MT39P – CPM 15V Mule Team Dropping Soon!

[olywa]

Yeah, I generally like Boltron. But the new one is just a little squirrely compared to the identical one I picked up a few years ago for my 20CV Mule.

[kennbr34]

Got mine! Luckily...

The UPS guy just came and dropped it on my porch and was gone by the time I got to the door, which is saying something because I JUST happened to be walking to my door anyway to put a note on it for him because he was SUPPOSED to wait for me to sign it. Lucky I grabbed it before one of the crackheads that roams my apartment complex did.

[Ramonade]

I don't know what happened this time but several good news !

The Mules are already in France and on their way to my home (delivery is tomorrow or saturday).
The USPS tracking number worked all the way without needing to ask for a new one.
The customs fees asked of me are 33€. Last time for an order of the same magnitude it was around 70€.

Maybe they forgot one Mule in my package, I hope not since I ordered 2 ! We'll see soon

[Traditional.Sharpening]

Yeah, I generally like Boltron. But the new one is just a little squirrely compared to the identical one I picked up a few years ago for my 20CV Mule.

Can you elaborate on squirrely?

[JRinFL]

I don't know what happened this time but several good news !

The Mules are already in France and on their way to my home (delivery is tomorrow or saturday).
The USPS tracking number worked all the way without needing to ask for a new one.
The customs fees asked of me are 33€. Last time for an order of the same magnitude it was around 70€.

Maybe they forgot one Mule in my package, I hope not since I ordered 2 ! We'll see soon

That is good news. Mine are still traveling and they only needed to go halfway across the country. Yours had to go west, then all the way across the country, across the Atlantic, then in to France. All faster than mine are moving.

[Ramonade]

That is good news. Mine are still traveling and they only needed to go halfway across the country. Yours had to go west, then all the way across the country, across the Atlantic, then in to France. All faster than mine are moving.

Maybe mines have more Vs?

[JRinFL]

That is good news. Mine are still traveling and they only needed to go halfway across the country. Yours had to go west, then all the way across the country, across the Atlantic, then in to France. All faster than mine are moving.

Maybe mines have more Vs?

If the Vs are velocity, this might be true!

[Ramonade]

That is good news. Mine are still traveling and they only needed to go halfway across the country. Yours had to go west, then all the way across the country, across the Atlantic, then in to France. All faster than mine are moving.

Maybe mines have more Vs?

If the Vs are velocity, this might be true!

Well they got here today (with another order ) and they were 2, 30Vs might be what helped !



I have to say, it's the best finish I've had on a Mule Team as of yet !

[legOFwhat?]

Well they got here today...

Eager to see what you do with them Robin!

[Ramonade]

Well they got here today...

Eager to see what you do with them Robin!

thanks, I think I'm gonna work on my disassembly ready prototype but I'm definitely gonna do a definitive handle, I just like the perfect fitting of the scales on the handle.

[ykspydiefan]

Dropped on my door. Hotter than a pan of cookies. I bought two, one accepts scales easy, the other will need some work.

[VandymanG]

I’m having a lot of fun with this mule already. I did a patina on the steel that turned out better than I hoped. I was going to do a paracord handle but was told that would be bad on 15V. Paracord apparently collects moisture. I like the way the patina turned out so much that I don’t want to put plain scales on it so I’m diving down the rabbit hole and trying to learn how to make my own. Feeling challenged and overwhelmed. But optimistic!

Seriously we need more steels like this to test out. Thank you Spyderco and @Deadboxhero. Please do more collaborations like this.

[legOFwhat?]

I’m having a lot of fun with this mule already. I did a patina on the steel that turned out better than I hoped. I was going to do a paracord handle but was told that would be bad on 15V. Paracord apparently collects moisture. I like the way the patina turned out so much that I don’t want to put plain scales on it so I’m diving down the rabbit hole and trying to learn how to make my own. Feeling challenged and overwhelmed. But optimistic!

Seriously we need more steels like this to test out. Thank you Spyderco and @Deadboxhero. Please do more collaborations like this.

Looking good VandymanG!

[VandymanG]

I’m having a lot of fun with this mule already. I did a patina on the steel that turned out better than I hoped. I was going to do a paracord handle but was told that would be bad on 15V. Paracord apparently collects moisture. I like the way the patina turned out so much that I don’t want to put plain scales on it so I’m diving down the rabbit hole and trying to learn how to make my own. Feeling challenged and overwhelmed. But optimistic!

Seriously we need more steels like this to test out. Thank you Spyderco and @Deadboxhero. Please do more collaborations like this.

Looking good VandymanG!

Thank you. Was feeling very uncertain about the patina and the idea of doing my own scales. So the encouragement is greatly appreciated.

[legOFwhat?]

I’m having a lot of fun with this mule already. I did a patina on the steel that turned out better than I hoped. I was going to do a paracord handle but was told that would be bad on 15V. Paracord apparently collects moisture. I like the way the patina turned out so much that I don’t want to put plain scales on it so I’m diving down the rabbit hole and trying to learn how to make my own. Feeling challenged and overwhelmed. But optimistic!

Seriously we need more steels like this to test out. Thank you Spyderco and @Deadboxhero. Please do more collaborations like this.

Looking good VandymanG!

Thank you. Was feeling very uncertain about the patina and the idea of doing my own scales. So the encouragement is greatly appreciated.

Lots of great how-to's out there and here. If you need any tips just shoot me a pm.

[barnaclesonaboat]

I’m having a lot of fun with this mule already. I did a patina on the steel that turned out better than I hoped. I was going to do a paracord handle but was told that would be bad on 15V. Paracord apparently collects moisture. I like the way the patina turned out so much that I don’t want to put plain scales on it so I’m diving down the rabbit hole and trying to learn how to make my own. Feeling challenged and overwhelmed. But optimistic!

Seriously we need more steels like this to test out. Thank you Spyderco and @Deadboxhero. Please do more collaborations like this.

I think that patina looks great! The even/rhythmic mottling on the blade is cool - what is your patina protocol, if you don’t mind my asking?

[VandymanG]

I’m having a lot of fun with this mule already. I did a patina on the steel that turned out better than I hoped. I was going to do a paracord handle but was told that would be bad on 15V. Paracord apparently collects moisture. I like the way the patina turned out so much that I don’t want to put plain scales on it so I’m diving down the rabbit hole and trying to learn how to make my own. Feeling challenged and overwhelmed. But optimistic!

Seriously we need more steels like this to test out. Thank you Spyderco and @Deadboxhero. Please do more collaborations like this.

I think that patina looks great! The even/rhythmic mottling on the blade is cool - what is your patina protocol, if you don’t mind my asking?

Not a problem. I took pictures the day I did so I could send pictures to my wife who was at work. Let me email them to myself so that they are small enough to post.

[VandymanG]

So I did a lot of YouTube watching and combined several ideas. Some worked how I wanted and some didn’t.

First I washed it in dawn soap and then I took an alcohol prep pad and carefully wiped the mule down while using a paper towel to hold it.

IMG_2035.jpeg (38.3 KiB) Viewed 1031 times

Then I took generic mustard and drew lines loosely at 45 degree angle. I also coated the handle in ketchup. In the videos I watched the ketchup looked much darker but didn’t turn out that way for me. I let the mule sit for an hour and then wiped it off with a dry paper towel. Then I repeated the process on the other side. So 2 hours for the first phase.

IMG_2036.jpeg (40.08 KiB) Viewed 1031 times

Two things I changed on the second phase. 1 I kept the mustard stripes skinny. The thicker mustard stripe didn’t turn out quite how I wanted. I was going for an argyle pattern. 2 I mixed some ketchup and mustard together for the handle on the second phase.

Next I started the second phase which was to add the cross stripes. I coated the handle with the mustard/ketchup mix. After an hour I wrote the blade down with a dry paper towel. But I didn’t wipe the handle down. I flipped the mule and did the outer side. This phase took 2 hours.

70725623664__E12652F7-3E1B-4AF4-9A3A-F02F16C90B6D.jpeg (69.33 KiB) Viewed 1031 times

Ugh not sure how to fix the typos imbedded with the picture. Wrote is suppose to be wiped and outer is suppose to be other. That and I did both sides of the handle at the beginning so they got 2 hours total. The blade part got 1 hour each side.

I wanted the patina darker and I was hoping to add simple marks via the paper towel. So I put the knife in a pan and used the plastic circles that come with the mules to raise the knife off the pan. I draped a paper towel and I poured heated up apple cider vinegar over the paper towel. Did each side for an hour. Got the darker patina but didn’t get the dimples from the paper towel pattern.

IMG_2045.jpeg (59.32 KiB) Viewed 1031 times

Once done with the apple cider vinegar I wiped the mule down and let it sit and dry for an hour. Then I washed the mule off with warm water.

IMG_2047.jpeg (33.16 KiB) Viewed 1031 times

Sorry not sure hot the pictures got out of order.

Last step I thoroughly oiled both sides with some knife oil.

IMG_2053.jpeg (24.5 KiB) Viewed 1031 times

The last two photos are out of line so just follow the narrative. That’s pretty much it. Now I need to figure out the scales. Not sure if I should go with 1/4” scales or 3/8” scales. Also not sure what size screws to use length and width wise.

[JRinFL]

You know you are getting old when a cool box comes from Colorado and you don't even open it. Mine arrived Friday night, but I had so much to do around the house & yard that it still sits unopened.

[electro-static]

I got mine in the mail, edge came a bit rough but 2-3 mins in a fine/xfine DMT diafold and then a strop sorted them out. wicked sharp edge on these guys.