This Under-the-Radar Super Steel EDC Knife Sports a Unique Lock

Kershaw’s upscale sibling brand quietly unveiled an understated high-end folding cutter with a mechanism it has never used before.

Closeup of Zero Tolerance 0044 knife on green background

By Sean Tirman

Published January 20, 2025

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If subtlety is an art, the folks at Zero Tolerance, Kershaw’s upscale sister brand, appear to be artists. To kick off 2025, the brand has quietly unveiled a pair of exceptional knives.

One of the two, the Zero Tolerance 0044, is especially exciting. It is understatedly gorgeous and utilizes a locking mechanism the brand has never employed before.

Zero Tolerance 0044 knife front and back on green background — This knife’s subtle design underscores its high-end materials and mechanisms.

Looks can be deceiving

There’s nothing particularly flashy about the 0044. In fact, it’s quite minimalist. But therein lies its true beauty.

While it doesn’t look showy, the materials and craftsmanship speak for themselves. For starters, the S45VN super steel drop-point blade has a gorgeous finish. It pairs beautifully with the titanium ceramic bead-blasted handle. Furthermore, the brand has shaved away some of the material inside the handle to keep it light without affecting its appearance.

Its two parts are mated by a lightning-quick KVT ball-bearing pivot. Since it’s a flipper without an assisted opening mechanism, that smoothness is essential.

Rather than depending on showy finishes and coatings, Zero Tolerance has instead gone the route of nuance. In a world of over-the-top silhouettes and eye-catching patterns, this stylistic restraint allows the knife’s simple beauty to shine bright and true.

Zero Tolerance 0044 knife closed on green background — The flipper pairs with a KVT ball-bearing pivot for buttery-smooth, ultra-quick deployment.

A marriage of convenience

One stand-out feature helps set the 0044 apart: its locking mechanism. Shockingly, Zero Tolerance has never utilized this particular device.

The 0044 has a button lock rather than one of the brand’s mainstays, such as a frame or liner lock. This makes operating the blade easier while simultaneously making it safer and more secure. It also helps maintain the knife’s sophisticated appearance.

However, it isn’t entirely without flash. That button with its teal ring also accounts for the knife’s most significant stylistic flourish. After all, it is a brand first, so it’s no surprise they want to show it off (if only a tiny bit).

Coming soon

While Zero Tolerance’s USA-made 0044 isn’t yet available to buy through the brand’s site, you can order it at Blade HQ for $360. As a bonus, that price is 20 percent less than the knife retailer’s list price.

If you wait to purchase directly through ZT, you can get it for $20 less, bringing the total to $340. However, as the knife’s MSRP is $425, it remains to be seen how long the prices stay that low.