ZT Archives

I have a collection of good pocket knives including some I will not lose sleep over if I lose one. On the good scale that I would hate to lose are a few Zero Tolerance, Hinderer and US made Kershaws (they and ZT are both owned by KAI). At any rate, when I look back on this past year and think about what folding knife did I carry the most and the answer would be the ZT 0357BW.

You will find these in my pocket a lot – my ZT 0357BW and one of my Streamlight USB rechargeable 66608 Microstream LED flashlights.

The ZT0357 was a 2020 model year release from Zero Tolerance and became popular right away due to its ergonomics and the CPM20CV steel. In regards to that alloy, it was designed by Crucible Industries to have excellet edge retention, corrosion resistance and toughness. By the way, those first two terms are self explanatory but toughness refers to a steel’s ability to absorb energy and deform without breaking/rupturing. My experience is that the 0357 holds an edge amazingly well based on my cutting open tubs of plastic, tape, boxes, and wire insulation.

Here’s the other size of my my 0357BW. You can move the clip to either side if you want. Personally, I don’t use the pocket clips but a lot of guys do.

Specifications

This is a very pocket friendly knife in terms of size, weight and shape plus the blade is amazing. Here are the details for you:

Overall Length Open: 7.625″
Overall Length Closed: 4.4″
Weight: 4.3oz
Blade Length: 3.25″
Blade Thickness: 0.121″
Blade Style: Drop Point, no serrations
Blade Alloy: CPM20CV
Blade Hardness: 60-62
- Blade Grind: Flat
Blade Finish: Black Wash (they also make a plain version)
Handle Material: G10
Handle Color: Black
Handle Thickness: 0.47″
Action Type: “SpeedSafe” Assisted opening / flipper
Lock Type: Liner Lock
Country of Origin: Made in the USA – Tualatin, OR

The knife shapes your hand and has a very handy thumbrest on top to give you more leverage if you need it.

What you wind up with is a very eronomic knife with an amazing edge. Now I don’t try and use a knife for something it’s not like being a substitute for a big crowbar but I did use it real world and found it to be great – that’s why it kept winding up in my pocket.

It’s both thin and light without sacrificing strength when it comes to using the knife as a knife and not a crowbar – it’s not mean to be a crowbar!

Here’s a view from the top and you can see the thumbrest with serrations called “jimping” designed to keep your thumb from slipping.

I really like the SpeedSafe flipper mechanism that Kershaw and ZT use. It allows you to open the knife with one hand very easily but I have never had one open accidentally in my pocket. Years ago, I had a Gerber and that thing sprung open a few times in my pocket and I have no idea where it is now – the trash maybe.

I don’t know what the Blackwash process is but I can tell you it holds up remarkably well.

Now, I do have one not-so-happy moment to share. We were headed down to the Smokies this past fall and somewhere between Michigan and Tenessee the knife fell out of my pocket. It could have been when I used to to cut open a package of CR2023 batteries for my van’s tire pressure sensors or even some time when I was getting gas … I don’t know but I hope it found a new owner who realizes that he found an excellent knife.

So, what did I do? I actually bought another I liked it so much and it is still what lands in my pocket the most in terms of seeing actual real world use.

Conclusion

The ZT 0357 series are great knives. My blackwash knifes – the first one I lost and the new one are great. I can carry it without feeling like I have an anchor in my pocket and the blade length is great. If you are looking for a new folder, I’d highly recommend it – Like I said, I went so far as to buy a second when I lost the first – that’s how much I like mine.

I hope this helps you out!

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A while back I screwed up the blog and re-posted an old post about my every day carry (EDC) knife being a Kershaw Compound. While that was a great knife, I did eventually replace it – with my daughter’s approval. I have always liked Zero Tolerance knives. Think of them as a higher end brand to Kershaw. Both are owned by KAI USA, so I think it is fair to say that. In the past I owned a ZT 200 and that was just way too big to be an EDC. It’s a huge folder but not something I wanted to lug around in the shop all the time. I actually sold it and wound up buying a ZT 350. The 350 is way slimmer and lighter but still has assisted opening. It’s a hair over 4-1/2″ long when closed and about 7-5/8″ when open. It’s about 0.518″ wide not including the belt clip and my digital scale says it weighs 6.2 oz.

Size and weight are important to me because I keep this in my front pants pocket. I don’t want a ton of weight dragging down jeans, sweats or shorts nor do I want to have it really noticeable or uncomfortable. On that last note, big and heavy knives suck in the front pocket – they need to go in a belt sheath, which I don’t want to wear unless I am camping or hunting.

The knife is designed by Ken Onion, who happens to be one of my favorite designers. In addition to the very ergonomic handle he designed, the blade is made from S30V steel, which is excellent. Now this is not a safe queen. I dug back in my records and I’ve been using this since 2015. I can’t tell you how many boxes, cords, ropes and plastic pails this thing has opened. I don’t recall ever using it to pry things open but suspect it would hold up pretty well. The following photos are of the blade in April 2017 and I didn’t bother cleaning it up. The ZT black finish has held up remarkably well.

The S30V steel really holds an edge but it can be a bear to sharpen. If you want a working edge, a Lansky Blade Medic pocket sharpener or diamond rod can help. If you want a razor edge, I would recommend a Ken Onion Work Sharp (KOWS) belt sharpener or it will take forever by hand. I use my KOWS all the time because it is quick and easy but do take both the Blade Medic and the rod on camping trips.

If you are interested in how I clean and lubricate my flipper knives so they continue to open smoothly, please click here.

So, there you go – that is my current EDC and I highly recommend it.