I’ve talked about other pocketknives on the site before, such as my review of the Opinel knives.
I think I’m most excited about this review though.
If you recall my love of Sig Sauer P229, then you will probably get a similar vibe from me talking about my all-time favorite pocketknife the Zero Tolerance 0350.
Not only is this my favorite tactical pocketknife, but it is the first ‘big boy’ pocketknife I got. By that I mean it’s the first American made pocketknife I got that isn’t a vintage folder.
Zero Tolerance is the USA branch of KAI, the makers of fine kitchen knives and Kershaw knives. Side note: I think that Kershaw pocket knives are one of the all-time best budget options for a knife out there. The quality to price ratio is absolutely insane. In fact, I’ll probably review one of their knives next!
But today is about the Zero Tolerance 0350, the younger, beefier brother to their flagship knife the 0300.
Stats
Zero Tolerance’s slogan is “proudly overbuilt in America.” Honestly, this is the most fitting description for this knife. It’s hefty.
The blade is 3.25 inches long and has the patented Ken Onion recurve blade design. It’s made with S30V stainless steel and has a black DLC blade coating. This helps protect even further against rust or general abuse. It also has a tiger stripe offering where the black fades in and out with a stainless steel coloring.
The 0350 comes standard with G10 scales, something you generally have to upgrade to yourself.
Speedsafe spring assisted opening is a nice touch that is offered on a lot of KAI knives in both the Kershaw and Zero Tolerance lines. It’s coupled with a backside flipper to open the blade, or you could use the thumb studs.
Build Quality
I think that the ZT slogan is funny, but it is incredibly accurate too.
All the components of this knife are a little thicker and sturdier than you would expect from an everyday carry knife.
This may turn a lot of people off of it, but I prefer having heavier tools so I know they won’t fail and can just feel the high quality.
The pocket clip isn’t anything too special, and I’m considering upgrading it to a deep carry clip soon. It can be switched to be carried left or right side out or, even point up or down. I suggest that the point down carry to be the choice though because it is just a little safer since there’s less chance of the thumb studs or flipper getting caught on something and opening when you pull the knife out of your pocket.
Speaking of thumb studs, they are a little oddly designed and stick out just as far as the scales which makes them a little harder to use.
This isn’t a huge issue since there’s a flipper on the back, but it’s still pretty annoying.
The 0350 is a bit thick, but it’s a long-lasting knife that is guaranteed to last a very long time. In the 6 years I’ve had it, I have had no problems. Plus, the S30V steel stays incredibly sharp. It’s a really hard steel type, so it’s more difficult to sharpen initially. Once you get it there though, strop that bad boy and the mirror shine will last a crazy long time.
Final Thoughts
I’m a firm believer in honesty. Especially when it comes to product reviews, as you can probably gather from my review of the Smith & Wesson SW40VE handgun because it’s so common for companies to hire people to give raving reviews for products. Shoot, some companies will only pay writers if they give a good review.
This is not one of those times.
The post isn’t sponsored. I’m just a dude that collects pocketknives and loves to write. When those things collide, you get honest feedback.
Now, this pocketknife is entirely too big to carry around if you wear a suit, tux, or athletic shorts. But it’s perfect for a great pair of jeans or khaki/cargo shorts carry.
The 0350 is thick and sturdy, making for an excellent beater knife. It comes in at $156 on BladeHQ or $139.99 on Amazon.
I lucked out a with mine and found it on Amazon for $99, so they will occasionally offer them on sale. This is an amazing pocketknife that will last an extremely long time, so it’s a great choice for a pocket knife.