Zero Tolerance 0357BW, ZT Original Design, 3.25 Inch Drop Point Blade, CPM 20CV Blade Steel with Blackwash Finish

Reading the reviews I was expecting to get either a fake, factory second, or used knife. I returned a 393 I previously ordered due to quality issues. Looks like I got lucky and got a new knife with no noticeable defects that functions smoothly and came with a S45VN blade. Serial # is 102XX so it's possible improvements have been made as a lot of reviews show serials in the 2XXX range.I did notice the screws are quite soft

Full disclosure: I'm a shameless Zero Tolerance fan. This knife is the 25th ZT in my collection--I just love their knives, and the only thing preventing me from owning even more is their price. ZTs aren't cheap, averaging over $200 each, with the more expensive ones topping $300. Consequently, I was very happy about a year ago to see they would be releasing this new model, the 0357, for <$150.The lower price doesn't mean this knife is any less well-made than the ones twice the price; the reason it costs less is due to it having a stainless steel frame and G10 scales instead of titanium and carbon fiber. But wisely, ZT went full premium on the blade steel: the CPM-20CV (and its doppelgangers CTS-204P and M390) is the best blade steel available for mass production currently on the market.Besides the ultra-premium steel, the 0357's blade greatly benefits from its unique shape. I'm not quite sure what to call it, but I suppose it's just a drop-point with an obtuse angle and a little curvature from the extra belly; I don't think it qualifies as a wharncliff because it has a sharp point. Whatever the classification, the slightly curved cutting edge and small swedge make it an outstanding slicer, and the tip is strong enough to be used for piercing and puncturing without too much worry it will snap off.Before I had it in-hand, I had two concerns abour the 0357's design: firstly, I wondered if the handle would be long enough to get a solid, four-finger grip on. I have somewhat large hands given my average height, and I prefer knives with plenty of handle. As you can see from the pics, the handle is indeed long enough for me to grip, with about 1/4" to spare. My other concern was the assisted opening of the blade--that's not a feature I usually like, but it's actually a necessary design feature on the this knife. Without it, the angle of the blade, shape of the handle, and small size of the flipper tab would make it hard to flip with enough leverage to reliably get the blade open. Not ideal, perhaps, but I like the overall design well enough to not be too bothered by the assisted opening, and the knife still can be easily closed with one hand. The alternative would have been a larger flipper tab, wider handle, and/or different blade shape, and none of those would have been a better solution than the assisted opening.I've never encountered a ZT I haven't loved, it'sjust been a matter of how much I love it. Any minor complaints I might have with a particular ZT design mean I rate it as just "really great" instead of "perfect", and how what I'd say about this knife. It's not perfect quite perfect--besides the assisted opening, I'd have liked just a slightly longer blade, another 1/8" on the choil, and an open-backed design with stand-offs instead of the G10 backspacer. But those are pretty nit-picky complaints about a knife that's overall outstanding: it's comfortable to use, flawlessly constructed, and barring any intentional abuse, will probably outlive its owner. For under $150, that's about as good as it gets.

This is my first ZT knife; based on what I understand, this price is a bargain for such a high-quality product. I only received the knife yesterday, so I can't comment yet on durability. But it terms of fit and finish, this knife has it; the blade locks in like a bank vault door, no wiggle or play. I understand the CPM 20CV steel is, literally, the best money can buy, for an EDC knife (that is, best for all-around use). I'd note that for a folder of this size, this knife is fairly heavy; it's more than twice the weight of a Benchmade Bugout, for instance, which nominally has the same size blade. So if you're someone who obsesses about weight-to-length ratio, this might not be for you. Personally, the Bugout feels flimsy to me; I like a little more heft in a knife. My only criticism is that while this came *fairly* sharp out of the box, it wasn't *razor*-sharp (as, for instance, my Hogue Deka was, out of the box). That's an area for improvement. Ah, one more thing; I saw some reviewers who didn't like the scales. I think the scales are excellent, optimized for non-slip handling. Yes, they're G-10, which is a kind of plastic; but this is a working knife, not a "pretty" one. It's a beautiful piece of industrial design, in my opinion.

The knife is smaller the most of their knifes. It is a true pocket knife but yet still useful. It is not dainty by any means. The clip on the side is shorter then I care for, it just seem that it won’t secure it properly. But I haven’t lost it yet.It fits in the hand nicely. I can’t see using this knife for big jobs or long periods but it great for the little stuff. Stuff a pocket knife was meant for.The blade is spring assisted and is a nice function. The blade design has good cutting power and is really sharp.The handle is easily held on to with the non. slip grips. This is important because of the size of the knife combined with the sharp blade, someone could lose a finger really quickly.The lock out seems to tight with no blade wiggle. We will see how it wears.I like the knife for two basic reasons…1. Its true pocket knife. Not a three pound anchor in your pocket. It’s designed to be a smaller knife but still fits in your hand and has a usefulness size to it.2. It is a single hand operation to open it. It locks out every time with very minimal movement. All you have to do is start open the blade with the flipper on the back of the knife and finish’s every time, unless interrupted.

I don’t know for sure, but when I moved the deep carry clip to the other side of the knife, the T6 screws stripped easily. I got a hold of ZT, and they sent a replacement clip with hardware. Those screws didn’t strip easily. My second clue was the flipper was really stiff, and the 0357 is known to be a very smooth opening experience.I sent the knife back for a refund, then I went to ZT’s official site and bought this knife directly from the manufacturer.The clip moves easily with no stripped screws, the knife flips open with amazing smoothness. The blackwash finish has a professional quality that I couldn’t have imagined. Now I’m more sure that the one I ordered here was counterfeit. I’m not sure how this happens, but it’s a real problem that needs to be addressed.

I am not normally a complainer….however this item had serious issues:I received what appears to be a used knife with missing parts and not made of the steel noted in the description. Returned for credit. Awaiting Amazon’s response.