This knife is an absolute tank. Over-engineered and
over-built with the best materials. Pure quality. The handle ergonomics are
great, and the jimping is perfect. The knife opens VERY quickly and with authority
using the flipper. The blade locks up tight as a drum with an audible
"thwack". I'm a big fan of the S30V steel, and this blade is no
exception. It was literally shaving sharp out of the box. The blade is thick,
heavy, and, with the deep belly, has tremendous cutting power. The point is
stronger than I expected, penetration won't be a problem at all. I'm confident
this knife will outperform most fixed blades of similar size.
This is the perfect folder for hunting, camping, military or law enforcement applications. A "Gentleman's Folder" its not; it's a big knife meant to work hard. Oh, by the way, the tigerstripe blade looks cool as can be.
The
titanium frame lock is stout enough to withstand extreme abuse, and the S30V
blade came hair popping sharp out of the box. Many people who I've showed this
to instantly think it's a Strider, and I'm happy to say that it's built as
tough as a true Strider. This design was a collaboration between Ken Onion,
Strider and the ZT team at Kershaw and the quality shows. I highly recommend
this fine knife for heavy use or as a great tactical blade for any knife
enthusiasts collection. Lastly I feel the ZT0301 so far is the best of the ZT
lineup.
To start off with, the ergonomics are excellent. The 3d
machined G10 scales are contoured and textured to provide a firm grip. With or
without gloves (I use the Mechanix brand), I can transition from a forward to
reverse (edge in or edge out) grip repeatedly and quickly. There is an
adequately jimped thumb ramp and a thumb groove along the spine.
However, there is a drawback to the aggressive texturing on the scales. It will
wear out the edges of pockets if the knife is carried with the clip.
The flipper is easy to access and reliable in deployment. However, compared to
other assisted knives, the opening is not as quick, given the extra inertia
from the ZT0301's substantial blade mass. Having been a manual opening user for
a long time, I found the resistance (from the torsion bar) a surprise as I
closed the knife. It is still possible to close using only one had, but do be
careful - if you slip, the blade can spring back into the open position.
The thumbstuds double as blade stops, providing an extra measure of blade
stability. However, since they're placed very close to the scales, it takes a
bit of practice learning how to use them to deploy the blade. They are not
unusable, but compared to the flipper, they are less convenient.
Given the blade's mass, it is also possible to wrist flick the knife open in
the forward and reverse positions.
The knife initially arrived configured for tip down carry. The parts of the
handle above the pivot have sharp points - when reaching into my pocket to
retrieve something else, I found these points scratching my hand. I thus found
myself changing to tip up to avoid those instances.
The knife is as heavy as my fullsize Benchmade Rukus (610) despite being almost
2" shorter (overall length) and having a titanium frame. It may be
uncomfortable to carry if you're not wearing jeans or work pants. However, the
pocketclip does provide strong retention, though the handle does not conceal
well - almost 1" of handle will be above the edge of your pocket (do take
this into consideration if you are carrying in an area where such knives are
discouraged).
The blade is wide recurved S30V steel and the 0301 and 0302 come with a tiger
striped finish. The edge retention is great and the extra belly from the
recurve increases the cutting edge. However, a recurve cannot be completely
sharpened on flat stones - you will need round or triangular rods.
The pivot must be adjusted by a hex socket wrench (the knife was designed for
military use and a hex tool would most likely be conveniently available). I
personally don't find this useful, as I am used to using keychain torx bits to
adjust all my other knives.
Without a doubt, the knife is well (heavily) built and a durable design.
However, it may be overkill, depending on how you use it. But if you don't mind
the weight, it'll make a great addition into your carry rotation.
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