Assisted and Automatic Knives

Zero Tolerance 0566 Review

Last Updated: July 13, 2019
I have recently been making regular appearances on the GearGeeksLive podcast with Tony and Andrew. Tony and I recently had Thomas Welk from KAI (Kershaw/Zero Tolerance) on the air for an episode about KAI. I found it fascinating to get inside the head of a prominent representative of a major cutlery company.

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One part of the show that really stuck with me was Thomas’ point that many knives are designed to fit into boxes. And no, I’m not talking about those fancy cardboard wrappers we have all come to know and love. I’m talking about MSRP. Most knives coming out of high volume manufacturers are designed around a price point, because these large knife manufacturers work with major retailers and these major retailers put manufacturers under tremendous pressure to deliver product at certain price points. If a manufacturer decides to base their business around working with large retailers, then this can make up a large part of their bottom line.

Ultimately, the point Thomas was making is that production knife making is usually a study of compromise, oftentimes to the chagrin of enthusiasts like you and me. Not every knife coming out of KAI’s doors can be a 0888. Hell, they can’t even just produce the 0560. Instead, these companies must appeal to a broad range of consumers with a varied budget. This is why we see everything from a $250 Zero Tolerance 0560, to a $25 Kershaw Cryo. ‘Tis the nature of the big production house beast.

And then we have the 0566, which fits in between the 0560 and the Cryo – both in size and in MSRP ($180 – $150 at retail). More interesting is that the 3 blades share a Rick Hinderer design pedigree, and loosely resemble his coveted XM series of folding knives.

This time around Zero Tolerance has tried to appeal to the persnickity middle market, attempting to tow the fine line between high end and high value. As I am sure Thomas will tell you, that isn’t always easy. I see the 0566 as a real exercise in compromise. There is a certain danger to trying to make everyone happy, and the goal of my review is to determine whether ZT struck a sweet spot, or pissed everyone off.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The 0566 has an overall length of 7.7″, has a 3.25″ blade, and weighs 5.3 ounces. While substantially smaller than my 0560 it only weighs .7 ounces less. This is due to the stainless steel frame lock and full steel liner. Depending on your perspective, the knife either feels “substantial” or “heavy”. Thomas talks on the podcast about how some consumers equate weight with quality. I’m not sure I am one of those customers.

Weight issues aside, I like this size for a robust EDC or, for lack of a better phrase, folding tactical knife. The size compares favorably to classics like the Benchmade Griptilian and Spyderco Paramilitary 2.

The blade shape is classic Hinderer drop point and looks identical to the 0560. Mine was ground evenly, came with a very rough stonewash, and came from a fairly thick piece of Elmax steel. The blade geometry is middle of the road. You aren’t going to win any cutting competitions with this knife, but it’s sturdy and will hold up well under regular and sustained use. It’s not nearly as thin as my Volli, but then few production folders in my collection are.

Elmax steel and Zero Tolerance is a pairing not without its controversies. People have said that ZT jacked up the heat treat on some of the earlier Elmax knives or burned the edges in the final sharpening. I did not find that to be the case on my 0566. I went through my usual favorite cutting demonstrations, which included working through sections of 3/8″ and 1/2″ manilla rope and some commercial grade cardboard. The Elmax held up well. It continued to hold a good edge, and when it was all said and done sharpened back up easily with stops and a fine Spyderco Sharpmaker stone.

The only thing to note, was that after a period of hard cutting I would get a little lock stick with the steel framelock. Nothing I couldn’t pop open with one hand, but definitely note worthy. The lock stick went away after I disengaged the lock.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

Although the shape of the 0566’s handle mirrors the 0560, ZT definitely approached it with a $180.00 MSRP box in mind. You have flat peel ply G10 over a full stainless steel liner, pillar construction, and a solid steel frame lock. It’s a far cry from the 3D machined scales of the 0560 with swiss-cheesed liner and pocketed titanium frame, but it’s still a sturdy and well made handle. ZT went with relatively beefy hardware and finished everything nicely. Everything lines up well, and the pieces are cut out clean and crisp, while the edges of the handle are all nicely broken and comfortable to hold. While this isn’t cutting edge tech found in ZT’s higher end offerings, it’s still a well made handle.

Ergonomically you have a relatively thick and comfortable handle. The jimping, which is the biggest problem with the 0560 because it is so hellaciously sharp, has been fully addressed on this model. There is still some jimping, but it has been flattened out to reduce the chances of slicing your thumb open on an aggressive cut. The flipper tab limits your grip options, but the knife holds nicely in forward and reverse grips.

The pocket clip is an enlarged version of the clip found on the Cryo. It’s a black deep carry style clip. It works well, and offers the user discrete deep pocket carry. It’s a 4 position clip, which is appropriate on this user/tool grade knife. Thomas points out that pocket clips are the hardest part of the knife to design as you will always piss someone off regardless of the design, and they are one of the most expensive parts of the knife to manufacture. All things considered I think they did a good job with this clip.

Deployment and Lockup

I often wonder if dedicating an entire paragraph to “deployment” is worth my time and your attention, but with the 0566 at least there is some interesting stuff to talk about. The knife comes assisted with Ken Onion’s speed safe mechanism. What is interesting is that the 0566 also comes with a ball detent. Thomas said that ZT did that purposely so that the user could de-assist the knife if they wanted to. He stated that it would not perform as well as something like the 0560, which is fully designed to be a manual knife, because the combination of spring tension and a strong detent would make the knife very difficult to open with the spring in.

The assisted opening was snappy and there wasn’t any annoying torsion bar rattle like on most other speedsafe knives I’ve reviewed, but being a fan of manual action knives I took the speed safe torsion bar out early on in the review process. It took a little fiddling to get the blade centering and deployment to play nicely together, and my blade still heavily favors the G10 side (although it does not rub). But that is OK, as I understand the knife wasn’t designed to be a manual flipper.

All things considered, the flipping action is actually pretty good on this knife, especially after an application of TUF-Glide and a break in period. Don’t expect Spyderco Domino level performance, but if you preload and “push button” (as opposed to pulling back on the flipper like flicking a light switch) the flipper the blade pops out nicely. This knife uses phosphor washers, and they are really smooth. I am actually pretty happy with the manual action on this knife.

I’ve trolled the forums a little on this knife and some people have good results like me, while others haven’t gotten their knife to flip as well, so this is one of those your mileage may vary type things…

Lockup on the 0566 is solid and without play in any direction. You would expect that out of a 5.0+ ounce knife with a stainless steel lock bar. It met my expectations. Lockbar disengagement was nice and easy, and as I mentioned previously, I didn’t notice any blade stick unless I was using the knife hard.

Zero Tolerance 0566 Review – Final Thoughts

The 0566 is a pretty good tool knife. If you were like everyone else I spoke with, and liked the 0560 but found it to be too big, the 0566 might be a good choice. That is of course just as long as you aren’t expecting an actual mini 0560. Practically speaking, the 0566 checks many boxes. It’s a comfortable knife, and it cuts well enough. I have to say that it is heavy. If I had to give it a number rating, I’d go with maybe a 6.5 out of 10. Not a bad knife, but far from perfect. I could live without a bearing system and 3-d machined handles, but would have really loved to see KAI make the jump from stainless steel to titanium framelock on this model.

While I like the 0566 alright, I don’t think it will make as many waves as the 0560 or the Cryo. A danger with being too middle of the road is that you risk getting ignored. I don’t doubt that ZT will be able to move some product, as it is drafting off of the wildly popular relationship KAI and Rick Hinderer have formed, but whether it will remain as memorable (or infamous) as some of the other KAI/Hinder collabs remains to be seen. As a businessman myself I don’t have a problem with companies making money, but I must admit the enthusiast inside of me would have loved to see just a little more here. I think that a ZT/Hinderer collab with a ~3″ blade and most of the high end fixings would do really well, regardless of the MSRP.

Zero Tolerance Hinderer Folder Pocket Knife (0566); 3.25” Stonewashed S35VN Steel Blade; Handle with G-10 Front and Steel Back, SpeedSafe Opening, Frame Lock, Quad-Mount, Deep-Carry Pocketclip; 5.4 OZ

Collaboration between Zero Tolerance and custom knifemaker, Rick Hinderer with open construction, steel tube spacers, flat rounded edges, high-quality materials and solid lock up
Premium S35VN steel blade has enhanced toughness and long-lasting sharpness; resistance to edge chipping, wear and corrosion
SpeedSafe Assisted Opening for quick, fast, easy, safe, secure, one-handed blade deployment
Stonewashed blade finish has a roughed-up, non-reflective, scuffed, desirably worn look
Durable, stable, lightweight, textured, black G-10 front handle scale; all stainless-steel back handle scale

I recommend purchasing the ZT 0566 at Amazon or BladeHQ. Please consider that purchasing anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Kershaw Turbulence Review

by Dan Jackson 6 Comments

Last Updated: September 17, 2019
I’ve mentioned in previous reviews that I sometimes find that Kershaw’s product line falls into a bit of a slump. In the $20-50 range you have a number of what I feel are quite frankly, forgettable knives. Typically it involves some sort of black handle, and bead blasted blade. Many come assisted and are made overseas. To be fair there are designs that stand out in the crowd, and you occasionally get a Skyline or even a Cryo (far from perfect, but definitely a little different). Unfortunately, for every Skyline there are at least half a dozen others that really don’t do anything for me.

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But occasionally a knife will fly under the radar, unfairly profiled as another unexciting knife. I certainly feel that way about the design I am reviewing today, the Kershaw Turbulence. The Turbulence is designed by maker and in-house designer for Kershaw, Tim Gaylean. Tim was a prodigy of sorts. His website is kind of frozen in time, but you can see some of the custom pieces he made at the age of 24 (and younger). It isn’t all to my taste, but Tim has made some really interesting stuff, and shows a ton of talent.

These days Tim still does some custom work, but it can be really tough to find. This production model Turbulence is based off of his pro-series version that is just uber cool. Unfortunately, his custom version is (as you would expect) extremely expensive – if you even have the privilege of finding one for sale. I can’t believe I missed out on this very affordable production version of the Turbulence when it was initially released about a year ago, but there isn’t much I can do besides admit a mistake was made and soldier on – in the form of a detailed knife review.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Turbulence has an overall length of 7.75 inches, sports a 3.25 inch blade, and weighs 4.4 ounces. This has been a nice EDC knife for me, and has served well on some projects around the house as well. Kershaw frames the Turbulence in a more “tactical” light, but for me it’s primarily an EDC.

The blade shape is probably best described as a modified drop point, but really it almost defies convention. I love how the swedge and slight curve of the blade forms into a very fine yet capable tip. It’s a wicked and non-traditional shape that really works from both an aesthetic and practical perspective. The flat ground blade is a decent slicer, and the tip stays plenty strong. There is enough edge to get a lot of work done, and I like how Kershaw decided to finish the knife with a subtle stonewash rather than their go too bead blast. The stonewashed finish will resist rust much better than a bead blast will.

The Turbulence’s blade comes in Sandvic 14C28N stainless steel. This is a Swedish steel that Kershaw commonly uses in their USA-made high value folders like the Skyline. 14C28N held up well in my cut tests. It’s a hearty steel capable of getting a lot of work done, is tough, and is fairly corrosion resistant. It won’t hold an edge forever, but I love how quickly and easily it sharpens. I’d compare it with a good AUS 8 or 440C – totally respectable given the price and intended use of this knife.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle is tried and true black G10 over full stainless liners. For a relatively inexpensive knife Kershaw made this handle right. They selected surprisingly thick slabs of G10, crisply cut and mated to liners that are partially skeletonized to reduce the weight. I like how the Turbulence is a flow through design with just 2 stand offs and the pivot holding the knife together. The resulting handle is relatively thick, but still elegant, comfortable, and sturdy. Overall, fit and finish is good, but I did notice a couple marks leftover where the laser cutter shaped the liners.

In hand the Turbulence feels extremely comfortable. The relatively thick handle gives you a satisfying grip, and the textured G10 provides both traction and feedback. You have enough handle here to accommodate a large hand, and the thumb rests easily on the spine. There is no jimping anywhere on the knife, and I don’t mind that fact at all. The lack of jimping makes for a very comfortable tool if you ever need to do extended cutting, and I never once ran into a situation where I was slipping off the knife. If you are considering the Turbulence as a tactical knife, it does work alright in a reverse grip.

The pocket clip is goofy looking, but it works well and could have been a lot worse. I say ‘it could have been worse,’ because I really don’t care for the clip on the Junk Yard Dog – another one of Tim’s designs. At least the clip on the Turbulence is small and relatively discrete, even if it is kind of funny looking. You do have the option of 3 corner carry, and the knife buries low and stays secure. A blackened clip would have been nice, and I also would have liked something a little less artistic, but functionally speaking this one is fine.

Deployment and Lockup

The Turbulence makes use of a flipper for deployment, and also comes with Kershaw’s SpeedSafe assisted opening mechanism. The action is fast and the knife opens easily. I don’t have any complaints with SpeedSafe per se (actually, it does rattle and make a fair amount of noise in the closed position, so I guess I do), but I’d much rather see this knife unassisted. Tim makes his pro series version with an IKBS bearing system, and I would have loved to have seen this Turbulence come unassisted with KVT (Kershaw’s bearing system found on knives like the ZT 0560). An unassisted flipper with bearings would have been really cool.

The liner lock on the Turbulence engages early and without play. I’ve got no issues here, the knife is rock solid, yet is still easy to intentionally disengage. It’s worth noting that the “thumb studs” actually are blade stops and work as stops in both the open and closed position. They do not work as thumb studs at all (fine by me).

Kershaw Turbulence Review – Final Thoughts

The Turbulence is a really nice knife, and has rapidly become one of my favorite Kershaw designs. The MSRP is something like $120, but they currently can be had for as low as $50. Compared with something like the $32 Chinese-made Cryo, there isn’t even a competition – the Turbulence just blows it out of the water. The materials are great, fit and finish is good (not perfect – blade centering on my knife is off a smidge, and there were a couple little marks on the liners), the design is amazing, and they managed to get it all done right here in the United States. It’s a practical EDC item, but it also is a beautifully balanced and visually pleasing knife.

If I could offer anything in the way of constructive criticism, I’d say remove the assisted opening and throw in some bearings. Also, swapping the pocket clip out for something a little more discrete would be nice.

But even without those modifications the Turbulence is still a great knife. If you are itching for a unique and well made flipper that deploys with a snap, and won’t break the bank, the Turbulence gets my full recommendation.

Kershaw Turbulence – 50.74
~~Retail Price: $119.95~~
You Save: $69.21
From: BladeHQ

I recommend purchasing the Turbulence at BladeHQ. Purchasing anything at BladeHQ through these links helps support the website, and keep this review train running. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated!

Kershaw Cryo Review

by Dan Jackson 13 Comments

Last Updated: March 18, 2019

At long last, the Kershaw Cryo. This is another one of those Hinderer/KAI collabs that tantalized knife collectors back at SHOT Show 2011 (or was it 2012? the years just blend together). Whichever year it was, we waited what seemed like forever for this little knife. Finally, after eons of patiently waiting, this much anticipated design hit the shelves. Reactions ran the gamut from exalted praise to abject horror.

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I’m not going to lie, the mixed reviews turned me off from checking out a knife I was initially interested in. But then I realized, “Hey, that’s what I do – I check out knives.” And I’m guessing people want a review on this one, so I finally picked one up. So lets get on with my review of the Rick Hinderer designed Kershaw Cryo.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Cryo has an overall length of 6.5″, it features a 2.75″ blade, and it weighs 4.2 ounces. This is a small (albeit chunky) folder primarily meant for EDC. I’ve been carrying mine as an EDC knife, and it gets the job done.

Guys who like larger knives will probably want something else, and guys who like lightweight knives will also probably find something lacking in the footprint of the Cryo. Personally? I don’t mind the weight and have a soft spot for small knives – this made for a reasonable EDC in my book.

The blade is an attractive drop point design, reminiscent of Rick’s other creations (and collaborations with KAI, including the ZT 0550 and ZT 0560). You have a good amount of belly, a small swedge, and a high hollow grind. The Cryo has a fine tip and gets reasonably thin behind the edge. It makes for a capable slicer when working with materials like leather and cardboard. The entire knife (blade and handles) have been given a gray titanium carbo-nitride coating. It’s an attractive finish and a refreshing departure from Kershaw’s standard value folder formula of a black FRN handle with a plain bead-blasted blade.

Kershaw went with 8Cr13MoV stainless steel for this knife. 8Cr is a Chinese stainless and the choice makes sense when you realize the entire knife is made in China. Given the price I don’t have a problem with the steel or the origin of manufacture. 8Cr13MoV is capable. I cut about 60 pieces of 3/8″ manilla rope with the knife before moving on to several cardboard boxes. At that point the edge was more or less done, but it quickly came back to life with some swipes on a diamond stone. I then carved some 2x2s with the Cryo, testing edge strength and the overall capabilities of the knife. Then I did it all over again because I lost my original video footage (d’oh!). All things considered, the 8Cr held up well – it’s about as good as it gets these days with a $30 folding knife.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The Cryo features full stainless steel handles. The gray handles are mated to contrasting black hardware. No doubt the stainless steel construction adds greatly to the weight. I can’t help but wonder what this knife would have been like with a G10 handle scale (a la Hinderer’s real knives) or maybe even G10 and stainless steel liners. Either way construction is solid and reasonably well finished. It’s a flow through design and the decorative black pillars and lanyard tube look nice against the gray steel. All the corners have been more or less rounded and everything lines up. I have no major issues with the way this handle has been constructed.

For light use the Cryo feels pretty good in hand. This is a smaller knife, and I was able to just get a 4 finger grip on it. I take a large glove so I think most people will be able to comfortably grasp the knife for daily tasks. The steel handles are fairly slick, but this is a little EDC blade, and jimping top and bottom side adds a lot of traction in hand. Under harder use (stuff like cutting rope and carving wood) the knife isn’t particularly comfortable, but for more EDC type tasks (cardboard, plastic, etc) the ergonomics were fine. If you are going to sit down and do half an hours worth of cutting like I did you will definitely notice a few hot spots, how rough the jimping is, etc. So it’s not the most comfortable knife, but for casual use and the occasional chore you should be able to get stuff done without huge issues.

The pocket clip is a blackened low rider clip allowing for 4 corner carry. The clip is small and discrete, and it inserts and removes easily from the pocket. This is a relatively new pocket clip design for Kershaw, and I happen to like it. The Cryo carried well considering and was there when I needed it. As for the 4.2 ounce carry weight, well, I’m sure some will notice the Cryo’s presence more than others. I found that I didn’t like carrying this knife with dress pants, but had no issue with shorts or blue jeans. It’s one of those “your mileage may vary” things, so please plan accordingly.

Deployment and Lockup

The Cryo features both thumb studs and a flipper, and the knife makes use of Kershaw’s Speedsafe assisted opening technology. The flipper is nice and easy to reach, and the blade springs to life with very little effort. The thumb studs on the other hand are almost impossible to use. They really serve no function. I think Kershaw should have spent some more time on this, either figuring out how to make the thumbstuds usable or removing them from the finished knife. As it stands, it seems half baked, like something was lost in translation from design to realization. As for the Speedsafe, I happen to like it on this knife. The Cryo is small and can be difficult to orient in your hand, so a spring assist to ensure deployment every time works well for me.

Lockup is accomplished via a stainless steel framelock. This pays homage to Rick’s custom and production titanium framelock knives. Lockup is early and relatively secure. Sometimes my knife gets a little side to side play and requires a twist of the pivot screw – not a huge deal. There is also Hinderer a lockbar stabilizer installed on the knife to prevent over extension of your steel framelock. This is a cool high-end feature found on knives like my $400 Strider and of course the ZT/Hinderer collabs as well.

Kershaw Cryo Review – Final Thoughts

On paper the Cryo seems like a decent little knife – and it is. It’s small, cool, and functional. It comes with acceptable blade steel, a nice pocket clip, and fast action. I don’t regret the purchase, and think the knife is fairly priced at $32. It’s not amazing, and certainly isn’t a hall of fame budget knife like the Spyderco Tenacious, Kershaw Skyline, or Ontario Rat 1, but it’s a unique knife for Kershaw, is decently made, and I’d generally say it’s a win.

That said, the knife is a little rough around the edges, and I feel like it could have been so much more. For example, the blade is massively off center (not rubbing, but almost), the thumb studs are useless, and at 4.2 ounces, well the knife is heavy for what it is. There just seems to be a lack of attention to detail that slightly derails the knife. I find it especially ironic considering that the biggest selling feature is the Hinderer name – a name built on extreme quality and high end knives. I’m not expecting a $30 XM-18, but no doubt people interested in a Hinderer designed knives are “knife people” – not the average person contemplating the purchase of a $30 pocket knife at Wal-Mart. Real knife people care about stuff like material selection, fit & finish, and functional design. Perhaps this knife could have played in the $50 price point and appealed more to higher end enthusiasts as well.

So a big part of me wishes Kershaw spent some more time on this one – ironing out the kinks, making it in the USA, and delivering something of real substance. Sure, it may have to retail for $50+ instead of $30, but I think people would pay for it, and the knife would have real staying power. As it stands I view the Cryo more as a flavor of the week than a timeless tool that will become a new benchmark in its class.

In conclusion, I want to emphasize that the Cryo isn’t a “bad” knife. $30 isn’t much money for a folder these days, and I enjoy the knife for what it is. But I still can’t help but wonder what it could have been.

Sale

Kershaw Cryo Knife, 2.75" Stainless Steel Drop Point Blade, Assisted Opening Everyday Carry Pocket Knife

KERSHAW CRYO POCKET KNIFE: Designed in collaboration with custom knifemaker, Rick Hinderer, the Cryo is a sturdy, aesthetically pleasing knife that feels good in hand. Voted Blade Magazine’s 2012 Best Buy of the Year and 2013 Men’s Journal Approved Gear.
DROP POINT PLAIN EDGE BLADE: 8Cr13MoV pure stainless steel blade and handle with titanium carbo-nitride coating for added protection and unified look. Corrosion resistant for a knife that’s functional and durable. Matte gray handle and blade.
DESIGNED WITH SAFETY IN MIND: assisted opening with flipper opening for quick, secure one-handed blade deployment. Frame lock features Rick Hinderer’s lockbar stabilization, to prevent lockbar over-extension.
FEATURES 4-POSITION DEEP CARRY POCKETCLIP for right/left and tip-up/down carry. For use in everyday and work environments. Ideal as an EDC or for use while working, hiking, hunting, camping, and more.
SIZE SPECIFICATIONS: Blade Length: 2.75in. Closed Length: 3.75in. Overall Length: 6.5in. Weighing in at 4.1oz. Backed by Kershaw’s Limited Lifetime Warranty.

I recommend purchasing the Kershaw Cryo at Amazon or BladeHQ. Please consider that purchasing anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Benchmade 581 Barrage Review

by Dan Jackson 18 Comments

Benchmade has always struck me as a company that both innovates and inspires. They can take a functional object, refine it’s performance, and give it a slight twist to elevate a knife something beyond mere G10 and steel. That is a rare accomplishment in the world of production knives, and this handsome 581 Barrage a perfect example.

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Simple, robust, and crafted with just a touch of class, I absolutely love the details on this knife. And the details are always so glorious. That’s why I keep reviewing Benchmade knives. They all but beg for a closer examination.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The 581 Barrage has an overall length of 8.35″, a 3.6″ blade, and the knife weighs 5.2 ounces. This is another Warren Osborne design, and the man is a master for a reason – he’s designed yet another lightweight and functional knife. I’m going to classify this one mainly as a tactical knife, but it would make a nice larger EDC as well. Some might call this a “gentleman’s tactical knife,” and I don’t think there is anything wrong with simply collecting this one either!

The 581 sports a drop point blade, which is a departure from Warren’s usual designs for Benchmade. This is a long sloping blade with a slight amount of belly and a thin swedge running along the top. The blade stock on this knife is 3mm thick, and the resulting tip is quite sturdy. This isn’t a knife with a ton of belly, but it should be fine for most normal tasks. The grind is either a partial flat grind or a shallow hollow grind, it’s difficult for me to really tell, and I don’t think it particularly matters. Either way I’ve found the knife to be a very capable slicer (and it came wickedly sharp).

Blade steel on the 581 is Bohler M390. This is a powdered steel, and is currently the most advanced blade steel that Bohler makes. Benchmade heat treated this M390 to between 60-62 HRC, and the stuff can really retain an edge. It’s also a high Chromium steel so you have excellent corrosion resistance too. My edge has held up so well that I’ve yet to need to sharpen this knife, despite weeks of carry. I understand that when the time does come to touch up my edge, it will take a fair amount of work. That’s to be expected from a hard and tough super steel like this.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

The handle construction is one of my favorite features of the knife. I know some won’t be fans of the aluminum bolsters, but it’s a unique look and I really like it. From a practical standpoint, this isn’t a cold weather knife (since there is bare metal on the handle) but down here in Florida I’d say it compliments my shorts and sunglasses nicely. Construction is screw together, and in addition to the combination of G10 and aluminum scales, you have full stainless steel liners (milled out to reduce weight), a full backspacer, and a small lanyard hole. It’s a beautifully constructed handle.

All in all, I’d say the ergonomics on the 581 are quite good. I mentioned the handle is boxy, but that doesn’t mean it’s uncomfortable. There is a good amount of thickness to the handle and it fills the hand nicely. The finger choil region benefits from some grooves that have been milled into the scales. I thought these were merely decorative at first, but they also provide some traction for your index finger. The thumb ramp is completely naked, and I feel like this is another Benchmade design that could benefit from a little jimping (at the slight expense of aesthetics). If you really wanted some traction, you could always cut little slice of skateboard tape and apply it to the thumb ramp. Since this is a tactical knife you may be interested in how the 581 feels in reverse grip – I’m happy to say it feels great. All in all this is a very comfortable knife. I’m not as fanatical about jimping as some, but do I feel like a little jimping on the thumb ramp would round this one out in hand.

The pocket clip is a classic Benchmade “split arrow” clip. It’s a great clip, proven time and time again in many of my other Benchmade knife reviews. Retention is excellent, it’s a nice discrete clip, and the knife rides low in your pocket. You have the option of ambidextrous tip up carry – which works great for me.

Deployment and Lockup

The 581 is an assisted opening knife that makes use of dual thumb studs. This is my first review of an axis assisted opener, and I must say I’m quite pleased with it. For normal use I think an assisted opener on a well made knife is unnecessary, but for a tactical knife it could mean the difference between life and death. The thumb studs are very easy to reach and with a little pressure the blade springs to life. This is a very smooth and very fast deploying knife.

One thing I found extremely interesting about the 581 is that Benchmade covered the pivot with the bolster. So this isn’t a knife that has been designed to be tuned. It basically says “we turned this knife perfectly from the factory, you will never need to service the pivot.” It’s a bold claim, especially for an assisted opener that exerts so much force on deployment. But I’ll tell you, I have no problems with blade centering at all. The knife locks up like an absolute vault, and the blade travels smooth as silk along phosphor bronze washers. And the tolerances on this knife are very very tight. We are almost talking Sebenza tight here. This is a real testament to Benchmade’s quality control and manufacturing capabilities. It’s incredible.

And of course the lock here is the famous Axis lock. The assisted opening makes 1-hand closing something of a challenge but it’s not impossible. Lockup is absolutely rock solid. The Axis lock has yet to fail me – on any knife. This is a fantastic lock and it rounds out a great knife.

Benchmade 581 Barrage Review – Final Thoughts

Well, there you have it, Benchmade has produced another outstanding knife. By this point in the review half the readers probably assume I’m on their payroll or something, but truthfully I can’t find much to fault with this blade. I love the beautiful lines, the rich details, the excellent materials, and the incredible level of fit and finish. And it never hurts to discover that this knife is made in America. I can’t find a single issue with my knife, although I feel a touch of jimping on the thumb ramp would make the Barrage slightly better in hand.

I know this is a fairly expensive blade with a retail price of around $200, but I feel like this is an instance where you truly get what you pay for. For those out there considering a Benchmade 581 I can totally recommend it. Benchmade has once again taken a humble folding knife, applied their magic, and have created something that appeals to users and collectors alike. Having a 581 in my collection has truly been a pleasure.

Benchmade - Barrage 581 Knife, Drop-Point Blade, Plain Edge, Satin Finish, G10 and Aluminum Handle, Made in the USA

HIGH-QUALITY: The 154CM stainless steel blade is tough, rust resistant, and holds an edge well. The Valox handle is strong and stable, making it ideal for everyday use.
WELL-DESIGNED: The Barrage family is the first to feature the AXIS Assist. The Barrage 583 can be opened and closed quickly with either hand.
ALWAYS READY: The 583's quick, one-handed opening makes it easy to hold and use. The reversible pocket clip offers ultimate accessibility.
VERSATILE: The Barrage 583's tanto blade has a very high tip strength, making it good for tactical uses. It's also versatile enough for everyday applications.

Benchmade 581 Barrage – $204.00
Retail Price: $220.00
from: BladeHQ

I recommend purchasing the Benchmade Barage from Amazon or BladeHQ. Please consider that purchasing anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Zero Tolerance 0350 Review

by Dan Jackson 38 Comments

Last Updated: April 5, 2020

My Zero Tolerance 0300 got a lot of looks when I carried it around. At over 9″ long and with a weight of 8.6 ounces, it definitely raised some eyebrows. The excellent S30V blade was a force to be reckoned with, and I really enjoyed the loud “thwack” of the assisted opening. It was generally a really cool knife to carry, but lets be real, it’s not always practical to tote around such a beast of a blade every day. After a while a knife of that size (and weight!) might get pushed to the back of your EDC rotation, to eventually fall off into a dark corner of your knife collection.

Buy the Zero Tolerance 0350 at BladeHQ

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So the good folks over at Zero Tolerance decided to tone things down a little and offer a slightly tamer, yet no less cool version of the original 0300; the Zero Tolerance 0350. This little brother packs many of the great features that made me fall in love with the 0300, but comes in a size that is much more practical for many people to EDC (although it’s still a big knife – lets not kid ourselves). Lets take a closer look and see what the ZT 0350 is all about.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

WHile the 0350 is not as portly as it’s big brother, it still is not what I would call a “small knife.” The 0350 has an overall length of 7-5/8″ a 3-1/4″ blade and a weight of 6.2 ounces. So it’s still on the heavy side, and perhaps still too big for some to EDC, but if a sturdy good size folder is what you are after I don’t think it’s a huge issue.

The blade is a modified drop point design. There is a small recurve and tons of belly. This is the same blade shape found on the 0300, just shrunk down slightly. I like how the tip has been left very strong. The tip of the 0350 has good piercing strength, and the high flat grind makes the knife excellent for slicing. While recurves can be a pain to sharpen, they really help feed material into the edge and are great slicers. ZT rounded things off by applying a beautiful edge and laser engraved hallmarks. This is a great blade shape a wide variety of applications.

The steel on this knife is S30V, which is absolutely awesome stuff. I am a big fan of S30V because it holds a very nice edge for a long time, and is still reasonably easy to sharpen. S30V is also resistant to rust and corrosion. Zero Tolerance applied a very nice DLC (diamond like carbon) coating to the knife, which is about as durable as knife coatings get. In summary, this is a great blade shape made of great steel with a great coating applied to it.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The ZT 0350 features a classic handle formulation – black G10 over very thick stainless steel liners. The handle has been meticulously finished – I absolutely love how everything lines up perfectly, and there isn’t a machining mark to be seen. As far as construction goes, everything is held together with torx bolts, and you have a partial G10 backspacer. My only suggestion for Zero Tolerance would be to mill out the liners a little to perhaps shave off a few tenths of an ounce. Really though, this handle is built like a tank and finished like a Swiss watch.

The ergonomics on the 0350 are extremely satisfying. I wear a large glove and it feels like the knife was custom made for my hand. The width and thickness to the handle really fills the palm while the choil and thumb ramp prevent your fingers from slipping forward. The G10 has a medium level of traction, which is very pleasant feeling and offers good feedback. In reverse grip there is additional jimping for your thumb. All in all it’s a very comfortable and secure grip.

The pocket clip is right out of the Kershaw parts bin and is simple, but effective. First of all, it’s unobtrusive with it’s flat black coating. It has excellent retention, which I find extremely important for a heavier knife – this means that the knife won’t slide around your pocket (or worse, fall out entirely). The fact that this is a true 4 corners clip (ambidextrous tip up or tip down carry) almost brings a tear to my eye. This is truly a well done pocket clip.

Actual carry isn’t that bad. I found the knife is about as unobtrusive as 6+ ounces can get, although it’s certainly a change from say, my more typical 3-4 ounce EDC knives. For guys who regularly carry larger knives, I don’t anticipate any problems at all.

Deployment and Lockup

The ZT 0350 gives you the option of either a flipper or thumb studs for deployment. In practice, only the right hand thumb stud is available (the left side sits too close to the handles) but my preference is for the flipper anyways. Either way the knife springs to life with very little effort due to the stellar Speedsafe assisted opening mechanism and high quality phosphor bronze washers. This is a knife that fires hard and fires fast. And on a tactical knife, this kind of easy of deployment can be the difference between life and death. If assisted opening knives aren’t your thing, it’s easy enough to remove the spring – deployment will be smooth regardless.

Lockup on the 0350 is accomplished by a very beefy liner lock. This is a very well executed liner lock, and it bites in early with plenty of room for wear. One of the biggest differences between the 0350 and the 0300 is the absence of the titanium framelock, but I have just as much confidence in this very thick liner. It almost goes without saying, but I didn’t detect blade play in any direction.

Zero Tolerance 0300 or Zero Tolerance 0350?

A common question people have is whether they want the ZT 0350 or the larger ZT 0300. If you are one of those people, I made a video comparing the two knives.

Zero Tolerance 0350 Review – Final Thoughts

The Zero Tolerance 0350 is an absolutely outstanding knife. I love everything about it, from the choice of materials, to the incredible fit and finish, to the stellar design, to the great ergonomics, right on down to the excellent pocket clip. I am also very pleased to see that this knife is made in America and still comes in at a decent price.

Currently these can be had for right around $100. When you consider how well this knife is made, I think it represents an excellent value – especially when the 0300 costs over $200. It’s been a real pleasure having this knife in my collection and it really makes me excited to review more Zero Tolerance knives in the future. The company really seems to know how to put together a great blade and am truly excited to see what they have coming up next.

Zero Tolerance 0350 Folding Pocket Knife; 3.25” S30V Stainless Steel Blade with Black Tungsten DLC Finish; Textured G-10 Handle Scales, SpeedSafe Assisted Opening, Liner Lock, Quad-Mount Clip; 6.2 OZ.

High performance and premium quality S350V stainless steel makes the recurve blade extremely durable, corrosion resistant and wear resistant
Non-reflective black Tungsten DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) blade coating and black G-10 handle scales cleanly pair together for a sleek, smooth
Quad-mount pocket clip convenient for left or right handed, tip-up, or tip-down carry
Ideal EDC, easy folding pocket knife for everyday tasks—survival tool, precision cutting, self-defense, tactical use or the perfect gift
General all-purpose knife great for EDC or use while working, camping, fishing, hunting, utility or any outdoor activity

I recommend purchasing the Zero Tolerance 0350 at Amazon.com or BladeHQ. Purchasing anything through any of the links on this site helps earns BladeReviews a small commission at no cost to you, and keeps this review train running. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated.

Benchmade 890 Torrent Review

by Dan Jackson 15 Comments

Last Updated: August 7, 2019
It has been decided – I am a total sucker for a cool “gentleman’s tactical folder.” I remember first drooling over the 890 Torrent when it came out in 2009. Flash forward a couple years, and today I am the proud owner of my very own Torrent, a sleek Steigerwalt design made by Benchmade.

Buy the Benchmade Torrent from BladeHQ

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As I said before, I am calling this one a “gentleman’s tactical folder.” In many ways this one reminds me of the Mcusta Tactility. It’s an elegant knife, and while I’m sure it could work well in a defensive role, this knife is just too pretty to really use and abuse. Also the build quality, while solid, simply isn’t meant for hard use tasks. I have no doubt this would hold up as an EDC blade, but as you will learn in my review – I don’t recommend this one as an all out tactical knife or hard use folder. Lets take a closer look to see what I am talking about.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Torrent has an overall length of 8.2″ a 3.6″ blade and it weighs 3.5 ounces. At this size the Torrent is light enough to EDC but large enough to be wielded as a tactical (emergency defensive) tool.

Part of the reason why this knife is so light weight is because of the thin blade and liners. Benchmade says the blade is 1/10″ thick. Now I’m not complaining, the blade seems adequately thick for EDC, but I would be concerned about really testing the tip with repeated stabs and thrust cuts. Adding to the thin appearance is the swedge running the length of the drop point blade, and the thin flat grind. It’s a beautiful look but it doesn’t exactly inspire confidence when it comes to tip strength. The knife has been given Benchmade’s “satin finish” which appears to have a very light stonewash upon closer inspection. All in all it’s a really handsome blade with a good amount of functionality.

Benchmade went with 154CM for blade steel, a very common choice for their knives. Personally, I’m a big fan of 154CM for it’s ability to sharpen easily, hold an edge, and to resist rust and corrosion. A good all-around steel, and hardened to between 58-61HRC, 154CM will accomplish most cutting tasks with ease.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

The handles on the 890 Torrent are smooth G10 and they cover full stainless steel liners. The G10 has a very attractive finish that resembles wood grain. It’s very similar to the finish on the scales of the Benchmade Onslaught and Deja Voo. The steel liners have not been skeletonized, but to me that isn’t a big deal since the knife only weighs 3.6 ounces. Everything has been bolted together and there is an aluminum backspacer doubling as a glass breaker (or “non lethal” option).

Ergonomics on the 890 are fairly unremarkable. Don’t get me wrong, this handle is plenty big and comfortable, but there isn’t much in the way of a finger choil and there is no thumb ramp or jimping to speak of. Considering the overall build of this knife I’m not disappointed. Again, I see this as more of a gentleman’s folder with a tactical flair rather than an all out purpose-built tool. The G10 is smooth, but it isn’t slippery. The handle works well enough in forward and reverse grips, although I feel that some jimping on the spine wouldn’t hurt.

The pocket clip is a sturdy piece of folded over stainless steel. It has been attractively finished and is set up for a nice deep carry. However, this is a right side tip down carry only. The absence of an ambidextrous clip is something of a deal breaker for for me since I am left handed. However, I actually like tip down carry with this knife because this is an assisted opening knife and it has a very light trigger. Carrying the Torrent tip up without an external safety would be an accident waiting to happen.

Deplyment and Lockup

The Torrent is an assisted opening knife and features Benchmade’s Nitrous Assist technology. This is my first real experience with a Benchmade assisted opener, and I was pleased with how fast and hard this knife fired. I was less pleased with the right side only thumb stud – again, it really limits my ability to carry this one. That said, the large thumb stud was easy to get at and I had no problem brushing this blade open with my fingers. The “trigger” is very light on this knife which makes it very easy to deploy. There is no external safety and I would not feel comfortable carrying this one tip up.

To be perfectly honest, while I generally like spring assist knives I don’t think the Torrent needs to be spring assisted. If it was built heavier as a real folding tactical knife then the Nitrous assist would be more appropriate, but for a gentleman’s knife I think it’s overkill.

The Torrent makes use of a liner lock and I found mine to engage nice and early with no blade play. That said, this looks to me like a thin lock and there isn’t much spring tension holding it in place. I found that the lock disengaged without much effort. I would seriously think twice before engaging in any kind of serious cutting tasks with this one. I don’t think it’s at the point where the knife is unsafe, but I don’t have as much confidence in it as with other liner locks. Of course, you want to be extremely careful with any folding knife – I just found lockup on the Torrent to be a little sketchier than I’m used to.

Benchmade Torrent Review – Final Thoughts

I found myself immediately attracted to the 890 Torrent. The blade is a classic shape, lean and beautifully finished. The handles are simple, and flow gracefully with the lines of the blade. The fit and finish is top notch and I love the details like the jimped backspacer and polished pocket clip.

Where the Torrent let me down was on the practicality of it. First of all, a right side only thumb stud and pocket clip is not going to work for me – that goes without saying. But more concerning was the overall light build of this knife. The blade steel is thin, as are the liners. The ergonomics are not aggressive and the lock seems very easy to disengage. While it’s a beautiful knife I really can’t recommend it for serious work. In my mind this one is ideally situated for the collector, or someone looking for an EDC knife with some tactical inspiration, a “gentleman’s tactical folder” if you will.

Despite my gripes I’m still walking away liking the Torrent a lot. I know I may have been fairly critical with this one, but there is still a lot to like. This is great blade for the collection and I did enjoy carrying it despite it’s shortcomings – I just want to make sure that if you are interested in the knife, you are interested for the right reasons.

Benchmade 890 Torrent Steigerwalt Design Knife

HIGH-QUALITY: The 154CM stainless steel blade is tough, rust resistant, and holds an edge well. The G10 handle is durable, impervious to moisture, and stable under extreme temperatures.
WELL-DESIGNED: The Torrent 890 features a simple yet strong liner lock with added Nitrous Assist. The 890 can be opened and closed quickly and single-handedly.
COMFORTABLE: The 890's contoured handle and lightweight design make it comfortable to use and hold. The deep-carry pocket clip offers ultimate accessibility.
VERSATILE: The Torrent 890's drop-point, utility blade style and all-around functionality make it ideal for everyday carry and use.

I recommend purchasing the Benchmade Torrent from Amazon or BladeHQ. Thanks for checking out the review.