ZT or Spyderco?

A

Airsoftgun99

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Jul 26, 2013
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I can get a 0550 for a good price and the 0566. I am afraid the 0566 will be to small, because I'm looking for a larger knife. Not sure which one I would get. Would you recommend any more ZT knives under 160?

But (and this is a big but), I can get a PM2 and save 30ish dollars. Then again, this knife will, in fact, be the only one i buy for a year or so. Spyderco is nowhere near as "hard use" as a ZT, from what I've heard, and I don't know if i could take a "delicate knife." Is the fear of breaking a PM2's tip legit? Weight is irrelevant to me, but I do not want a .7 thick Adamas in my pocket just yet.

I also looked into Benchmade. The 909 Stryker would be perfect for me if it wasn't a tanto. That's the only drawback. Plus, there are a very limited few Benchmade knives that actually have G-10. I am not paying 100+ for plastic handles, no matter the steel. The Contego is a bit expensive for me, so why not get a DPx Hest 2.0 for 5 dollars less? And, the Triage doesn't look like it will stab as good as a drop point. I'm getting off topic :rolleyes:

SO, this purchase is really important to me and I keep flipping (heh:D) between companies and knives. Any ideas? Thanks
 
I've got a ZT 0560 and its a big beefy knife all the way around, but its thick in the pocket. For the last few weeks I've been carrying nothing but Spyderco and bought a couple new ones. What kind of use do you anticipate? I know it may be a little out of your price range, but I'm probably going to sell my ZT and get a Spyderco Tuff. Crazy cool knife
 
If you're looking for ZT's under $160, find an 0200. Awesome knife.

Also, I recommend the 0350, Benchmade Adamas, and if you can find one, a BM 760 LFTi. The PM2 is also a pretty tough knife.


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There are quite a few Benchmade's with G10. Of all the BM's I've ever had (Adamas, 300, Mini Grip, Mini Onslaught, Ares, 760LFTi), only two were not G10. (Mini Grip was plastic, 760 is Ti)

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A lot of it comes down to aesthetics, opening/locking mechanism and easy of carry. I am not a fan of most Spyderco designs or thumb-hole opening and would choose a ZT in almost every situation if deciding between the two. However, obviously, some people feel exactly the opposite. I am one of the (apparently) few who like the fact that so many Kershaw knives closely emulate ZTs, because while a Kershaw is not likely to be "overbuilt" like the corresponding ZT, that usually makes for more appropriate EDC size and weight. I prefer a knife with a bit of heft to it, but realistically almost never find myself using my EDC knife for more than opening packages, slicing food or - very rarely - cutting various sorts of cable.
 
I've had my pm2 for a couple of years and I have never had any trouble with it or the tip. If you have never held one I think you would be surprised at how strong it is and how solid the compression lock is. If you look on youtube you can find videos of people field testing it and you'll see it can stand up to some hard abuse. That being said I would like to purchase a ZT 0560 or 0550 in the next couple of months just to give me some different options and something new to play with.

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Spyderco Gayle Bradley ftw.
 
I have the 0550 and a PM2. I like the 0550 better. It is a nice and stout knife built like a tank, but does not carry like a brick. In my opinion it is more solid of a knife than the PM2. I have owned 3 PM2 and still have one. Everyone I had was plagued with blade play. If I would tighten the play out it was very hard to open. I tried all the tricks people have posted on here and could never get it out, and I'm not a spyderco hater i own many, but it has had more QC problems than any other model I have. So i think the 0550 would be a better choice. Also take a look at the Emerson mini commander it is slowly become one of my favorite blades. Its tough easy to carry, easy to sharpen, and will take a beating. Here are some pics to give you a size comparison.



 
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The tip on the PM2 is stronger than one might think. Also, the compression lock might actually be stronger than the framelock on the 550. That being said, even though the PM2 is one of my favorite knives and I carry it often, I do find the 550 to be much more aesthetically pleasing, and it is a really tough blade. It is really one of the more underrated knives in ZTs lineup. ZT has an excellent warranty as well. You can't go wrong with either. The Gayle Bradley suggestion mentioned earlier is also worth looking into.
 
Definitely Spyderco PM2. It's more "hard-use" than you will think. I'd argue the PM2's lock is much stronger than the ZT's framelock. But that's a whole other debate.
 
Both these knives are some of my favorites from these two brands.

Just of note: The PM2 isn't made of paper mache :rolleyes: the lock may be stronger than a framelock especially if you're gonna perhaps do things like baton with it. And dont be afraid of pointy tips on knives. It is extremely useful when doing KNIFE tasks. You can youtube PM2: hard use/field use and decide.
 
The Para 2 is not going to break under any reasonable use. (Batoning, chopping, throwing, etc. is not reasonable use for a folder.)

The tip is very strong, and the compression lock is second only to the axis lock. Made in the USA (20 minutes from where I live, in fact), premium materials (S30V and two options for G10), an ergonomic handle, and it is only $115.

ETA: My PM2 has no blade play, and it is very smooth to open.
 
the 0560 is a smaller knife for sure, i like the 0550 much better. i was a bit underwhelmed by the 0560. the zt 0350 is also very nice, its a perfect size, its hefty but still not too big.

have you considered the spyderco manix? its a great EDC that is also very strong and very affordable. the manix xl is one of the best deals in the knife world right now in my opinion, especially the beautiful black blade version.
 
The 0200 is a great value if you want a strong knife and don't mind the weight and bulk.

Between the 0550 and Para 2, I think the Para 2 is a more well rounded knife. I own both and like the 0550 more, but the Para 2 is better at most of the things a pocket knife can be used for.

The blade is great for general cutting and slicing, the tip is strong enough as long as you don't pry with it. I've been using Military and Paramilitary Spyderco folders for years, and only one of my Militaries has a slightly damaged tip because it fell on a ceramic floor. It's also lighter, narrower and cheaper than the 0550.

I use my 0550 much more often than my Para 2 because of subjective reasons, I just find it more enjoyable.
 
spydercobenchmadekai said:
the compression lock is second only to the axis lock.
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Please allow me to disagree. I would say the compression lock is stronger.

Strong-Dog said:
But that's a whole other debate.
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JeremiahWeaver09 said:
the manix xl is one of the best deals in the knife world right now in my opinion, especially the beautiful black blade version.
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Agreed. (Personally I cannot stand carrying tip-up unfortunately.) Same can be said about the Spyderco Military Titanium C36TIP: almost a 4" Sebenza for half the price (little thicker handle than the standard G10 Millie though).

The Spyderco Military and ParaMilitary are very slim (the Fluted Ti Millie is even slimmer). Have you ever tried a Military? Personally I think it is one of the most utilitarian production knives money can buy, in my humble opinion.

 
The Pm2 blade is more than strong enough for all reasonable knife activities and the lock is stronger than frame and liner locks according to many experts. The blade hole is the best way to open a blade in my opinion.

The ergonomics for this knife are as close to perfect as those for any other knife I ve held.

I like my 551 better than any of my other ZT s, but I still find myself carrying my pm2 much more often. There is a reason the pm2 is the one usually compared to other knives in these discussions when discussing the other knives' merits. It s the benchmark for a high quality knife for a moderate to moderately high price. It s probably the best folding knife value on the market. And, I definitely appreciate the merits of CRK s, Striders, ZT s, and Benchmades.
 
I consider the PM2 a slicer and the tip is not an issue if you respect the knife as a tool. The Adamas is a tough beast and not stainless plus the blade coating will wear.It's worth every penny I paid(old price) and handle thickness is a non issue for me.The 0550 would seem to be a sweet spot and has a stainless blade and is a tough knife, but not the best choice for a slicer..I have no experience with the Stryker and prefer PE knives.The pm2 carries the best in the pocket and is more practical for my uses and the ability to slice like a demon seems to boost it's pocket time for my EDC uses.If I was a young man and liked to stab trees of carve things in wood with knife tips then my choice would be the 0550.I broke off many Buck 110 knife tips back in the day and I can say that my knife tips were never the same and it took quite a lot of effort and time on the stone bringing the edge and tip back to life.
 
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