Input on Spyderco Amalgam vs ZT 0452CF

Better overall knife

  • Spyderco Amalgam

    Votes: 17 43.6%

  • ZT 0452CF

    Votes: 22 56.4%
  • Total voters
    39
MrShark729

MrShark729

Joined
Oct 15, 2011
Messages
28
The Amalgam caught my attention and I almost bought it, but now I'm conflicted on getting the 0452CF instead. Looking for input from anyone who's had one or both. Both ball bearing flippers, both carbon fiber scale(s). ZT would have the edge in steel and warranty. Anything else to consider?
 
Do you have small or big hands? I only have a 0452 and it's not the most ideal knife for my (large) hands since it's quite slender and skinny in the handle. Personally I would say the 0452 is the better flipping knife, the Amalgam is the better slicer.
 
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I found this picture, it’s not mine. This thread got me curious. Looks goes to the zt. But I think overall design wise looking at pictures I myself would maybe choose the Spyderco.
 
All I can say is that I really like the 0452CF, own it, and have looked at the Amalgam but haven’t handled one yet. I may get my hands on one soon and compare them as well.
 
I do love the compression lock on Spyderco. This is a tough one for me. I just got my Smock and its given me flipper fever.
 
For me the Amalgam feels better in my hand & the pocket clip isn't a hot spot.
 
I'd pick the 0452CF every time. The Amalgam will likely have better cutting geometry, but I'm really not a fan of the overall design.
 
MrShark729 said:
The Amalgam caught my attention and I almost bought it, but now I'm conflicted on getting the 0452CF instead. Looking for input from anyone who's had one or both. Both ball bearing flippers, both carbon fiber scale(s). ZT would have the edge in steel and warranty. Anything else to consider?
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452cf all the way.

It is one of the nicest knives ZT has ever made in my opinion. While everyone else was going for bulkier and heavier Sinkevitch was designing a knife to be light, slim and still very strong. I always smile when I see how much knife I have for such a light weight when I pull it out of my pocket and open it.

Amalgam is a great knife too but the 452cf is just an absolute masterpiece for a 4 inch knife. When clipped to your pocket the thin handle that sticks out looks like it might be a 3 inch folder.

Biggest drawbacks are the 452cf is fairly agressive and scarey looking to someone who might be afraid of that huge blade snapping open. It looks kind of like a mini sabre too.

I do agree the Amalgam will probably be a better slicer because if blade shape. I do think the ZT takes advantage of its materials very well with the cf front scale being ridgid enough to not need a liner under the cf scale.

On the other hand Spyderco doesn’t even use fullcf on the Amalgam. They use a thin layer of cf over g10. They still make outstanding knives.
 
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I've got them both and like them both but like the 0452 better.

I also have a 0452 M390 rose/gold Sprint that I like even more.
 
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I have both, but my ZT is in G-10 and M390 steel plus the Ti is rose gold. The Spyderco has a very light detent and you can shake, or fling the blade out. It still opens very quickly with the flipper. I like it's lock better. I had a CF 0452 and it had a mushy lock you could push all the way over, to the CF side. My rose gold model is much more soild. The ZT has a very stiff detent that takes some good finger power to overcome then it opens real fast, like POW! Both are very nice larger folders.
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I have both and much prefer the Amalgam. I have large hands and they are crammed in the ZT handle but plenty of room on the Spydie. The Amalgam is a far better slicer. Flipping action on both is great, very different but great in their own way. On the ZT, there is enough flex in the cf that the lockbar can move all the way across and touch the other scale. I changed the blade shape on my Amalgam so it’s now a clip point with swedge. On the 452 I made a full finger choil.
 
jill jackson said:
I have both, but my ZT is in G-10 and M390 steel plus the Ti is rose gold. The Spyderco has a very light detent and you can shake, or fling the blade out. It still opens very quickly with the flipper. I like it's lock better. I had a CF 0452 and it had a mushy lock you could push all the way over, to the CF side. My rose gold model is much more soild. The ZT has a very stiff detent that takes some good finger power to overcome then it opens real fast, like POW! Both are very nice larger folders.
k1427b.jpg
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That mushy lock charachterisic of the cf versions of the 452 has never been an issue for me. It is a minor nuissance at the most. It has never caused a fault in the lockup and didn’t cause the lockbar to wear over fast or anything.

Actually most my framelocks can be pushed over to some degree even my CRKs.
 
MrShark729 said:
I do love the compression lock on Spyderco. This is a tough one for me. I just got my Smock and its given me flipper fever.
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I can't wait until my Smock arrives. I have been waiting for so many months now. Was it everything you expected when it finally arrived? DO you mind me asking where you purchased it? I ordered mine from KnifeCenter but haven't received any updates in a while.
 
My Smock was from BladeHQ, I love it so much honestly. I don't have any complaints about it, I love the texture of the scales, the flip action is great, and it came much sharper than any of my other Spydercos. Mine was preordered February 18', I called Feb 21 19' and was told mine was in the next shipment and wouldn't be out until May, then it shipped March 1st lol.
 
Lapedog said:
That mushy lock charachterisic of the cf versions of the 452 has never been an issue for me. It is a minor nuissance at the most. It has never caused a fault in the lockup and didn’t cause the lockbar to wear over fast or anything.

Actually most my framelocks can be pushed over to some degree even my CRKs.
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A little too far for me.
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jill jackson said:
I have both, but my ZT is in G-10 and M390 steel plus the Ti is rose gold. The Spyderco has a very light detent and you can shake, or fling the blade out. It still opens very quickly with the flipper. I like it's lock better. I had a CF 0452 and it had a mushy lock you could push all the way over, to the CF side. My rose gold model is much more soild. The ZT has a very stiff detent that takes some good finger power to overcome then it opens real fast, like POW! Both are very nice larger folders.
Click to expand...

Almost all of my Spyderco compression lock knives have light detents and can be flicked open w/a downward and forward motion or just by depressing the compression lock tab (and releasing it quick enough to lock the blade in place). The only exception is my Yojimbo which is very tight; not a problem to be and haven't tried to "fix" it even though I prefer light detents.

I cannot flick open any of my ZTs except the 0850 which I like very much. I do not have a problem w/a "mushy" lock on either of my 0452 (or any of my other 26 ZTs); the liner bar lines up where it should and does not drift "too far" over. I'd send it to ZT to "fix it" if they did.
 
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My amalgam flips like a dream... My 452CF has a really strong detent (plus the 452 looks very stabby so I mostly leave it at home)
 
spyderg said:
I have both and much prefer the Amalgam. I have large hands and they are crammed in the ZT handle but plenty of room on the Spydie. The Amalgam is a far better slicer. Flipping action on both is great, very different but great in their own way.
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No doubt the Amalgam is the better slicer. The 0452 is better stabber. Just depends on what style of knife you like best and how you plan to use it. I prefer scary looking knives w/long pointy blades which is why I like the 0452 better.

I also prefer the flipping action on the 0452 which seems more "positive" at lock up to me which I believe is mainly due to the difference between how the liner and compression locks function.
 
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