ZT 392 craze over? Did the Zero Tolerance 0392PURBLKWC flop?

At the price you can get a real Hinderer though, that might have something to do with the slow sales.
 
cricketdave said:
At the price you can get a real Hinderer though, that might have something to do with the slow sales.
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ZT 0392PURBLKWC is $400 with DLC coated M390 steel blade and titanium for both sides of the handle. All the purple hardware is made by Hinderer.

Hinderer XM-18 3.5" is $450 with DLC coated S35VN and G-10 on the presentation side of the handle. A Hinderer titanium scale will add another $200 to the price making it $650. So, the XM will cost $250 more than the ZT and the steel on the ZT is better.
 
I know thats all true, I just think that the lower price on actual Hinderer's is affecting the sales of the ZT versions. We all remember the huge price increases on the secondary market that used to be common. Now not so much.
 
RamZar said:
ZT 0392PURBLKWC is $400 with DLC coated M390 steel blade and titanium for both sides of the handle. All the purple hardware is made by Hinderer.

Hinderer XM-18 3.5" is $450 with DLC coated S35VN and G-10 on the presentation side of the handle. A Hinderer titanium scale will add another $200 to the price making it $650. So, the XM will cost $250 more than the ZT and the steel on the ZT is better.
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Re: blade steel, not if it's a 20CV Hinderer run.

The other thing is, used Hinderers can be found for well under $400 now, so price-minded folks have an easy cheaper substitute good, which ironically comes from the original maker of all things Hinderer. Hinderer's softened up on their warranty stance so folks can get aftermarket finishes/scales without fear of voiding it.
 
They will sell out eventually. I think the reasons as to why they didn't sell out have already been mentioned and the folks at ZT/KAI will absolutely take notice. They are pretty cutthroat when it comes to discontinuing models.

I also don't think this is the end of the 0392, no doubt we will see a few more blade shapes, probably not another wharncliff though.

I did pick up the 0392WC and the 0392PURBLKWC, both are fantastic, and I'd take a ZT over a Hinderer any day of the week.
 
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There have been a lot of solid responses to this thread. Knife sales are down in 2016 (knife news article I read a couple months back) and the market is flooded with blades. Knives that flew off the shelves three years ago now take a few weeks to sell. While I still buy a lot of knives, I've recently been spending cash on firearms and firearm accessories.
 
RamZar said:
About two months ago, ZT released a limited run 0450CFZDP with ZDP-189 steel blade and no DLC on blade or titanium. Standoffs are blue anodized. Some dealers still have some in stock for $240.
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That is a knife that keeps calling me, beautiful, and a great, tested steel.

Russ
 
onojoe said:
How could he have bought 5, every website says they are strictly limited to 1
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Maybe after the initial rush that never happened some dealer was glad to unload his entire stock.

Maybe they can be marketed to Ravens fans.

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cricketdave said:
I know thats all true, I just think that the lower price on actual Hinderer's is affecting the sales of the ZT versions. We all remember the huge price increases on the secondary market that used to be common. Now not so much.
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I agree with Dave. A major selling point of early production ZT/hinderer collabs was that they were so much less expensive and way easier to get than the real deal. With these limited editions getting higher in cost and sometimes hard to get and with hinderers getting lower in cost and easier to get it seems the answer is obvious.
 
RamZar said:
About two months ago, ZT released a limited run 0450CFZDP with ZDP-189 steel blade and no DLC on blade or titanium. Standoffs are blue anodized. Some dealers still have some in stock for $240.
Click to expand...

I should do some googling to find one of these- I thought they were all gone. If I find one I'd probably sell my 562CF which I appreciate, but doesn't get carried in my urban OC.
 
These 392's seem to be sold out in most places I've seen.

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cricketdave said:
I know thats all true, I just think that the lower price on actual Hinderer's is affecting the sales of the ZT versions. We all remember the huge price increases on the secondary market that used to be common. Now not so much.
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I agree. Sure to get the same features on a Hinderer will cost another couple hundred but it puts you close enough to a base model that I'm doubting how many people are that interested. I'm sure there's some but it's not the same as it was when a comparable option from Hinderer was 2.5-3 times the cost.
 
benzy2 said:
I agree. Sure to get the same features on a Hinderer will cost another couple hundred but it puts you close enough to a base model that I'm doubting how many people are that interested. I'm sure there's some but it's not the same as it was when a comparable option from Hinderer was 2.5-3 times the cost.
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I don't think that's what is slowing ZT's sales of the 392- I just think that at 500/release, they've simply met demand. I concur with RamZ that apples-to-apples comparison, the ZT is a farbetter deal than a similar Hinderer... ZT's are made to better tolerances, hands-down flip MUCH better, and also execute fit/finish consistently better IMHO.
 
For what it's worth, got mine in yesterday and it is my favorite of the few I've held/owned. The detent, fit and finish, etc is the best I've felt. The purple anodizing is so much more beautiful in person. My hardware actually looks more blue once my finger oils got all over it.
 
I bought mine then sold it below cost. In person, I actually think the knife feels rather plain and without any WOW factor. The fit and finish is there, as always, but you get very close, if not the same, fit and finish for any regular production ZT. The detent on mine was weaker, so the flipping action was not as snappy as my 0452CF or 0562CF. Which is more tuned in? I think that is just personal preference. Overall, I felt that this version of the 0392 is just a slightly dressed up plain working knife. But with that delicate tip and the DLC all over it, I wouldn't want to be using this knife for anything other than opening mail.
 
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