Dmitry Sinkevich

Kershaw Atmos Review

Look – We all try to stick to a budget. But as knife enthusiasts, we sometimes have a bit more difficulty than most. This is one of the reasons I’ve gravitated toward the shallow end of the blade pool. So, when the Kershaw Atmos made a big splash with some fellow reviewers, I decided to see what all the fuss was about.

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General Dimensions and Blade Details

Let’s get the obvious comparison out of the way – Yes, the Atmos looks like a budget version of the Zero Tolerance 0450. And it should, considering they share a common designer in the great Dmitry Sinkevich. But, as you’ll see in the comparison photos, the Atmos is between 10 and 15-percent smaller in most of its physical dimensions. We’ll come back to this comparison later, but let’s focus on the Kershaw for now.

The centerpiece of the Atmos is its 3-inch drop-point blade, wearing a satin finish over its hollow grind and upper swedge. It’s been crafted from a 0.10-inch thick piece of Chinese 8Cr13MoV steel, which is sure to illicit groans from about 90-percent of the audience. Look – I don’t like this steel any more than you do. But, hang with me for a while, and maybe you’ll learn to look past it.

Overall, the Atmos measures 6.9-inches, nearly four of which make up the G-10 handle. There’s a stainless steel insert on the clip side, housing the linerlock mechanism. Kershaw has included attractive carbon-fiber overlays on each handle slab (read: stickers), which somehow manage to avoid looking tacky on this budget-minded blade. I’m not usually a huge carbon fiber fan, but the added layer brings the handle width to a pleasing 0.43-inches. Weight-wise, the Atmos tips the scales at just 2-ounces. For those of you keeping track, that’s within 0.1-ounces of the Kershaw Fraxion, despite housing a bigger blade and far superior design.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

Dmitry Sinkevich is a master of form, and the Atmos represents the very best aspects of his work. It cuts an attractive figure, with futuristic angles that somehow meld perfectly into my medium/large hand. It also manages to be more comfortable, practical, and carriable than its premium cousin.

Don’t believe me? Let’s break it down point by point. First, the grip. While I always adored the 0450 from an aesthetic standpoint, its hand-feel is always a bit of a disappointment. This is partially due to personal preference, since I find slab-sided titanium blades to be more difficult to grip. I’ll take G-10, Micarta, or even Grivory any day of the week. The Atmos’ G-10 and carbon fiber overlay provide solid purchase, even with damp or greasy hands. The jimping along the finger-facing portion of the flipper tab is a thoughtful touch, as well. While some may find it to be a bit aggressive, its extra friction really holds my index finger in place. Though we’re used to seeing flipper tabs pull double duty as blade guards, the setup on the Atmos feels extra secure.

Next, let’s cover the practicality of this blade. The hollow grind glides through onions, carrots, and cardboard with genuine ease. Yes, 8Cr13MoV is nowhere near as good as the 0450’s S35VN. But the grind, in conjunction with the thinness of the Atmos’ blade stock, allows it to cut far longer than you’d expect from a cheap Chinese steel. The ZT, on the other hand, features a saber grind with a tendency to split foods rather than slice.

We’ll wrap this portion of the review with a discussion of carriability. When I say that the Atmos is easier to carry than the 0450, I’m really making two different statements. On the scientific side, this is simply a more pocketable design. It weighs almost an ounce less than the titanium model (2-ounces vs. 2.9), and the deep-carry pocket clip is far superior to the semi-high ride affair on the ZT. It also manages to produce less of a hotspot under firm grip.

On the more personal side, I’ve found this to be an easier knife to use. Like, if someone asks me to cut a plastic tie-wire from a segment of steel grating, I’ll always hesitate before pulling out the 0450. It’s an attractive, expensive knife, and I find it difficult to shake the fear of dinging it up. But with the Atmos? Hell, it’s only $30. What do I care if the blade accidentally knocks up against a rock or piece of structural steel? It’s a more capable cutter, without the nagging pocket-jewelry connotation. Sure, it’s not the most hard-use tool on the table, but let’s be honest – Neither is the 0450.

Deployment and Lockup

The Kershaw Atmos is a fidgeter’s dream. I’ve spent more time playing with this knife than any other in my collection. Even the ZT0450 pales in comparison when it comes to fidget factor. There’s just something about the Atmos’ deployment – The snikt/clack that lands pleasantly on the ear.

The linerlock itself lands at a solid 40-50% lockup, with the blade flying through its arc after a firm press on the flipper tab. Kershaw has dialed in the detent to the point that it’s actually rather difficult to cause a misfire. Here’s a breakdown shot of the Atmos, showing the internal hardware responsible for its excellent action.

As you can see, Kershaw has included both metal washers and captive bearings. The setup works well, though the arrangement is a little strange. On the show side, the bearing is sandwiched between the washer and blade. On the clip side, the bearing rests between the washer and the linerlock steel. This is something you’ll need to remember during reassembly, if you want the blade to remain centered.

And you will need to take this blade down. See that deep hook on the blade tang? After household chores and a weekend of camping, gunk started to accumulate in its inner recesses. Thankfully, the simple screws and D-shaped pivot make disassembly a relatively routine affair. As mentioned, just be sure you’re putting the washers and bearings back in the proper order.

Even with proper oiling, however, the blade’s swing isn’t completely utterly smooth. I still encountered a bit of rolling friction when working it back and forth manually, but this is more than covered by the strength of its detent. When firing with the flipper, you’ll never notice.

Kershaw Atmos Review – Final Thoughts

Take a deep breath, fellow knife nerds. I have a confession to make: The 0450 is on its way out of my collection, while the Atmos is staying for the foreseeable future. It’s not a question of cost, since the ZT was provided to me for a previous review. Rather, it’s an issue of usability. Yes, the 0450 is fun. Its fit, finish, materials, and design place it in the pantheon of great EDC knives. But, for all of the reasons discussed above, I find myself drawn to the down-to-earth usability of the Atmos.

That isn’t to say the Kershaw is perfect, however. I’d love to see an upgraded version, maybe with 154CM, 14C28N, or another budget-friendly steel. Dmitry Sinkevich has come up with a world-class design here, and it deserves world-class materials. But, with an entry price of just $30, this is one of the best budget EDCs on the market.

Sale

Kershaw Atmos Folding Pocketknife (4037); 3-in. 8Cr13MoV Stainless Steel Drop Point Blade; Black G10 Handle with Carbon Fiber; Inset Liner Lock; KVT Manual Open; Reversible Deep-Carry Pocketclip; 1 oz

KERSHAW ATMOS POCKET KNIFE: The Atmos is a 2019 Bikepacker magazine top choice for a lightweight pocket knife. Designed by Dmitry Sinkevich with a slim, modified drop point blade that will handle the job without ever weighing you down.
DROP POINT PLAIN EDGE BLADE: Made from high-quality 8Cr13MoV stainless steel for edge retention and wear resistance. A satin blade finish with sanded flats reduces reflectivity.
DURABLE , ALL-WEATHER G10 HANDLE with a black eye-catching carbon overlay. A textured grip ensures a comfortable, secure feel in your hand. Includes a reversible deep-carry (right/left, tip-up) pocket clip for convenient, discreet carry.
DESIGNED WITH SAFETY IN MIND: This folding knife opens manually, but just as smoothly as an assisted knife with the manual KVT ball bearings and built-in flipper. A liner lock secures the knife blade in place during use to ensure user safety.
SIZE SPECIFICATIONS: Blade Length: 3in. Overall Length: 6.9in. Closed Length: 4in. Weighing in at 1.9oz. Backed by Kershaw’s Limited Lifetime Warranty.

I recommend purchasing the Kershaw Atmos at Amazon or BladeHQ. Please consider that buying 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.

UPDATE: Kershaw has chimed in on the Atmos’ use of carbon fiber. Here’s what they had to say: “The one thing is that the carbon fiber on the handle is not a ‘sticker’. It is actually an integral part of the G10 handle material. For this knife, when they are making the G10 (which is an epoxy-fiber material), they make it by layering sheets of fiber with epoxy…but in this case, the top is composed of two thin layers of carbon fiber. So rather than being stickered on, the carbon fiber is part of the handle—just like all the other fiber layers in the material. The black G10 below is exposed when we machine the contours of the handle. There’s no way the carbon fiber would peel off as a sticker might.”

Kershaw also takes issue with the idea that 8Cr13MoV is a “groaner of a steel.” As their representative pointed out, Blade Magazine/KnifeForums has singled the company out as having attained the best heat treatment for this particular metal. I stand by my desire to see the Atmos in something a bit higher-end, but it’s good to know that they’re getting the most mileage out of ol’ 8Cr.

Zero Tolerance 0450CF Review

by Dan Jackson 17 Comments

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I lust after knives for months, or even years, before pulling the trigger. That was the case with this Zero Tolerance 0450CF. The original 0450 was cool, but the carbon fiber version put me over the top. It’s a little lighter and sleeker, and the choice of green anodized accents isn’t something you see on a lot of knives. I decided I wanted one, but could never find a decent deal on it.

Buy the ZT 0450CF at BladeHQ

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Fast forward a couple years later, and I received a trade offer that included this 0450CF. Right on. I immediately responded back that I was interested, and a few days later the knife was at my doorstep.

By way of a more formal introduction, the 0450 series is a riff on the original Dimitry Sinkevich designed 0454CF that I reviewed back in 2014. Chad McBroom reviewed the mass marketed 0452CF and Ben reviewed the shrunken down full titanium 0450. I’ve got the ultra light 0450CF for your consideration today.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The 0450CF has an over all length of 7.375″, a 3.25″ blade, and weighs a mere 2.45 ounces. Like all Zero Tolerance knives, the 0450CF is made in the USA.

The 0450 and the 0450CF are reactions to the knife market. Zero Tolerance is know for large overbuilt knives, but they received feedback that everyone didn’t want to carry around a big honking pocket knife. So the 0450 hit the scene, and then this 0450CF took that even further by replacing the titanium show side handle with carbon fiber. This shaved over almost half an ounce off the already lightweight 0450. This, my friends, makes for an ideal EDC knife in my book.

The 0450CF shares the same low slung blade that made us all fall in love with the 0454CF when it hit the scene. It’s a long, sleek, modified drop point blade, featuring a little belly and plenty of tip. The knife has a high flat grind and a decorative swedge. The blade has been given a semi-glossy black DLC coating. The edge has been uniformly applied, and there is a sharpening choil so you can easily sharpen this blade from tip to heel.

ZT opted for S35VN for the blade steel. Regulars to the site or high end knives need no introduction to S35VN. It’s a high performance stainless steel from Crucible designed specificaly for pocket knives with the help of Chris Reeve. It’s an excellent all round blade steel and a good choice for small pocket knives like this as it offers a good balance of edge retention, toughness, and ease of sharpening. I like S35VN generally, and they did a great job with the heat treat on this 0450CF. As always if you want to dive deeper into blade steel check out our steel section for all sorts of additional info.

Practically speaking this little 0450CF is a capable cutter. The blade shape is perfect for getting under envelopes, breaking down boxes, cutting fruit, and performing all the little odd ball chores I require of my EDC knives. That said, I must agree with Ben that this knife is not the best slicer. The partial flat grind binds up in material. While it cuts, it’s no Alox Cadet. This is probably my biggest gripe with the knife.

The S35VN blade has held up great, and so has the Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) coating. DLC coatings are among the best money can buy, and unless you scrape this knife on concrete or metal it will hold up well.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle of the 0450CF is a solid piece of carbon fiber on the show side, and a black DLC coated titantium framelock on the reverse. The knife is held together with two green aluminum standoffs and an oversized pivot. Construction is simple yet elegant. All the hardware is black save for the green anodized standoffs. The fit and finish is exceptional. The screws are all the right length, the parts line up perfectly, and the finish work is excellent. The carbon fiber is lightly textured, and shimmers slightly in the light. This handle has been beautifully done.

The 0450CF is a small knife, but it doesn’t compromise in the ergonomics department. Dimitry’s design is simple and it should work well for most people. I take an “XL” size glove and have no problem getting a full four finger grip on this knife.

There is a short row of jimping on the spine that provides you with a little traction and something to index your thumb on. Beyond that there is not much in the way of texture. That’s fine by me as I don’t think this knife needs aggressive texturing. It works well as is.

The pocket clip is a standard parkerized black spoon style pocket clip. It’s relatively discreet and unobtrusive. While it’s not a true deep carry clip, it buries the majority of the knife in your pocket and keeps the 0450CF tucked away. The clip is swappable for right or left side tip up carry. A deep carry clip would have been nice.

I have carried this knife quite a bit. The 0450CF is a knife that you forget you are carrying. At just under 2.5 ounces this is not going to pull your pants down. The clip has great retention and the knife stays where you want it to in your pocket.

Deployment and Lockup

This is a Dimitry Sinkevich designed flipper made by Zero Tolerance, so the flipping action is outstanding. The detent is perfectly tuned for crisp, snappy flipping action each and every time. I’ve never “flubbed the flip” with this knife and I’d say the action is a solid “8” on the 0-10 scale. It’s good. Inside you have a caged bearing system. It is exceptionally smooth and you can shake the knife closed easily.

Please note I’m a lefty, so I don’t have any issues with putting my fingers on the lock bar when flipping the knife. I tried flipping this 0450CF with my right hand. Beside it being incredibly awkward for me, it works fine. No issues flipping open this knife. I think ZT fixed the issue that plagued their earlier knives.

Here is a shot of the 0450CF next to another excellent EDC knife, the Spyderco Sage 1:

For lockup we have a titanium frame lock with a stainless steel insert. Zero Tolerance does such a good job with these, that I almost feel that writing this section is unnecessary. The lock bar engages early and securely. The lockup is rock solid with zero blade play in any direction. The lock is smooth and easy to manipulate with no lock stick. This is titanium frame lock perfection and continues to be something of a gold standard in my world.

Blade centering is dead nuts center on my knife.

Zero Tolerance 0450CF Review – Final Thoughts

Ben was a little lukewarm on his 0450. He didn’t like the way the knife cut, the ergonomics, and he had issues with the action. Aside from that Mrs. Lincoln tells me the play was OK.

I think Ben raises valid points. A little knife like this should zip through stuff, but the combination of narrow blade and partial flat grind impacts the 450CF’s slicing performance. It still cuts, but it could be better. Personally, the ergonomics were spot on for my hand, and I found that the 0450CF flipped great. Ergonomics will vary from person to person, and I think ZT addressed the flipping action.

All in all, I am glad I picked up this little 0450CF. It’s as cool in person as I always hoped. I like the look of it over the standard 0450 and how it’s even lighter with this carbon fiber handle.

The 0450CF is an excellent little EDC knife in my book. With a retail price at close to $200 it’s not cheap, but I’m glad I went for it. The 0450 is probably ZT’s most practical EDC offering for the average person. This carbon fiber version takes things up a notch.

Zero Tolerance 0450CF Folding Knife, 3.25" DLC S35VN Blade, Carbon Fiber & Titanium Handle, KVT Ball-Bearing Opening, Frame Lock, 2.45oz

3.25-inch S35VN steel blade shows amazing toughness and resistance to edge chipping, with improved edge retention. Blade Thickness: 0.121 inches
Handle features a carbon fiber front and sturdy titanium back for comfortable in-hand feel, increased strength and excellent size/weight proportion
DLC-coating on the blade gives sleek matte-black look and enhanced performance characteristics
Great companion for hunters, business professionals, wilderness guides, survival experts, first responders, military, law-enforcement and more
Ideal gift for any special occasion such as birthdays, holidays, graduations, anniversaries, promotions, weddings and more

I recommend purchasing the Zero Tolerance 0450CF at Amazon or BladeHQ. Please consider that buying 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 ZT 0450 Review

by Benjamin Schwartz 3 Comments

Despite positioning itself as a maker of hard use tools for hardcore individuals, Zero Tolerance has always had more universal appeal than its marketing would suggest – and I don’t think the company’s appeal has ever been wider than it is today.

Unlike sister brand Kershaw, there isn’t any internal division between ZT products: there aren’t ‘cheap’ and ‘expensive’ ZTs in the sense that there are cheap and expensive Kershaws; everything they make falls within the same general bracket of impressive machining and high-end materials; the price differences just indicate which high materials you’re getting and how much impressive machining you see.

Buy the Zero Tolerance 0450 at BladeHQ

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And while ZTs may have been considered pretty pricey back in the day, as the market has shifted upwards their prices have remained relatively consistent, so that they seem more reasonable now than they did five years ago. So as the knife world has shifted into its current strata of price brackets, Zero Tolerance has found itself in a sweet spot between accessibility and quality.

All of this combines to put ZT pretty much at the center of current knife enthusiast culture. I’m sure there are soldiers, cops, and first responders who carry and use Zero Tolerence knives, but I would bet there are a lot more ZTs in the pockets of enthusiasts and on the shelves of collectors. That being said there has never been a ZT knife that really spoke to me.

I couldn’t find one that was ‘just right;’ this knife had a great design but is assisted, that one was the right size but inordinately heavy. It is this way for me with every knife ZT releases. Eventually, waiting for the Perfect Zero Tolerance became a kind of mania. Perfect design, perfect size, perfect price: I figured if I waited long enough such a ZT would come out.

But it never did, and eventually I got tired of waiting and picked up the knife that came closest to that ephemeral, unrealized Perfect ZT I have in my mind: the Dmitry Sinkevich-designed ZT 0450. It can’t possibly be perfect, but is it any good? Let’s take a look.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The 0450 has a blade length of 3 3/16”, a handle length of 4 1/8”, and an overall length of 7 3/8”. It weighs 3.04 oz. and is made in the USA. I want to mention here that this is a damn good looking knife. It comes up later and I don’t want to keep repeating myself in the interim, so just keep in mind that almost every inch of this knife is nice to look at.

The ZT 0450’s racy drop point is a good EDC cutter. It has much more straight edge than belly, which I don’t necessarily mind, and a very sharp tip. A chunky grind means two things: 1) both the tip and cutting edge are hardy enough to beat on, however 2) it isn’t as good of a slicer as you would hope for. Given the fast, futuristic, aggressive styling I was hoping for equally aggressive cutting performance but that isn’t what you get here.

However, trading some sliciness for durability isn’t exactly Faustian as long as cutting performance is still the favored attribute to some degree, and the 0450 meets this criterion. It’s best-suited for medium-duty tasks like cutting through cardboard or plastic, but you aren’t going to hate slicing food with it either. It works.

When Zero Tolerance began using Elmax a few years ago accusations of improper heat treating and burnt edges were leveled at them from the enthusiast quarter. The 0450 is made from S35VN, not Elmax, but there is a small portion near the tip of my 0450’s blade that looks burned:

From what I understand, this occurs during the edge grinding portion of manufacturing, and is localized to the burned area – in other words, if it is burned, it shouldn’t affect the performance of the edge in general – and my experience bears this out.

S35VN is great. I would almost say it’s boring, because it doesn’t have the epic abilities and tragic flaws of a steel like M4, but for the average user (and most enthusiasts are average users AT BEST) that is a good thing. I’m convinced that you could sharpen S35VN with even a rudimentary setup and some patience. The S35VN here performed just as well as I expected it to, and if there were any problems in the burned portion I didn’t notice.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

One of my biggest ergonomic pet peeves is when a knife has a beak or a scoop at the butt end of its handle that either doesn’t accommodate all four fingers ahead of it, or that makes my fingers feel crammed because it ushers them too close together. I really want this issue to become the Too Many Finger Grooves of 2017, because it nearly ruined the Para 3 for me and designers need to stop doing it.

By all accounts it looked like the 0450 would have this problem, and even now I’m not sure that it doesn’t. I can get all my fingers between the finger groove and the beginning of the beak, but not easily, comfortably, or without premeditation; my fingers would never fall across the handle this way naturally.

But the way I think you’re supposed to hold the knife is how I ended up holding the Para 3: with my index finger in the groove, my middle and ring in the “valley,” and my pinky landing on the far side of the beak. This feels natural, but, again, it isn’t the natural way my hand wants to hold the knife.

If I just grab the knife without thinking, my pinky lands right on the tip of the beak. This doesn’t sound like it would be comfortable, but thanks to the big chamfer around the scales, the tip of the beak isn’t too pointy and it works. And even during hard cuts this wasn’t that uncomfortable because most of the pressure is focused on the portion of the knife between your thumb and forefinger.

So I don’t know where I come down on this. The way it appears the knife is designed to be held isn’t natural, and the way it seems natural to hold it doesn’t feel right, even if it isn’t intolerable. At the end of the day I guess I’m okay with this handle, because it allows for a very slim and stylish profile, and going into it you know the 0450 isn’t going to be an ergonomic masterpiece.

The 0450 itself is so very narrow that it would be a pretty decent carry regardless of what kind of clip it had. This is one of very few flipper knives whose flipper tab doesn’t annoy me in the pocket, and I think that’s a function of the knife’s extreme narrowness. The 0450 would be a great carry even with a bad pocket clip, but hey: the clip here is anguish free. The same clip seen on the Kershaw Dividend, and in that review I expressed a little anxiety about its stability over time, but I’ve had no issues here.

Deployment and Lockup

I’m going to grouse a lot in this section so I’ll say this up front: The ZT 0450’s action is fast, sure, very snappy, addicting, and fun. The flipper tab is well designed. It is a great example of why flippers are so hot right now. Okay, grousing starts now.

I was prepared for the lock bar issue, and it is definitely present: if your fingers are on anywhere on the lock bar, the detent is such that the knife will not open – it feels almost like you have a secondary safety feature engaged. When I first got the knife I had a couple attempted deployments where the blade refused to budge.

However, if you align your fingers with the clip it keeps them off the bar; now that’s where my fingers naturally goes when I flip open this knife. Still, not cool, and from what I’ve seen it’s present on newer models as well. I’d like to see ZT put this issue to bed.

I think ball bearing pivots are bad. I hope the recent issues with the Advocate will precipate a move back to traditional washers, which are more durable, have no moving parts, are easier to maintain, and don’t cause as much unnecessary wear. Ball bearings against naked titanium (as we have on the 0450) is probably asking for trouble in the long term – albeit in the long, long term that most of us won’t see, as we trade and swap knives and carry different ones on different days. But still.

I also think that the ZT 0450’s fall shut action is dangerous and not to be desired. I’ve cut myself more times on the ZT 0450 than any other knife I’ve owned, either because it rolled shut so fast I didn’t have time to get my knuckles out of the way, or I pushed it a little bit and it gained enough momentum to keep rolling when I didn’t want or expect it to. Not necessary.

Lockup via titanium frame lock with a steel insert, is good however. If you look at the knife from the side, it doesn’t seem that a lot of the blade tang actually makes contact with the lock face, and disengagement has no feedback or friction whatsoever, but there is no blade play and the lock has never been other than stable and reliable. The double over-travel stop provided by the insert and by the clip is a nice touch as well.

Zero Tolerance 0450 Review – Final Thoughts

There is no meaningful area in which the Zero Tolerance 0450 excels other than carry. It isn’t a great cutter. Ergonomically, it’s kind of a mess. The deployment is problematic. But I still like it.

As much as I hate to say it it comes down to the look. Sinkevich has one of the strongest aesthetics around and the 0450 benefits greatly from that. It isn’t my style necessarily, but we don’t see a lot of knives that are this visually confident, and I think I responded to that. If you showed me a less interesting design that had all of these quirks and problems, I would never even think of buying it.

Not exactly the resounding praise, but praise nonetheless. I can’t not like this knife, even if there are so many things about it that I don’t like. It stops just short of brilliance but looks stunning doing it.

Zero Tolerance (0450); With 3.25” DLC-Coated S35VN Stainless Steel Blade, All-Black Carbon Fiber and Titanium Handle Scales, KVT Ball-Bearing Opening, Frame Lock Reversible Pocketclip; 2.45 OZ., Silver, Small

Titanium frame lock houses hardened steel lockbar; frame lock secures blade in position so it does not close accidentally
Flipper works for left- and right-handed users; assists blade’s manual release with one-handed convenience
Finger guard, jimping and choil protect fingers during rigorous use while slicing, cutting, chopping, scaling, slashing, piercing or digging in any environment, in any conditions
Drop-point tip provides extra strength and chip resistance and eliminates pitch momentum
Overall length: 7.4 inches; closed length: 4.1 inches; blade thickness: 0.121 inches; weight: 2.9 ounces

I recommend purchasing the Zero Tolerance 0450 at Amazon and 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 0452CF Review

by Chad McBroom 15 Comments

When it comes to folding knives, I am extremely selective in what I choose to carry, especially if it is a blade that I am going to carry for self-protection. It has to be light, reliable, sharp, and geometrically efficient. These are just a few of the qualities I look for in a folder. After all, a folding knife is already at a disadvantage over a fixed blade, due to the fact that it has to rely on mechanical functions.

Buy the ZT 0452CF at BladeHQ

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I had been a fan of Zero Tolerance’s quality and construction ever since they came on the market a few years ago, but I wasn’t crazy about their designs. They built tanks, but I wanted something that was as tough as a tank, but as sleek as a Ferrari at the same time. Finally, I discovered the 0452CF.

The 0452CF is a streamlined, mass production version of the award-winning 0454, designed by Dimitry Sinkevich, who is an artist in the realms of both beauty and function. I was instantly drawn to this knife because of its long, narrow blade and slender profile. I had finally found a Zero Tolerance that would suit my personal needs. It was destined to become one of my favorite EDC knives.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The 0452CF has a blade length of 4.10”, a handle length of 5.17”, an overall length of 9.27”, and is made in the USA. The knife weighs in at 4.64 ounces, which is extremely light considering the size of the knife. In fact, if it were any lighter, it would probably be too light. This knife has just the right amount of weight to it. Plus, it is perfectly balanced right at the first finger grove.

The blade of the 0452CF is a flat-ground, drop point design with a satin finish. The blade is constructed of 0.16” CPM-S35VN. This is an excellent steel made by Crucible and designed specifically for knife making. This steel has excellent properties in the areas of edge retention, toughness, and corrosion resistance, which make it an excellent choice in for an EDC blade.

One of the primary reasons I chose this particular knife as an EDC defensive blade is the blade geometry. The long, narrow drop point with the ¾+ false edge is an excellent thrusting blade. Of course, it does a fine job cutting as well and came razor sharp right out of the box. The 0452CF is just a great all around defensive blade.

The first thing I did when I took the knife out of the box is do some cutting tests. First, I did a paper test and the blade sliced off slips of paper with laser precision. Then I set up a couple of full 12-ounce water bottles and slashed away at them one at a time. The knife cut almost completely through each water bottle. Very impressive for a 4.1” folding knife!

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle of the 0452CF is carbon fiber on one side and titanium on the other side, which is the reason this knife is so light. It has a slender profile with very subtle finger groves where the index and pinky fingers rest. The curvature at the back causes the handle to sit comfortably in the hand, giving it a subtle forward cant for perfect wrist alignment. When closed, the blade sits so deeply inside the handle that it adds very little to the handle’s profile, resulting in a slender package that tucks nicely along the seam of the pocket.

One of the things I love about Zero Tolerance is their deep pocket clips. This knife is no exception. The deep pocket clip mounted low on the handle allows this knife to sit almost completely concealed inside the pocket. The clip on this knife has a very small signature as well, causing the knife virtually to disappear in the pocket.

Deployment and Lockup

The 0452CF has a flipper mechanism for quick, one-handed opening. Unlike its 0454 predecessor, the flipper mechanism on this model has some nice jimping to ensure positive finger contact with the flipper. A strong detent system not only locks the blade in place when it is in the closed position, but also adds counter resistance so that the blade launches open when the pressure on the flipper breaks free of the detent.

When I first got the knife, the detent was pretty stiff. I had to use a hard wrist flick to open the knife. During the 2016 SHOT Show, a product rep stopped me and asked if he could demo some of his micro-particle oil on my knife. He put a small drop on the detent pin using a needlepoint dropper, and that was all it took to make the blade deploy with a simple flip of the index finger. It has been silky smooth ever since.

The 0452CF employs the KVT (Kershaw Velocity Technology) ball bearing system, which rotates around a large, beautiful five-spoke pivot pin. The titanium side of the handle provides a durable frame lock. Combined with a hardened steel locking bar, the titanium frame lock ensures a solid lock up. I feel very confident with this knife’s locking system.

Zero Tolerance 0452CF Review – Final Thoughts

I am not at all displeased with my Zero Tolerance 0452CF. This knife is everything I expected it would be and more. It has become a regular part of my Every-Day Carry kit. I typically carry multiple knives, but this is the one knife that always goes with me. I have been carrying this knife every day for about 4 months now. It has held its edge like a champ, and the opening has only gotten smoother over time.

I cannot say enough good things about this knife. If you are looking for a high-quality, tactical folder, then you would be doing yourself a favor by purchasing the ZT0452CF. I’m very glad that Zero Tolerance decided to run this production run of the Dimitry Sinkevich collaboration. In fact, not to diminish the artistic beauty of the 0454 in any way, but I would even go so far as to say that some of the features of this production run (i.e. the jimping on the flipper) are upgrades over the original. I have no doubt that others will enjoy this knife as much as I have.

Zero Tolerance 0452CF; Pocket Knife with 4.1” Dual-Finished S35VN Steel Blade, Carbon Fiber Front and Titanium Back Handle Scales, KVT Ball-Bearing Opening, Frame Lock, Deep-Carry Pocketclip; 4.6 OZ.,Large

4.1-inch S35VN steel blade shows amazing toughness and resistance to edge chipping, with improved edge retention
Handle features carbon fiber front and titanium stonewashed back for comfortable in-hand feel, increased strength and excellent size/weight proportion
Handsome, dual blade finish with a non-reflective satin finish on the grind and stonewashed finish on the flats and blade thickness is 0.156 inches
Great companion for hunters, business professionals, wilderness guides, survival experts, first responders, military, law-enforcement and more
Ideal gift for any special occasion such as birthdays, holidays, graduations, anniversaries, promotions, weddings and more

I recommend purchasing the ZT 0452CF 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.

Fantoni CUT Flipper Review

by Dan Jackson Leave a Comment

Last Updated: August 30, 2019
We are in the midst of another Italian Renaissance. This time around it’s not a blossoming of politics and art, but of steel and titanium. The Italians are making some absolutely beautiful knives, and I can think of few examples that typify this as much as as the Fantoni CUT Flipper. At its core the CUT Flipper is a meat and potatoes knife. It is sturdy and well made, unpretentious, and intended for real use. Yet this knife has been elevated. The elegant design coupled with a fanatical attention to detail lifts the CUT Flipper from object to art.

Buy the CUT Flipper at KnifeArt

The CUT Flipper has been on my radar for several years. Carried by boutique purveyors and retailing for around $400.00, the CUT Flipper has eluded my grasp for some time. This is a collaboration between Fantoni and Dmitry Sinkevich, the same designer who brought us such things as the Zero Tolerance 0454 and many Shirogorov designs. The problem with the ZT 0454 and Shirogorov flippers is that you can hardly find them, let alone find them for a reasonable price. The CUT Flipper, while no means widely circulated, can still be found at retail (at least at the time of this article and for the past few years – Fantoni has never been known for high production volume). That places the CUT Flipper at a unique spot in the marketplace, and practically begs for a closer examination.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The CUT Flipper has an overall length of 3.5″, has a 8.375″ blade, and weighs 5.3 ounces. This a larger knife meant for work. Some might call it a tactical knife. It’s obviously too big of a knife to carry around in an office setting, but it works fine with jeans and could certainly be an EDC item if you like carrying larger knives. There isn’t anything wrong with viewing this as a collectible either.

The blade shape of the CUT Flipper is an upswept modified drop point. I really love this blade shape, and I think it is part of the reason why I gave the Kershaw Turbulence such high marks. You have a high flat grind, swedge, and a neatly applied edge. The finish on this knife is very nice. It’s a high polish with a stonewash over it (or maybe a stonewash that was then high polished – hard to tell really). Regardless the blade has a deep luster that looks great and hides wear. It’s also a low friction finish, and it helps the blade slide through material.

Fantoni went with tried and true CPM S30V for their blade material. I have no complaints with the steel selection. I’ve had some issues with S30V in the past, but done right S30V is a proven steel. Here Fantoni has heat treated the blade to 60-61 HRc, and the knife takes a nice working edge that touches up easily on a strop or my ceramic rods. The CUT Flipper isn’t super thin behind the edge, but it thins out enough to be a capable slicer. It’s a good compromise between strength and agility. The upswept tip is strong, but the steep angle means that it isn’t my first choice for clipping coupons or other fine tip work. All in all, the blade lives up to its namesake, and it performs if you are looking to put the CUT Flipper to work.

As an aside, I know that Renzo Fantoni, the founder of Fantoni Knives, is a big fan of super steels. Don’t be surprised if Fantoni ends up producing a limited run these in S125V or some other insane steel.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

The handle of the CUT Flipper has a lot of really nice details – there is lot for a collector to admire here. 3-D machined slabs of G10 rest atop thick cut pieces of sandblasted titanium. All of the edges have been painstakingly radiused. At the end of the day construction appears simple, but that is only because they have pulled it off so flawlessly. I love the oversized hardware and how the backspacer was finished and slots around a lanyard pin. I’ll try to do my best with the pictures, but you really need to examine one of these in person to get a true feel for the workmanship.

In hand the CUT Flipper feels fantastic. It’s a larger knife and the handle is pretty thick, so those two factors add to this, but the slight pistol grip to the handle shape leave great spots for your palm and thumb. There is a a run of mild jimping that looks nice and serves its purpose, while the rest of the knife is devoid of aggressive texture. This knife feels natural in the hand and I had no problem breaking down boxes and carving up 2x2s with this.

The pocket clip is a simple bent titanium clip, and is given the same sandblast as the liners and laser engraved with Fantoni’s subdued logo. This is a small detail, but I like the choice of domed pocket clip screws – even they seem to be of very high quality. It is a sturdy clip that holds the knife steady, and reasonably low in the pocket. The handle is tapped for ambidextrous tip up carry, a nice nod to this knife’s utilitarian roots. At 5.3 ounces, the CUT Flipper is definitely something that you will notice in your pocket, but I don’t think the weight or the way the CUT carries is unreasonable given the size and construction of the knife.

Deployment and Lockup

The CUT Flipper is obviously a flipper style knife. If you prefer a non-flipper variant, check out the aptly named CUT. The flipping action on this knife is not something to write home about. You need to pushbutton (preload) the flipper to ensure a speedy and complete deployment, and that is a mild let down for such an otherwise fantastic knife. Still, the CUT Flipper is quite smooth and I still enjoy opening and closing it ceaselessly, periodically pausing to admire the blade or the gentle play of titanium and G10.

The CUT Flipper is a liner lock. The generous titanium liner engages fully and the blade locks up solidly and without play. It looks like Fantoni may have heat treated or carbidized the lock face, as there is slight discoloration in the last quarter inch of the liner lock – right where it meets with the tang of the blade. Performance of the liner lock is excellent and the blade centering is dead center.

Here is a shot of the CUT Flipper next to my Strider SnG:

Fantoni CUT Flipper Review – Final Thoughts

I can think of few folding tactical knives that have that holy trinity of form, function, and uber tight finish work. Some may argue that the “holy trinity” is just that: the Chris Reeve Sebenza, the Strider SnG, and the Rick Hinderer XM-18. Having owned two out of the three and handled several XM-18’s, I think the CUT Flipper belongs right next to these standard bearer blades. The CUT Flipper may not have the track record (or the marketing effort) of these other knives, but it certainly has the design chops, build quality, and functionality of these other knives.

This is a knife I have been drooling over for some time. Sometimes when that is the case I get a little underwhelmed when the actual knife arrives. Not so with the CUT Flipper. I think I actually like the knife more now that I have it. The CUT Flipper hangs with the best of them and has earned my wholehearted approval and recommendation. If you are at all on the fence about this knife, my suggestion would be to buy it with confidence. You will not be disappointed.

I would recommend buying the CUT Flipper at KnifeArt, as they are Fantoni’s only US dealer. However, their stock is limited.

I would also recommend purchasing the CUT Flipper at Amazon or BladeHQ, however, neither retailer seems to carry Fantoni Knives. Regardless, please consider that purchasing anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. Thank you very much.

Zero Tolerance 0454 Review

by Dan Jackson 12 Comments

Last Updated: July 27, 2018
Every so often as a knife collector I have had my expectations taken up a notch. For purposes of this introduction I’ll call them “game changing blades.” Making the jump from a $25 knife to a $65 knife was one such moment – my move from a CRKT M16 to a Benchmade Griptilian opened my eyes to what nice knives were all about. Climbing up the ladder further I have experienced the incremental improvements that often come with expending increasingly more money on a knife.

The jump to a CRK Sebenza was one such revelation. And I have to consider the Zero Tolerance 0560 and the Lionsteel SR-1 as game changers in their own right as well. Maybe these weren’t leaps directly correlated to the price of the knife, but each blade brought it’s unique strengths in quality of construction, innovation, and design. I have appreciated the experience as a collector and that is a huge part of the reason why I continue to spend time working on this website.

Well the 0454 is another game changer – in so many ways that I hardly know where to begin. Designed by Belarusian knifemaker Dmitry Sinkevitch the Zero Tolerance 454 may be the sexiest blade to cross my path yet. This knife has not yet been released to the public and was named the Blade Show 2013 knife of the year. I was extremely fortunate to be one of the lucky 10 individuals selected at random at the 2014 Blade show for the opportunity to buy this knife.

I remember winning the 454 like it was yesterday, because it actually was only a few weeks ago. I had entered this lotto among many others on offer at the Blade show. In addition to the 0454 I was hoping for the chance to score a Brad Southard, Michael Burch, or perhaps even a Hinderer XM-18 at a reasonable price. Most of the time these lottos don’t pan out, but you have to be in it to win it. So I could barely believe my ears when my name and number were called by Kershaw Jen for the 0454 lotto.

My first thought after parting ways with $500 and tucking the 454 into my backpack was, “I hope I don’t get stabbed in the parking lot over this thing” because I knew that the fabled 888 has sold for as much as $3,000 at auction. Thankfully I made it out of the parking lot and all the way back home to Florida with only a scrape, and I feel incredibly fortunate to bring you this review.

Let me start by disclaiming that I have not carried this knife nor have I actually used it to cut anything. I will in all likelihood keep it as a collectible as it’s an incredible knife and very rare. I will be examining it as critically as I can, but take this “review” with a big grain of salt…

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The 454 has an overall length of 9.385″, sports a 4.1″ blade, and weighs a mere 4.1 ounces. This is the cutlery equivalent of a supermodel, with biologically improbable dimensions and curves that make the jaw drop and eyes glaze over. The knife feels like a feather in hand, and they have crammed a ton of blade into this slender profile.

The 454 has a modified drop point blade. There is something about Dmitry Sinkevich’s designs that really speak to me. Whether it’s his collaborations with Shirogorov, Fantoni, or this one with ZT, I am really enjoying the hard lines and athletic curves of his designs. The this is a long narrow blade, and it fits well with the long narrow handle. It has a high flat grind and a long swedge. The tip is very fine but it feels like there is still some meat behind it. If I actually cut anything with it I’ll let you know how it performs but I can say it came shaving sharp and I’ve already managed to cut myself twice with this long blade.

One of the proudest features of the 454 is its composite steel blade. The dark sections are CPM D2 while the silver middle section is 12C28N. The pieces have been braised together with copper. It isn’t clear what they have managed to heat treat this knife to, although I know that ZT has struggled to properly manufacture and heat treat some of these fancy composite blades in the past. I have plenty of knives that I can cram into my pocket and cut with, so I don’t feel the need to do that with this very rare knife. Some people feel the need to carry and use every knife in their collection – even expensive custom pieces. I have my users and and I have my collector pieces, and the 454 is firmly in the collectible category. I won’t make any qualms about that.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

Every piece of the 0454’s handle has been 3-D machined. ZT started with two slabs of carbon fiber, sandwiched them between a titanium backspacer, and went to town with them. The finishing work is immaculate and the carbon fiber handle makes the knife feel exceptionally light for its size. Even the lanyard hole has been elegantly rendered. Everything is just super nice.

The 454 is a long knife, so it should come as no surprise that there is plenty of room for your hand. The curves of the handle fit my fingers naturally and the 3-D machined carbon fiber fills the hand. There is a row of mild jimping on the thumb ramp. It does a great job indexing and holding the thumb in place without being overly sharp or irritating. I haven’t used this knife hard, but I think this will be a comfortable knife to use.

The pocket clip is an elegant piece of 3-d machined titanium, and looks like something out of the Shirogorov catalog. Jim Skelton has told us that any knife over $700 should have a 3-d machined pocket clip. My only experience with these kinds of clips has been with my Mnandi (a knife I have really grown to enjoy), and I am very happy to see this clip on the 454. It elevates it and makes it even more unique. I’ve never used this pocket clip, but the spring is very strong and is positioned for deep right side tip up carry. I’m glad they didn’t go ahead and drill a bunch of holes in this piece. As Thomas W can attest to, pocket clips can be tough to get right, but I wouldn’t change a thing with this one.

Deployment and Lockup

I have publicly commented that I think that people that wax poetic for extended lengths about how well their knives flip are blowhards. I made sure to skip lunch before writing this review because I am about to eat my own words. Deploying the 454 is like deploying a surface to air missile. The detent is strong and the blade explodes open, without fail, every single time. By far it is the most robust flipper in my collection. Zero Tolerance installed their KVT bearing system and the blade rotates around a large decorative pivot. The action is smooth. Fall closed with the force of gravity smooth. I will say that the flipper tab can be tough to use some time. The combination of uber strong detent and total lack of jimping on the tab means that my finger has slipped off the trigger on more than one occasion when trying to flip open the knife.

ZT installed a sub frame lock on the 454. This is the same technology used in their higher production products, like the recently reviewed Kershaw Knockout, and I think it is cool to see that translate up and down their product line. This time around they upped the ante by 3-D machining the sub frame lock out of titanium, and then installing a stainless steel lock insert that doubles as a hidden over-travel stop mechanism. Lockup is early and secure, and blade centering is perfect. One thing I noticed on my 0454 is that the oversized pivot screws on my knife did not come with locktite. After only a couple flips they began backing out. I could cinch them back down with the meat of my thumb, but after a couple days I noticed a slight rattle with the handle. After torquing down the pivot with a driver I was able to fix the problem and remove the rattle entirely.

Zero Tolerance 0454 Review – Final Thoughts

I don’t think anyone will be surprised when I say that the 0454 is one hell of an awesome knife. As a collector and enthusiast of high end production pieces I am extremely impressed by the 454. The beautiful design, high end materials, advanced manufacturing, and impeccable fit and finish all make this well worth the $500 asking price to me. The 0454 is yet another showcase of Zero Tolerance’s talent and we can only hope that the sweet stuff found in these high end limited production knives continue to trickle down to ZT’s mass market products.

Buy one without regret if you have the funds and the opportunity, but don’t wait long – I see no reason why the 0454 won’t be as coveted and collected as the triple seven or 888.

Titanium frame lock houses hardened steel lockbar; frame lock secures blade in position so it does not close accidentally
Flipper works for left- and right-handed users; assists blade’s manual release with one-handed convenience
Finger guard, jimping and choil protect fingers during rigorous use while slicing, cutting, chopping, scaling, slashing, piercing or digging in any environment, in any conditions
Drop-point tip provides extra strength and chip resistance and eliminates pitch momentum
Overall length: 7.4 inches; closed length: 4.1 inches; blade thickness: 0.121 inches; weight: 2.9 ounces

These currently aren’t for sale, although I guess you could always lust over them at BladeHQ or pick up a ZT452 at Amazon to try and scratch that itch. As always, buying anything through the links on this site helps support BladeReviews.com, and I greatly appreciate it. Thank you so much for all of your support.