Overbuilt quality, premium materials, and bold designs are the hallmarks of a Zero Tolerance knife, so when they make a new release, there’s always something remarkable to look forward to. And while their lineup for early 2021 is only three knives (for now), each of them have outstanding qualities for everyday cutting needs. In this quick guide we take a look at the latest blades in ZT’s catalog, to catch a glimpse of what the high end of production knives is like, and what they can do for your EDC.
0990
Once upon a time, Zero Tolerance had three original, award-winning designs known as the “triples“ that each made their own mark on the knife industry. The 0777 went on to generate re-releases and recreations like the Kershaw Natrix, the 0888 unfortunately remains a limited and elusive beast, but the 0999 makes its return in this year’s 0990. It carries the spirit of the original 0999’s design, from its eye-catching angles and cutouts and floating bridge, but streamlined to more modern (and attainable) standards. You get a premium 3.25” CPM-20CV blade that secures with a steel inset liner lock and folds into carbon fiber scales bolstered by steel front overlay. KVT ball-bearings give you a snappy flipper opening, and a reversible deep-carry clip offers a discreet EDC. It’s a rare chance to own a legendary design from Zero Tolerance, so this is one to watch.
0762
The 0762 is a beefy blade with a 3.375“ CPM-20CV edge and an overall length of 8.125”. Just at a glance there are some standout features on both the blade itself and in the handles: the former with a long, sweeping modified wharncliffe for both slicing and precision tasks, and the latter with its windows in the carbon fiber scale with striking blue accents on the show side. The blue theme continues to the lock side where a titanium sub-frame lock with a hardened steel lock bar insert gets the blue anodized treatment, along with the reversible clip. The 0762 also comes with the ZT Tuned Detent System (TDS) to give the knife quick and consistent action every time.
0308BLKTS
Tiger stripes on the blade are a Zero Tolerance specialty, and on the new 0308BLKTS they use a black-oxide BlackWash finish with the classic pattern for the first time. The chunky 3.75“ drop point blade comes in CPM-20CV like its siblings in this release, which folds into a G-10 front and titanium back handle, the latter also responsible for the frame lock alongside a hardened steel lockbar insert. Deployment is by way of a flipper tab and a KVT ball-bearing opening, which rides on a unique solid pivot with a custom nut. This custom nut even lets you do custom adjustment in the field with a 1/2” wrench. Black hardware completes the bombproof, tactical construction.
