Show your Mule

A place to share your experience with our Mule Team knives.
TTFulltimer
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Re: Show your Mule

#1661

Post by TTFulltimer »

Stet
Just a crotchety old curmudgeon who has seen a thing or two
GnifeGnut
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Re: Show your Mule

#1662

Post by GnifeGnut »

TTFulltimer wrote:
Sun Mar 05, 2023 6:11 pm
This is the first knife handle I have ever made, made lots of handles for fishing rods.

Image

Nice work TTFulltimer.
TTFulltimer
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Re: Show your Mule

#1663

Post by TTFulltimer »

GnifeGnut wrote:
Thu Mar 09, 2023 9:45 pm
Nice work TTFulltimer.
Thanks there were a few fixed oopsies along the way.
Just a crotchety old curmudgeon who has seen a thing or two
tcarltonw
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Re: Show your Mule

#1664

Post by tcarltonw »

Image

Image

As expected making my second(& third) handle ever(made a handle for a woodcraft knife i reprofiled) has come with alot of trial and error. I was ripping two 1/2" scales to make some thin sets and on the second one(Tater Lake G-carta from the 2nd photo) I collapsed the plastic insert that's in the middle of my bandsaw table. The Mule handle is Box Elder burl and the second knife is a Little Rascal from Deep Cuts Cutlery. I was going to try and squeeze a second handle out of the g-carta but it's going to be too tight. Will make another post when they're finished.
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BearShark44
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Re: Show your Mule

#1665

Post by BearShark44 »

TTFulltimer wrote:
Sun Mar 05, 2023 6:11 pm
My Sexy Rexy. Rex 76 camp knife. Zebrawood with integral guard. Shaped on a Wen oscillating drum sander. Polished with scotch brite wheels, then put on a burnished carnauba wax finish with felt wheel...
...I used four power tools, a drill press, a table saber saw, a belt sander and the oscillating drum sander...
Thanks @TTFulltimer, great post - appreciate the note on tools used and tips provided, very helpful. :cheap-sunglasses
:bug-white-red :camping MT39P-15V, MT33P-Rex76; Sage1-Maxamet, Endela-K390, Delica4-M390, PM2-K390, PM2-S30v, Dragonfly2-SB, AmbitiousSE-8Cr13MoV; others TBD
Ilocano73
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Re: Show your Mule

#1666

Post by Ilocano73 »

I saw a similar design being sold and thought it was interesting so I created one with my own take on the design. This is the 1st and second test prints and I think it's getting close to where I want it to feel and look. It's a slim design at 13mm at the thickest currently but thinking of adding a millimeter or two on each side. I also need to find a better hardware to use other than the HD screws that I have around.
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Gold PLA Scales
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Resin Scales with PLA Sheath
Resin Scales with PLA Sheath
Resin Scales
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TTFulltimer
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Re: Show your Mule

#1667

Post by TTFulltimer »

BearShark44 wrote:
Fri Mar 10, 2023 3:20 pm
Thanks @TTFulltimer, great post - appreciate the note on tools used and tips provided, very helpful. :cheap-sunglasses
My two M38P M398 mules have arrived. I will take a few pictures along the way as I put handles on them. One will be a little special. My son started in a police department and switched over to the fire department. He is retiring. I will be making a handle on one of the mules, with a thin blue line one one side and a thin red line on the other, as a retirement gift for him. It can be his boat knife. Still mulling over the position of the lines.
Just a crotchety old curmudgeon who has seen a thing or two
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Bolster
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Re: Show your Mule

#1668

Post by Bolster »

Ilocano73 wrote:
Sat Mar 11, 2023 2:25 am
I saw a similar design being sold and thought it was interesting so I created one with my own take on the design...

That's an interesting look, and (except for the screw hardware), is very intriguing. I like it.
Steel novice who self-identifies as a steel expert. Proud M.N.O.S.D. member 0003. Spydie Steels: 4V, 15V, 20CV, AEB-L, AUS6, Cru-Wear, HAP40, K294, K390, M4, Magnacut, S110V, S30V, S35VN, S45VN, SPY27, SRS13, T15, VG10, XHP, ZWear, ZDP189
Ilocano73
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Re: Show your Mule

#1669

Post by Ilocano73 »

Bolster wrote:
Sat Mar 11, 2023 12:28 pm
That's an interesting look, and (except for the screw hardware), is very intriguing. I like it.
Once I find a better hardware and happy with the overall design, I’ll post the file on thingiverse for people to download.
bobartig
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Re: Show your Mule

#1670

Post by bobartig »

Finishing up a pair of White Oak handles made from left over floorboards from the renovation (we have like 100 sq ft left). Better not drop this knife, I'll never find it again! :winking-tongue

Image

Image
TTFulltimer
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Re: Show your Mule

#1671

Post by TTFulltimer »

bobartig wrote:
Mon Mar 13, 2023 12:40 pm
Finishing up a pair of White Oak handles made from left over floorboards from the renovation (we have like 100 sq ft left). Better not drop this knife, I'll never find it again! :winking-tongue
Looks nice and that oak has enough surface irregularities to make a very secure grip. Dad and I used to fill an oak floor with sanding dust mixed with shellac before the finer final sandings. Then I would get on a wool blanket, and we would put down Bruce paste wax and he would slide me around the floor over and over to burnish in the wax. About three coats later that floor was impervious to gunk. The wax made a non slip floor and a new coat of wax buffed in about every six months was an easy maintenance routine. Later in life I used a circular floor polisher to do that. Mixed the Bruce with a bit or mineral spirits to make it a better cleaner wax. Spread a coat with a scotchbrite green which take off all gunk. Then let it dry and used white scotchbrite pad to buff and burnish, final polish with microfiber towel over the white pad. 1000 square feet took about two hours with drying time.
Just a crotchety old curmudgeon who has seen a thing or two
bobartig
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Re: Show your Mule

#1672

Post by bobartig »

What kind of wax is Bruce paste wax? I'm going to try to finish these with beeswax and mineral oil like my Birch set. I'm not certain how that's going to work with these larger grain voids.
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standy99
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Re: Show your Mule

#1673

Post by standy99 »

Special thanks to LegOFwhat? For the gift that arrived in the mail today.

Beautiful set of scales to put on my ZDP-189


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Im a vegetarian as technically cows are made of grass and water.
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legOFwhat?
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Re: Show your Mule

#1674

Post by legOFwhat? »

standy99 wrote:
Mon Mar 13, 2023 11:33 pm
Special thanks to LegOFwhat? For the gift that arrived in the mail today.

Beautiful set of scales to put on my ZDP-189
Glad you liked them! :cheap-sunglasses
-Larry
Hebrews 13:6 So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
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standy99
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Re: Show your Mule

#1675

Post by standy99 »

legOFwhat? wrote:
Tue Mar 14, 2023 4:54 am
standy99 wrote:
Mon Mar 13, 2023 11:33 pm
Special thanks to LegOFwhat? For the gift that arrived in the mail today.

Beautiful set of scales to put on my ZDP-189
Glad you liked them! :cheap-sunglasses
Just kicking the Koalas out of the tree to get you some beautiful Australian hardwood for you mate.

Thanks heaps
Im a vegetarian as technically cows are made of grass and water.
TTFulltimer
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Re: Show your Mule

#1676

Post by TTFulltimer »

bobartig wrote:
Mon Mar 13, 2023 6:08 pm
What kind of wax is Bruce paste wax? I'm going to try to finish these with beeswax and mineral oil like my Birch set. I'm not certain how that's going to work with these larger grain voids.
Mix some sanding dust with regular shellac. Fill the worst voids with that first. Then sand off all the excess filler. Now you are ready to wax. Spread the wax on with a rag and rub it in. Then let it dry for half an hour or so. If you have a buffing wheel, burnish that wax in. Repeat another two times. Make sure the buffing wheel gets nice and warm to drive the wax into the wood.

This is the latest version of that which I used. Been retired for 13 years so have not had the need. The Bruce paste wax is long gone, they changed to a liquid that is not the same. So it is Johnson Paste Wax I used. Now I see it even that is discontinued. Most likely the idiots since is has hydrocarbon volatiles. Fug em. The base wax is carnauba wax the same as I have in solid form. You can still find it on eBay. There is a used half full can that looks perfect. Just like mine did all dirty and crusty.

Another alternative is to get a bar of Carnauba, Amazon has many. Then you just touch the buffing wheel to the wax to load it and then transfer that to the wood with the buffing wheel.

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Just a crotchety old curmudgeon who has seen a thing or two
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Xplorer
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Re: Show your Mule

#1677

Post by Xplorer »

I completely agree with the finishing wax suggestion. It's easy to apply, provides nice protection to the wood and buffs up nicely.

I use a different brand. I've used Howard's Citrus Shield Premium Paste Wax for many years and I love it. It's Brazilian carnuba, bees wax and orange oil. It protects, shines and smells fantastic! Even though I usually treat unfinished woods with multiple applications of boiled linseed oil first, I always finish with Howard's wax. If I'm going to skip the linseed oil for any reason, I still always apply the wax. No wood project of mine is complete until it smells like oranges. :smlling-eyes

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:spyder: Spyderco fan and collector since 1991. :spyder:
Father of 2, nature explorer, custom knife maker.
@ckc_knifemaker on Instagram.
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legOFwhat?
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Re: Show your Mule

#1678

Post by legOFwhat? »

Xplorer wrote:
Tue Mar 14, 2023 12:59 pm
I completely agree with the finishing wax suggestion. It's easy to apply, provides nice protection to the wood and buffs up nicely.

I use a different brand. I've used Howard's Citrus Shield Premium Paste Wax for many years and I love it. It's Brazilian carnuba, bees wax and orange oil. It protects, shines and smells fantastic! Even though I usually treat unfinished woods with multiple applications of boiled linseed oil first, I always finish with Howard's wax. If I'm going to skip the linseed oil for any reason, I still always apply the wax. No wood project of mine is complete until it smells like oranges. :smlling-eyes

Image
I've never tried waxing but will give it a try! I spy some $$$vanax too :winking-tongue
-Larry
Hebrews 13:6 So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
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Xplorer
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Re: Show your Mule

#1679

Post by Xplorer »

legOFwhat? wrote:
Tue Mar 14, 2023 1:30 pm
I've never tried waxing but will give it a try! I spy some $$$vanax too :winking-tongue
:nerd Good eye! That's part of my not-so-secret stash that came straight from the Uddeholm factory. If all goes as planned, that piece is going to be put into service in Rustyiron's kitchen soon.
:spyder: Spyderco fan and collector since 1991. :spyder:
Father of 2, nature explorer, custom knife maker.
@ckc_knifemaker on Instagram.
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legOFwhat?
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Re: Show your Mule

#1680

Post by legOFwhat? »

Xplorer wrote:
Tue Mar 14, 2023 2:37 pm
legOFwhat? wrote:
Tue Mar 14, 2023 1:30 pm
I've never tried waxing but will give it a try! I spy some $$$vanax too :winking-tongue
:nerd Good eye! That's part of my not-so-secret stash that came straight from the Uddeholm factory. If all goes as planned, that piece is going to be put into service in Rustyiron's kitchen soon.
That Rusty is a luck man! Hopefully he's shares it with all of us🙏
-Larry
Hebrews 13:6 So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
MNOSD #0049
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