1) Did you purchase a Mule Team knife in the past?
Yes, I've purchased 4 (K390, S110V, 4V, PD#1), and sold the S110V.
2) Did you put a handle on it?
Yes, purchased scales from Halpern Titanium.
3) Did you make or buy a sheath?
Bought 1 and made 2. All Kydex sheaths that I carry iwb.
4) Did you test the performance of your Mule?
No, not a dedicated test. I do use them all in the usual tasks that all of my knives are subject to - food prep, cardboard cutting, wood processing for fires, etc. This did lead me to determine what I prefer: good sharpening response, good toughness, high wear resistance, and patinas are cool.
5) Did you test the performance against other Mule Team knives?
Yes, definitely.
6) Did you share your experience/findings with the Spyderco forum?
No, not directly.
1) Did you purchase a Mule Team knife in the past? Yes, Mule Team 25 - LC200N
2) Did you put a handle on it? No, but it is on my bucket list of things to do. I frequently carry a Bradford Guardian 3 on my belt. I got it at Blade Show shortly after getting the Mule. The Guardian 3 slowed my Mule Team knife completion because it checked a lot of the boxes I wanted from the Spyderco Mule.
3) Did you make or buy a sheath? No
4) Did you test the performance of your Mule? No
5) Did you test the performance against other Mule Team knives? No
6) Did you share your experience/findings with the Spyderco forum? No
Make time for the important things in life, and learn to enjoy the little things more.
1) Did you purchase a Mule Team knife in the past? yes, quite a few
2) Did you put a handle on it? I bought handles for a few and I made handles for 3
3) Did you make or buy a sheath? I made a kydex sheath
4) Did you test the performance of your Mule? no
5) Did you test the performance against other Mule Team knives? no
6) Did you share your experience/findings with the Spyderco forum? no
1) Did you purchase a Mule Team knife in the past? Yes, the damascus mules. I got 2 of them.
2) Did you put a handle on it? Yes, Halpern handles on both.
3) Did you make or buy a sheath? Made two kydex sheaths. I actually learned how to press kydex for this project, and have since made sheaths for lots of things.
4) Did you test the performance of your Mule? Yes, but it was VG-10, so it is well known
5) Did you test the performance against other Mule Team knives? No
6) Did you share your experience/findings with the Spyderco forum? Yes
As most of you know, the Mule Team will be returning in the future. We'd love to ask you some questions that could assist us with our plans.
So... Kristi... a couple questions for you.
How to the Mule teams come out? Are they just hacked out of a sheet of material and require finishing all the way around? Are they finished dimensions? Is there any kind of edge put on the blade?
My guess is that it's a "finished" blade onto which you can attach parts and call it a knife. That's what I'm curious about.
Now to answer your questions: No.
I've never purchased a Mule Team. But it seems interesting. I'm not generally a fan of fixed blade knives. But I like to use wood from trees in my yard to make things. It allows the spirits of my trees to live on. Also, I'm intrigued by the idea of making micarta using whatever might inspire me that particular day.
And of course any desire to tinker with this will be predicated upon the coolness of the steel.
Hi, RustyIron:
I'm sorry for the delay, somehow I missed your questions. I think you'll find all of the information that you need here, https://www.spyderco.com/edge-u-cation/ ... m-project/. Short answer, it's a "finished" fixed blade. There is extensive history about the Mule Team here on the forum. It's a very unique project.
Kristi
There is nothing more important than this one day.
Short answer, it's a "finished" fixed blade. There is extensive history about the Mule Team here on the forum. It's a very unique project.
Thank, TK.
Sounds like a fun project. I know you wouldn't be asking the questions if there wasn't already something brewing in your mind. I'm excited to see what you guys come up with.
It would help if I was familiar with whatever is a mule team knife. The only mule team I’m familiar with hauled borax out to make boraxo soap. A great mechanics hand soap by the way.
It would help if I was familiar with whatever is a mule team knife. The only mule team I’m familiar with hauled borax out to make boraxo soap. A great mechanics hand soap by the way.
Hi, PineyBoy:
Look a few posts up and you'll find a link that I posted that shares detailed information about our Mule Team.
Boraxo was a good soap - my Dad kept it in his garage along with a giant tub of Goop.
Kristi
There is nothing more important than this one day.
Boraxo was a good soap - my Dad kept it in his garage along with a giant tub of Goop.
Is Boraxo like the "20 mule team borax " I have up near my washer and dryer and still use for cleaning? I recall my grandparents using things like Borax and baking soda and Lye and ammonia ( not together of course) and coal tar and lastly turpentine for pretty much everything we now use specialized products for. They pretty much did everything with the above products from laundry to windows to pest control and even toothpaste ( baking soda). The coal tar seemed to be an all around topical remedy.
1) Did you purchase a Mule Team knife in the past?
— Yes, a good portion of all of them at one point. Now I’m down to just the Damascus and K390 ones.
2) Did you put a handle on it?
— All had/have Halpern scales on them, most of which were the 3D option 4 versions that I sanded the texturing off. I have a few flat option 5s left in fancy materials. Marianne and I interacted quite a bit here on the forum years ago when I was posting my pics of them, and she was kind enough to send me new materials they were trying for free.
3) Did you make or buy a sheath?
— Yes, just two though from Christina at SheathPro. One for the 3D Halpern scales and one for the flat Halpern scales. Keeping it in the family, Sal! :)
4) Did you test the performance of your Mule?
— By “testing” do you mean “cut stuff”? Then yes, did I perform exhaustive rope cut tests? Absolutely not, I do wish my life allowed me to do stuff like that.
5) Did you test the performance against other Mule Team knives?
— Not specifically to cross-compare them.
6) Did you share your experience/findings with the Spyderco forum?
— Yes, more so about my experiences with Marianne at Halpern and Christina at SheathPro versus how X metal cuts better than Y.
Very glad to see the Mule team saddling back up! Hopefully Marianne knows this so TRM can start making more scales! :D Cheers, Radioactive
It's better to be good than evil, but one achieves goodness at a terrific cost. ––– Stephen King
1. Yes I've purchased numerous Mule Teams in the past
2. Yes, several handles/scales from Halpern, and several custom scales.
3. Yes, I bought several sheaths from SheathPro and a couple off Ebay.
4. Yes, I've tested my Mules but in most cases not hard use.
5. Yes, I tested cutting the same materials (not a heads up test) cutting similar and same materials just to compare.
6. Yes, I have discussed Mules on the forum.
Glad to see the Mules making a comeback. I'll be buying more depending on the steel.
Make time for the important things in life, and learn to enjoy the little things more. 
