Hey all,
My first review. Kershaw Zero Tolerance 0300
Quick Description:
The zt0300 is a 3.75" S30V heavy duty, workhorse folder. The blade is a gentle recurve design and is coated in a double bonded proprietary coat by Strider. The handle is half G10 and half Titanium. The TI side has has the framelock and the Strider designed 'hinderer' framelock safety mechanism (it's just a washer screwed onto the frame to keep the lock from hyper-extension). The G10 side has a single steel liner that makes the base for the G10 scale to be mounted on. This liner does offset the blade's center orientation by a millimeter or so - no big deal. The frame is drilled with all four positions available for right hand or left hand tip up or tip down carry. The shining feature of this knife is the Speedsafe assisted opening action - via a spring steel torsion bar.
The Good:
* Built like a tank from the bottom up.
* The screws are recessed into the G10 side = removes excess wear on torx screw heads! A very nice touch.
* Firm, satisfying lock up.
* Frame lock + hinderer = very nice
* Recurve blade design produces a _longer_ total cutting surface than the 3.75" spec (linear measurement). This is a GOOD thing! Legal even in LA, Kalifornia (sub 4"). It isn't built to be a push-cutting straight razor, although it can slice very well even give the blade geometry. Gentle recurve section catches cutting material more which increases cutting force.
* It's a slicer, general cutter more than a stabber. eg. check out the spine.
* Good firm pocket clip grabs and won't let go until it rips your jeans.
* Small, nondescript (generic) pocket clip. (doesn't scream out "BIG, DANGEROUS, POSSIBLY ILLEGAL BLADE LENGTH FOLDER IN POCKET!")
* S30V steel is a joy to use. Razor sharp factory edge pops hairs. I don't mind the largish ~40deg flat grind for this knife application.
* The TI side is well executed (the frame lock + hinderer side).
* Balance -it's very spine-side heavy but still rests nicely on the index finger. Not a perfect point axis turner (most knives aren't). It pitches axis in a direct line from the point to the lanyard hole. VERY high along the whole frame = feels like a 'driving' slicer with some decent tip strength. Not a classic fighter feel, ala Kabar.
* It's f___ing big!
- this thing is intimidatingly big. Whip it out in public and the sheeple will quickly come out of the woodwork. User discretion advised.
The not so good:
* The handle with half Titanium and half G10 scale = odd, inconsistent tactile response (feel). It feels like a "cute", overly "design-y" concept :thumbdn:. Not as well thought out as advertised. Nice try Ken. Should be either double sided TI or G10 + liner lock, not one of each. (2x TI would be super nice IMO. hint hint! The TI is in fact, awesome).
* Scale checkering on G10 side feels very 'edgy' or rough and are not pants friendly. It will shred your pants pockets if you move around a lot but it grips very well. (TI = pants friendly)
* It's f___ing huge! :O (self edit, heheh)
* Weighs way more than double of any other pocket knife I own. Seriously, this is a big consideration, not bad per se, but a consideration.
* The handle is TALL but not too thick - width/height consumes most if not all of your front pocket space (although, it does have some 3D smoothing, blending near your thumb's first joint, which is nice). Good luck trying to fish out chapstick, coins or your car keys from the same pocket as your zt0300. This is a back pocket rider all the way. But hey, it's got grip.
The Bad
* It's expensive
* The rumor of the ultimate warranty is false. It's a typical "manufacturer's defects" replacement warranty. Use/abuse is exempt.
* The thumbstud is perfectly useless as it is flush with the frame when closed so your fingers or thumb have zero room to grab hold to push it out. I have small fingers and thumbs and I cannot under no circumstances get any purchase of grip on the damn thing. It's primary purpose is a stop bar to halt the blade on the frame at lockup position. Honestly, with with finger guard toggle thingie + Speedsafe so well executed you'll forget it has a thumbstud.
I could go on and on about every detail but I'm trying to keep it mostly practical.
Bottom Line:
The ZT0300 is a unique design. It's a no BS, all big slicing, quick opening, tough duty-grade knife that seems to care less about EDC comfort than pure performance (open and cut). Buy this knife if you don't mind rearranging your EDC to accommodate your fixation with with super-tough knives you paid too much to really abuse (although it could take it). >_> If taming this beast sounds like work instead of an opportunity for joy, get a BM Osborne. (take that turt! )
I say take the opportunity. I did. hehe
yavol
PS: Double sided TI frame next, please Ken!
My first review. Kershaw Zero Tolerance 0300
Quick Description:
The zt0300 is a 3.75" S30V heavy duty, workhorse folder. The blade is a gentle recurve design and is coated in a double bonded proprietary coat by Strider. The handle is half G10 and half Titanium. The TI side has has the framelock and the Strider designed 'hinderer' framelock safety mechanism (it's just a washer screwed onto the frame to keep the lock from hyper-extension). The G10 side has a single steel liner that makes the base for the G10 scale to be mounted on. This liner does offset the blade's center orientation by a millimeter or so - no big deal. The frame is drilled with all four positions available for right hand or left hand tip up or tip down carry. The shining feature of this knife is the Speedsafe assisted opening action - via a spring steel torsion bar.
The Good:
* Built like a tank from the bottom up.
* The screws are recessed into the G10 side = removes excess wear on torx screw heads! A very nice touch.
* Firm, satisfying lock up.
* Frame lock + hinderer = very nice
* Recurve blade design produces a _longer_ total cutting surface than the 3.75" spec (linear measurement). This is a GOOD thing! Legal even in LA, Kalifornia (sub 4"). It isn't built to be a push-cutting straight razor, although it can slice very well even give the blade geometry. Gentle recurve section catches cutting material more which increases cutting force.
* It's a slicer, general cutter more than a stabber. eg. check out the spine.
* Good firm pocket clip grabs and won't let go until it rips your jeans.
* Small, nondescript (generic) pocket clip. (doesn't scream out "BIG, DANGEROUS, POSSIBLY ILLEGAL BLADE LENGTH FOLDER IN POCKET!")
* S30V steel is a joy to use. Razor sharp factory edge pops hairs. I don't mind the largish ~40deg flat grind for this knife application.
* The TI side is well executed (the frame lock + hinderer side).
* Balance -it's very spine-side heavy but still rests nicely on the index finger. Not a perfect point axis turner (most knives aren't). It pitches axis in a direct line from the point to the lanyard hole. VERY high along the whole frame = feels like a 'driving' slicer with some decent tip strength. Not a classic fighter feel, ala Kabar.
* It's f___ing big!
- this thing is intimidatingly big. Whip it out in public and the sheeple will quickly come out of the woodwork. User discretion advised.
The not so good:
* The handle with half Titanium and half G10 scale = odd, inconsistent tactile response (feel). It feels like a "cute", overly "design-y" concept :thumbdn:. Not as well thought out as advertised. Nice try Ken. Should be either double sided TI or G10 + liner lock, not one of each. (2x TI would be super nice IMO. hint hint! The TI is in fact, awesome).
* Scale checkering on G10 side feels very 'edgy' or rough and are not pants friendly. It will shred your pants pockets if you move around a lot but it grips very well. (TI = pants friendly)
* It's f___ing huge! :O (self edit, heheh)
* Weighs way more than double of any other pocket knife I own. Seriously, this is a big consideration, not bad per se, but a consideration.
* The handle is TALL but not too thick - width/height consumes most if not all of your front pocket space (although, it does have some 3D smoothing, blending near your thumb's first joint, which is nice). Good luck trying to fish out chapstick, coins or your car keys from the same pocket as your zt0300. This is a back pocket rider all the way. But hey, it's got grip.
The Bad
* It's expensive
* The rumor of the ultimate warranty is false. It's a typical "manufacturer's defects" replacement warranty. Use/abuse is exempt.
* The thumbstud is perfectly useless as it is flush with the frame when closed so your fingers or thumb have zero room to grab hold to push it out. I have small fingers and thumbs and I cannot under no circumstances get any purchase of grip on the damn thing. It's primary purpose is a stop bar to halt the blade on the frame at lockup position. Honestly, with with finger guard toggle thingie + Speedsafe so well executed you'll forget it has a thumbstud.
I could go on and on about every detail but I'm trying to keep it mostly practical.
Bottom Line:
The ZT0300 is a unique design. It's a no BS, all big slicing, quick opening, tough duty-grade knife that seems to care less about EDC comfort than pure performance (open and cut). Buy this knife if you don't mind rearranging your EDC to accommodate your fixation with with super-tough knives you paid too much to really abuse (although it could take it). >_> If taming this beast sounds like work instead of an opportunity for joy, get a BM Osborne. (take that turt!
) I say take the opportunity. I did. hehe
yavol
PS: Double sided TI frame next, please Ken!
Last edited:
