ZT 560 thoughts?

DarkPatriot

DarkPatriot

Joined
Aug 12, 2011
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221
Hey, looking for some input from people who have owned this or other zt/hinderer collaborations. My knife collection has dwindled down to a few beloved benchmades. The zt really grabbed my attention and I'd love to buy it, however 260$ is alot for me currently and I'd like to hear some experienced input before giving it the green light. Thanks
 
Great knife. You can get it new on buy/Sell section of this forum for about $200
 
You should be able to find one for sale here for less than 260.

My opinion is that is has way to rough jimping on the handle, the detent is a little to weak, and I wish it were heavier.

Most people here seem to like lighter knives so the weight might not be a problem for them.

The flipper with the ball bearing pivot is very smooth and flies open like no other knife I own. With gloves this knife will work well, but not with my bare hands because of the sharp jimping on the handle.
 
DarkPatriot said:
Hey, looking for some input from people who have owned this or other zt/hinderer collaborations. My knife collection has dwindled down to a few beloved benchmades. The zt really grabbed my attention and I'd love to buy it, however 260$ is alot for me currently and I'd like to hear some experienced input before giving it the green light. Thanks
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You might want to search through the existing threads in the Kershaw section. There are dozens of threads asking the question, and some good discussion has taken place as a result.
 
I like big EDC folders, and I like the 0560 a lot. The Elmax steel holds a good edge and is easy to sharpen. The blade is fairly thick -- probably too thick -- for detail work. The knife is a little on the heavy side, too. The flipper works great and the bearings in the pivot give it an incredibly smooth opening.

The fit and finish and the quality of materials really stand out.
 
Fit and finish are good, blade steel is good, the quality is definitely there but it's BIG. I like big folders but for some reason the 560 seems bigger than the specs on it. I'm sure it's not, just my observation.

If you're not concerned about size then go for it.
 
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Yeah I was about to repost and say I'd found it for around 200 here and a couple other places. Thanks revdevil, I will be sure to do so. I can go either way on weight, jimping is not my favorite but not a deal breaker. Ill do some more research and go from there. Thanks for everyone who replied and to anyone who may reply.
 
I had an early 560. The jimping was very aggressive. So much so that I had to smooth it a bit. Mine had lockup issues which ZT fixed. I lost interest with it and traded it off. I recently got a new 561. The new 561 has none of the issues the early ones had. The jimping is comfortable and secure. Lockup is very good, and early on mine. No issues with opening using studs or flipper. Detent on mine is a little light. But I like it that way. I am very happy with my 561. And like others have said, you should be able to get one for around 200, maybe a little more. I got mine on a site I shop for all kinds of stuff.
 
I've only got one knock on ZT knives and it's purely subjective. They're just too darn big and heavy for me to EDC. Other than that, I've got no complaints about them.
 
As far as carry goes, the 560 is a big knife. But for its size it is fairly light weight. And, for me the 561 carries like a smaller knife. The deep carry clip helps a lot in that regard. I hardly know the knife is there until I need it.
 
evanPGH, would you define big? I carry a benchmade rift currently and I don't think it's all that big, but that's a matter of opinion. I've also edc'd McHenry William's 710 and a leatherman MUT both of which were much larger then my rift and not a deal breaker. Bigger then that and I may have second thoughts. My experience with nice production folders (nice to me anyways) is limited to benchmade and spyderco. I have seen many glowing reviews on the zt's here so I'm willing to make the leap. Unfortunately none of the local stores carry zero tolerance so I can't go handle one in person.
 
Mley 1 just saw you're reply. Big and light is definitely doable. Most of the time I'm in medical scrubs which means if the edc is heavy I have to cinch my scrub bottoms up so tight they cut off circulation haha. For whatever reason small and heavy also works. Big and heavy, not so much, which is the MUT is relegated to the glove compartment now.
 
Darkpatrioit---- welcome fellow Coloradoan! Zt0560 is a lot of bang for your buck---- don't pay $260 though! PM Kershawguy here on BF. he will hook you up big time! He is an authorized kershaw/ZT dealer.

If you want a large flipper--- zt0560 is great. If you don't mind smaller and don't need a flipper----zt0550 is an awesome blade for the $ as well.
 
mley1 said:
As far as carry goes, the 560 is a big knife. But for its size it is fairly light weight. And, for me the 561 carries like a smaller knife. The deep carry clip helps a lot in that regard. I hardly know the knife is there until I need it.
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I hear you. I've got a 4 ounce carry limit . . . well, 4.1 ounces if you count my Southard. ;) There aren't too many ZTs in that weight category, I'm afraid.
 
DarkPatriot said:
Mley 1 just saw you're reply. Big and light is definitely doable. Most of the time I'm in medical scrubs which means if the edc is heavy I have to cinch my scrub bottoms up so tight they cut off circulation haha. For whatever reason small and heavy also works. Big and heavy, not so much, which is the MUT is relegated to the glove compartment now.
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Scrubs fabric is a little lighter then the slack material I normally wear. But with business slacks I have no issues carrying my 561. It is a little thinner in thickness than my 550. But it weights close to the same. The Ti lock side is milled out to reduce weight. The liner on the g10 side is skeletonized. So even though it is a large knife it carries like a smaller one.

With scrubs it may be a Tad large. You may find that the knife is visibly outlined through the thin material of scrubs.
 
Thanks rg02 nice to meet a fellow Coloradan :). Ill definitely give kershawguy a holler as soon as I accumulate a little more funds. I've always wanted a zt and found somewhere in the 3.5 to 3.8 blade range well serves my needs. I can go either way on the flipper but the 560/561 really caught my eye in a way a knife hasn't done in a long time. In all honesty if I buy it (trust me I will) and its a little on the heavy side Ill probably end up modifying my uniform to accommodate it :).
 
The weight of the 560 and 550 is the same at 5.8oz. So with the 560 you get a larger blade, larger grip, thinner profile, and a flipper, at the same weight as the smaller 550.
 
Visibility isn't so much of a problem. I'm in tech school but work alot with large animal people and former military. Between the vet, other techs and the clients my rift is usually the smallest knife in the room ;). 5.8 is definitely doable.
 
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DarkPatriot said:
evanPGH, would you define big? I carry a benchmade rift currently and I don't think it's all that big, but that's a matter of opinion. I've also edc'd McHenry William's 710 and a leatherman MUT both of which were much larger then my rift and not a deal breaker. Bigger then that and I may have second thoughts. My experience with nice production folders (nice to me anyways) is limited to benchmade and spyderco. I have seen many glowing reviews on the zt's here so I'm willing to make the leap. Unfortunately none of the local stores carry zero tolerance so I can't go handle one in person.
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I have a Contego and a 710. The 560 is larger in size than both of them. I will have to look at the weights on them. But it would seem that the Contego is close to the 560's weight. And the 710 seems lighter in weight.
 
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