My Folding Mule Project

A place to share your experience with our Mule Team knives.
User avatar
Fireman
Member
Posts: 2628
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2020 12:18 am

Re: My Folding Mule Project

#121

Post by Fireman »

I need some of these in my life
CasperFatone wrote:
Tue Jan 10, 2023 1:40 pm
Small update on the Rex76 compression lock Mule. I made a titanium deep carry clip and enlarged the Spydiehole since my last post. This one is pretty much done, other than some cosmetic things I might do like bead blasting and anodizing.

I’m still not sure what I’m going to do for the next one. Current ideas include a compression/button lock similar to the shape of v1. I also have a design for one that would be shaped similar to the Autonomy 2. Before I do anything. I’m probably going to make a small folder or two out of my handle offcuts, which I will post here :)

Image

Image
:winking-tongue Mule Team Army 001
MNOSD 008 :usflag
Image Stable Mules; Z-Max, Z-Wear, Magna Cut, SRS13, Rex 76, Rex T15.
User avatar
kriezek
Member
Posts: 164
Joined: Mon Oct 23, 2023 8:00 pm
Location: Texas, US, Earth, Solar System, Milky Way

Re: My Folding Mule Project

#122

Post by kriezek »

Just found this thread cuz I was curious and interested in the concept of folding Mules, but without the skills demonstrated here. Absolutely, positively, AMAZING! Hat tip. :party-face
Current Carry Rotation - PM2, Techno 2, Autonomy 2, Smock, SpydieChef, Mantra 3

Top 5 - Stretch, Delica 4, Techno 2, Smock, PM2
User avatar
Ramonade
Member
Posts: 3049
Joined: Sun Aug 15, 2021 3:45 pm
Location: NE France

Re: My Folding Mule Project

#123

Post by Ramonade »

kriezek wrote:
Tue Jan 09, 2024 9:23 am
Just found this thread cuz I was curious and interested in the concept of folding Mules, but without the skills demonstrated here. Absolutely, positively, AMAZING! Hat tip. :party-face
I thought about it today too, I clearly do not have the skills, but I have many Mules, Maybe a friction folder could be possible for both of us :open-grin .

I bought a SPY27 Mule knowing very well I could buy others later on (and apparently AEB-L is still on the table, K294 too but, I'm never gonna be able to cut that off). We still can have the Mazeratti version of that Ferrari !
: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
CasperFatone
Member
Posts: 88
Joined: Sat Nov 19, 2022 9:02 am

Re: My Folding Mule Project

#124

Post by CasperFatone »

kriezek wrote:
Tue Jan 09, 2024 9:23 am
Just found this thread cuz I was curious and interested in the concept of folding Mules, but without the skills demonstrated here. Absolutely, positively, AMAZING! Hat tip. :party-face
Thanks man, these have become some of my favorite knives to carry. I just started on my next one that will be a 15v liner lock. It’s in the super early stages, as in I started it an hour or two ago, but here’s what I have so far :)

Image
Amateur maker of folding knives and addicted to modding Spyderco knives

Folding Mules- m398 liner lock, Rex76 compression lock, 15v liner lock flipper
tcarltonw
Member
Posts: 199
Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2022 8:18 pm

Re: My Folding Mule Project

#125

Post by tcarltonw »

😯
CasperFatone
Member
Posts: 88
Joined: Sat Nov 19, 2022 9:02 am

Re: My Folding Mule Project

#126

Post by CasperFatone »

Just a little update. I’m getting faster at doing this and think this will the best one yet. There’s a good chance I’ll chop up some of the other Mules I have to work with this handle if I’m happy with how the 15v blade turns out :)

Anyways, here’s what I’ve done so far. Still a long way to go with this one but hopefully I can find time to work on it this weekend. One other idea I’ve had for this knife is to hide the pivot and standoff screws under the scales, and mount the scales in standard Mule scale locations. That way this thing will look just like a normal Mule when it’s open. I’ve never tried that before with a folder but it shouldn’t be too hard to do.

Image
Amateur maker of folding knives and addicted to modding Spyderco knives

Folding Mules- m398 liner lock, Rex76 compression lock, 15v liner lock flipper
horzuff
Member
Posts: 157
Joined: Wed Feb 05, 2014 1:02 pm

Re: My Folding Mule Project

#127

Post by horzuff »

You would also have hot swappable scales that way! Something like the TRM Atom or Knafs Lander. Might be a decent idea to keep the pivot exposed as well to allow easier regulation, though not necessary
CasperFatone
Member
Posts: 88
Joined: Sat Nov 19, 2022 9:02 am

Re: My Folding Mule Project

#128

Post by CasperFatone »

horzuff wrote:
Fri Feb 02, 2024 5:22 am
You would also have hot swappable scales that way!
This is an excellent point that I hadn’t even really thought about. Since I plan to possibly make several blades for this knife it would be great to have several scale options as well. Since this knife has full liners I can make scales in no time by using the liners as a template.
Amateur maker of folding knives and addicted to modding Spyderco knives

Folding Mules- m398 liner lock, Rex76 compression lock, 15v liner lock flipper
Paul Ardbeg
Member
Posts: 391
Joined: Sun May 14, 2023 11:39 am
Location: The Netherlands

Re: My Folding Mule Project

#129

Post by Paul Ardbeg »

Just incredible! I admire your skill and enginuity.
PM2 Crucarta, Manix 2 lw s110v, Manix 2 blackout, Shaman, Tenacious, GB1, GB2, Smock, Kapara, Native 5 s90v, Chaparral cts-xhp faceted Ti, Para 3 blackout flytanium scales. PM2 M390 DLT exclusive, Caly 3 Superblue sprint run, Police PE ATS-55, Mcbee, Caly 3.5 ZDP189 CF, PM2 Maxamet, Millitary CF s90v sprint run, Lil' Native CF s90v sprint run, Mule CPM Rex T15, Spydiechef, Amalgam.

MNOSD member #0052

***Memento mori, memento vivere***
CasperFatone
Member
Posts: 88
Joined: Sat Nov 19, 2022 9:02 am

Re: My Folding Mule Project

#130

Post by CasperFatone »

Just a quick progress report. I was able to get the lockbar cut, fit up the tang, and set the detent earlier this morning. I’m going to add another standoff at the back before moving along to making some scales. There’s a good chance the first set of scales will be Purple Heart to match my other 15v Mule, but I’d be open to other suggestions.

Image
Amateur maker of folding knives and addicted to modding Spyderco knives

Folding Mules- m398 liner lock, Rex76 compression lock, 15v liner lock flipper
CasperFatone
Member
Posts: 88
Joined: Sat Nov 19, 2022 9:02 am

Re: My Folding Mule Project

#131

Post by CasperFatone »

Almost done! It still needs a pocket clip and a little bit of fine tuning, but it is locking up super solid and the action is pretty nice already. The folder is actually slightly narrower than the fixed blade one, although the scales are a little less contoured. However, the two knives feel almost identical in your hand. Sometime soon I’ll make the pocket clip and probably adapt my AEB-L Mule to work with this knife.

Image

Image

Image

Image
Amateur maker of folding knives and addicted to modding Spyderco knives

Folding Mules- m398 liner lock, Rex76 compression lock, 15v liner lock flipper
User avatar
FullScaler
Member
Posts: 263
Joined: Sat Nov 30, 2019 12:42 am
Contact:

Re: My Folding Mule Project

#132

Post by FullScaler »

Man that looks good. It stays true to the look and feel of the Mule team style but makes it way more accessible to carry.
Every day in my pockets, Wallet, Keys, Phone, Light, and Knife.

Https://BladeProtection.com
User avatar
FullScaler
Member
Posts: 263
Joined: Sat Nov 30, 2019 12:42 am
Contact:

Re: My Folding Mule Project

#133

Post by FullScaler »

Man that looks good. It stays true to the look and feel of the Mule team style but makes it way more accessible to carry.
Every day in my pockets, Wallet, Keys, Phone, Light, and Knife.

Https://BladeProtection.com
CasperFatone
Member
Posts: 88
Joined: Sat Nov 19, 2022 9:02 am

Re: My Folding Mule Project

#134

Post by CasperFatone »

This one is all done, and I have to say it’s the best one yet. The lockup on this thing is rock solid and it has zero lock stick thanks to carbidizing the lock face. I was able to get the detent tuned to perfection so it flips very reliably and is still nice to thumb flick and Spydie flick. As usual I made the clip out of .040” titanium but went the extra mile and did countersunk screws so it’s extra smooth going in and out of the pocket. Because of the shape of the handle this thing carries so well with a deep carry clip, to the point that I don’t even notice it when I take my keys out of the same pocket. I considered grinding away some of the show scale for better lock access, but decided it looks better this way and it doesn’t really bother me. I did grind some relief into the lock bar and the show side liner similar to the GB1 and I feel like it gets the job done.

Image
Amateur maker of folding knives and addicted to modding Spyderco knives

Folding Mules- m398 liner lock, Rex76 compression lock, 15v liner lock flipper
tcarltonw
Member
Posts: 199
Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2022 8:18 pm

Re: My Folding Mule Project

#135

Post by tcarltonw »

Awesome work sir.
horzuff
Member
Posts: 157
Joined: Wed Feb 05, 2014 1:02 pm

Re: My Folding Mule Project

#136

Post by horzuff »

Turned out great! Are You planning to make a folding HIC one? :D
CasperFatone
Member
Posts: 88
Joined: Sat Nov 19, 2022 9:02 am

Re: My Folding Mule Project

#137

Post by CasperFatone »

horzuff wrote:
Mon Feb 12, 2024 4:08 am
Turned out great! Are You planning to make a folding HIC one? :D
I’m going to try, but we’ll see how it goes. First thing I want to do is test drill a hole in the tang for a pivot, which I plan to do somewhere near the tail of the handle so if it cracks I still have a usable knife. If that goes well then I will drill my actual pivot hole and get to work.

My plan is to make a crossbar style lock. I’m thinking this for a few reasons, one of them is I think the shaping of the tang is straightforward and another is I don’t think I could get a detent ball to work properly. I’ve never made a folder with this lock before but hopefully I can pull it off. If successful it’ll be a very light knife, and I might even skeletonize the liners to see how light I can make it 😎
Amateur maker of folding knives and addicted to modding Spyderco knives

Folding Mules- m398 liner lock, Rex76 compression lock, 15v liner lock flipper
horzuff
Member
Posts: 157
Joined: Wed Feb 05, 2014 1:02 pm

Re: My Folding Mule Project

#138

Post by horzuff »

Cool! A cross bar lock setup seems sensible, much less intricate shapes to achieve in the tang area. Looking forward to Your photos
CasperFatone
Member
Posts: 88
Joined: Sat Nov 19, 2022 9:02 am

Re: My Folding Mule Project

#139

Post by CasperFatone »

Here is the first step towards making a folder out of the HIC Mule, successfully making sure I can drill holes in it. This is without a doubt the hardest material I have ever tried to drill through. The Rex76 Mule was hard as a *****, but with solid carbide bits and plenty of oil lubricant it was slow but possible. As far as I can tell solid carbide doesn’t even scratch the HIC and even with diamond bits it is slow going.

To practice for this I drilled a couple of holes in ceramic tile that would fit my pivot bushings but this stuff is on a whole different level. I’m using inexpensive diamond bits, first in a dremel with a teardrop shaped bit, then round tip bits in a drill press to increase size. All of this is done slowly and with plenty of water. To give a sense of how hard this stuff is, a ceramic tile took about 10-20 seconds for the initial hole, and the HIC took around 10 minutes and two diamond bits.

I drilled the HIC fully submerged in water just to be safe, and I stopped after drilling the first hole with the teardrop to save my bits for the actual pivot hole. It might just be a small hole but to me it felt like an accomplishment lol

Image

Now hopefully if I can drill it, I can make it into a folder. Next step is to make drill the pivot hole, then I might test cut part of the tang before going for gold. I’ve got some diamond cutting discs and might break out my wet saw that I have for tile work. Wish me luck!
Amateur maker of folding knives and addicted to modding Spyderco knives

Folding Mules- m398 liner lock, Rex76 compression lock, 15v liner lock flipper
horzuff
Member
Posts: 157
Joined: Wed Feb 05, 2014 1:02 pm

Re: My Folding Mule Project

#140

Post by horzuff »

And so it begins :D.
Post Reply