Mule Team G10 handle "too small" ? Does not cover tang fully

A place to share your experience with our Mule Team knives.
alexct
Member
Posts: 8
Joined: Tue Feb 02, 2021 11:21 am

Mule Team G10 handle "too small" ? Does not cover tang fully

#1

Post by alexct »

Started putting together my Mule Team package last night. Found that the G10 handle (Mule Team supply) has a footprint that does not cover the tang steel fully - the steel of the tang "sticks" out couple of milimeters on all sides. Anyone else with this problem? - Is this to be expected or did I get a "shrunken handle"? Sorry no photos, knife is at home and I am at work...
BLUETYPEII
Member
Posts: 897
Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2018 1:02 pm
Location: Mesa Arizona USA Earth

Re: Mule Team G10 handle "too small" ? Does not cover tang fully

#2

Post by BLUETYPEII »

alexct wrote:
Thu Feb 25, 2021 7:59 am
Started putting together my Mule Team package last night. Found that the G10 handle (Mule Team supply) has a footprint that does not cover the tang steel fully - the steel of the tang "sticks" out couple of milimeters on all sides. Anyone else with this problem? - Is this to be expected or did I get a "shrunken handle"? Sorry no photos, knife is at home and I am at work...
FYI when I assembled mine it was exactly the same.
40 Spyderco knives in 11 different steels,
1 Byrd and 30 “others”
TomAiello
Member
Posts: 6655
Joined: Tue Jun 11, 2013 10:34 pm
Location: Twin Falls, ID

Re: Mule Team G10 handle "too small" ? Does not cover tang fully

#3

Post by TomAiello »

The Halpern scales leave exposed metal around the outside edge. They've always been that way.
Cscottsss
Member
Posts: 525
Joined: Thu Aug 02, 2018 6:33 am
Location: Lexington, KY

Re: Mule Team G10 handle "too small" ? Does not cover tang fully

#4

Post by Cscottsss »

Mine are the same.
User avatar
TkoK83Spy
Member
Posts: 12447
Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2018 5:32 pm
Location: Syracuse, NY

Re: Mule Team G10 handle "too small" ? Does not cover tang fully

#5

Post by TkoK83Spy »

Yep, same here. No biggie, still very comfortable in use.
15 :bug-red 's in 10 different steels
1 - Bradford Guardian 3 / Vanadis 4E Wharnie
1 - Monterey Bay Knives Slayback Flipper / ZDP 189
1 - CRK Small Sebenza 31/Macassar Ebony Inlays
1 - CRK Large Inkosi Insingo/ Black Micarta Inlays
1 - CRK Small Sebenza 31 Insingo/Magnacut

-Rick
alexct
Member
Posts: 8
Joined: Tue Feb 02, 2021 11:21 am

Re: Mule Team G10 handle "too small" ? Does not cover tang fully

#6

Post by alexct »

Thanks. I appreciate the feedback. Will work with it, maybe round off the SS edges a tiny bit.
yablanowitz
Member
Posts: 6881
Joined: Sun Apr 09, 2006 2:16 pm
Location: Liberal, Kansas

Re: Mule Team G10 handle "too small" ? Does not cover tang fully

#7

Post by yablanowitz »

That's why I've never bought commercial scales for any of mine. I'd much rather they were a little oversize so I could sand them down to fit, but every one I've seen has been undersize.
Pokey
Member
Posts: 1209
Joined: Fri May 08, 2020 1:11 pm
Location: Thornton, Colorado

Re: Mule Team G10 handle "too small" ? Does not cover tang fully

#8

Post by Pokey »

I have a set of the Halpern G10 scales and mine aren’t as big as the handle either. It’s done that way for a couple of reasons.

First, not every Mule Team knife handle is the same dimensionally. If Halpern made the scales to cover the steel edge to edge on mine the G10 would overlap the steel and stick out on some blades that were smaller. By intentionally making the scales narrower than the steel you’ll always see the steel peeking out from under the scales. They can’t match every scale to every blade.

Secondly, look at the Bradley Folders. The CF on those is intentionally under-sized for the above stated manufacturing purposes and Gayle Bradley has said it gives a more radiused or rounded feel in the hand.

Here’s a brand-x knife with the same design. To use the proper lingo, the liners are “proud.” ;)
Attachments
72AEB38B-9F8B-4C70-8106-2B2D4CB4346E.jpeg
yablanowitz
Member
Posts: 6881
Joined: Sun Apr 09, 2006 2:16 pm
Location: Liberal, Kansas

Re: Mule Team G10 handle "too small" ? Does not cover tang fully

#9

Post by yablanowitz »

Aside from the holes being smaller on the 52100 Mule, the handles have been remarkably consistent, at least on mine. But the scale maker would doubtless be held liable if there was a sharp edge sticking out, so better safe than sorry.

As to the second point, "digital rounding" is used in my dictionary as an example of the word "oxymoron". That's why I gave away my Bradley folder.
User avatar
RustyIron
Member
Posts: 2376
Joined: Mon Mar 18, 2019 9:01 pm
Location: La Habra, CA
Contact:

Re: Mule Team G10 handle "too small" ? Does not cover tang fully

#10

Post by RustyIron »

alexct wrote:
Thu Feb 25, 2021 7:59 am
Found that the G10 handle (Mule Team supply) has a footprint that does not cover the tang steel fully - the steel of the tang "sticks" out couple of milimeters on all sides.

The grotesquely mismatched scales are evident in many pictures you can find online. It's the first thing I notice. Using such a knife would be an annoyance every time I looked at it. I'd eventually come to hate the knife and give it away.

Maybe undersized scales are the intention... and artistic statement. If that's the case, it would be cool if the manufacturer would address it. If it's a flaw, then it would be cool if they just did more precise work.

.
Pokey
Member
Posts: 1209
Joined: Fri May 08, 2020 1:11 pm
Location: Thornton, Colorado

Re: Mule Team G10 handle "too small" ? Does not cover tang fully

#11

Post by Pokey »

RustyIron wrote:
Fri Feb 26, 2021 2:11 pm

The grotesquely mismatched scales are evident in many pictures you can find online. It's the first thing I notice. Using such a knife would be an annoyance every time I looked at it. I'd eventually come to hate the knife and give it away.

Maybe undersized scales are the intention... and artistic statement. If that's the case, it would be cool if the manufacturer would address it. If it's a flaw, then it would be cool if they just did more precise work.

.
Agreed, in this day and age of programable NC milling machines that wouldn’t fly with me either.
User avatar
VooDooChild
Member
Posts: 2617
Joined: Wed Feb 21, 2018 1:29 am

Re: Mule Team G10 handle "too small" ? Does not cover tang fully

#12

Post by VooDooChild »

Mine are the same. But there was just enough slack in the handle screw holes that I could make it nearly flush with the top of the tang or bottom of the tang.
"Rome's greatest contribution to mathematics was the killing of Archimedes."
cycleguy
Member
Posts: 1487
Joined: Tue Aug 28, 2018 4:46 pm
Location: Arvada, coloRADo

Re: Mule Team G10 handle "too small" ? Does not cover tang fully

#13

Post by cycleguy »

Same here. I have around a half dozen of the HT G-10 scales from SFO and HT. They are all slightly undersized. It wouldn't be my first choice, but I can get along with it just fine. On a side note - I have seen some unstable handle material on fixed blades that have shrunk to about the same condition.

CG
So many knives - so little funds!!!
User avatar
defenestrate
Member
Posts: 2656
Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:33 am
Location: RTP NC area
Contact:

Re: Mule Team G10 handle "too small" ? Does not cover tang fully

#14

Post by defenestrate »

The Gayle Bradley folders were designed to have the handle scales just a little bit smaller than the liners. I'm geussing taht's the purpose of these as well. To quote the description on the 2nd Bradley folder (the first was the same and I seem to recall Gayle saying the same thing either in here or on a video): "The Bradley Folder 2’s handle features exceptionally thick full skeletonized stainless steel liners, a high-strength LinerLock mechanism, and carbon fiber/G-10 laminate scales that are slightly smaller than the profile of the liners. This handle style offers a hand-filling grip and excellent tactile orientation, while still keeping the knife slim and easy to carry."

So it's meant to improve the grip a little bit from what I can tell. Here's the model info page. Personally it doesn't bother me at all, thought it is different - as long as it is by design and not just sloppy, which I don't think Halpern is known to be.

https://www.spyderco.com/catalog/details/C134CF2/963
User avatar
Bolster
Member
Posts: 5573
Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2007 1:27 pm
Location: CalyFRNia

Re: Mule Team G10 handle "too small" ? Does not cover tang fully

#15

Post by Bolster »

Look, guys, the "problem" of slightly proud tang steel (which I actually like) is easily fixed with a belt sander and 20 minutes of time.

It's easy enough to reduce the size of the mule tang to match the Halperns. While you're at it, add a few customizations of your own. Modify your environment. Make things how you want them. Enjoy life a little.
yablanowitz
Member
Posts: 6881
Joined: Sun Apr 09, 2006 2:16 pm
Location: Liberal, Kansas

Re: Mule Team G10 handle "too small" ? Does not cover tang fully

#16

Post by yablanowitz »

It would be a lot easier to sand down some relatively soft scale material than the hardened steel tang. Just sayin'.
TomAiello
Member
Posts: 6655
Joined: Tue Jun 11, 2013 10:34 pm
Location: Twin Falls, ID

Re: Mule Team G10 handle "too small" ? Does not cover tang fully

#17

Post by TomAiello »

IzzoyourNizzo sent me a set of his 3d printed scales to test out, and in my opinion they're superior to the 'factory' (Halpern) scales. They're thicker, and chamfered (very similar to the Shaman scales), and printed from some material that's lighter than G-10. So far they're very comfortable, and have almost the perfect amount of 'grippiness' to hold firmly without tearing up my hand for most EDC chores.

Photos of them, with a random set of my scales for comparison.

Image

Image

Image
User avatar
Josh Crutchley
Member
Posts: 1391
Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 2:44 am
Location: Michigan

Re: Mule Team G10 handle "too small" ? Does not cover tang fully

#18

Post by Josh Crutchley »

TomAiello wrote:
Fri Apr 02, 2021 8:51 pm
IzzoyourNizzo sent me a set of his 3d printed scales to test out, and in my opinion they're superior to the 'factory' (Halpern) scales. They're thicker, and chamfered (very similar to the Shaman scales), and printed from some material that's lighter than G-10. So far they're very comfortable, and have almost the perfect amount of 'grippiness' to hold firmly without tearing up my hand for most EDC chores.

Photos of them, with a random set of my scales for comparison.

Image

Image

Image
Looks good. I just got around to setting up my sla 3d printer. It's going to be tricky with the Photon Zeros small build volume.
Post Reply