Just posted over at the kershaw forum but thought it would be good to post over here also. Got home about an hour ago and opened up the package from the ole pharmacy. Inside I found the green ZT box and pulled it out. Opened it up and there lay my new 0500 MUDD knife. Now, just some observations as I've not had time to do anything but observe it. First thing I noticed is that this is a big knife. Had my ZT0200 on the table to make comparisions, and quickly saw that the 0500 is the same size as the 0200, closed and opened. The other thing that is immediate, at least for me, is the weight of this knife. It is listed as 4.9 ounces on all the spec sheets I see, but my scale says it weighs between 6.2 to 6.5 ounces! Thats a big difference, and one that I LIKE A LOT!! The extra weight means that the knife has a solid feel in my hand and it just screams to be used. In fact I'm thinking this knife may become my favorite over my ZT0200!!!
I have tuned the opening to my liking simply by tightening the pivot on the side opposite the closing button. Didn't take much to do so, but I have not taken it down yet and will save that for a night I have nothing to do.
As far as lockup goes this knife is solid. There is no side to side play nor any up and down play. Haven't done a spine tap let but probably will before the evening is through.
Fit/finish is excellent as far as I can tell. Blade is centered upon closing, screws were al tightened down as they should have been, the G-10 mated to the liners with no gaps, and the G-10 sculptering was very precise. Only gripe I have is the same one jeff has and that concerns the grippiness of the G-10 when removing the knife from your pocket. Unless I remove the handles and sand down the points a little I will be using two hands to pull this knife from my pocket! But you know, I kinda don't mind as I really took a liking to this knife the minute I pulled it from the box!
Blade grinds are even, and the knife came hair shaving sharp. I have run it across my Sharpmaker white stones so that it is now hair popping sharp.
Opening and closing, especially closing, let you hear and feel the locking mechanism. When you close it it hits a certain spot and actually feels like a strongly sprung slipjoint. I just don't see this knife accidentally opening in my pocket.
All in all this is a very fine knife and one that I'm even happier with than I thought I would be. Was sorta expecting a smaller and lighter knife, but am so glad it turned out to be a larger and heavier knife! All I can say is, if you don't have one yet and you are on the fence, it is worth it and is a great deal for the price it is costing!
I have tuned the opening to my liking simply by tightening the pivot on the side opposite the closing button. Didn't take much to do so, but I have not taken it down yet and will save that for a night I have nothing to do.
As far as lockup goes this knife is solid. There is no side to side play nor any up and down play. Haven't done a spine tap let but probably will before the evening is through.
Fit/finish is excellent as far as I can tell. Blade is centered upon closing, screws were al tightened down as they should have been, the G-10 mated to the liners with no gaps, and the G-10 sculptering was very precise. Only gripe I have is the same one jeff has and that concerns the grippiness of the G-10 when removing the knife from your pocket. Unless I remove the handles and sand down the points a little I will be using two hands to pull this knife from my pocket! But you know, I kinda don't mind as I really took a liking to this knife the minute I pulled it from the box!
Blade grinds are even, and the knife came hair shaving sharp. I have run it across my Sharpmaker white stones so that it is now hair popping sharp.
Opening and closing, especially closing, let you hear and feel the locking mechanism. When you close it it hits a certain spot and actually feels like a strongly sprung slipjoint. I just don't see this knife accidentally opening in my pocket.
All in all this is a very fine knife and one that I'm even happier with than I thought I would be. Was sorta expecting a smaller and lighter knife, but am so glad it turned out to be a larger and heavier knife! All I can say is, if you don't have one yet and you are on the fence, it is worth it and is a great deal for the price it is costing!
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