Heat discoloration on new ZT 0393 blade?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Heat discoloration on new ZT 0393 blade?

Posted: 5/3/2019 7:21:45 PM EDT

I just purchased a 0393. The blade has a couple of circular discoloration spots that look like heat distortion to me. Kind of multiple color type effect. I’ve already sent emails to ZT and the retailer asking for replacement. I’d like to know if this is a reasonable ask on my part. I can’t get pics to work here via my phone but could send them to a member here if you can post it for me. Cleaning the blade greatly diminished the spot but it’s still there, just less visible.

Love the design and feel of the knife as well as the action. My first personal ZT since Benchmade fucked the goat. Love everything about it except for the oddball heat mark. I’ve purchased a few nice knives over the years and never seen this. Help a guy out and let me know what you think. Could it be from over heating during blade grinding?

ETA: I’m not meaning to bash ZT here, in case anyone drew that conclusion. I’ve purchased 2 of their knives as gifts previously and both are excellent.

ETA 2: ZT says it was oil. They’re sending it back. I’m not sure I 100% believe that.

Posted: 5/4/2019 9:44:21 AM EDT

[#1]

Blades are heat treated after grinding. The source of the discoloration may have come from the tempering process or final finishing, up to and including packaging and handling.

Stain Less steel is exactly that, not Stain Proof.

Some new high end watch owners inspect them under a magnifying glass. The results so far have proven even a $12,000 watch can be found to have "defects." Considering they are automatic spring powered clockworks, a good quartz runs more accurately, but they never call out timekeeping as a defect. They just expect it.

About the only way to ever be sure there is no defect is to test the knife to near destruction levels, which is beyond abusive. We just rely on the maker to be consistent and regardless of price, it's still a matter of taking what we get and living with it. Including the replacement. Why will it be better, or will it have some other issue unseen to the human eye?

You can never completely eliminate the odds, just get them as far as you can afford to get them. Ask the new car owners who's vehicle had an engine fail after a few thousand miles and who get a free replacement. I'm aware of one recall where nearly tens of thousands were replaced in recent times. Ooops. And that company spends millions in QC.

This is why I prefer to buy used. I get over it real quick.

Posted: 5/4/2019 10:58:10 AM EDT

[#2]

@tirod

I do get that stainless steel is not stain proof. I’m not too picky about patina, given that all of my knives are users. That said, purplish discoloring on a brand new, somewhat expensive blade doesn’t sit well with with me given that the blade is in my view 90+% of the value proposition in a knife. This discoloring looks like the type I get when I use a torch to braze at work. That makes me wonder if the heat treat is good to go or not. Can I send a couple pictures to you via email and you can let me know what you think after seeing them? Or if you know how to post pictures here, that would help out as well. Thanks.

Posted: 5/4/2019 12:02:36 PM EDT

[#3]

Can you post pics so that we have a better idea of what you are seeing?

Posted: 5/4/2019 12:18:27 PM EDT

[#4]

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Quoted:
Can you post pics so that we have a better idea of what you are seeing?

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No idea how to do that from my phone on this website. I can email them to you or anyone else who knows how to though.

Posted: 5/5/2019 3:11:24 AM EDT

[#5]

Email them to me and I'll post them for you.

corn bread r2 @ gmail .com (no spaces)

Posted: 5/5/2019 10:05:34 AM EDT

[#6]

Quote History

Quoted:
Email them to me and I'll post them for you.

corn bread r2 @ gmail .com (no spaces)

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Thank you. Just sent some pictures.

Posted: 5/5/2019 10:17:30 AM EDT

[#7]

Posted: 5/5/2019 10:20:43 AM EDT

[#8]

That is odd.

Does the edge right below that spot dull faster or chip more than the edge away from it?

If you are concerned about it, get in contact with ZT, they will replace your blade.

Posted: 5/5/2019 10:29:38 AM EDT

[#9]

New knife, screw that shit I would expect a replacement. ZT has good cs so I doubt you will have an issue.

Posted: 5/5/2019 10:37:27 AM EDT

[#10]

Quote History

Quoted:
That is odd.

Does the edge right below that spot dull faster or chip more than the edge away from it?

If you are concerned about it, get in contact with ZT, they will replace your blade.

View Quote

No idea. It’s brand new out of the box. Contacted ZT already, just wanted to check with other peeps to see if they would have done the same.

Posted: 5/5/2019 5:17:00 PM EDT

[#11]

Quote History

Quoted:
New knife, screw that shit I would expect a replacement. ZT has good cs so I doubt you will have an issue.

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That’s kind of how I feel about it honestly. I’ve already put an email in asking politely for replacement. It’s the weekend and all but hopefully I’ll hear back relatively fast.

Posted: 5/5/2019 5:23:39 PM EDT

[#12]

Not acceptable.

Posted: 5/5/2019 7:00:02 PM EDT

[#13]

My opinion.... ZT will make it right.

Posted: 5/7/2019 12:07:49 AM EDT

[#14]

Yeah, I'd not be pleased with that and I use my knives hard. On a side note, thanks for costing me money. I didn't buy an 0393 because all the stock photos make it look like a full fledged tanto. Now I see it doesn't have 2 separate bevels so to speak

Posted: 5/7/2019 7:18:07 AM EDT

[#15]

Quote History

Quoted:
My opinion.... ZT will make it right.

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I’m communicating via email with a nice gentleman from ZT. He has offered to take the knife back and give full retail value store credit for their web store. The only rub for me is that this particular model with the blue anodizing is discontinued and the nearest analog is the one with the glow carbon fiber which I don’t like as much and is $50 more expensive. I’m going to see about an exchange through the dealer for the exact same model which he also suggested I look into since I really like the model I purchased. Looks like blade replacement or straight up replacement with the exact same model is not an option on ZT’s end.

Posted: 5/7/2019 7:23:11 AM EDT

[#16]

Quote History

Quoted:
Yeah, I'd not be pleased with that and I use my knives hard. On a side note, thanks for costing me money. I didn't buy an 0393 because all the stock photos make it look like a full fledged tanto. Now I see it doesn't have 2 separate bevels so to speak

View Quote

It’s honestly a gorgeous knife and the ergonomics are pretty good. I can’t wait to have a good one in hand. I use all of my blades pretty hard too as a repair man but I’d prefer to start from perfect or near perfect before beating it up. You should post pictures up when you get yours. I’m planning on replacement full scales since I prefer a liner lock to frame lock. You going to mod yours?

Posted: 5/9/2019 10:15:13 AM EDT

[#17]

Totally unacceptable.Ive got the same knife and would have sent it back the next day.How in the world did that get past the ZT quality control people?

Posted: 5/9/2019 12:30:24 PM EDT

[#18]

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Quoted:
Totally unacceptable.Ive got the same knife and would have sent it back the next day.How in the world did that get past the ZT quality control people?

View Quote

No idea. I ordered online though so no inspection was possible till I opened the box. I saw that and kind of did a double take. I sent it back the other day. ZT paid shipping no problem and I’ll hopefully get my credit soon so I can get the current model 0393 which is the glow carbon fiber version. I ordered custom copper scales for it while I wait because reasons.

Posted: 5/9/2019 3:43:11 PM EDT

[#19]

Where are you getting the scales from?

Posted: 5/9/2019 4:24:57 PM EDT

[#20]

Quote History

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Where are you getting the scales from?

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A company called Sharp Dressed Knives. They’re not on the website but he has no problem making some up out of copper. Bit of lead time but I’m in limbo anyways. I really dig the marbled carbon fiber scales he does too.

https://www.sharpdressedknives.com/product-page/zt-0393-custom-overlays-marbled-carbon-fiber

Posted: 5/15/2019 8:10:40 PM EDT

[#21]

ZT got the knife back and they say it’s just oil and that they cleaned the blade. They’re sending it back. I guess I’ll have to see how the edge holds up under use. Will also be looking real close to see if I can see any faint discoloration or finish differences in those areas. Would a cheap microscope show differences in the grain structure? I’m a nerd and would probably enjoy checking dumb things like that.

Posted: 5/16/2019 9:06:46 AM EDT

[#22]

You’ll like the edge holding abilities of cpm20cv.Its on par with my other zt knives that have m390 and elmax steel.All of these steels take a little extra time to sharpen but it’s worth it.I personally use a EdgePro sharpener.

Posted: 5/16/2019 10:28:22 AM EDT

[#23]

Quote History

Quoted:
ZT got the knife back and they say it’s just oil and that they cleaned the blade. They’re sending it back. I guess I’ll have to see how the edge holds up under use. Will also be looking real close to see if I can see any faint discoloration or finish differences in those areas. Would a cheap microscope show differences in the grain structure? I’m a nerd and would probably enjoy checking dumb things like that.

View Quote

I don’t think that you’ll be able to determine much, unless you like to just tinker with things. Just use the knife hard and if it fails to live up to expectations, send it back. You’ve certainly put them on notice.

Chris

Posted: 5/16/2019 10:30:41 AM EDT

[#24]

Quote History

Quoted:
You’ll like the edge holding abilities of cpm20cv.Its on par with my other zt knives that have m390 and elmax steel.All of these steels take a little extra time to sharpen but it’s worth it.I personally use a EdgePro sharpener.

View Quote

I do like 20cv. I have a Benchmade Griptilian 551-1 in that steel that is fantastic. So I do have something to compare it to steel wise.

Posted: 5/16/2019 10:31:26 AM EDT

[#25]

Quote History

Quoted:

I don’t think that you’ll be able to determine much, unless you like to just tinker with things. Just use the knife hard and if it fails to live up to expectations, send it back. You’ve certainly put them on notice.

Chris

View Quote

That’s the plan for now.

Posted: 5/31/2019 9:23:50 PM EDT

[#26]

Got the knife back and my copper scales installed from Sharp Dressed Knives. The scales are ridiculously awesome in my opinion. They look and feel fantastic.

Posted: 6/1/2019 8:07:55 AM EDT

[#27]

We need pics!??

Posted: 6/1/2019 9:36:46 AM EDT

[#28]

Quote History

Quoted:
We need pics!??

View Quote

Shoot me an email and I’ll send them over. I’m picture posting challenged. Maybe you could post them.

Posted: 6/1/2019 8:20:08 PM EDT

[#29]

Posting pics of DerekCB ZT0393.Looks very nice.I think I'll check into replacing the scales on my 0393.

Attached File

Posted: 6/1/2019 8:51:49 PM EDT

[#30]

Quote History

Quoted:
Posting pics of DerekCB ZT0393.Looks very nice.I think I'll check into replacing the scales on my 0393.

https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/568/image1_jpeg-965829.JPG

https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/568/image2_jpeg-965831.JPG

https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/568/image3_jpeg-965832.JPG

https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/568/image4_jpeg-965833.JPG

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Thanks very much for posting the pictures. I’m really digging the scales as I love copper and they effectively turned the knife into a liner lock which I prefer. They’re taking a nice patina already. Any suggestions on filler tab, pocket clip, pivot color? Should I just leave those black?

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Heat discoloration on new ZT 0393 blade?

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