I love that all the mule threads are in one place! Thanks so much TazKristi and anyone else responsible for this great forum. It's nice to be able to look at the beautiful knives of forum members.
It's kinda sad though since most of the Mules are unobtainable. There's so many new people joining this community, like myself, that recently got interested in knife steels. We have to sit on the sidelines since we're effectively priced out of the market. The Mule Team knives should be users but any for sale on the secondary market are being treated as a collectibles. The whole point of the Mule Team is to compare steels in the same package. That's near impossible when they're selling for insane prices on the secondary market (unless I win one in legOfwhat?s Mule Team giveaway :D ). I know there's no changing how a free market works. There's threads asking to bring back this or that and I'm sure people are getting tired of them so I apologize for that.
It seems as though interest in the Mule Team has increased lately. I'm not sure how sales would be now compared to initial runs of the more popular steels. The price would get a bump up from the original price but don't think that would be an issue. It's possible Maxamet could be cheaper now that they have more experience with it being in production. They could also be produced with different heat treatments. I was just reading about the Zdp-189 Mule Hrc issue and it seemed there was an interest in both Hrc versions. The different HT also goes with the whole Mule Team concept. I also hope production will be higher for the 3 upcoming mules. I'm still grateful that Spyderco does this at all and hope the Mule Team continues to get the newest steels in the hands of users like us.
I like the idea of making them test sets, in various steels.
But I'd LOVE to see Spyderco pick out one or two (Spy 27 seems like the natural choice, since it's a proprietary Spyderco steel) and make them regular production.
The project is a new concept and we really don't have any set rules that would apply to normal production. We made them and make them for users. They were never intended to be collector pieces. So we're open to all suggestions. The goal is to learn about blade steels and we've included you as "Real-World-Testers".
I'd like to see Spyderco offer Mule re-runs so I could get steels that I have missed out on that have been discontinued for some time. Maybe one steel/re-run a year.
The project is a new concept and we really don't have any set rules that would apply to normal production. We made them and make them for users. They were never intended to be collector pieces. So we're open to all suggestions. The goal is to learn about blade steels and we've included you as "Real-World-Testers".
sal
It wasn't too long ago stainless, high carbon, and "damascus" were the only blade steels I knew of. Thanks to Spyderco and this great forum I know how larger the blade steel world is. I've also read just about every article on Larrin's website and feel I've learned so much in a sort time. It seems to have fueled my interest in the Mule Team even more. I'm still "tasting" all these steels for myself and the Mule Team seems like the best knife to do just that. I love the more standardized approach to knife testing. I don't plan on missing and new Mules when they come out.
I would be very glad to see the return of previously run Mule Team steels. Many of the models which are being brought back, whether it be a Sprint or regular production were already long gone before I knew about Spyderco or had the ability to buy them.
I have many ideas for steel tests, I think the Mules are the perfect platform, but a lot of interesting steels have already been made.
However, I’m excited for the future Spy27 and other new variations. I think they will be great for handle-making practice.
I’ve made some flint knives and carved/hafted some pretty complex handles on those with no power tools, but I’d like to get better at actual knife handles.
I’ve been making all kinds of makeshift knives, swords, axes, spears, etc. since I was just a little kid.
Used to save parts of aluminum lawn chairs and hammer them into swords when I was maybe 10 or 11 years old. I’d chop things until they’d break and then just re-sharpen what I had left.
The Mule Team project has that same spirit I think. Very cool to me!
rex121 is the king of steel, but nature’s teeth have been cutting for hundreds of millions of years and counting :cool:
I can't wait for the SPY-27 and Z-Max Mules. The main reason I want some of the older mules is to see how the newest steels stack up to the "classics". I want need them ALL!! :D :D
I have learned things from the few mules I have, even if I haven't felt that anything was worth passing along. I was absolutely blown away by PMA11 -- the steel that never gets dull. And PD1 as the steel that just wants to get sharp with almost no effort. Very different but each a delight in its own way.
I'd definitely buy re-runs of many of the mules. The ones I missed, but also some that I only have one of and really like (K390, for example).
I think the problem is that some runs are super popular and hard to get, which drives users crazy when they can't get them, but others aren't so popular and sit around for a long time, representing wasted time and investment for Spyderco--the factory could have been making some super popular sprint run so that it's production was out being used and enjoyed, rather than sitting on shelves in Golden.
Definitely a puzzle to be solved. Maybe re-runs of the fast sellers would help?
I'd definitely buy re-runs of many of the mules. The ones I missed, but also some that I only have one of and really like (K390, for example).
I think the problem is that some runs are super popular and hard to get, which drives users crazy when they can't get them, but others aren't so popular and sit around for a long time, representing wasted time and investment for Spyderco--the factory could have been making some super popular sprint run so that it's production was out being used and enjoyed, rather than sitting on shelves in Golden.
Definitely a puzzle to be solved. Maybe re-runs of the fast sellers would help?
I'm not sure how sales where on these in the past. It could be worth it to bring back the "fast sellers" like you say. The steels still in production make the most sense. That way even the newbies can have a benchmark steel to compare all the new stuff too. I would love to compare the new Mules to the Maxamet or S110v mules but that is never going to happen. I'm not willing to pay collector prices for any knife.
I guess I cant blame people for trying to make a buck.
I am not the biggest fan of the mule team knife shape/design, but I love the affordable price and exoctic steels. Also when Im done redoing my shed I can actually make some handles and mod some mules.
Has anyone noticed how cheap the recently announced mules are? Its awesome.
I can see why theres some high demand for older mules since we just cant predict which steels spyderco will choose to run with and do what with. So far a maxamet fixed blade hasnt happened, so the people with the mules have the only ones. I know I would like to see some more 52100, in another sprint or a fixed blade would be really cool. But I dont think spyderco will do a 52100 fixed blade. So once again the people with the mules have one.
"Rome's greatest contribution to mathematics was the killing of Archimedes."
I know I would like to see some more 52100, in another sprint or a fixed blade would be really cool. But I dont think spyderco will do a 52100 fixed blade. So once again the people with the mules have one.
I think that doing future runs of some of the old Mule Team steels should definitely happen and base the number produced on how fast the last one sold.
I welcome dialog, as long as it remains cordial, constructive and is conducted in a civilized manner. - Titanic: Blood & Steel
You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time. - Abraham Lincoln
). I know there's no changing how a free market works. There's threads asking to bring back this or that and I'm sure people are getting tired of them so I apologize for that. 
