketing to that demographic. ;)

Now my Kershaw Leek and ZT0300 are easy to open for me via thumbstud also. Both use the thumbstuds as stop pins and assisted.

Actually, the Talon is one of the models that really intrigued me out of the new ZT additions.
 
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Pete2s said:
Typical case of ignorant poster.
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Not really. There is such a thing as being a responsible consumer.

Which one are you? Well, you didn't check reviews or watched videos of the knife, which is quite obvious or you would have known what to expect. This day in age with this wonderful thing you're using that we call the Internet, there is no excuse not to do some homework before you buy something...UNLESS what you plan on buying is something you don't care about. You obviously care about knives or you wouldn't be on this forum. What's more is you don't practice. You're quick to attack a product because it fails to meet YOUR needs. Here's a bright idea; why didn't you return the knife when you first got it after you realized it didn't meet your expectations?:rolleyes: I suppose not much else remains to be said.
 
I, for one, didn't have a problem opening my skyline with either the studs or the flipper, no practice required. Of course, that doesn't mean everyone would be able to do it. If you're unable to operate the thumbstuds on your knife, maybe the knife just isn't for you - it doesn't mean ZT is trying to pull a fast one on you or that the knife is poorly designed.

There are plenty of knives that I've handled that are absolute blister factories for me, but which other people tell me are 'extremely ergonomic' or 'comfortable' - doesn't mean the knives are 'useless' or incapable of being used, it just means that they don't fit my hands.
 
I'm sorry to hear that you almost cut yourself while fondling your Skyline, looks like you might want to put a little tape on the cutting edge while you practice your opening techniques(Not sarcasm). I'm not trying to be mean either but you really opened a can of worms on yourself here. ZT has a HUGE following here on BF and I suggest you refrain from talking crap about them in such a way, especially when starting a thread and especially when you you're still a newcomer. I also have no problem opening my ZT 300, 350, Kershaw Skylines, Leek, or even my Scallions using the thumbstuds. It's all about the technique. Try pushing or flicking up instead of out.

On a side note I can see how you might have a tough time opening the Skyline IF its an older model. I'm not sure exactly when but at some point they made a thumb stud cutout. I have two Skylines, one is a first production run and has a born date of it looks like April 2006, and the other is a later model with a born date of June 2008. They realized at some point that the thumbstuds are a little tough to use and started making them with the cutout. Either way I believe their advertising is accurate. :thumbup:
 
When I was in the market for my 0302 I read and watched all the reviews on the knife and before buying I knew that the thumbstuds were not the best opening method for this knife. For that reason (and the fact that I like flipper designs) I never really attempted to use the thumbstuds.

However this thread prompted me to really give 'em a whirl. Personally the thumbstuds did not really give me any sort of problem opening the knife. Just a little pressure and the AO takes right over. In fact I felt it was so easy I might start opening the knife more often with studs ... but I still really like that flipper!
 
Pete2s said:
Yes, the joke is on me. It is a mean joke by Kershaw/ZT that cost me money--"Just push on the ambidextrous thumb stud ..." for the 0300 and "Even in combat gloves, you can easily deploy the blade using the large, ambidextrous thumb stud ..." for the 0350. So, the better question is "Are they going to change the description of their knives or change the actual knives?"
Click to expand...

Personally, I don't have any problem opening my 300 or 350 knives with the thumbstuds, except when I try to use my left hand. Personally, I use the flipper 99% of the time, though.

As other posters have said, practice is required when using the thumbstud on AO knives. Its different than using a thumbstud on a non-AO knife. To paraphrase one of my old Sergeant Majors, "You gotta be smarter than the knife."
 
J_Curd said:
Typical case of "I can't do it, so someone lied to me". Practice.
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Blunt and true. If you can't open a ZT with the thumbstud... wow I guess I'm kinda shocked. Just don't say that it's true for everyone else. I can open up my ZT's with my thumb crazy fast.

I haven't met someone who couldn't open a ZT using their thumb.
 
J_Curd said:
Insert new member.

Insert newbie question.

Insert experience.

Insert defensiveness.

Thread complete.
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There's no need for such attacks. I've been a longtime lurker--long enough to know fanboys will be fanboys and a great deal of posts are immature like yours. Show some class; your post count doesn't make you better than anyone.

Amper124, PaulWall, J.Mattson, UpChUck, Dorito Monk and Jwlister--thanks for the input.

I'm not going to refrain from criticizing just because there are many fanboys. I'm most critical of the companies I like. ZT is one of my favorite companies and I think their thumbstud design should be improved on the 0300 series. I posted hoping to find out if any design changes are in place for 2010 because I know Thomas posted that some knives were undergoing revisions after comments from the SHOT show.
 
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