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Hey Everybody, Here's The Zero Tolerance 0556
Hey everybody, I think "hey everybody's" becoming my "what's up guys." It seems like I've been promising to review the new amazing 0556 from Zero Tolerance that I got back in December for years now. Now, in this years terms, a month is equivalent to years.
In This Article
- The Switchblade
- Zero Tolerance Stuff
- Falling In Love
- Blade Features
- The Button
- Fidgety Locks
- Gentleman's Folder
- Pocketclip
- Comparison
- Video Review
- Conclusion
The Fancy 0556 Switchblade: Thin As A Twizzler
This article is about a fun new switchblade, though. We're going to talk about switchblades here you can show your friends, your family, and the cops who pulled it out of the pocket of your squirming shirtless body screaming the F word.
This knife is called the 0556. Now, the dimensions card here is going to reveal how extraordinarily light and thin the 0556 is. I'd like to clarify - not small, but thin like a Twizzler. A silver, hard-firing titanium knife with carbon fiber inlays and significant internal milling that is as thin as a Twizzler.
Zero Tolerance Is Letting Me Look At Their Stuff Again
Now, as of this writing, Zero Tolerance and Kershaw have occupied more time in my article-writing this past month than they combined in past years. I work at a slow pace, though, and hopefully, they realize it takes time to write these pocket knife think pieces that thoughtfully rip off old Deuce Bigalow jokes.
And if you're lucky, maybe I'll throw in a Night at the Roxberry reference or two. It'll be a real treat for movies people rightfully no longer remember.
Falling In Love With A Pocket Knife That Doesn't Love You Back
So, the ZT 0556 here is quite a cool knife. I've been in love with it since I got it prior to Christmas - the way one can be in love with a pocket knife that doesn't love them back. It's a knife that feels lighter in the hand and slimmer in the pocket than it should.
Features-wise, the 0556 features a drop point blade made from the Magnacut. Now, anything less in a knife this fancy and expensive would have the fans grabbing their pristine Magnacut pitchforks, writing mean internet comments: "This one here's my safe queen," "The hand rub satin spikes," "Of course, I had to buy a bigger safe for it, too."
Blade Features: Thin Stock And Nice Gimping
The blade stock here is extremely thin, kind of reminding me of a finely ground slip joint. A little fine gimping up top, too, for your thumb placement for your theoretical hard use - it's a nice little thing for your little thumb, your thumb meat, or your fingernail.
Reminds me of kind of a nice Spyderco gimping. It's thoughtful, it's textured, and it's not really sharp or anything. It's not just for looks.
That Weird Trapezoid Button And "Out The Sides" Switchblades
The knife fires hard with the press of its slightly unusually shaped trapezoid button. “No, it's weird - shaped like a trapezoid.” Oh man, little callback there. Where do I send my Deuce Bigalow sequel? Has there been a sequel to that movie? If there isn't, I'm writing one.
The example of the pocket knife never failed to lock up at every press of the button. Now autos are switchblades "out the sides," as I call them. That's not technically what they're called, but it is a little more descriptive. What is it? Single action? Dual action? Double action? Everyone's like, "What does those mean?"
You have to look up the terms because the double action and the dual action are not the same type of autos. So I like calling them "out the sides" because it tells you what it is. You know, it is a single action, meaning you press the button, and it just goes out. There's no other way to deploy it. You have to press the button, and then you close it with your hand.
Fidgety Locks Vs. Autos: They're Wrong, We're Right
And "out the side" isn't as convenient as a nice broken-in Axis lock on a Benchmade, or what do they call them on Kershaw? The lock bar locks? Slider lock? I think that's what they call it. I know I just did an article about one; I should remember.
Now, if you want something more fidgety, a button lock is an easy flick out and flick back, or an Axis lock, obviously, or a compression lock. Those are kind of your best fidgetable locks. But like me, you appreciate a fine auto, and we can talk about them for hours with strangers and even write full articles about them and post them on the Internet.
Well, people like you and I understand that isn't a problem. You know, the slightly harder close of an auto - it is how it is, and it's why some people don't like "out the sides." Again, they're wrong; we're right.
Gentleman's Folder: Embrace The Cringe
Now, the handle here is finely finished and feels such in the hand. This is referred to as a "gentleman's folder," and while that may sound kind of weird and cringe to non-knife people, I can assure you deep down it's still cringe to some of us, too. But that's fine. This is a hobby where you need to embrace the shame in order to enjoy it.
Hardware, Anodizing, And That "Pedestrian" Pocket Clip
So, the hardware here is very minimal. I like the light blue contrast of the standoffs inside. Maybe one day, Zero Tolerance will come out with some fun anodizing for the handle.
A light blue or an electric green would look nice, or I guess it would be tacky, depending on your opinion. The pocket clip here is reversible to the right or left side in a tip-up configuration.
Remember, there are still thinking knife posts or vapes on Instagram, and that's not going to change anytime soon. If you think it is, I have some oceanfront property in Missouri to sell you.
But on the reel, I posted on Instagram, some people were like, "The pocket clip looks pedestrian." You know, I think people want a milled pocket clip, something that may match it slightly more. I don't know. I think the pocket clip here looks pretty good to me, and I appreciate the lack of advertising on the clip.
I notice the clip is ferrous, indicating it is a steel clip and not titanium-milled or hammered, or whatever you would call it when it's not a milled clip. What do they call them on the Chris Reeve? Is that just like a hammered, bent, and flattened titanium?
What's the technical terminology? And you know what, I'm sorry - don't tell me what it is. I don't give a shit.
The Comparison Section: Para Military 2, Protek, And Sebenza
Comparisons: First, a Para Military 2. This is mainly here to show you that it is roughly the same handle size, length, and blade size but thinner and more compact. Now, the Spyderco looks much bigger, and technically, it is a little bit.
The handle is quite a bit longer, but I assure you, minus the choil, the grip area is slightly longer by just a small touch on the Zero Tolerance. The choil and the extra bump on the back of the handle are what make the Spyderco larger. The handle on the Spyderco is thicker, too.
Now, this is an aftermarket titanium handle, but roughly speaking, the regular Spyderco scales are about the same thickness. This isn't making it that much bigger; it kind of fits the footprint that the former scales did.
Now I think the slimness on a fine auto like Zero Tolerance is great. I don't think autos are hard-use pocket knives. It doesn't matter what steel they have in them. You could put 440C in them, and the cheaper switchblades have that, and it doesn't make a difference. Maybe you want a thicker handle if you're going to be making a lot more cuts. I don't know, but the thin handle here is nice.
Next, the Brend from ProTek - is this the Brend 2, or is it the Brend 3? I don't remember. However, you can go read that article from me that I did a couple of years ago to learn all about the one where I'm popping balloons.
The handle on the ProTek is aluminum, but the titanium-handled ZT 0556 is so light you might think it's aluminum. That's what the spec sheets are for, right? "Oh yeah, it's titanium. How about that?”
Next, the Sebenza 21 half carbon fiber Knife Art exclusive. Remember this guy? This, of course - this knife is significantly heavier, and so is the ProTek, than the Zero Tolerance.
Bring Back The Mud! But This Is My Favorite ZT (For Real This Time)
All right, that about does it. Okay, I would like to say I don't own a lot of Zero Tolerances, mostly 'cause I'm protesting until they bring back the Mudd.
Bring back the Mudd!
But this is a very fine auto, as fine as my Microtechs, ProTeks, and my Hawks. I love it. It's just awesome.
It is probably my favorite Zero Tolerance. I know that's a term - like every knife person who posts knife content; they say that about the new knife from the company every time. "I think this is probably my new favorite."
I've said it before, and you know what, I'm probably going to say it again, but this is a pretty fucking awesome switchblade. It's light, it's thin, fires hard. It's nearly unbelievable, just like how light, thin, and hard-firing it is.
Watch This Review
Goodbye!
In case this is interesting to you, I've got this hideous (to me), but probably lovable to others, Kansept knife that I'm working on. I wasn't going to take it on, but he was like, "Hey man, this is just so fucking stupid, it's awesome," and hopefully, I'll just do some dumb stuff with it, and that'll be fun.
Okay, that's what we look forward to, right? Thank you for reading my ZT 0556 review!
