Zero Tolerance 0223 Blends Classic Military Style with Premium Modern Materials
The Zero Tolerance 0223 is a military-inspired design from Tim Galyean. It’s a large EDC made from premium materials right here in the USA over in Tualatin, Oregon.
Pros
- CPM 20CV blade steel with DLC coating
- Titanium handle with DLC coating and G10 overlay
- Military-inspired design
- Frame lock
- Left or right-hand tip-up carry
- Butter smooth deployment
- Made in the USA
Cons
- 3.5″ blade may be too long to carry in some areas—check your local laws
Blade Material
The Zero Tolerance 0223 continues ZT’s trend away from the S30/S35 steels with CPM 20CV on this premium model. It has outstanding edge retention with very good corrosion resistance and toughness. The tradeoff is that it’s a bear to sharpen and you might want to take advantage of ZT’s sharpening service when the time comes.
Compared to the S35VN, you get better edge retention, but it’s quite a bit tougher to sharpen.
The blade gets a black DLC treatment (Diamond Like Coating), giving it a hard outer coating that’s also low friction.
Design
Tim Galyean’s overall design goes for a Bowie-style look and has its classic clip point blade at the business end. The top features aggressive squared jimping to help with your grip. The edge moves from the clip point’s piercing tip straight into a section of slicing belly before straightening out for the last 2/3 of its length.
With a blade length of 3.5″, be sure to check your local knife laws before carrying this one.
Deployment
The 0223 uses a finger flipper and KVT bearing system for deployment. I highly prefer a finger flipper to a thumb disk, so that’s a big win in my book.
The blade is 0.156″ thick and has a solid amount of mass, making it butter smooth to open with the bearing system. You could add a spring assist, but it’s really not necessary on this knife.
Handle Material
Zero Tolerance sticks with premium materials for the handle, going with a black DLC coated titanium and brown G10 overlay. The G10 gives the knife a visual look similar to a Bowie with a leather strap for a handle. It doesn’t look nearly as good as an actual leather strap handle, but I do like the contours that help with the grip.
Locking
The blade snaps securely in place with a frame lock that partially hides behind the G10 overlay. Personally, I like the aggressive, all-business look of a fully exposed frame lock. If that’s something you’re not crazy about, the extra attention to the handle’s aesthetics should help.
Clip
ZT’s deep-carry clip leaves roughly 1/2″ of handle exposed out of your pocket. You can flip it between the left and right sides in a tip-up carry position only. With the exception of folks who prefer tip-down carry, the design hits most everyone no matter which side you like to carry on.
Price
The Zero Tolerance 0223 has an MSRP of $375 and retail prices are currently running right at $300. With the amount of CPM 20CV steel and titanium being used, it’s not a surprising price point in the premium knife sector, especially for a Made in the USA knife.
The Bottom Line
Once you take the Zero Tolerance 0223 out of your pocket, there’s nothing subtle about it. It has an aggressive look with a highly functional design, just like its military foundation. As a folder, it works great as an EDC on the larger side that’s comfortable with a life full of day-to-day tasks or as a defensive carry.
Buy it if you prefer an EDC with military history in its blood, an aggressive look, or an “I don’t give a **** what the day throws at me” attitude. Pass if you need something on the subtle and smaller side or have laws restricting blade lengths to less than 3.5″.
Zero Tolerance 0223 Specifications
- Model: Zero Tolerance 0223
- Blade Steel: CPM 20CV
- Blade Length: 3.5″
- Opening: Finger flipper with bearing assist
- Handle Material: Titanium with G10 overlay
- Lock: Frame lock
- Closed Length: 5″
- Open Length: 8.6″
- Clip: left/right reversible, tip-up only
- Weight: 4.7 oz
- Price:
$375$300
