Zero Tolerance ZT0220

The ZT0220 is a collaboration between Zero Tolerance Knives and designer Jens Anso. Anso is a legend of a designer in the knife world and has been around since 1988. This is the first collaboration piece between the two. (Product page)

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The 0220 is unmistakably Anso with its organic shape. This is a contrast to knives like the ZT0804CF. The handles are flat titanium slabs that are beadblasted and are chamfered for comfort . The build is similar to knives like the ZT0801 with black hardware and solid Ti and the whole thing weighs a solid 6.2oz. 

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There are two pieces that are set apart: the orange backspacer and blue ZT medallion. The backspacer is a nice touch and has a built in lanyard hole (if lanyards are your thing). 

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The medallion, however, requires a certain taste that I don't share. I understand the need to break up the otherwise bland titanium with a pop of color but I would have preferred they stuck with orange to match the backspacer. 

The flipper tab is well designed and reminds me of the flipper on the Les George designs. It works exceedingly well and the knife fires like a rocket. This is made possible by the venerable Kershaw Velocity Technology (KVT) that uses caged ball bearings to smooth out the action. 

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The blade shape is very much an Anso (as you should expect). The spine of the blade starts out straight enough but then drives towards the tip abruptly and is met by a gentle recurve. As a rule, I don't like recurve blades, I find them hard to sharpen, however, this recurve is gentle enough that I can see this not requiring quite the same acrobatics to achieve an even sharp edge as some. The blade is a middle-of-the-road 3.5" and completely sterile on the show side. 

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The steel is the venerable S35VN, an upgrade from S30V that performs well and is easy to maintain. I personally prefer higher vanadium steels but this will be a great steel for most users. 

The pocket clip is similar to other deep carry clips in the ZT lineup and hides almost the entire knife deep down in the pocket. (if your most used pants don't look like this your not a real knife guy, sorry to break it to you)

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The whole knife is larger than I was expecting. I don't know why but I was thinking this was a smaller knife. It fits well in the hand and it built exceptionally well. I am pleasantly surprised by the ZT0220. More organic than a lot of ZTs designs yet unmistakably ZT in it's contruction, the ZT0220 is sure to be a hit. 

Zero Tolerance ZT0456

The ZT0456 is a collaboration between Zero Tolerance Knives and Dmitry Sinkevich from Belarus build in Tualatin, Oregon.  Sinkevich has designed several Zero Tolerance models (the 0450 and 0452cf etc)  as well as several Kershaw models. (product page here)

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The 0456 is a departure from Sinkevich's other ZT designs with it's short and stout build. The other designs have been more long and slender. The departure shouldn't be surprising to anyone familiar with Dmitry's custom work. The entire knife is only 7.7" in overall length with a 3.25" blade while weighing a hefty 6.6oz. 

The knife is constructed of two slabs of titanium. The handles are nicely milled and provide a nice angular aesthetic that works well and feel good in the hand. The milling is present and even on both sides. 

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The lock features a stainless lock insert (as the flipper gods intended). And the action is smooth and fast. It is actually one of the smoother ZTs that I have handled. The flipper tab is well designed and points the user to the "push-button" method of deployment. It is possible, however, to use the "light-switch" method with just as much success. The knife uses Kershaw's KVT caged bearings for smoothness. 

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The 0456 features several treatments that help to break up the stark grey finish of titanium. They come in the form of a blue pivot, pocket clip, and backspacer. The sample I have is pre-production so the color is a bit off on the pivot but ZT assures me they are working on it. 

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The pocket clip will look familiar to anyone who owns a ZT0450 or ZT0808 save for the blue anodizing. The backspacer runs almost the full length of the spine of the handle and is very attractive. 

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The blade on the 0456 is sheepsfoot style with a swedge that looks great and is made from Carpenter's CTS-204P (data sheet here). 204P is a highly wear and corrosion resistant steel. It is in the top tiers of knife blade steels and should serve you well. The shape of the blade really inspires confidence. It is stout but tall and should excel in most EDC tasks. I prefer this style to the traditional wharncliffe due to this having a more robust tip. 

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Overall, the 0456 is a compelling package. There are several knives that come to mind when handling this knife and one of them is the Les George designed ZT0900. Now, I know the 0456 is larger but they are both knives that punch above their size (I would place knives like the Spyderco Techno in this category as well). After having handled and owned many of Zero Tolerance's products, the 0456 is right up there with the best of them. 

Zero Tolerance ZT 0600

The Zero Tolerance Knives ZT0600 is a limited edition model designed by R.J. Martin. The knife won collaboration of the year in 2012 from Blade Magazine but while I think it is the closest production knife to a custom R.J., it's not really in the same league. That should really go without saying but I feel the need to express it in light of this review. I'll explain later. 

The 0600 is a big knife. I mean really big. It's got a 4.25" blade and it weighs in at 7.3 oz. The size and weight wouldn't be a huge issue if it weren't for a few things that I'll get into later. The blade stock is equally as hefty at 4.8mm on my calipers.

The grind is a hollow grind with a recurve and is distinctly R.J. Martin. The blade steel is B75P which is a powdered version of BG-42, a ball bearing steel.  

The handles feature a really nice 3D machined diamond pattern that I like a lot in comparison to, say, the 0560. The presentation side in inlaid with carbon fiber and I find the whole look interesting and elegant.

The handle is also sculpted to provide a good feeling in hand. While this knife is big and heavy, it is easy to hold. 

The knife features a sculpted Ti clip that could use a bit more tension, especially for a knife this big. It does a good job of keeping the knife where you want it though. 

The 0600 also features a full titanium backspacer that is milled to match the traction at the butt of the knife as well as a cutout for a lanyard. I think there is a few ounces in this piece alone. The execution is there but it does not match both sides of the frame evenly, being a bit more raised on one side than the other. 

The knife features a bearing system for the pivot and it is quite smooth. That combined with the heavy blade stock let the blade freely fall on it's own weight. This might also be due to the relatively light lockbar tension and detent. This knife was made before ZT moved to the stiffer detent they are using now and, in my opinion, it could use a bit more detent as the action of the knife is not that great. The heavy blade and weaker detent don't really allow it to rocket out. A few pain points for me are the flipper tab and the back of the knife right under the flipper. The tab itself has no traction cut into it at all. This makes it slippery if you're not paying attention and I've slid off it a few times. Under the flipper, there is no jimping but the frame is cut harshly on the inside and, being that the blade is so thick, creating a large gap between the slabs, your finger goes down into the gap and it doesn't feel great hitting the harshly cut handle scales. 

The frame does not feature two screws on each side but rather just one side for the handle. The reveals a rather rough tap for the screws and looks unfinished. I will probably take a deburring tool to it or sand down the inside just to finish it a little better. 

Overall I am disappointed with this knife. An R.J. Martin custom is one of my grail knives and I was hoping that this would be close enough to keep me from wanting too hard (a custom R.J. is in the thousands not hundreds of dollars) but alas, it has not. I think with some tweaking, this knife would be fantastic. Looking ahead, it seems ZT has stepped away from features like custom milling and moved more toward good basic designs. The 0392 was one of the best production knives I've handled and that philosophy shows there. If that philosophy was applied to a R.J. design, that may do it for me. Are you listening ZT? 

Zero Tolerance ZT 0900

The ZT 0900 is an offering in a new spirit for Zero Tolerance. ZT used to be a division dedicated to the overbuilt and the oversized. The smallest knife they had at one point was the not-so-small 0350. Then last year, the company released two models that somewhat bucked that trend. The 0566 and the 0770 were two knives that were smaller and more pocket-friendly than the established group. I'm willing to bet those models were very successful for ZT because this year we have knives like the 0900 and the 0450. 

The 0900 is the shortest knife ZT has ever produced. With a blade length of 2.7", it is significantly smaller than the previous record holders, the 0770 and 0566 (both around 3.25"). The knife is interesting, though, in that it is not necessarily small. Yes it is short, but it is pretty heavy for that length (4.3oz) and is much thicker than, say, the 0770 for example. It is firmly in the "little-big knife" category. That is not a bad thing, though, as similar models (like the Spyderco Techno) have been favorites in the knife community. 

The 0900 is designed buy Les George of Les George Knives. Les is known in the knife community for his customs, "mid-tech's", and production collaborations. For the 0900 he brings his Harpy model. The blade shape is purely Les' with a simple drop point with a good amount of belly and a spine that meets a row of thick cut traction. The chunky jimping pattern is a signature of his designs. The blade material is Crucible S35VN, a fine powdered steel that is great for EDC uses. Going along with the overall theme of the knife, the blade stock is a hearty 4mm. Taking 4mm down to the edge and tip of such a small blade using a flat grind is naturally going to result in a relatively thick cutting edge and tip. Filet knife, this is not. 

The handle of the knife is composed of two titanium slabs with a frame lock cut out for right hand use. The lock cutout does have a unique pattern that adds a little something to the design. The handle is larger than the blade and enough to get a good solid grip on the knife. 

There is a little milling on the slabs that break up the flatness and It looks good. Going along with ZT's new more sterile look is the addition of the words "ZERO TOLERANCE" on the show side of the handle along with the subtraction of any markings on this side of the blade. I like. 

The pivot  closely matches some others we have seen but this one is not black but satin. In fact, the hardware on the knife is all the same satin. I prefer this to the black coated parts as it will wear much better over time. 

The action..... The action is amazing. The combination of a great flipper design, smooth pivot bearings, and lightweight blade make this a rocket of a flipper. 

With pressure, it will fire with authority and without is just as addicting. My "touring test" for flippers is if my wife can operate it. She carried this knife for weeks and absolutely loved it. Not only could she flip it, but could do so effortlessly (My wife is 5'4" 105lbs). This is one of the best designed flippers I've ever used, it's really that good.

Rumor has it that Les is working on another offering with ZT and I really hope is is a larger version of this knife. That would be a home run if this knife is any indication. I think the trend towards smaller designs is a good one for ZT. I love my 0452cf and I wouldn't trade that knife for this, but I appreciate the design and function of this knife so much, I want them to keep doing it. 

Zero Tolerance ZT 0550

The Zero Tolerance 0550 is a legacy design. The 0550 was the first of many collaborations between Custom Knife Maker Rick Hinderer and Zero Tolerance Knives. Based on a design Rick calls his Camp Knife, the 0550 is a great heavy duty folder. The 0550 was the start of a relationship that continues to bear fruit to this day. Knives that include the 0560 and the Kershaw Cryo. The 0550 of today has undergone a few iterative changes that refine the original design. Here is a link to Amazon where it can be purchased. 

The blade shape of the 0550 is a classic drop point profile. A high flat grind meets a large swedge that starts about halfway down the spine and terminates a half inch from the tip. This adds a visual flair while maintaining cutting geometry. There is a row of chunky jimping on the spine that doesn't add a lot of traction but is visually appealing. The blade is 3.5 inches long which is right in the sweet spot of my preference for a pocket knife. I've had a gen 1 0550 and this model (gen 3) has a stonewashed blade where the previous generation had a blasted finish. I prefer the stonewash as it will show less marks with use. 

The blade steel is  CPM-S35VN. S35VN. Developed by Crucible Powder Metals in conjunction with Chris Reeve Knives, S35VN is An evolution of the venerable S30V steel. It features similar edge performance to S30V but with the slight reduction in vanadium (3% vs 4%) and the introduction of 0.5% niobium. This change in composition produces a steel that has similar wear resistance to S30V but has better toughness and is easier to machine. In my own use, I have found S35VN to chip far less than S30V and be easier to service. A win-win in my book. This, combined with it's ready availability and reasonable cost,  makes it one of the best EDC steels on the market. 

See here for Crucible's Data sheet on S35VN 

The handle on the show side is G10 and titanium on the locking side. The G10 has machined grooves running at a slight angle vertically. They are useful for traction and also break up the otherwise blank surface of the black G10. All the edges of the handle are nicely chamfered  to avoid any sharp angles. For a while, there were several companies selling aftermarket scales for the 0550. Since this model is older now, they are becoming harder to find.

The titanium lock side is thick and very stout. The Ti sports a blasted finish that I like. Even though blasted Ti scratches easily, it adds character to the knife over time. The lock face has been updated with a steel insert that contacts the blade tang. This is par for the course for all new ZT frame lock knives and a good improvement over the raw Ti. One change from the gen 1 is the lock bar relief cut. This generation has moved the relief cut to the outside of the knife. I don't know what effect this has on the lock but I think this makes it easier to unlock and may also be more secure from my observation (The lock bar travels at slightly less of an arch to meet the tang when the cutout is on the outside). This knife also features the Hinderer Lock Bar Stabalizer (LBS). The LBS prevents you from accidentally pushing the lock bar too far out and ruining the lock. I personally have never had that happen but I definitely understand the purpose of the design. In fact, Rick cam up with the design after accidentally bending the lock out on a knife.

Overall, I really like the 0550. I like it much more so that the larger more expensive 0560. The size and balance are great on the 0550. It is also one of last remaining knives that ZT makes that is not a bearing flipper. This knife uses standard phosphor bronze washers but you could easily think it did have bearings; this thing is smooth. I thoroughly enjoy owning this knife and I recommend anyone to check it out.