Thank you very much, used this video today to vet the $130 nib 0350 I bought off EBay. Happy to say I have zero concerns of it's legitimacy. I've wanted one of these for years and now that I have one in hand it's even better than I thought.
Fantastic video. I suspected my own ZT 0350 was a fake, because it was priced quite abit less than market ($120), but after watching this video, I'm happy that I got a real knife.
Thanks a million Tom P. I've got three ZT's. The first I bought from Amazon, a pristine 562Ti, came without a box. This is a huge concern to me and I plan to mail this "ZT-0562Ti" to the KAI Oregon plant this Thursday and see what they have to say. I'm going to buy a Kershaw tool just like yours plus I'm saving your video. Thanks again for uploading. John, Fairfax, California
Awesome, i really appreciate this vid. As i just purchased my 1st ZT 0350 and this is definitely a concern. Although i purchased from a reputable vendor i can't waite to view the knife in person. Thx a million👍
Thank you very much, I have a black 350 and a tiger stripe 350 and a clone tiger stripe 350 sorry counterfeit. With your video I knew that the tiger stripe 350 was genuine and I knew I had a counterfeit 350. I was not sure of the black 350 but with your video I was able to determine that the black 350 is also genuine. Have a great day.
I’ve been carrying a very nice “stonewashed” 0350 for over six years EDC, however my eyebrows began to raise after the first sharpening. My home system that is the envy of my friends that traditionally produced nearly dangerous edges on every blade I put to task -- except my ZT; this sumbitch would sharpen but belligerently refused to hold an edge. I carried the knife anyway, sharpening as needed, which became more and more frequent. I finally found several articles and videos explaining how diversified the fugazy market had gotten and how brazen factory thieves are - and how the ZT 0350 had become an elite level in counterfeit knives. I wasn’t entirely heartbroken because even this phony performed well - until TODAY when my wife finally talked me into replacing it with a real McCoy. Take the Pepsi challenge now and it’s no question; the dupe isn’t worth a plug nickel. Here’s to the short-dick widescreens exporting horseshit to the states and pissing on our legs - may they all get kidney stones. But THANKS to ZT for crafting a superior cutlery tool and thanks to YOU for continuing to baptize the masses in the truth from the world of how not to get screwed by commie bullshit merchants.
Not only is the box got the barcode like you said but if you look the numbers on the box and the serial numbers will match the last four numbers on the barcode that's on the blade
I at one point had 2 counterfeit ZT's, both being the 0055 and the 0456 I got at my local Cabela's store. How I found out that they were fake was the backspacers. They're normally a little glossy in the blue that ZT uses, but mines were flat matte and even felt different upon closer inspection. It is also worth mentioning that the action on both were like Ozark Trail bad... Like I remember the 0055 had grindy action and the 0456 had stripped screws. But the thing that bothers me to this day is that when I returned them, *they were in stock again.*
@@macnitro902 Probably. Tbh my 1st mistake was believing for a second that my local Cabela's would stock legit ZT's, and highly sought after ones such as the 0055 & the 0456. Never again. Never again... Ended up with a Para 3 & love it to bits.
Thanks for the constructive criticism. I've since let both knives go, so I can't really add that info. I can just hope that all the other info was helpful.
Good, informative video. These counterfeiting companies grind my gears! 🤬 Also, you earned yourself an instant sub with your thumbnail pic! #clutchmob🤘🏼
Excellent video, sir! I'm contemplating this model, to compare it to my HARNDS Maverick (D2), which is quite robust, sharp, well-made, for approximately 1/3 the price of the real ZT 0350. Thanks again!
Buy it! I bought a o350 a few months ago and it's a very nice hefty pocket knife. It gets very sharp and with the nice belly it slices great. Only thing I guess you could say would be negative about it is that it is a heavier pocket knife but I really don't mind heavier or bigger knives.
My question is why is the ZT logo painted on the clip of the 0350. The pictures I've seen on ZT website show no painted logo on the clip. Is that something they are doing now?
@@930tomp Sweet, thank you! I got a decent deal on a used 0350TS and I’m waiting for it to show up from eBay. I got burnt on a mini Osborne clone from eBay before, so I’m expecting the worst haha. I’m glad that they don’t have the typography spot on with the clones. You showing the two side by side helps a lot
Great video. Price is also something that can clue you in. A good deal is one thing but getting a 150.00 knife for 40 or 50 dollars just isn’t gonna happen.
not sure for all models of real Zt 0350.. because i have seen on Blade HQ, a picture of a 0350GRN, with no space betwenn the logo and the word "patented"...
Yup, bought a used ZT0350 from a guy. He said it was real, got it home and sent it out to ZT for cleaning a sharpening. Just got the knife back today with a letter that stated the knife was a counterfeit. I'm super fucking upset now. I only paid 70 bucks for the knife, but still. What do I do with it now? I dont even want it because i know it's fake.
@@Gun_Talk Well if its too good to be true? Guess what ! Its either hot or a knockoff there a thing called either shit or get off the pot ! A deal would consist below retail not 60% 70% off
@@randymoran67 If I was gonna sell any of my used knives I'd probably ask for half of what I paid for it, depending on condition. And you can find a 0350 for 120-150 bucks online all day. So, a 70 dollar price tag that he was asking for it made sense to me.
I honestly considered buying one of the 0350 $20 clones just to see if the scales would fit mine. The carbon fiber scales are way way too slick on my 0350swcf.
Love the recoil on my 0350. But my $30. 0562 from wish is a spot on counterfeit so much so I wonder if it didn't come from the same factory?; Maybe took a detour at some point before bar coding into the supply chain ?! Eigther way I'm impressed. Seems to dull fast but for 30 bucks it's as Rick Hinderer designed as the real thing. Assuming he makes the original template and doesn't actual put hands on each subsequent piece of the authentic production. A real polo shirt will cost you alot more if Ralph Lauren made it for you but most people don't know they have never even seen an authentic polo shirt. This gets into licensing agreements and across boarders trade and copyright law but the point is this. If paying more for an item is what makes it more valuable to you, I thank you for finding the design process necessary to create a viable original piece that remains profitable when counterfeited .
Making a case for bootleg items is pretty messed up in my humble opinion, sounds like something someone would say who has never created anything in his life, and has no concept of intellectual property. It's not about something costing more, it's about integrity. Why isn't a digital copy of the Mona Lisa worth as much as the original, even if it is a perfect recreation? And as for your $30 knife, if you're happy with it, enjoy it, but this video was clearly made for those who care, which you don't.
@@930tomp damn you set his ass straight. I loved my first 0350 so much I had to buy another one. The first one vanished and I feel like it was stolen. Another $170 for the same knife hurts but these knives are too good.
I’d get a cut resistant glove, open the knife, and hit the spine against something. If the liner lock fails you likely have the real deal. If the liner lock holds you probably have the safer option; a counterfeit.
Interesting. While I don't have a great number of ZT knives in my collection anymore, the ones I did and do, have all passed this test with flying colors, while the counterfeits have failed.
Bar codes are easy to fake. The way to tell with the box is because they Clone the boxes so what happens is all the boxes have the same barcode numbers in the lot and they shouldn't , serial numbers wil also all l be the same on all the boxes. Because they will make 100 boxes from one real box. But just having numbers mean nothing in the counterfeit game. Wrong color boxes I've seen.
I've seen another TH-cam video on "how to tell a fake ZT", and they mentioned that "All legit manufacturers have a barcode on the box, but the fake one doesn't." So, that's not 100% correct?
That copy looks and probably feels like junk; I bought a pretty good one as a beater/sample of the design and i'm definitively going to get the stonewashed version. the model name can also be a dead giveaway. Mine is branded as a 350TSST, wich is the serrated tiger stripe version. stonewash is SW, etc etc.
It's odd to me why counterfiets don't put barcod stickers on their boxes. It's so easy to do. They're already making a copy of the box....why not go that extra step? Make some bogus arcode sticker....in the end ...buy from a known retailer. Common sense. I mean most want to buy from a reatiler with a good return or exchange policy.. anyway.. though, I guess there are a lot of people who hera about a good deal...stop thinking. Ignore the warning signs "...maybe I shouldn't shop here"...maybe they never had much common sense to begin with ...etc.
I think mine is real. I bought it from Cabela’s for $156.00. The box is totally different. It’s gray and says ZT Experience It. It does have the bar code and the serial number on the box matches the blade. I see your box serial number 43503 matches the blade. Hopefully mine isn’t a clone. FJB 🖕🖕🇨🇳🇨🇳
My video is three years old, it's possible they've done some rebranding. I'm sure it's real since you purchased it from a trusted distributor. The only exception would be if some creep bought a new one, then returned it with a counterfeit in the box. That does happen on rare occasions.
@@930tomp I don’t have the tool to test those nuts but the finish on the blade looks like your genuine blade. It’s probably real. Thanks for the video.
In other words they're exactly the same. Someone's got some major markup. If Kershaw didn't make a lot of their knives in China, I'd be more upset. They're kind of selling out themselves so brand loyalty can't be as high. Hogue is the only company that I know of that doesn't make junk in China. Except the ridiculously expensive brands. Microtech etc.
Is that really what you got out of the video? No, they aren't the same. One is manufactured with quality materials, by the company who owns the name and design and has impeccable fit and finish, while the other is a cheap knockoff, using inferior materials, while stealing from the original design. So no, not the same.
Thank you very much, used this video today to vet the $130 nib 0350 I bought off EBay. Happy to say I have zero concerns of it's legitimacy. I've wanted one of these for years and now that I have one in hand it's even better than I thought.
Fantastic video. I suspected my own ZT 0350 was a fake, because it was priced quite abit less than market ($120), but after watching this video, I'm happy that I got a real knife.
Now 65 bucks is a red flag but 120 could be a good sale price depending on the knife of course. Because some zt will never be that cheap. 👃
Thanks a million Tom P. I've got three ZT's. The first I bought from Amazon, a pristine 562Ti, came without a box. This is a huge concern to me and I plan to mail this "ZT-0562Ti" to the KAI Oregon plant this Thursday and see what they have to say. I'm going to buy a Kershaw tool just like yours plus I'm saving your video. Thanks again for uploading. John, Fairfax, California
Great insights! I just bought one. I will inspect it for these details once it arrives. Thanks!
Excellent job, very informative.
Never would have known it was your 1st TH-cam vid.
N/a bootlegdepth
Awesome, i really appreciate this vid. As i just purchased my 1st ZT 0350 and this is definitely a concern. Although i purchased from a reputable vendor i can't waite to view the knife in person. Thx a million👍
Thank you very much, I have a black 350 and a tiger stripe 350 and a clone tiger stripe 350 sorry counterfeit. With your video I knew that the tiger stripe 350 was genuine and I knew I had a counterfeit 350. I was not sure of the black 350 but with your video I was able to determine that the black 350 is also genuine. Have a great day.
Very good video with clear explanations. Thanks !
I’ve been carrying a very nice “stonewashed” 0350 for over six years EDC, however my eyebrows began to raise after the first sharpening. My home system that is the envy of my friends that traditionally produced nearly dangerous edges on every blade I put to task -- except my ZT; this sumbitch would sharpen but belligerently refused to hold an edge. I carried the knife anyway, sharpening as needed, which became more and more frequent. I finally found several articles and videos explaining how diversified the fugazy market had gotten and how brazen factory thieves are - and how the ZT 0350 had become an elite level in counterfeit knives. I wasn’t entirely heartbroken because even this phony performed well - until TODAY when my wife finally talked me into replacing it with a real McCoy. Take the Pepsi challenge now and it’s no question; the dupe isn’t worth a plug nickel. Here’s to the short-dick widescreens exporting horseshit to the states and pissing on our legs - may they all get kidney stones.
But THANKS to ZT for crafting a superior cutlery tool and thanks to YOU for continuing to baptize the masses in the truth from the world of how not to get screwed by commie bullshit merchants.
Bravo, mister!!
Not only is the box got the barcode like you said but if you look the numbers on the box and the serial numbers will match the last four numbers on the barcode that's on the blade
I at one point had 2 counterfeit ZT's, both being the 0055 and the 0456 I got at my local Cabela's store. How I found out that they were fake was the backspacers. They're normally a little glossy in the blue that ZT uses, but mines were flat matte and even felt different upon closer inspection. It is also worth mentioning that the action on both were like Ozark Trail bad... Like I remember the 0055 had grindy action and the 0456 had stripped screws.
But the thing that bothers me to this day is that when I returned them, *they were in stock again.*
I find it shocking that a large US retailer would carry counterfeit knives.
Whole lot of bs here bud
@@macnitro902 True story.
@@staradder218 cabelas must have got them off the coast of Arizona
@@macnitro902 Probably. Tbh my 1st mistake was believing for a second that my local Cabela's would stock legit ZT's, and highly sought after ones such as the 0055 & the 0456. Never again. Never again...
Ended up with a Para 3 & love it to bits.
How is the steel, is there any difference between original and fake? Which washers fake 0350s use? I got mine used 0350 but curious to identify.
What size torx bit fit the real and not the fake? That’s a bit of crucial info
Thanks for the constructive criticism. I've since let both knives go, so I can't really add that info. I can just hope that all the other info was helpful.
Also the second barcode on the box reads 035043503 meaning Model 0350 Serial Number 43503 which should (and does) match the knife in your video.
Good, informative video. These counterfeiting companies grind my gears! 🤬
Also, you earned yourself an instant sub with your thumbnail pic! #clutchmob🤘🏼
Do you think they did this with the tiger stripe knives as well
There’s one on eBay, I’m looking at they said the Tiger stripe box has no code sticker but the same knife all in black has Barco sticker
Excellent video, sir! I'm contemplating this model, to compare it to my HARNDS Maverick (D2), which is quite robust, sharp, well-made, for approximately 1/3 the price of the real ZT 0350. Thanks again!
Buy it! I bought a o350 a few months ago and it's a very nice hefty pocket knife. It gets very sharp and with the nice belly it slices great. Only thing I guess you could say would be negative about it is that it is a heavier pocket knife but I really don't mind heavier or bigger knives.
Thank u for taking the effort too make this video. Really appreciated. Bought one second hand but never used. Luckily it’s real 😉👍🏼
My question is why is the ZT logo painted on the clip of the 0350.
The pictures I've seen on ZT website show no painted logo on the clip. Is that something they are doing now?
thats the same thing i wonderd, i have 2 of them the st and plain an both of them are not painted white
Has there been tiger stripe clones yet?
I haven't personally held one, but I imagine there are. The same rules would apply in spotting fakes.
@@930tomp Sweet, thank you! I got a decent deal on a used 0350TS and I’m waiting for it to show up from eBay. I got burnt on a mini Osborne clone from eBay before, so I’m expecting the worst haha. I’m glad that they don’t have the typography spot on with the clones. You showing the two side by side helps a lot
@davidnardcore really appreciate your feedback 🙏
Good info. Thanks for sharing
I also noticed the hardware near the front of the blade is different... The REAL one has the silver disk, fake has a screw...
@@JohnSmith-vi7tq I'd have to rewatch the video, been 8 months lol
Super helpful brother!
Great video. Price is also something that can clue you in. A good deal is one thing but getting a 150.00 knife for 40 or 50 dollars just isn’t gonna happen.
The font on the real ZT has a space between the logo and the word Patented but the fake doesn't.
It’s also more bold print on the fake.
not sure for all models of real Zt 0350.. because i have seen on Blade HQ, a picture of a 0350GRN, with no space betwenn the logo and the word "patented"...
Is that the Kershaw TX-Tool?
Yup, bought a used ZT0350 from a guy. He said it was real, got it home and sent it out to ZT for cleaning a sharpening. Just got the knife back today with a letter that stated the knife was a counterfeit. I'm super fucking upset now. I only paid 70 bucks for the knife, but still. What do I do with it now? I dont even want it because i know it's fake.
You get what you pay for !
@@randymoran67 you never bought a used tool before or you usually pay retail on used items?
@@Gun_Talk Well if its too good to be true? Guess what ! Its either hot or a knockoff there a thing called either shit or get off the pot ! A deal would consist below retail not 60% 70% off
@@randymoran67 If I was gonna sell any of my used knives I'd probably ask for half of what I paid for it, depending on condition. And you can find a 0350 for 120-150 bucks online all day. So, a 70 dollar price tag that he was asking for it made sense to me.
@@JohnSmith-vi7tq yeah, its in one of the tool boxes now. I edc my paramilitary 2 with s110v steel anyways. Not as bulky
I honestly considered buying one of the 0350 $20 clones just to see if the scales would fit mine. The carbon fiber scales are way way too slick on my 0350swcf.
Not sure it would work, but I bet you could trade down to a G10 version in one of the knife trader groups.
Thanks for the info bro !
the font on the 0350 between the fake one and real one is a dead give away. look at the spacing between the symbol and word patented as well.
Love the recoil on my 0350. But my $30. 0562 from wish is a spot on counterfeit so much so I wonder if it didn't come from the same factory?; Maybe took a detour at some point before bar coding into the supply chain ?! Eigther way I'm impressed. Seems to dull fast but for 30 bucks it's as Rick Hinderer designed as the real thing. Assuming he makes the original template and doesn't actual put hands on each subsequent piece of the authentic production. A real polo shirt will cost you alot more if Ralph Lauren made it for you but most people don't know they have never even seen an authentic polo shirt. This gets into licensing agreements and across boarders trade and copyright law but the point is this. If paying more for an item is what makes it more valuable to you, I thank you for finding the design process necessary to create a viable original piece that remains profitable when counterfeited .
Making a case for bootleg items is pretty messed up in my humble opinion, sounds like something someone would say who has never created anything in his life, and has no concept of intellectual property. It's not about something costing more, it's about integrity. Why isn't a digital copy of the Mona Lisa worth as much as the original, even if it is a perfect recreation? And as for your $30 knife, if you're happy with it, enjoy it, but this video was clearly made for those who care, which you don't.
@@930tomp damn you set his ass straight. I loved my first 0350 so much I had to buy another one. The first one vanished and I feel like it was stolen. Another $170 for the same knife hurts but these knives are too good.
@@930tomppff chadap. Buy those clones bro I’ve had mine for years and beat it to crap. I love it. I’m ordering more as I type this
Thanks a lot👍
But why do some of the 0350s have a white logo on the clip and some have a black logo on the clip?
Not completely sure. Might have something to do with the manufacturing date.
Tom P thank you
Great job
Спасибо за информацию 🤝
thank u sir
I’d get a cut resistant glove, open the knife, and hit the spine against something. If the liner lock fails you likely have the real deal. If the liner lock holds you probably have the safer option; a counterfeit.
Interesting. While I don't have a great number of ZT knives in my collection anymore, the ones I did and do, have all passed this test with flying colors, while the counterfeits have failed.
@@930tomp Maybe I was misinformed; either that or the failure only happens to some 0350’s.
I just buy all mine direct from ZT .
The fake just looks like a black paint on the blade.
Bar codes are easy to fake. The way to tell with the box is because they Clone the boxes so what happens is all the boxes have the same barcode numbers in the lot and they shouldn't , serial numbers wil also all l be the same on all the boxes. Because they will make 100 boxes from one real box. But just having numbers mean nothing in the counterfeit game. Wrong color boxes I've seen.
I've seen another TH-cam video on "how to tell a fake ZT", and they mentioned that "All legit manufacturers have a barcode on the box, but the fake one doesn't." So, that's not 100% correct?
That copy looks and probably feels like junk; I bought a pretty good one as a beater/sample of the design and i'm definitively going to get the stonewashed version. the model name can also be a dead giveaway. Mine is branded as a 350TSST, wich is the serrated tiger stripe version. stonewash is SW, etc etc.
It's odd to me why counterfiets don't put barcod stickers on their boxes. It's so easy to do. They're already making a copy of the box....why not go that extra step? Make some bogus arcode sticker....in the end ...buy from a known retailer. Common sense. I mean most want to buy from a reatiler with a good return or exchange policy.. anyway.. though, I guess there are a lot of people who hera about a good deal...stop thinking. Ignore the warning signs "...maybe I shouldn't shop here"...maybe they never had much common sense to begin with ...etc.
I think mine is real. I bought it from Cabela’s for $156.00. The box is totally different. It’s gray and says ZT Experience It. It does have the bar code and the serial number on the box matches the blade. I see your box serial number 43503 matches the blade. Hopefully mine isn’t a clone. FJB 🖕🖕🇨🇳🇨🇳
My video is three years old, it's possible they've done some rebranding. I'm sure it's real since you purchased it from a trusted distributor. The only exception would be if some creep bought a new one, then returned it with a counterfeit in the box. That does happen on rare occasions.
@@930tomp I don’t have the tool to test those nuts but the finish on the blade looks like your genuine blade. It’s probably real. Thanks for the video.
In other words they're exactly the same. Someone's got some major markup. If Kershaw didn't make a lot of their knives in China, I'd be more upset. They're kind of selling out themselves so brand loyalty can't be as high. Hogue is the only company that I know of that doesn't make junk in China.
Except the ridiculously expensive brands. Microtech etc.
Is that really what you got out of the video? No, they aren't the same. One is manufactured with quality materials, by the company who owns the name and design and has impeccable fit and finish, while the other is a cheap knockoff, using inferior materials, while stealing from the original design. So no, not the same.
Buy clones. Dont support ZT insane prices
ZT knives are over rated and over priced.