Enthusiast pocket knives have changed considerably over the years. Lightweight handles, manual flippers, button locks, crossbar locks, and increasingly elaborate pivot systems give buyers plenty of ways to get a blade open without relying on an assisted mechanism.
Price: $166.50
Where to Buy: Amazon
That creates an interesting problem for the Zero Tolerance 0357. This USA-made folder isn’t trying to follow every newer EDC trend. Instead, it combines a 3.25-inch CPM 20CV blade, SpeedSafe assisted opening, G10 handle, and liner lock in a design introduced back in 2020.
If you already know that you prefer fully manual knives, that specification may immediately narrow the 0357’s appeal. If you like the positive deployment of an assisted flipper, however, the rest of the package deserves a closer look.
This is a substantial EDC knife without being enormous
The 0357 measures 4.4 inches closed and 7.625 inches overall, with a listed weight of 4.3 ounces. Its 3.25-inch drop-point blade puts it firmly in everyday-carry territory without pushing into oversized-folder dimensions.
Those numbers also tell you that ZT wasn’t chasing minimum weight. Plenty of modern folders come in lighter, but weight alone doesn’t determine whether a knife carries well or feels good in the hand.
Independent reviewers provide more useful context. Pro Tool Reviews described the 0357 as exceptionally solid after hands-on use, while another reviewer who carried the related 0357BW for about a month reported being impressed by its size and 4.3-ounce weight. Those are individual experiences rather than guarantees, but they help distinguish tested impressions from conclusions based solely on specifications.
The practical question is whether you want that kind of physical presence. If disappearing into a pocket is your highest priority, there are lighter options. If you prefer a folder that doesn’t feel pared down simply to save weight, the 0357 takes a different approach.
CPM 20CV remains one of the main attractions
The original 0357 specification uses a CPM 20CV drop-point blade with a working finish. Contemporary specifications list the steel at 60 to 62 HRC, with blade thickness around 0.121 inches.
CPM 20CV is associated with strong wear and corrosion resistance, and independent reviewers have reported good edge retention from the 0357. That evidence is more useful than simply declaring the steel “premium” and assuming the name tells us everything about performance.
Steel still isn’t the whole knife. Heat treatment, edge geometry, sharpening, cutting material, and individual use affect how long an edge lasts. Someone who dislikes sharpening may also find a highly wear-resistant steel less convenient when the time eventually comes to restore the edge.
What we can say confidently is that ZT didn’t treat blade material as an afterthought. The 20CV specification remains one of the strongest reasons to consider this particular version of the 0357.
SpeedSafe is either the feature or the deal-breaker
The feature most likely to divide buyers is SpeedSafe assisted opening. Press the flipper and the mechanism assists the blade through the rest of its deployment.
Hands-on reviewers have generally described the action positively. Pro Tool Reviews called the SpeedSafe assist lively, while other long-term reports praise the convenience of one-handed deployment. At the same time, that same Pro Tool Reviews test identified a stiff liner lock as its main complaint after several weeks of use.
That contrast is useful because neither characteristic can be established from a product listing. The specification tells us the knife is assisted and uses a liner lock. It doesn’t tell us whether you’ll enjoy the action or how a particular example will feel.
More importantly, assisted opening is a preference rather than an automatic upgrade. Buyers who enjoy manual flippers or other modern locking mechanisms may see SpeedSafe as unnecessary complexity. Someone who specifically likes the positive action of an assisted knife may view the exact same feature as a reason to buy.
The 0357 doesn’t resolve that debate. It simply makes you choose a side.
The rest of the design stays relatively straightforward
Around that assisted mechanism is a fairly traditional construction. The 0357 uses machined G10 handle scales, steel liners, a liner lock, and a reversible tip-up pocket clip.
That combination isn’t particularly exotic, which may actually suit the knife. Instead of using an unusual lock or expensive decorative handle material to attract attention, the design concentrates its distinctive character in the blade steel, assisted action, and ZT construction.
Zero Tolerance also builds the 0357 in Tualatin, Oregon. For buyers who specifically seek American-made knives, that becomes another meaningful part of the purchasing decision.
None of those specifications proves flawless fit, finish, or durability. What they establish is what you’re paying for: a USA-made ZT with G10, steel liners, CPM 20CV, and an assisted mechanism rather than an ultralight platform built around the newest lock design.
Who should buy the Zero Tolerance 0357?
The Zero Tolerance 0357 makes the most sense for someone who already knows that assisted opening is a feature they enjoy. Its 3.25-inch CPM 20CV blade, 4.3-ounce weight, G10 handle, liner lock, and SpeedSafe mechanism create a very different proposition from today’s ultralight manual folders.
If you’re chasing minimum weight, fully manual action, or one of the newer lock mechanisms that keeps your fingers away from the blade path when closing, the 0357 probably isn’t the obvious choice. Its design priorities lie elsewhere.
If you want an American-made ZT, appreciate CPM 20CV, and still prefer the positive deployment of an assisted flipper, however, the 0357 still makes sense.
Best for: EDC users who prefer assisted opening, want a 3.25-inch USA-made folder with CPM 20CV, and don’t mind carrying 4.3 ounces to get it.
Price: $166.50
Where to Buy: Amazon
The 0357 isn’t interesting because it follows where enthusiast knives have gone. It’s interesting because it doesn’t. For the buyer who still likes an assisted flipper with a straightforward liner lock and substantial construction, that may be exactly the reason to carry one.
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