ZT0561 opinions

[Clip]

Looks like the ZTs are on sale again and I've been hemming and hawing over getting a 561 and trying out Kershaw's KVT bearings. I have a 0301 but rarely carry it, but still think this one would be an interesting knife to try out. Another part of me argues to save more and buy a Hinderer or CRK as they keep resale value better.

And to make matters worse, I've also been considering a Chaparral Stealth!

What do my fellow knife-lovers have to say about this predicament?

[Per-Sev]

I have owned all three knives and if you are worried about losing money when you sell them then look at supply and demand. The CRK are all over the place and easy to get so unless its a very special one you will have a harder time selling it unless you price it lower than everyone else. Now the Hinderer unless you buy it from Rick you are going to pay $600 to $800 depending on the dealer and model so when you go to sell it you might get your money back if you don't use it or carry it but if you do then it depends on the condition but plan on losing around $100 or more. The 561 is a nice knife and you can use it and beat the crap out of it and still not lose a arm and a leg because it was not that much to begin with. I say buy the 561 and then find a custom knife maker with a few years of a backlog and order a knife from him and most makers don't require a deposit so you have two years to pay for it and if you order from the right maker you can sell it for at least $100 to $200 more when you get it to someone that don't want to wait that long for a knife like all,the people buying the Hinderer's from dealers. Another option is the CRK 25 Sebenza I have not seen many of them around it might be a good one to order right from Chris if they are taking orders. Good luck either way the chase is half the fun.

[Ferris Wheels]

I have played with the 0560/0561 and it is fun to flip but just not my kind of knife. I prefer a knife designed for cutting/slicing and have not been impressed with the 0561 in this regard. I owned a 0551 for a year and it only saw a couple days of carry because my Spyderco's blew it away in the cutting/slicing department. In the end my zt was more a toy to keep me entertained and not a tool to be carried daily as a faithful companion. If you want a flipper get a southard or the new domino for pretty much the same money. There may be a reason the price continues to drop like a rock on this model.

[rg02]

I love my spydies, but the hinderer XM 18 3.5 is an amazing knife. So is the CRK sebenza 25. Both of those get a ton of pocket time. I recently picked up a ZT 0801. Full titanium scales, framelock, flipper, and bearing pivot! A heck of a knife for its price point! I also picked up a custom TI clip to match the scales better. (Stock clip is black)

[bh49]

I own 561. It is fun knife to flip. F&F is outstanding. The blade ground is little too behind the edge for my taste for my current EDC needs. But you never know, one day you may will need a knife like this. With sale price usually around $200, especially considering that this is US made knife it is a good deal.

[bdblue]

I like the 0561. I think it is very interesting, very well made, but the blade is a bit thick for most of my EDC needs. For the size of the knife it is easy to carry and the handle is thinner than you would think.