The production ZTs are working knives that still look pretty good. The LE's are very pretty knives that can still do work. Not exactly pure "art knives" that you would mostly display in a case.
Sent from the BatComputer
-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
ZT Limited Edition 0999
- Thread starter Grandmaster
- Start date
Sent from the BatComputer
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2009
- Messages
- 13,396
I agree that the 999 is an art knife, it shows off the art of production knife making. I can't think of one other manufacturer that makes anything near the level of the 999.
I disagree on the previous LE's, as even though all of them are good looking and dare I say "art", they all are rugged, well made knives that can be used.
I have direct experience with using and carrying all of the previous ZT LEs, including the 606CF, 392, 888, 777, 801CF, 560CBCF, 454....all are very good knives as well as being something special.
I don't have any problem with your observation; your assertion is perfectly valid with regard to the 999. If anyone has any disagreement, it might be that they are inferring that when you say "art knife" you are implying "not really useable", which I don't gather from your statement. Useable, functional art is more what comes to my mind, but I am in the group of the few people who own and use these knives and therefor can speak from exprience.
best
mqqn
RamZar
Gold Member
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2013
- Messages
- 11,582
I assume you mean ZT LEs are "art knives"? If so, I agree as in design & engineering showpieces. However, even as "art knives" they're still "working knives"!
- Joined
- Nov 11, 2016
- Messages
- 161
Get yours from Going Gear?
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2011
- Messages
- 3,193
Is it just me or does it seem like ZT always puts out photoshopped renders of their blades? I am by no stretch of the imagination a fan of this one, but from the few real pics I've seen it looks so much better than the photos ZT puts out. This goes for all of their blades. The pics always look 'unreal'!
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2012
- Messages
- 2,490
I think its fair to assert that no magazine type pics really look like what the actual does. Most of the time they are doctored pics, which is the case with anything you see thats an "ad". If you think about it, do you think any of these movie stars or cars, or models really look like what the pictures show??? I agree it looks WAAAAY better in person, this really is an amazing knife and looks killer. Its bigger than you might expect as well, but fits the hand really well.
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2015
- Messages
- 370
Pictures used in advertising are pretty much always touched up. Usually for products, they will do this to correct any lighting issues. This usually makes the object look a lot more "flat" then real life.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2009
- Messages
- 13,396
They probably do - The pictures of the 606CF were a lot more vivid than the knife was in real life, and the same has been true with some pictures taken by owners at home.
You don't even have to use photoshop, I have the "vivid" setting cranked up on my Nikons because I like my pictures to have more color, which a lot of people consider over-saturated.
What is cool, to me anyway, is how we as knife fans take such nice pictures of the knives, I always enjoy that aspect of the hobby.
best
mqqn
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2011
- Messages
- 3,193
Haha, sorry guys I should have clarified... Obviously every picture in an ad you see is doctored, but for the ZT pics its different. I don't really know how to describe it, almost like parts of the knife are from different pictures that have been cobbled together. It doesn't look like a picture that has been simply "touched up"
What I meant was, the knife looks much better out in the wild.
Lets see some more pics!
What I meant was, the knife looks much better out in the wild.
Lets see some more pics!
jstn
Gold Member
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2012
- Messages
- 3,733
These do look better in the wild. Although this knife isn't for me, I am very interested in the innovation ZT shows here. I would love to see them innovating some new locking mechanisms, maybe in conjunction with the Hawk brothers. I don't really see this happening since they have their framelocks really dialed in, and they sell like hotcakes, but a guy can dream, right?
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2011
- Messages
- 3,193
I mean ZT has done Hawk collabs before. Its not so far fetched really!
- Joined
- Nov 11, 2012
- Messages
- 220
I bought one kind of on impulse. Curiosity got the best of me. I haven't purchased a folder in years, so things have come a long way in terms of production knives since my last purchase. Pictures had my opinion of it dancing between ridiculously silly and incredibly cool. I figured buying one would be my only shot at checking one out for more than a few seconds at a time, and I could always get my money back.
Lets just say I'm in a tough place right now. I totally can't justify owning a $750 knife right now, especially one which is by all means impractical for me to ever carry or use, and the secondary market prices sure are enticing already... but this thing is truly incredible. The lines of the knife, the amount of detail they put into it. The construction is quite simply something else. I've handled a whole lot of knives over the years, including big-name customs and several of the other ZT LEs, and I can say without a doubt that this is one of the most impressive and downright coolest knives I've ever handled.
Lets just say I'm in a tough place right now. I totally can't justify owning a $750 knife right now, especially one which is by all means impractical for me to ever carry or use, and the secondary market prices sure are enticing already... but this thing is truly incredible. The lines of the knife, the amount of detail they put into it. The construction is quite simply something else. I've handled a whole lot of knives over the years, including big-name customs and several of the other ZT LEs, and I can say without a doubt that this is one of the most impressive and downright coolest knives I've ever handled.