Three knives for the Apocalypse - a tabletop review.

[parbajtor]

Very interesting article and a great comparative review.
While not in the same price range, I'd really like to see how a Peltonen M95 Sissipuukko performs against these 3.
OK, it's carbon rather than super stainless, but in terms of performance and useability?
In car terms it's probably like putting up the Noble M600 against the likes of Lambo, Ferrari and Bugatti

[Nightfly]

Good review! For pottering about outdoors, I'd take the A1. In case of the Apocalypse I think I'd prefer the Pacific.

[Martyn]

Five minute strider wrap? Neat and straight?

It's dead easy mate. If I was being a perfectionist, maybe 10 minutes, but less than 5 minutes for a functional wrap. I dont know why people dislike them, Japanese swords were wrapped this way for centuries and survived all sorts. It's comfortable and secure.

[Basemetal]

I dont know why people dislike them[/video]

Comfortable, replaceable, useful cord in an emergency... but... diesel, wet and fish all count against them. Depends where your at and whether you reach for the cord handled knife or an alternative. Desert environment probably plays to their strength, if you keep away from diesel

[Noddy]

In the end the serration undoes it for the CRK. Can't see if it is made without that

[Stew]

Good review! For pottering about outdoors, I'd take the A1. In case of the Apocalypse I think I'd prefer the Pacific.

Sums my thoughts up. Pacific is the right one for the zombies!

[filleep]

In the end the serration undoes it for the CRK. Can't see if it is made without that

if the Pacific appeals to you, this is similar, sans serrations.
doesn't seem to be in production but may be available if you look/[IMG][/IMG]

[Eee]

So which one would you pick and why? If none of the above, which would be your "knife for the appocalypse? Or perhaps a more realistic question, which would you take to war?

I really enjoyed the review thanks. To answer your question, ZT 0100.
If some of this seems familiar, I borrowed the format from the strider review (why mess with success). Sorry the photo isn't up to Martin's standards.

The Zero Tolerance ZT0100:

Specs:
Overall length of the knife: 267mm
Overall blade Length: 136mm
Cutting edge length: 124mm
Blade Thickness: 4.8mm
Blade coating: Black Tungsten DLC (double coated).
Tang: Full tang.
Handle Material: 3D machined G-10, matte black.
Steel: Crucible CPM 3V
Weight of knife only: 321g
Weight of knife with sheath & DC4: 550g
Sheath type: Zero tolerance sheath; multiple attachment options.


Photo of ZT 0100 leant on random items to make me look outdoorsy

The ZT0100 seems similar in size to the Strider. To my inexperienced eyes it seems well made. Coating is the thin type (not like Busse style powder coating) to the extent that the machining in the fuller is just visible, which incidentally looks very tidy. It also means you can be sure there aren't the equivalent of 'Infi dimples' hidden away under the coating. The knife is a spear-point design with a distinctive recurve as seen on many Ken Onion designs. It looks robust behind the tip and has a fuller that must reduce the weight a little and a swedge. This all means it balances beautifully on the first finger.

There is very little jimping, only really around the thumb area. The curves (in all 3 dimensions) of the handle really lock your grip in place. Having said that, the machining on the G10 scales is pretty abrasive. I'm sure it would be great in gloves, but I am thinking about a rehandle. There is a bit of the full tang sticking out of the bottom of the scales and it is good for pounding things.

The edge is good, more acute than say a RAT Izula; closer to 30 degrees than 40. A convex edge may suit it, but whilst I like convex edges I don't like convex recurves. The edge starts further down than you would think, in fact there is enough unsharpened edge to rest your fore-finger on in the absence of a choil.

The sheath it comes with, seems to cover every carry option I can think of. It comes with a drop leg rig and has a large pouch for your other demolition tools. I popped in a DC4 for the weigh-in, but a stick sharpener would be better for the the recurve. It has a kydex insert which is reversible for left and right carry. It locks in securely and has a secondary press stud fastener which makes it jump-safe.

This is not a normal knife for me to own, I bought it because I wanted to try just one knife in the sharpened prybar style and it certainly feels indestructible, especially in the knowledge that it's made of one of the tougher tool steels. The thing I like most about it though is that it does the sharp bit pretty well too. I think I'd be reaching for this come the apocalypse, but I think I'll be using it far more before then

[Basemetal]

You know, this thread is making me think hard about the Dartmoor....
Given your grind of choice, suddenly it fits a lot of bills if it's looked at in the sharpened prybar category. Maybe a bit clumsy, but weight will always be a <cough> two edged sword ...

[Martyn]

To answer your question, ZT 0100.

Good review-ette mate, thanks. I've never really looked at the ZT line, I've always thought of em as a big extravagant, but they do have a good rep with the squaddies. I'm goping to expand my collection in this line, because I'm quite enjoying the variety - I think I can see a ZT in my future one day. I've even looked at a Busse, which I've always pretty much considered ridiculous, biut then I used to think that of the Striders too. Mind, the Busse SAR 6 is the only one that speaks to me TBH.

[Hatethatgiraffe]

It's dead easy mate. If I was being a perfectionist, maybe 10 minutes, but less than 5 minutes for a functional wrap. I dont know why people dislike them, Japanese swords were wrapped this way for centuries and survived all sorts. It's comfortable and secure.

I quite like cord wraps and the Strider wrap is probably the best of the bunch.
The twist adds a little bit of extra width to the "handle" and is pretty comfortable in use.
Was half joking as I don't imagine that most people would slap one on quick as opposed to taking time to keep it straight!
That would all change if we're talking about the kind of use the knife is designed for in the field though I guess!

[Martyn]

You know, this thread is making me think hard about the Dartmoor....
Given your grind of choice, suddenly it fits a lot of bills if it's looked at in the sharpened prybar category. Maybe a bit clumsy, but weight will always be a <cough> two edged sword ...

I know in the past I've been guilty of judging a knife based on whether or not it'd be any good at bushcraft type stuff. But soldiers dont do bushcraft, they do soldier type stuff. A sharp, small breacher bar is exactly what they need. I'm not sure about the Dartmoor, it is a bit of a lump but I think it depends what you mean by survival? I think you need to define that to your own satisfaction, before you can find a knife to fill the role. The Dartmoor was designed to be a woodland survival knife, much like the MOD survival knife - basically a shovel and a chopper/splitter. I guess in that role it works. I'm not sure it'd be all that useful to a soldier in the sandpit though - or at least possibly not useful enough to justify the weight and size.

With regard to an "apocalypse knife" well that's a fantasy. But if you are thinking of a knife for a bugout bag, I'm thinking a military knife of the kind we've been discussing, is a better choice than a bushcraft knife. At least in my mind, in a post-apocalyptic wasteland a breacher bar with a point would be more useful than something that's good at carving spoons.

[Martyn]

I quite like cord wraps and the Strider wrap is probably the best of the bunch.
The twist adds a little bit of extra width to the "handle" and is pretty comfortable in use.
Was half joking as I don't imagine that most people would slap one on quick as opposed to taking time to keep it straight!
That would all change if we're talking about the kind of use the knife is designed for in the field though I guess!

Exactly, push comes to shove, you'd just wind a bit of cord round it and knot it off - 30 seconds and done. You can do a posh job later when you're bored.

[Eee]

Good review-ette mate, thanks. I've never really looked at the ZT line, I've always thought of em as a big extravagant, but they do have a good rep with the squaddies. I'm goping to expand my collection in this line, because I'm quite enjoying the variety - I think I can see a ZT in my future one day. I've even looked at a Busse, which I've always pretty much considered ridiculous, biut then I used to think that of the Striders too. Mind, the Busse SAR 6 is the only one that speaks to me TBH.

Thanks, I have been put off by the ZT image until recently, but I thought I may as well go for it. I was put off even more by the Busse image though. I briefly considered a Badger Attack, but couldn't stomach either the name or the brown powder coating . I don't know if it's the dollar or funding the new website, but the price of ZTs seems to have rocketed at Heinnies in the last six months, in fact at one point they were rising faster than I could save. I managed to find this one at an older price at ee33 (which is strange given they are also owned by Lorax - no surprise, the service was just as good).

It's a characterful knife, but maybe an aquired taste, so if you fancy a play with one before you part with your hard earned cash, pop me a PM.

[Martyn]

Thanks for the offer, I'll bear it in mind. Not sure if I will go that far with this little collection line - I'll have to see. I think my next one will be a Busse SAR 6, it'll have to be the right flavour though and that could take some hunting down.