Zero Tolerance ZT0300 Review
- Thread starter yavol
- Start date
baka
Seriously though this knife truly isn't for everyone. You guys are right. It does feel like a quality niche market product.
Pocket shovel? Heh, well, let's just say there's plenty of blade width there to play around with it however you want to at least once and a while. Want serrations? Grab a ruler, a sharpie and dremmel. Pocket shovel? Personally, I wouldn't do it. Grind it down and erase whatever abuse left on the blade without much worry.
When I was a kid I remember seeing an old slipjoint knife from my dad's uncle's shop that had been resharpened and reground so many times that there was about 1/8" blade width left. Just a tiny sliver of sharpened steel. There's no reason any of the ZT, Strider, Sebbie knives couldn't last you a lifetime of hard (read: somewhat semi-reasonable) use, I'd say. YMMV
yavol
- Joined
- Jun 25, 2006
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- 299
I like big folders like that but do these only come with AO? Is it possible to disable it? Law dogs around here frown about that. Any different in blade thickness with the 200 or does one cut better then the other?
The blade grind is flat up to the spine with a slight spine reduction along the middle. Given the massive blade width of around 1.5" the flat grind is a very shallow and gradual. This helps it slice very, very well for having a ~40deg edge angle. Personally I wouldn't change the angle much if any given it's intended design.
It would help to go to a store and examine one before you buy. It costs too much not to.
yavol
You can disable the AO by taking out the torsion bar. It's easy. But that's one of the key selling points to the 0300 over the 0200. Why buy it just to disable it? The 0200 seems to have a similar thickness with less width; slicing will be just about the same. I'm convinced the 0200 is more EDC friendly had has better axis rotation and control (for smaller, detail work) over the 0300. If the 0200 had S30V steel I'd be all over that one. As is, the ZT0200 is a very very very good deal.
yavol
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- Mar 5, 2005
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- 5,069
Yes, if it was a Strider, then the warranty would be no abuse, or you will pay for repairs, or they simply will not repair it. (And yes this is true I've had to do it.) BUT it's a Kershaw production, and they will simply send a new one, usually no questions asked. Kershaw has the best warranty of any company out there, bar none right now. There are others that will replace no questions asked, BRKT Busse, etc.) but not within a 7 day week.
- Joined
- Oct 31, 2003
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- 8,583
Great review. I love this knife. I know it's big but it carries its bigness well.
I've been carrying a 0300 for a couple of years and I put a monkey fist lanyard through the lanyard hole for ease of pocket retrieval. This works if the pocket clip is kept in the tip up positions. I have also smoothed down the material under the pocket clip so it doesn't eat up my pocket. With some small mods, this knife is a little more user friendly. My 2 cents.
What types of uses do you have in mind for the knife? I have a knife in S30V that I took to about 8 degrees per side with microbevel that didn't see any damage in regular cutting. I took the edge down again to about 8 degrees inclusive and so far it still performs great. I'd imagine you could go to at least 12-15 degrees per side and still be able to handle most uses, unless you plan on cutting metal or similar abusive cutting.
- Joined
- May 16, 2002
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- 37
Mine doesn't have thumb studs. It does have blade stops. The design can be called a flipper. I believe that is the intent of the design.
I was not surprised that it big because it is big.
I have had mine for some time. It has a good heat treat. It has dressed out several feral hogs without so much as an edge touch up.
I was not surprised that it big because it is big.
I have had mine for some time. It has a good heat treat. It has dressed out several feral hogs without so much as an edge touch up.
Cyril is correct. On flippers like this, per manufacturer's rep, they ain't thumbstuds, they're blade stops. The knife is designed to be opened with the flipper, so it's not suprising it's difficult to open with the blade stops.
I was tinkering with my Kabar Mule when I first read this review and oddly enough the answer to dealing with the thumbstuds/bladestop was right in my hands. Kabar cut grooves into the handle to channel your thumb to the thumbstud and allow enough purchase for opening. They also allow a good spot of the tip of your index finger when opened.
You can see how it funnels your thumb right into the thumbstud here
You can see how it funnels your thumb right into the thumbstud here
but it carries its bigness well.
It really does. I was surprised... and favorably impressed when I handled one at Eugene.
- Joined
- Jan 4, 2006
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- 6,129
Excellent review and pictures, thanks for that. I'm one of the guys who likes the G-10/Ti combo for handles, that feature is cool with me. And that probably had more to do with Strider's influence rather than Onion's. I also have had difficulties opening the 300 with the thumb stud, but one of the guys who was working at the store where I was playing with it had no problem at all doing it. I'm not a fan of recurves, but this is a great knife overall.
BTW, the thumb studs acting as a stop pin also provide lateral support that wouldn't be there if the stop pin was placed between the handles like on a lot of other production knives.
BTW, the thumb studs acting as a stop pin also provide lateral support that wouldn't be there if the stop pin was placed between the handles like on a lot of other production knives.
- Joined
- Jun 25, 2006
- Messages
- 299
Just cause I trust frame locks more then liner locks although I've never seen close up lock up of the 200. I have a D-2 military I edc and its so light I have to touch the clip to make sure its still there. Carried heavy duty folders for years, made a switch, and I think I miss the weight. Military is nice but I like carrying a big rugged over built folder that can take some.
Abusive cutting seems to be a main design parameter for this knife. Sure the S30V steel can handle narrower edge angles for most uses. I wouldn't go below 30 deg inclusive because at that point you're better off getting a smaller knife that handles more like a pocket scalpel. Weight, balance, rotation and control are big indicators of what the blade was designed to do best. IMO, the ZT0300 is too cumbersome to fill that role as well as the more traditional designs.
Uses? Mine loves a steady diet of old speaker cables, CAT 5, parachord, rope, tree trimmings, fruit, jeans, steak, boxes, sandpaper, and junk mail. I've cut all of the above and it still pops hairs. Tougher stuff is on the horizon for me: razorwire, cans, hoses, ...
After the factory edge wears down a bit I plan to differentially sharpen the blade (cf: Joe Talmadge). The inside of the recurve will be a slightly rough, micro-serrated edge for cutting harder, thicker materials. The belly up through the tip will be more finely polished for cutting softer, thinner materials.
cheers,
yavol
Exactly why I got it, it can take more than others can.
I'm a firm believer in using the right tool for the right job. Still, tools that are more general provide a healthy margin of overlap in work potential. The ZT0300 is kinda like that. To me, it's worth having it.
yavol
