Nothing on their website but confirmed by many dealers. I was told by an industry friend to hang on to my 0350 and Skylines too. KAI is going to crap in my eyes. He said an Onion purge is possibly coming to Kershaw soon too (Leek, Chive, Blur). I'd imagine it's probably more to do with royalties, but whoever runs the show there sucks hard.

If you want a 3CR crap knife (Kershaw) or polished bling bling knife (ZT) you'll love what KAI is transforming into. I don't expect the Emerson line to last very long since Zero Tolerance is getting out of the "tactical" market.

Sad face.

How is ZT "getting out of the tactical market" as they are introducing the 620, 562, 454, and 392?

They may be killing off old models as they introduce new ones, but I don't see them declining what so ever.

Edit - and I'll go further and say they're getting away from the bling factor by introducing knives without the 3d machined titanium - a feature that came with a significant increase in cost for what was offered.

I couldn't see ZT getting out of the "tactical" market, since thats what made ZT so popular.  For a long time dealers couldn't keep the ZT 0550/0560/0561 in stock, even the 0562 and 0620 have been selling out as soon as dealers get them in stock.

This is the list of "to be" discontinued knives from ZT that was sent to dealers:

0100          
0200          
0200ST
0300          
0300BW
0300ST
0301ST
0550          
0560          
0561          

I noticed that some of these models weren't listed in the different configurations they offer.... with the 0200, 0300 & 0301 they specifically listed the "ST"/Serrated version so that leaves me to believe:

1. The standard "0301" will still be available.
2  The "0560BW" will still be available

They dropped the axe on the 0300 by dropping every configuration it comes in including the "newer" BW finish.


I hate to see some of these go and there's a few that I still wanted but it's sad in general, I also don't like seeing that Quarmaster Knives is dropping models after 300 are made but I guess you know what you're getting (or not in this case) up front.

The only reason to kill off designs is that they think they are played out.

KAI has been making the same knife designs for a long while.  The blur....how many years has that design been running now?

Anyhow, I don't think ZT is getting out of the tactical market.  I have a feeling that they will be dropping a bunch of new designs pretty soon to make up for the ones they are knocking out of the lineup.  Probably has to do with sales numbers declining signalling need for new stuff.

The 0392 and 0454 are about as tactical as a Rolls Royce with a lift kit and 24's. Nice knives, but no one is going to use a $600 carbon fiber knife with a Sandvik and D2 bonded blade for hard use. Could you? Yes. Will anyone? Most likely not. The 0300 and 0500's were nice knives you could beat on and not have to worry about chipping your polished carbon fiber or scraping your baby blue anodized grip screws. ZT is moving away from hard users to go more boutique, and that's a statement made by Kershaw themselves

they are going to make ZT irrelevant if they do that.  the brand was built on users that could take a licking and keep going back for more.  I won't be buying bling-blades.  Period, especially a ZT.  I don't care how pretty it is.  I care how tight it locks up and how strong the lock is.  How sturdy the blade is, what it's made out of.

Sounds like I need to buy a couple 560s and 562s as back ups and a couple 0300 black wash before they are gone sounds like I will be saying fairwell to zt soon if this is all true. That being said I have a hard time thinking they will go completely away from tactical blades

I think I am the only person in the world who just isn't into ZT. I just don't see the appeal. Although to be fair, I'm not really into Kershaw either.

Well in their defense, most of their bling models still have solid locks and good blade steel. Though Sandvik isn't all that great and bonded to D2 makes absolutely no sense other than to look pretty, especially when both the spine and cutting edge are the same steel.

That is what i mean.  I don't need or want a blade made out of 2 metals.  What I want is :  durable, high quality steel, minimal bling, maximum usefulness.  My 0350 is that.  The whole bonded blade nonsense doesn't make any sense for me.  Its a bling factor that costs money and provides no added benefit, but does produce a weaker blade to achieve the cool factor.

Blade collectors may love that stuff.  I don't collect for collecting, I buy quality blades when they are on sale so I can, dull, lose or break a knife and not be knifeless and be forced to pay retail.

EDIT:  I'll gladly pay a little more for better steel, better lock, good blade shape, easier opening, etc.  I won't pay extra for things that don't actually provide a direct benefit to a knife's usefulness.

Anyone else notice that there is an interesting coincidence with the 'killed off' 05xx series?  They are all the titanium frame lock without a steel insert.

^^to catch up on the various comments:  while I agree the 454 is not really a user knife, it is none the less a tactical styled bladed.  And every other knife they are putting out can most definitely be a user.

The 392 will be a limited version, but it is relatively cheap in the realm of tactical knives such as a strider or hinderer that will be its closet competitor.  And the 562 and 620 are tactical all the way and available without the exotic bling of some of the others.

While they are killing off older and arguably outdated models, they are in no way fading in my mind.  They are making much better knives now than they were 3 or 4 years ago.

to be fair, I wouldn't "use" a hinderer, or a strider, nor would I purchase either.  Both of those makers have issues that I absolutely refuse to partake with.  

Strider...his history of deceit, and hinderer....I refuse to pay secondary market prices which to be frank, are past insane.  ~$400 is OK for a semi-production blade.  ~$800?  Yeah, I'm buying a moon, getting a full custom, not dealing with a secondary market, and getting a better knife that isn't a semi-production that I could get for ~$400 if I was activee Mil/LE/EMT.

Want to play games with the market?  FU  Want to lie to keep your questionable history under wraps because it will hurt your image (and therefore your $$$) FU.

Well, the new ZT's should be right up your alley then.  I own the 620cf and it is overall better than my 801, surprising considering it uses a traditional bushing pivot whereas the 801 has an IKBS bearing system.  It is incredibly smooth, at least as smooth as my Benchmade 940-1.

The 392, if you buy once they go on sale on ZT's website, is essentially a Hinderer Eclipse, likely with better steel, at a price that is not inflated (secondary market not withstanding).

The 562cf is what the XM-18 3.5 should be by all accounts (I don't own one yet).  It has better steel, a better scale, a bearing system, supposedly flips beautifully (if itis as good as my 801 it is a total win), and it is priced aggressively.

Yes, they're getting away from the 350 - not a loss, in my opinion.  Many people liked it, I was not one of them.  I'm sure the 566 will fit the budget role just fine in its g10 and Elmax form.

they very well could be.  I'll have see what they drop on the market and if it appeals to my senses.

No you're not. Now there are 2 of us here is this thread