ZT0770CF owners. How is your carbon fiber?

sogflash

sogflash

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Aug 28, 2011
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I have a ZT0770CF and I noticed that the carbon fiber is uneven.
When I move it around in the light, the light will be reflected differently along different parts of the scales. Is this normal for the 0770CF or any carbon fiber?
I only have a few other CF knives. One is perfect, and on the other the CF is a little uneven.

This isn't big problem for me, I' just wondering if it's normal.
 
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No issues with mine. I'll look at it more tonight when I get home, as the TSF Beast is riding with me today.
 
Pics? It's normal for carbon fiber to reflect light differently from fiber rows and columns. That's what gives it the cool checkerboard pattern.
 
I can tell you from handling tons of CF over the past several years that this is very normal, especially on a production line. When mass producing CF, even high quality low void CF like in the ZTs you are going to get everlapping layers of CF, and many slight variations due to surface sanding and finishing. Some people consider it a flaw as they are use to presentation grade CF that has been picked over (usually in small batches) to avoid such flaws. This is generally reflected in the higher pricing. On a production piece they are going to be slightly less picky, but as others have stated, it makes each piece unique. Thexturing the CF can help avoid this, but the satin finish of the ZT scales really make them unique, and give you the opportunity to get a better looking piece of carbon fiber at an affordable price.
 
The first 0770CF I received had CF scales that did not show the conventional weave pattern. The pattern was very uneven with "bow ties" in one area, parallelograms in another area, and then normal square weave on maybe only 25% of the surface. This occurred on both sides. In my opinion it was unattractive and not representative of what most people expect of carbon fiber. So I sent it back and bought another one from another retailer, hoping to get one from a different production batch. The second one is very good. Not perfect, but the weave pattern is mostly even and what you expect CF to look like. The blade doesn't center perfectly on the second one (it did on the first one), but I am happier with it overall and can live with the compromise.

I'm getting the sense that ZT has increasingly low standards in terms of the consistency of their production. I also have two different examples of the 0560. One is an early production and one is a recent production. The workmanship on these two knives is like night and day. The newer one looks terrible with visible tool marks and uneven grinding on nearly every component of the knife. The older one is nearly perfect in every way. ZT won't fix it, so I'm sending the newer 0560 back to the retailer. I simply would not own a current production of the 0560 as a result of this experience.

I think they need to start getting these details right, or they will lose customers. Especially if they expect people to pay a higher average price with MAP enforcement, to play this "knife lottery". I want to get an 0562CF, but my patience for "finding a good one" will be limited after these experiences.
 
I just sent mine back because the non-locking side had a messed up weave. The other side was perfect. Honestly it wouldn't have bothered me if I didn't think it would affect resale. Since upon first touch I wasn't sure I loved it.. So rather have one easy to sell without issues.
 
Just took delivery today of a NIB 0770CF in M390 #0444, as far as I can tell the CF is flawless to the point where the scales appear to be identical bookends, same for the bevels. This is my 5th ZT & I'm very satisfied with the brand & this example is exceptional in every aspect.
 
Having dealt with CF in several different knives from customs to productions, it's never flawless. If you want flawless, get the CF sticker laminated onto G10 that some people use.
 
The top portion (closest to the pivot) of my 0770CF looks different than the bottom portion. No effect on function at all. My 0770CF-M390 has a very consistent CF pattern throughout. The 0770CF is from April 26, 2014 and the 0770CF-M390 is from September 15, 2014.
 
It seems like a crapshoot with CF from ZT. Many times it will look great, other times it has a misplaced splice on the presentation side where it seems it never should have gone out the door like that.

I bought two 0770CFs, the first one looked bad and the second, perfect. So the first one was returned, the second one kept.

Kinda like the sticky locks they had on the 0560. Some of them, you could not close the blade again after opening it. If you could, it was a real chore. My two turned out perfect. Early lockup, no wiggle, no sticky lock whatsoever.

But one of them was a replacement for one that you could barely get the lock unstuck to close the blade after opening. It was sent back to ZT and the day the replacement hit the store, I returned and bought it.

So yes, there are variations in ZT CF. To some, they do not care.

To me, I do care, for great CF in the sunlight is a beauty to behold. And we pay the price to have it flawless if we want to!
 
That's been true of every CF I've seen except laminates or hand selected and finished pieces. Just a function of being a production piece.
 
The patterning on the presentation scale on my 0770CF was uneven. I sent it in to ZT and they installed a new scale under warranty. Given that the 0770CF is very likely the only ZT I'll ever own, it was worth it to me to send it in to the manufacturer to make it right. And make it right is precisely what they did. :thumbup:

Based on my personal experience, it's pretty clear to me that ZT knows the difference between a CF scale that is flawless and a CF scale that is not.
 
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Aesthetics is by far the biggest benefit to CF in a knife scale application and it's why you pay a premium, so if the aesthetics aren't right, I'd say send it in for replacement.
 
OP is correct that some of the CF slabs have darker and lighter areas. You can sorta see it on mine in this image:




The CF on my Sage is more even:

 
Didn't notice it on mine. Gotta get some loctite though because the pivot screw thinks its a merry-go-round.
 
Scurvy092 said:
You understand that is not real carbon fiber on your Sage right?
Click to expand...

It's real carbon fiber on top although the handle material is not 100% CF.

CARBON FIBER/G-10 LAMINATE
A durable, aesthetically pleasing material consisting of a surface layer of pure carbon fiber bonded to a base layer of G-10.​
 
RamZar said:
It's real carbon fiber on top although the handle material is not 100% CF.

CARBON FIBER/G-10 LAMINATE
A durable, aesthetically pleasing material consisting of a surface layer of pure carbon fiber bonded to a base layer of G-10.​
Click to expand...

I understand. Its a few steps above a sticker.

The fact of the matter is that the reason spyderco cf looks so good is because its a laminate. That's why the cf on the usa ones are usually peel ply.

The carbon fiber on my caly 3 had the same issues all pure carbon fiber does. Its the process of laying of the matt's, adding the binding agent and compressing it all that causes the variations in the patterning. That why the 'carbon fiber' on the Taiwan looks perfect is because it hasn't gone through that process.

I can't wait to see all these threads come out when the Rubicon hits the streets. Its full cf and its going to have the same variations.
 
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