Zero Tolerance 0357

Zero Tolerance is the premium sister brand of Kershaw, both built at the KAI USA facility in Tualatin, Oregon. ZT's reputation is for overbuilt hard-use folders, most of the lineup weighs 5-7 oz with thick blade stock and titanium frame locks. The 0357 is the model that makes that lineup carriable for daily use, lighter G10 scales, sub-3.5" blade, more pocket-friendly profile.

CPM-20CV is the steel grade that pulls this knife into its price tier. It's functionally equivalent to Bohler M390 (same composition, different licensing), one of the highest-edge-retention stainless steels in production. A properly sharpened 20CV edge will outlast S30V or S45VN by a meaningful margin in cardboard cutting tests. The trade-off is sharpening, you want diamond stones, and even then it takes longer to bring an edge back than mid-tier steels.

SpeedSafe is Kershaw's assisted-opening mechanism scaled up for premium use. A torsion bar takes over once you push the flipper tab past the detent, snapping the blade open with more authority than any non-assisted flipper. The downside is that assisted-opening is restricted in some jurisdictions (Massachusetts, parts of New York), check before carry. The liner lock has positive engagement and zero blade play. At 4.3 oz, the 0357 is the heaviest knife in this guide; that's the price of the steel stock and the assisted mechanism.