Zt562 or zt562cf?

U

UpstateRuger

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Jan 11, 2017
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Okay, so I have come to the conclusion that my new edc knofe is going to be a zt 562 knife. I am debating on whether or not I should get the g10 or carbon fiber. The weight difference appears to be about a tenth of an ounce. So here are my questions, which blade will hide scratches better, full stonewash or the satin? Is the steel in the carbon fiber model any easier to sharpen then Elmax? And finally, if i was to purchase all the titanium harware and replace the original, would shave any weight off? Even if we are talking a tenth of an ounce, just curious. Any feedback would be appreciative. Thanks.
 
UpstateRuger said:
Okay, so I have come to the conclusion that my new edc knofe is going to be a zt 562 knife. I am debating on whether or not I should get the g10 or carbon fiber. The weight difference appears to be about a tenth of an ounce. So here are my questions, which blade will hide scratches better, full stonewash or the satin? Is the steel in the carbon fiber model any easier to sharpen then Elmax? And finally, if i was to purchase all the titanium harware and replace the original, would shave any weight off? Even if we are talking a tenth of an ounce, just curious. Any feedback would be appreciative. Thanks.
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The full stone wash will hide scratches better. On paper the Elmax will be easier to sharpen but in practice, using a quality method and touching up regularly rather than letting it get dull, I don't find a difference in the sharpening of the two. I doubt you would save hardly any weight and not close to a tenth of an ounce.

I have the 0562cf. I prefer G10 over carbon fiber, it seems more grippy and I don't care about the looks that much. I got the cf for the steel upgrade and the two tone finish blade.
 
Get zt562 if you can't stand scratches...just cleaning the satin blade with a cloth will leave very fine lines. Difficulty in sharpening between the two are about the same (elmax vs 204P).no idea about the weight saving from the hardwares, but I'm pretty sure it's negligible. G10 also feel much more secure in hand. For me the CF is a little slippery

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I prefer full stone-washed blades; I hate scratches on the blade. However, the 20CV blade is a whole bunch better than Elmax. OTOH, if you're a CASUAL user like me, you'll never notice any difference.
BTW, 0.1 ounce is like a cat's whisker. Unless you relate to the story of the Princess and the Pea, don't worry about weight differences of less than about 1.0 ounce. I'm particular about weight (and comfort) and five ounces is my practical limit. I have folders of 4.8 oz, 5.0 oz, and 5.1 oz and obviously cannot notice any difference in my pocket.
I would be just as concerned about grip thickness, as this variable is quite noticeable to me in carry. All my favorites are around 0.450" thick, and I abhor anything greater than 0.500" thick. I just bought a nice folder that's 0.510" thick and will be sending it "away" to go on a diet before I'll wear it.
 
The traction is not much of an issue for me. I am left handed. I should also mention I currently own a zt566bw with the elmax steel. I had a hell of a time sharpening it until i bought a ken onion worksharp. Now the thing is like a razor. I bring this up because my main issue with the knife is I want an unassisted model. I tried taking out the torsion bar on mine but I was not very happy with the blade retention when closed. I just figured if I get the 562 I will be much happier because no torsion bar and ball bearings. I moght just go with the g10 version. That will save me 40 bucks to spend on some titanium standoffs and lockbar washer.
 
I think 20CV is a noticeable improvement over Elmax. My ZT blades with M390 (virtually identical) keep their edges for a much longer time. I love the look of CF, but I can't stand the grip compared to G10. The only knife that i have in CF and enjoy is the ZT0777 and that's due to the milling to give it texture.
 
Well I just pulled the trigger on the g10 model. I love my 566 but I want ball bearings and an unassisted knofe from the factory.
 
So I would say go for the 562cf the CTS 204P is worth the extra cash.

I have the 566BW in Elmax and the 562ORBLK (the Orange and black sprint run) and I would say that i love the 204P way more for its edge retention.
Elmax is a fickle steel if not heat treated properly, and I think that is why ZT is moving away from Elmax and going the the S35VN on some of their models.
 
Maybe it was just my 566bw, but the elmax seemed really good on mine. I figure worst case scenario, they will switch the steel to s35vn. I can always send the knife in for blade replacement at a later date if they discontinued the elmax. This is gonna be an edc blade and i think the full stonewash will look better after a year or more of use. I yend to do a lot of carboard, shrinkwrap and the occasional plastic banding cutting at work.
 
I had the 0562 for a while and it is an awesome knife, so as the lesser of the two in terms of knife steel you cannot go wrong.
 
So elmax can either be treated right and hold an amazing Edge or it can be he treated very poorly and feel like a Chinese steel essentially. Its a steel that needs a consistent heat treat basically

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Impulse600 said:
So elmax can either be treated right and hold an amazing Edge or it can be he treated very poorly and feel like a Chinese steel essentially. Its a steel that needs a consistent heat treat basically

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Lots of steels can be like that though. Think about when people talk about 440c. It is almost always qualified with "if properly heat treated". The Elmax I've used (several from ZT and one from Busse) has all done very well and deserved the higher end status it was given.

If the OP has a work sharp, sharpening of elmax or 204p will not be an issue. I have one and it will sharpen anything. I've used it on M4 with great success.
 
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