MT39P – CPM 15V Mule Team Dropping Soon!

A place to share your experience with our Mule Team knives.
kennbr34
Member
Posts: 295
Joined: Sun Nov 13, 2022 10:06 am

Re: MT39P – CPM 15V Mule Team Dropping Soon!

#201

Post by kennbr34 »

It seems that the tip on the Mule is ever so slightly thinner than that of the Manix. I reprofiled the Mule to the same angle I did my Manix to last night, and when I was done I tested it out a bit and heard the tip chip a little. It's nearly imperceptible, though; if I hadn't heard it I wouldn't have known it happened and it's still plenty pokey, but I can't deny it happened when looking at the two tips side-by-side.

Ii profiled it to about 14.4 degrees per side. In other words, I calculated the main blade grind to be about 2.4 degrees, and used a 12 degree angle wedge as a guide to freehand an edge on. So it's probably around 14-16 degrees per side, give or take. I don't have a goniometer to measure.

It's held up at this angle great on the Manix so far, even despite me accidentally running the tip into some metal once or twice. I wasn't doing anything nearly abusive with it, but I had placed the tip down on a cutting surface and was trying to drag a piece of foam across it as the blade remained stationary, and perhaps this created a weird sideways load on it.

It's literally such a small amount of damage it's hardly worth mentioning, but what was surprising is how loud it was. I think I may have gotten it closer to 14 degrees per side than I intended, and it seems like that's kind of the lower end of the scale of edge geometry to run it at without risking edge stability issues.

But personally I just wasn't very pleased with the geometry from the factory in terms of wear resistance. It stood up great cutting through some pretty dirty cardboard that my cat's litter comes in. That stuff has micro-chipped out my Manix 2 in 15V at a similar edge angle so I wanted to see how the factory bevel would stand up to it. It was good edge stability, but noticably less edge wear resistance as I continued cutting into the cardboard. I think it was only 17 DPS from the factory, and I wouldn't have thought it would make much of a difference versus 14-15 DPS, but my Manix 2 definitely felt like it dulled much more slowly through the same cardboard. I'll have to wait until I have more empty boxes of it around to test the Mule's new edge. But given the way it lost its tip last night, I am expecting some chipping.
User avatar
Josh Crutchley
Member
Posts: 1391
Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 2:44 am
Location: Michigan

Re: MT39P – CPM 15V Mule Team Dropping Soon!

#202

Post by Josh Crutchley »

Not sure if it was intentional or not but I like the way the BBB logo goes from light to dark. As for the steel the factory edge didn't seem as strong as the Maxamet Manix LW. The edge had micro chipping after cutting bamboo dowels where Maxamet did not. Will put a fresh edge on it when I have time and test again. Also really like the blade finish as it seems more corrosion resistant than the PMA11 mule.
Attachments
20230606_204458.jpg
20230606_204449.jpg
User avatar
nerdlock
Member
Posts: 1946
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2020 3:43 am

Re: MT39P – CPM 15V Mule Team Dropping Soon!

#203

Post by nerdlock »

ykspydiefan wrote:
Fri Jun 02, 2023 8:31 pm
Dropped on my door. Hotter than a pan of cookies. I bought two, one accepts scales easy, the other will need some work.

IMG_20230602_200301915fifteenV.jpg
That edge near the ricasso looks like it's been sharpened too much!
8Cr13MoV:N690Co:VG10:S30V:S35VN:S45VN:Elmax:SPY27:H1:LC200N:4V:MagnaCut:CTS-XHP:204P:M390:20CV:Cru-Wear:Z-Wear:M4:Rex-45:10V:K390:15V:S90V:Z-Max:Maxamet
electro-static
Member
Posts: 358
Joined: Sat Feb 19, 2022 2:20 am

Re: MT39P – CPM 15V Mule Team Dropping Soon!

#204

Post by electro-static »

Did anyone find sharpening the mule easier than the folders.
horzuff
Member
Posts: 157
Joined: Wed Feb 05, 2014 1:02 pm

Re: MT39P – CPM 15V Mule Team Dropping Soon!

#205

Post by horzuff »

Probably because of the thinner edge
weeping minora
Member
Posts: 523
Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2017 5:30 pm

Re: MT39P – CPM 15V Mule Team Dropping Soon!

#206

Post by weeping minora »

I didn't particularly find the edge itself, nor BTE dimensions, "thin", but as has been stated amongst the whole run of 15v knives: the steel certainly sharpens very nicely, with Shawn's heat treatment.
Make Knife Grinds Thin Again.
User avatar
Striple765Rider
Member
Posts: 181
Joined: Thu May 25, 2023 12:54 pm
Location: Danville, PA

Re: MT39P – CPM 15V Mule Team Dropping Soon!

#207

Post by Striple765Rider »

Well I tried my hand at making my own scales for the first time ever. Considering it was my first time ever and what I had to work with (no belt sander or anything you’d normally use) I’m pretty happy with the results.
I went to knife maker and bought the barrel spacers, hex head screws, a pair of OD green canvas micarta scale slabs and a pair of OD green with red liners G10 scale slabs.
I watched several YouTube videos and dos a lot of reading on here and other knife forums to get ideas and learn as much as I could. I decided to start with the micarta scales since they were the cheapest and they’re very easy to find. I did all this with a hand held jig saw, hand drill, angle grinder with flap discs, a palm sander and a little hand sanding.
I messed up a little bit right up at the lower guard area and I want to recess the screw heads more because I don’t like them being out past the scales. I’m also thinking about trying to contour them some instead of just being flat slabs but for now it feels very good in the hand (other than feeling the screw heads) and doesn’t look horrible. I think next weekend I’ll start on the G10 scales and a second set of scales for my awesome 15V mule.

The top picture was right after I finished up and the second picture was after a light coat of mineral oil.

IMG_6796-compressed.jpeg
IMG_6798-compressed.jpeg
Delica VG-10, Endura ZDP-189, Stretch 2 SS K390, Matriarch 2 VG-10, Para 3 LW BD1N, Para 2 CruCarta, Para 2 MaxaMet, Yojimbo 2 S30V, Manix 2 S30V, Knife Joy Manix 2 in 20CV, Teal Para 2 in S90V, Bade HQ Manix 2 Mint with M4, Blade HQ Shaman Micarta with M4, Mule in 15V, Delica in super blue/SUS410, Blade HQ Para 2 Natural Jade with satin M4, REC “Avocado” Para 2 204P, GPK White with DLC Rex 45, Knifejoy exclusive SpydieChef, Techno2, Caribbean sheepsfoot with dyed scales, cutlery shoppe orange/black DLC HXP wharncliffe Para 2, Endura VG10 SE wharncliffe project knife and a Bill Moran drop point in VG-10.

-Dave
User avatar
Ramonade
Member
Posts: 3049
Joined: Sun Aug 15, 2021 3:45 pm
Location: NE France

Re: MT39P – CPM 15V Mule Team Dropping Soon!

#208

Post by Ramonade »

electro-static wrote:
Sat Jun 10, 2023 12:46 pm
Did anyone find sharpening the mule easier than the folders.
I'm telling you that soon, I have to put my own edge on the Mule. According to Shawn Houston/BBB it seems like the Mules are ran a bit harder so maybe I'll be able to feel a difference on the stones.

I only sharpened my 15V Manix for now and it was as good an experience as sharpening my Maxamet N5 LW (It's not ironic, everytime I sharpen it it goes so smoothly it's crazy)
:respect In the collection :respect : Lots of different steels, in lots of different (and same) Spydercos.

Robin. Finally made an IG : ramo_knives

MNOSD member 004* aka Mr. N5s :face-clouds
User avatar
Striple765Rider
Member
Posts: 181
Joined: Thu May 25, 2023 12:54 pm
Location: Danville, PA

Re: MT39P – CPM 15V Mule Team Dropping Soon!

#209

Post by Striple765Rider »

I sharpened my mule and found it pretty easy to do. I put it in my work sharp precision adjust and find the one bevel right at 15°abs the other was just a little steeper and close to 17-ish. I started on the 220 grit and got them both sitting at 15°and a burr going and then progressed all the way up through the ceramic. Then I stropped it on 3 micron venev Diamond paste and then 1 micron. Both are loaded on smooth leather mounted on wood. It’s not a super clean mirror polish but it’s got a very nice shine to it and it is crazy sharp.
Delica VG-10, Endura ZDP-189, Stretch 2 SS K390, Matriarch 2 VG-10, Para 3 LW BD1N, Para 2 CruCarta, Para 2 MaxaMet, Yojimbo 2 S30V, Manix 2 S30V, Knife Joy Manix 2 in 20CV, Teal Para 2 in S90V, Bade HQ Manix 2 Mint with M4, Blade HQ Shaman Micarta with M4, Mule in 15V, Delica in super blue/SUS410, Blade HQ Para 2 Natural Jade with satin M4, REC “Avocado” Para 2 204P, GPK White with DLC Rex 45, Knifejoy exclusive SpydieChef, Techno2, Caribbean sheepsfoot with dyed scales, cutlery shoppe orange/black DLC HXP wharncliffe Para 2, Endura VG10 SE wharncliffe project knife and a Bill Moran drop point in VG-10.

-Dave
User avatar
sal
Member
Posts: 16964
Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2004 12:00 pm
Location: Golden, Colorado USA

Re: MT39P – CPM 15V Mule Team Dropping Soon!

#210

Post by sal »

Hi Striple765Rider,

Welcome to our forum.

sal
User avatar
Striple765Rider
Member
Posts: 181
Joined: Thu May 25, 2023 12:54 pm
Location: Danville, PA

Re: MT39P – CPM 15V Mule Team Dropping Soon!

#211

Post by Striple765Rider »

Thank you Sal!! You guys are incredible with how humble and involved you are in your business. A LOOOT of people get to your level and just become another corporation and are just about numbers. You and your son are 100% true knife guy’s and truly love your work. That’s so awesome to see these days. A big part of why I pretty much have only bought Spyderco’s for years now. Not just because of how high quality they are and the really cool steels you guys are always using but because you’re still just guys who love to make really cool knives.
Delica VG-10, Endura ZDP-189, Stretch 2 SS K390, Matriarch 2 VG-10, Para 3 LW BD1N, Para 2 CruCarta, Para 2 MaxaMet, Yojimbo 2 S30V, Manix 2 S30V, Knife Joy Manix 2 in 20CV, Teal Para 2 in S90V, Bade HQ Manix 2 Mint with M4, Blade HQ Shaman Micarta with M4, Mule in 15V, Delica in super blue/SUS410, Blade HQ Para 2 Natural Jade with satin M4, REC “Avocado” Para 2 204P, GPK White with DLC Rex 45, Knifejoy exclusive SpydieChef, Techno2, Caribbean sheepsfoot with dyed scales, cutlery shoppe orange/black DLC HXP wharncliffe Para 2, Endura VG10 SE wharncliffe project knife and a Bill Moran drop point in VG-10.

-Dave
User avatar
Ramonade
Member
Posts: 3049
Joined: Sun Aug 15, 2021 3:45 pm
Location: NE France

Re: MT39P – CPM 15V Mule Team Dropping Soon!

#212

Post by Ramonade »

I wanted to sharpen the Mule directly but since factory edges have been a subject of discussion as of late, I decided to test it. I made a bunch of cuts in printing paper and receipt papers to see if a burr was there, apparently everything was good. I decided to use the last inch of edge at the heel.

Image

I have pizza boxes that all have the same dimensions and cardboard. They're made of square of 30X30cm (I'll put everything in centimeters and convert the total cut length in the end, so that nobody is like (what's that scenti meters thingy ?)
All the cuts are of the same length (I tried to keep as straigth as possible) :

Image

The part of the edge I used started to snag a bit on paper after 260 cuts :

Image
Image

260 cuts of 30 cm makes a total length of 7 800 cm. Converted in feet it makes 255.9 feet.

I don't know if it's a sensible score or not, I'm going to give it a real edge today and I'm pretty sure this result will radically change.
:respect In the collection :respect : Lots of different steels, in lots of different (and same) Spydercos.

Robin. Finally made an IG : ramo_knives

MNOSD member 004* aka Mr. N5s :face-clouds
User avatar
Ramonade
Member
Posts: 3049
Joined: Sun Aug 15, 2021 3:45 pm
Location: NE France

Re: MT39P – CPM 15V Mule Team Dropping Soon!

#213

Post by Ramonade »

I've been gathering lots of cardboard for my next test(s). It's double corrugated cardboard though, so It won't be ok for a comparison. I'll have to eat a lot of pizzas to really compare :open-grin :')

In the meantime, here's a video of the first edge at 17 dps (like other Mules, to keep the same geometry).
F240 edge with 3, 1 then 0,25 micron stropping.



Sorry it's hard to cut watching through a phone, might look like and idiot.
:respect In the collection :respect : Lots of different steels, in lots of different (and same) Spydercos.

Robin. Finally made an IG : ramo_knives

MNOSD member 004* aka Mr. N5s :face-clouds
weeping minora
Member
Posts: 523
Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2017 5:30 pm

Re: MT39P – CPM 15V Mule Team Dropping Soon!

#214

Post by weeping minora »

Ramonade wrote:
Wed Jun 28, 2023 7:54 am
I've been gathering lots of cardboard for my next test(s). It's double corrugated cardboard though, so It won't be ok for a comparison. I'll have to eat a lot of pizzas to really compare :open-grin :')

In the meantime, here's a video of the first edge at 17 dps (like other Mules, to keep the same geometry).
F240 edge with 3, 1 then 0,25 micron stropping.



Sorry it's hard to cut watching through a phone, might look like and idiot.
Sharp!

I cut a large box of double corrugated cardboard last week and 15v didn't even blink at it. I think the cut count total of that box was somewhere near ~269. That number sounds about right anyway. I had done a decent amount of unrecorded cutting before then and the edge, whilst no longer "crisp", was still cutting with some serious aggression. A quick strop with 4 and 1 micron brought the edge back to hair splitting.

On a side note, I was shocked to see a patina form this morning instantaneously after hitting it with Bar Keeper's Friend to knock off a bit of corrosion that started to form under the G-10 scales I had affixed. I have it soaking in mineral oil before putting some new scales on at the moment. I'll have to snap a pic before I put some new scales on to update with evidence. Never seen anything like that happen before. It was interesting though :astonished.
Make Knife Grinds Thin Again.
Post Reply