Zero Tolerance Knives


Zero Tolerance Knives is a knife brand of Kai USA, headquartered in Tualatin, Oregon, United States. Both Zero Tolerance and Kai USA are members of the Kai Group, a global cutlery company.

History

The first ZT knives were produced in 2006 alongside Kai USA's longstanding, Kershaw Knives brand. The original line of ZT knives included collaborations between custom knifemaker Ken Onion and Strider Knives. Early products were combat knives, but Zero Tolerance later expanded its market to include more general use knives. Currently, all ZT products are manufactured in Kai USA's Tualatin, Oregon facility.

Awards

Over the course of the brand's history, eight individual Zero Tolerance knives have won awards at the annual Blade Show in Atlanta, Georgia. The following models have received recognition:
YearModelDesignerAward
2006Model 0500Grant and Gavin HawkMost Innovative American Design of the Year Award
2011Model 0777Kai Original DesignOverall Knife of the Year Award
2011Model 0560/0561Rick HindererCollaboration of the Year Award
2012Model 0888Kai Original DesignOverall Knife of the Year Award
2012Model 0600R.J. MartinCollaboration of the Year Award
2013Model 0454Dmitry SinkevichOverall Knife of the Year Award
2014Model 0562CFRick HindererAmerican Made Knife of the Year Award
2015Model 0999Kai Original DesignAmerican Made Knife of the Year Award

Products

Zero Tolerance Knives manufactures USA-made folding knives and fixed blades. The brand has worked with custom knife makers such as Les George, Jens Anso, Dmitry Sinkevich, Todd Rexford, Rick Hinderer, R.J. Martin, Tim Galyean, Grant and Gavin Hawk, Ken Onion, and Gus T. Cecchini. ZT Knives has also collaborated with Emerson Knives.