Zero tolerance zt-9 bayonet

[putneyswope]

Anyone have experience with the zero tolerance zt-9 bayonet? I have a deployed buddy in need of a decent bayonet and I was referred to this model...

 

[coopermania]

I have never used a ZT before myself, What is wrong with his Issue M9 ?

 

[coopermania]

Why did you edit and change your last thread ?
You stated he broke it between the ribs of a enemy soldier.
. That knife is built out of a 0.24 in (0.61 cm) Thick piece of 420 Modified Stainless Steel
I say ******** !

 

[smokey]

Zt is great, but pricey. You could also go with the okc3s the marines are fond of. They're probably one of the better fighting bayos.

 

[BigSteve57]

I have a ZT-9. You could literally chop wood with it. I don't know how it compares to military issue stuff, however.

 

[303_enfield]

If "he" broke it supply would issue another one. If "he" broke it in combat action, supply would replace it, "he" would be writing 187 sworn statements about the action, "he" would have a story written about the action and last but not least

"he" would be brought up on UCMJ charges for abusing a poor third world national.

Stick with issue bayonets, as you may loose others going through customs on the ride home.

 

[mouse4x4]

bull$hit you are not going to break it off in someone some buddy is telling tall tails again

 

[rj1974]

Not commenting on the story that was given but ............

M9 bayonets have too many weak points in the tang . They are a 3 piece tang very short coming off the actual blade then a shaft thread to that and then a screw in the end to hold it all together .

Of issue bayonet the best one out there right now aside from the crappy scabbard is the U.S.M.C. OKC-3S .

 

[putneyswope]

I wasn't there so I only know what I was told, in retrospect, probably BS. Everything the military buys is usually overbuilt unless abused. He probably broke it as a prybar or something...

Regardless of how it occurred, the knife broke where the blade screws into the shaft that holds it all together. Is the okc3s a full length blade or constructed like the Ontario? Any other quality options besides the zero tolerance?

Thanks for all the replies and advice, really.

 

[rj1974]

The OKC3S is a full tang construction .

 

[smokey]

I like mine...

romney does too

 

[Minuteman]

Good reviews, S30V steel; but twice as expensive as an M9.

 

[NickZac]

The ZT is excellent but for a field knife, it may or may not be worth the money. If it were in CPM-3V like the ZT0100 fixed blade, it would no doubt be worth it. I love S30V, but I think it is best-suited for folding knives. For fixed blades, 1095 Carbon is cheaper and tougher; and 3V has edge retention similar to M2 high-speed tool steel, but is something like 500% tougher, giving it toughness not far from shock-proof steels like S7. For heavy usage on a budget, the 1095 and similar steels are really difficult to beat.

The M9 is inherently flawed and it will make it impossible to fully answer your question.

The flaw is part from the variation within manufacturing. At least 4 different companies have made this product officially, of those four they have produced this at different facilities under different conditions, and probably 30 or more companies have made replicas and counterfeits. Some counterfeits have been sold under the premise of being original and fooled everyone as they are so close (including dealers and wholesalers who thought they were selling something other than what they were.) Some products have had issues with the tang being a weak point...even with redesign, when all items are under a single name, differentiation becomes hard due to so many of the above factors.

Another issue has been the steel and heat treatments. Numerous steels have been used...and unfortunately, the most common steels used aren't exactly what I would call ideal (ex: a steel that is made for toughness like 1095 carbon is good for a fixed blade, but a stainless steel made more for edge retention or corrosion resistance such as 420 or 440C is not nearly as ideal...S&W makes this knife in 440A or 440B, which is even less-suited than 440C). Hardening has also significantly varied within companies as evidenced by performance tests. IIRC the 'standard' is 420 steel...that's a God-awful steel for a fixed blade compared to 1095 Carbon IMHO. If I spend $100 on a fixed blade, it better be 1095 whether it differentiates from standard specs or not. Given under $100 will buy a fantastic 1095 fixed blade with a good heat treatment, it makes the tried-and-trusted carbon steel even more appealing.

Another notable point in spending price is that the blade thickness and blade grind of the standard M9s do not favor slicing abilities (most people probably know this so sorry if this is stating the obvious.) When dropping mad money on a knife, this is important to realize ahead of time as you cannot slice an apple with a 1/4 inch thick blade and not damage the flesh. So application will determine suitability.

It is also worth noting that a thick blade is not the sole factor in determining strength of a fixed blade. Arguably, it's much less important than often given thought. Steel, hardening, and especially the grind will have much more to do with it. I would bet $100 that a 1/8th inch thick blade of good 1095 will be able to take much more than a 1/4 inch blade of 420. While I don't recommend doing so, the recent wave of "destruction tests" have demonstrated how tough good 1095 blades are...and it's almost shocking.