For information on the Mule program generally, note that Spyderco has posted a very useful page with information on the Mule series and the individual blades here: http://spyderco.com/edge-u-cation/index.php?item=13
MT01P - Mule Team 52100 - January 2008 (US)
From the Spyderco Edge-u-cation sheet: "Oil quenched and drawn to Rc 62"
MT02P - Mule Team CPM-M4™ - October 2008 (Crucible/US)JLS wrote:Good thing you said no pressure! Otherwise I'd be worried about the repercussions of waiting this long.
I finally stopped in at my old work last week and I have some additional results.
MT01 - 52100 - 3 tests; 63.1 HRC average
MT08 - Super Blue - 3 tests; 62.5 HRC average
MT13 - ELMAX - 3 tests; 58.3 HRC average
I still haven't found the test results for MT06 and MT10. If they're not in some old spreadsheets, they're lost and I don't know that I want to know the hardness bad enough to tear the handles off (once they're epoxied on, they stay that way...at least how I do it).
MT03P - Mule Team CPMS90V™ - February 2009 (Crucible/US)JLS wrote:Well, I still haven't found my spreadsheet with the actual numbers on the M4. But my memory isn't too bad and here's what I can recall. The others are from either notes at my desk at work or posts here.
MT02-CPM-M4 - 62.5 HRC
MT03-CPM-S90V - 59.2 HRC
MT04 - ZDP189 - 66.4 HRC, this is the average of 6 readings that ranged from 65.2 to 67.1 HRC
Hope this helps.
JLS wrote:Well, I still haven't found my spreadsheet with the actual numbers on the M4. But my memory isn't too bad and here's what I can recall. The others are from either notes at my desk at work or posts here.
MT02-CPM-M4 - 62.5 HRC
MT03-CPM-S90V - 59.2 HRC
MT04 - ZDP189 - 66.4 HRC, this is the average of 6 readings that ranged from 65.2 to 67.1 HRC
Hope this helps.
MT04P - Mule Team ZDP-189 - July 2009 (Hitachi/Japan)JLS wrote:Ok, so I finally took the time to test my new Mule and my Military 2nd that I have on hand. All these are averages of 3 tests. The calibration just before was an average of 56.1 on a 56.4 HRC test block. Since that's within tolerances, the numbers below are straight reporting, no adjustment in numbers due to the calibration error.
Mule - 59.2 HRC
Military - 58.8 HRC
Keep in mind some of the earlier comments about accuracy of calibration blocks and of the test itself and you'll see that this is right where it needs to be.
JLS wrote:My first one tested at 67 HRC average.
I haven't unboxed the second to take it to work for testing yet. If I ever do, I'll report on that.
JLS wrote:Well, I still haven't found my spreadsheet with the actual numbers on the M4. But my memory isn't too bad and here's what I can recall. The others are from either notes at my desk at work or posts here.
MT02-CPM-M4 - 62.5 HRC
MT03-CPM-S90V - 59.2 HRC
MT04 - ZDP189 - 66.4 HRC, this is the average of 6 readings that ranged from 65.2 to 67.1 HRC
Hope this helps.
MT05P - Mule Team 9Cr18Mo - October 2009 (China)JLS wrote:Gunmike inspired me to take my Mule to work and hardness test it. My 6 readings ranged from 65.2 to 67.1 HRC. It's definitely the hardest steel I've ever tested.
I'll be interested to see the readings from others.
This definitely takes it out of the EDC category, but should work real nice on my workbench.
JLS wrote:Average of 6 readings was 58.0 HRC, with a high and low of 58.6 and 57.7.
JLS wrote:I'm really not trying to hog the thread, but it's seems I am anyway.
I've hardness tested 6 of the blades so far and here are the results.
59.3
58.9
59.1
59.1
59.1
58.9
All but one of those numbers represents an average of 2 tests. If you're not familiar with heat treating and hardness tests, that is amazing consistency.
As I was doing the hardness tests after work, two more guys found me and want Mules. For $20, it's hard to refuse.
MT06P - Mule Team CPM-S35VN™ - January 2010 (Crucible/US)
MT07P - Mule Team Damascus VG-10 - October 2010 (Japan)Ankerson wrote:Updated HRC ratings on S35VN and ATS-34. :)
Both came in at 59 HRC.
[No test data found yet]
MT08P - Mule Team Aogami Super Blue - December 2010 (Hitachi/Japan)
sal wrote:Hi Charlie,
They're running about 62. 61.5 on the low side 63 on the high side.
sal
Ankerson wrote:John,
The Super Blue was 61.5 HRC.
Jim
MT09 - Mule Team Cobalt Special - February 2011 (Takefu/Japan)JLS wrote:Good thing you said no pressure! Otherwise I'd be worried about the repercussions of waiting this long.
I finally stopped in at my old work last week and I have some additional results.
MT01 - 52100 - 3 tests; 63.1 HRC average
MT08 - Super Blue - 3 tests; 62.5 HRC average
MT13 - ELMAX - 3 tests; 58.3 HRC average
I still haven't found the test results for MT06 and MT10. If they're not in some old spreadsheets, they're lost and I don't know that I want to know the hardness bad enough to tear the handles off (once they're epoxied on, they stay that way...at least how I do it).
[No test data found yet]
MT10P - Mule Team CTS-BD1 - June 2010 (Carpenter/US)
MT11P - M390 Mule Team - June 2011 (Böhler-Uddeholm/Austria)JLS wrote:I have hardness testing for two more.
I found a MT-10 BD-1 Mule on Ebay for a decent price and removed the scales when it arrived as they were nearly 1/2" thick each. It tested at 57.2 HRC, which seems a little low, so I'd like to put the disclaimer that it was used of unknown origins. Other than that, the blade was clean and flat and the machine was freshly calibrated.
I also tested the CTS-XHP Mule and it was 60.3 HRC. Now to get some handles on it and start seeing what this steel is capable of.
Ankerson wrote:Update. :)
M390 Mule came in at 60.5 HRC..
MT12P - Cru-Wear Mule Team - September 2011 (Crucible/US)JLS wrote:I finally ordered my M390 Mule last week and received it yesterday.
I brought it to work today, did a fresh cal on the hardness tester and got 60.9 and 61.2 HRC for the two samples. I think I'm going to like this one.
MT13 Elmax Mule Team - February 2012 (Böhler-Uddeholm/Austria)JLS wrote:I posted this in the MT12 re-release thread, but I figured that inquiring minds wanted to know.
I no longer work where I have a hardness tester in the next lab, but I left on very good terms and I stopped in to test my Cruwear mule this evening. I checked calibration before testing and I like the results. Please keep in mind, these were 3 tests on a single Mule. But I like the direction they point.
In case my writing is illegible, the numbers are 62.1, 62.2 and 62.8 HRC.
Ankerson wrote:Updated info in the MT-13 Elmax Mule Team - February 2012
I have one here that is 58.5 ave HRC.
Sal Glesser wrote:Hi Dan. I believe we're running 59/60. I'll check for sure on Monay.
sal
Sal Glesser wrote:Hi Dan,
The one I checked was 58.2.
sal
MT14 CTS-204P Mule Team - "Coming Soon" 2/12 (Carpenter/US)JLS wrote:Good thing you said no pressure! Otherwise I'd be worried about the repercussions of waiting this long.
I finally stopped in at my old work last week and I have some additional results.
MT01 - 52100 - 3 tests; 63.1 HRC average
MT08 - Super Blue - 3 tests; 62.5 HRC average
MT13 - ELMAX - 3 tests; 58.3 HRC average
I still haven't found the test results for MT06 and MT10. If they're not in some old spreadsheets, they're lost and I don't know that I want to know the hardness bad enough to tear the handles off (once they're epoxied on, they stay that way...at least how I do it).
[No test data found yet]
MT15 CTS-B75P Mule Team - September 2012 (Carpenter/US)
sal wrote:Target was 62/63. Mine Rc'd at 62.5.
sal
MT16 - CTS-XHP - December 2012 (Carpenter/US)JLS wrote:One more test to add. Stopped in at my old work yesterday and I think the results on the MT-15 CTS B75P Mule will be encouraging. I did a fresh calibration and tested my blade 3 times. 62.7, 62.2 and 62.9 for an average of 62.6 HRC.
MT17 - K390 Mule Team - July 2013 (Böhler-Uddeholm/Austria)JLS wrote:I have hardness testing for two more.
I found a MT-10 BD-1 Mule on Ebay for a decent price and removed the scales when it arrived as they were nearly 1/2" thick each. It tested at 57.2 HRC, which seems a little low, so I'd like to put the disclaimer that it was used of unknown origins. Other than that, the blade was clean and flat and the machine was freshly calibrated.
I also tested the CTS-XHP Mule and it was 60.3 HRC. Now to get some handles on it and start seeing what this steel is capable of.
-> CONTINUES IN NEXT POST <-sal wrote:The one I tested on the handle was 62/64.
sal
7/20/13 - Added MT-17