Spyderco Forums

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TomAiello wrote: ↑

Sat May 08, 2021 3:41 pm

Sure you could. :)

It just takes some practice.

Yes, given some practice, and the right tools, I could make some nice handles. Keeping the tools secure is a whole other worry.

Nice photo, Standy!

Are those Cuscadi scales?

TomAiello wrote: ↑

Wed May 12, 2021 10:34 am

Nice photo, Standy!

Are those Cuscadi scales?

Yes. Had them custom made...

Like most mule scales they will make them if you ask.

Their timber ones are killer (pic they sent me when I was enquiring about glow ones)
Though you send mule to them for fitting.



Here is another pic of their scales in blue with red liners

Hi, I’m a mule collector from the Uk and I do my own scales on my mule collection some pics

That's gorgeous, Mulemaster. Really beautiful work.

TomAiello wrote: ↑

Mon May 17, 2021 9:51 pm

That's gorgeous, Mulemaster. Really beautiful work.

Thank you

I finally got some time in the shop to dress up one of my Spy27 Mules. It will be way nicer to use this one than the quick paracord wrap I have on my other one.

The wood is an Acacia ironwood I picked up at a hardwood flooring shop. It is unstabilized and finished with boiled linseed oil. It only has one coat on it now but it will get the classic; once a day for a week, once a week for a month, and once a month for a year to give it a good built up hardened finish. I have hickory axe handles that I treat like this that have lasted 20 years in the bush so it should hold up well on this ironwood.

Now I just need to sit down at the bench with my leather tools and whip up an appropriate sheath for it.

^ Nice work! That ironwood protected the way you're suggesting should be a durable and beautiful handle for life.

Congrats on a job well done! I look forward to seeing the sheath too.

CK

My recently finished "how to" Mule. :)


CK

CK that thread was quite the education. Thank you! A buddy of mine is a woodworker and we got S45VN mules together to do a handle project. Here is a bit of walnut with the new mule. My old PSF27 mule is wearing some sapelle.

Xplorer wrote: ↑

Fri May 21, 2021 3:46 pm

My recently finished "how to" Mule. :)


CK

FullScaler wrote: ↑

Thu May 20, 2021 9:42 pm

I finally got some time in the shop to dress up one of my Spy27 Mules...

Looks great. Love the natural-wood look that the oil gives. Those corbys or pins?

...oops, double...

Xplorer wrote: ↑

Fri May 21, 2021 3:46 pm

My recently finished "how to" Mule. :)


CK

That's a well-muled Mule :)

007 Agent Zzero wrote: ↑

Fri May 21, 2021 9:16 pm

0B61723A-2854-403D-908A-6913BADA4FC2.jpeg
CK that thread was quite the education. Thank you! A buddy of mine is a woodworker and we got S45VN mules together to do a handle project. Here is a bit of walnut with the new mule. My old PSF27 mule is wearing some sapelle.

Both look great! I especially like Walnut. It's cool to see you got together with a friend and made some Mule handles. Well done. :)

Thanks, the wood is looking better every day as I keep working the boiled linseed oil into it.

They are brass pins. I was able to get a nice tight fit in the wood but did have a tiny bit of tearout on a couple of them.

Working on some real tight birds eye maple on next and hope to have time this weekend to finish it up.

Bolster wrote: ↑

Tue May 25, 2021 8:53 am

Looks great. Love the natural-wood look that the oil gives. Those corbys or pins?

FullScaler wrote: ↑

Thu May 27, 2021 12:36 am

Thanks, the wood is looking better every day as I keep working the boiled linseed oil into it.

They are brass pins. I was able to get a nice tight fit in the wood but did have a tiny bit of tearout on a couple of them.

Working on some real tight birds eye maple on next and hope to have time this weekend to finish it up.

Bolster wrote: ↑

Tue May 25, 2021 8:53 am

Looks great. Love the natural-wood look that the oil gives. Those corbys or pins?

Oh, maybe I see the small tearout, last pin left side? Tearout is a pain, can't be completely avoided, but tricks I have used to limit tearout include:

Placing a second piece of wood beneath whatever I'm drilling (works if flat object)
Putting masking tape where the bit will exit
Using brad-point wood bits that cut from the outside of the hole (mine are Bosch)
Drilling progressively large holes, if using standard bits (variable success)
Drilling with a very slow downpressure (and always in a drill press, never handheld)
Finding that danged piece of tearout and gluing it back into place.

Maybe Xplorer will hop in here and give his tricks and tips on tearout.

Anyway, looks great from here. Your linseed oil finish is a lot shinier than mine.

Xplorer wrote: ↑

Fri May 21, 2021 3:46 pm

My recently finished "how to" Mule. :)

Xplorer, if you are in this thread, can you give us your tips on avoiding tearout? You seem to avoid it entirely.