Zero Tolerance ZT0452CF - Knife Review - The Practical Blade
Published: 4 years ago
Notable Features:
Big as hell
Thick bladestock and moderate grind (durable)
No other notable features (at least nothing that is unexpected at the $240 price point)
Notable Good:
Beautiful Dmitry Sinkevich design
Good, "glassy", reliable action
Fit and finish is nice, ergonomics are nice.
Notable bad:
CAVEAT*** These things are likely specific to the knife I personally received. My knife has been a QC nightmare, especially at the $240 price point. But I need to point out that countless others have posted reviews of this knife online an absolutely love it and don’t experience the same problems as me.
The primary bevel grind from the factory is terribly uneven on both sides.
The action and centering are a trade-off. The only way to get a good action is to loosen the pivot. By the same the action is smooth and drop-shut, the centering is so far off that the knife rubs against the inner side of the scale. On the other hand, if I tighten the pivot so that centering is perfect, the action is gnarly.
These are not things you should even have to think about on a $240 knife.
My last gripe is about the frame lock. It’s a bit stiff for my liking, and the part of the frame you press against to unlock the knife really doesn’t stick out much, making it hard to get a good grip on it. I find myself really shoving my thumb in there and applying a decent amount of force to unlock the knife. Not the most egregious thing in the world, but it annoys me literally every time I want to close the knife.
If you'd like to support the channel, please consider using my special links below to purchase the exact same tools I use to maintain my knives, and generally make my knife life more pleasant. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Cleaning / Lubrication:
Knife Pivot Lube (Apply to bearings, washers, detent tracks, etc... to protect parts and create a smoother action): https://amzn.to/3mhEYME
Frog Lube Cleaner, Lubricant, Protectant (Primarily applied to blades / steel liners to prevent rust): https://amzn.to/2RkAk2i
Disposable Cotton Cleaning Patches (A small and disposable medium to apply cleaning products to): https://amzn.to/32tla0M
70% Rubbing Alcohol (for getting rid of gunk): https://amzn.to/3bXkynt
Cotton Swabs / Q-tips (For getting rid of gunk in tight spaces): https://amzn.to/3hzNGCA
Assembly / Disassembly (Drivers / Bits):
I STAND BY WIHA! WIHA provides hardened steel bits - and for those of you who are new to this - hardened steel bits are critical to ensure you don't strip bits and get in a nasty situation where your knife is half-disassembled and your bit no longer works! Do NOT buy those cheap 50-piece kits that come with "everything" for like $10. They will not last you, you will regret it.
Wiha 75981 | 7 Piece Pocket Clip MicroBit Set (Small set with bits and driver - arguably all you need): https://amzn.to/35xwmeU
Wiha 75988 | 10 Piece Torx MicroBits Set (Bit set, in case you need more bits): https://amzn.to/3itzpZj
Wiha 75992 System 4 Precision Interchangeable Bit Set, Torx, Slotted, Phillips, Hex Inch, ESD Safe Precision Handle, 27 Piece In Compact Box (Bigger set for... MORE stuff): https://amzn.to/2GYM34E
Wiha 75965 Precision Micro Bit Ratchet Steel Storage Box, 65-Piece (Biggest set for... MOST stuff): https://amzn.to/35yjlSn
Blade Sharpening / Polishing:
The KME sharpening kit might seem a bit pricey at first, but in my opinion it is 1) Much more affordable that its competitors, 2) Insanely simple to use, and 3) A small price to pay for nearly-indefinite self-sharpening for all of your knives. You can also create your own "stones" using balsa wood and diamond compound to give yourself a mirror edge at a fraction of the KME polishing accessories prices.
KME Precision Sharpening Kit (Basic kit, can reprofile edges as well as get them razor sharp, no expertise needed): https://amzn.to/2ZzVwGa
5k grit to 100k grit Diamond Polishing Compound (for mirror edges): https://amzn.to/2Fs1O3t
Balsa Wood (To apply diamond compound to and use with KME system): https://amzn.to/3izk21C
Big as hell
Thick bladestock and moderate grind (durable)
No other notable features (at least nothing that is unexpected at the $240 price point)
Notable Good:
Beautiful Dmitry Sinkevich design
Good, "glassy", reliable action
Fit and finish is nice, ergonomics are nice.
Notable bad:
CAVEAT*** These things are likely specific to the knife I personally received. My knife has been a QC nightmare, especially at the $240 price point. But I need to point out that countless others have posted reviews of this knife online an absolutely love it and don’t experience the same problems as me.
The primary bevel grind from the factory is terribly uneven on both sides.
The action and centering are a trade-off. The only way to get a good action is to loosen the pivot. By the same the action is smooth and drop-shut, the centering is so far off that the knife rubs against the inner side of the scale. On the other hand, if I tighten the pivot so that centering is perfect, the action is gnarly.
These are not things you should even have to think about on a $240 knife.
My last gripe is about the frame lock. It’s a bit stiff for my liking, and the part of the frame you press against to unlock the knife really doesn’t stick out much, making it hard to get a good grip on it. I find myself really shoving my thumb in there and applying a decent amount of force to unlock the knife. Not the most egregious thing in the world, but it annoys me literally every time I want to close the knife.
If you'd like to support the channel, please consider using my special links below to purchase the exact same tools I use to maintain my knives, and generally make my knife life more pleasant. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Cleaning / Lubrication:
Knife Pivot Lube (Apply to bearings, washers, detent tracks, etc... to protect parts and create a smoother action): https://amzn.to/3mhEYME
Frog Lube Cleaner, Lubricant, Protectant (Primarily applied to blades / steel liners to prevent rust): https://amzn.to/2RkAk2i
Disposable Cotton Cleaning Patches (A small and disposable medium to apply cleaning products to): https://amzn.to/32tla0M
70% Rubbing Alcohol (for getting rid of gunk): https://amzn.to/3bXkynt
Cotton Swabs / Q-tips (For getting rid of gunk in tight spaces): https://amzn.to/3hzNGCA
Assembly / Disassembly (Drivers / Bits):
I STAND BY WIHA! WIHA provides hardened steel bits - and for those of you who are new to this - hardened steel bits are critical to ensure you don't strip bits and get in a nasty situation where your knife is half-disassembled and your bit no longer works! Do NOT buy those cheap 50-piece kits that come with "everything" for like $10. They will not last you, you will regret it.
Wiha 75981 | 7 Piece Pocket Clip MicroBit Set (Small set with bits and driver - arguably all you need): https://amzn.to/35xwmeU
Wiha 75988 | 10 Piece Torx MicroBits Set (Bit set, in case you need more bits): https://amzn.to/3itzpZj
Wiha 75992 System 4 Precision Interchangeable Bit Set, Torx, Slotted, Phillips, Hex Inch, ESD Safe Precision Handle, 27 Piece In Compact Box (Bigger set for... MORE stuff): https://amzn.to/2GYM34E
Wiha 75965 Precision Micro Bit Ratchet Steel Storage Box, 65-Piece (Biggest set for... MOST stuff): https://amzn.to/35yjlSn
Blade Sharpening / Polishing:
The KME sharpening kit might seem a bit pricey at first, but in my opinion it is 1) Much more affordable that its competitors, 2) Insanely simple to use, and 3) A small price to pay for nearly-indefinite self-sharpening for all of your knives. You can also create your own "stones" using balsa wood and diamond compound to give yourself a mirror edge at a fraction of the KME polishing accessories prices.
KME Precision Sharpening Kit (Basic kit, can reprofile edges as well as get them razor sharp, no expertise needed): https://amzn.to/2ZzVwGa
5k grit to 100k grit Diamond Polishing Compound (for mirror edges): https://amzn.to/2Fs1O3t
Balsa Wood (To apply diamond compound to and use with KME system): https://amzn.to/3izk21C