Mule Scales question

[nycone]

I was thinking about putting a set of Titanium Damascus scales on a mule. I haven't seen this done, so I thought there might be an issue. Would such scales stay on or would the differential expansion of the metals cause the epoxy to break?

Thanks

[sal]

Hi Nycone,

Welcome to our forum.

sal

[fixall]

I was thinking about putting a set of Titanium Damascus scales on a mule. I haven't seen this done, so I thought there might be an issue. Would such scales stay on or would the differential expansion of the metals cause the epoxy to break?

Thanks

I don't see any reason it couldn't be done, G/Flex should be plenty sufficient... Although you may have trouble finding someone to take on the project. Maybe Cuscadi? Keep in mind that Timascus is rather expensive which is why you usually see it used for backspacers and accents. I think it was around five to six times more expensive than M390 the last time I priced it out. Even more expensive if you want to go with Black Timascus.

[standy99]

Don’t think it would be a issue.

Nothing a set of 1/2 ml G10 (or any material) spacers couldn’t fix.

Would you be pinning them or just epoxy

[TomAiello]

Welcome to the forum!

I looked at Timascus for scales, but the cost is high enough that you'd really want to be sure you got them right the first time.

I'd probably put a spacer in between the two metals.

Which mule are you thinking of using? Have you considered making them screw on, rather than glued on, scales?

[Xplorer]

I assume we've not seen this done simply because a piece of Timascus or MokuTi material large enough to make 2 scales starts at about $460. After shaping the material into scales, I would expect we're talking about at least $600 for the set. That's an awfully expensive handle for a $50 - $100 knife.
But if someone wanted to do this there's no reason it can't be done. However, epoxy alone is not going to be reliable for attaching scales to a full tang knife no matter what the scale material is. Pins, corbys, loveless bolts, or some other type of mechanical attachment/internal support is needed to keep the scales in place on a full tang. Epoxy is very strong but the bond is fairly easily broken with shock. A sharp blow (like falling on a hard floor, potentially) can be all it takes to break the bond of even the best epoxies.
(If anyone is considering taking the risk of using epoxy alone, at a minimum I suggest using a high quality "slow cure" 24 hour epoxy as it will be the most resilient.)
As well, when making Timascus or MokuTi scales, whomever shapes the scales should have no problem drilling and counter-boring them for hardware and providing a variety of high quality hardware choices that appropriately compliment the high-priced scales. Removable Ti. hardware would be the best way to attach this type of material (IMO) and epoxy would not be needed at all. Epoxy would be an option simply to seal the blade from corrosive effects within the handle if non-removable hardware (like corby bolts or loveless bolts) were chosen.

[nycone]

Hello,

A bit of background here. I like to build things. When my oldest son wanted his first camping knife, I discovered Spyderco Mules. I bought a used belt sander and band saw from Craigslist for $50 and I took a shot at scales. I stabilized a set of Red Mallee Burls, then sawed a bookmatch and pinned (using three pins) them to the mule with 24 hour epoxy (using clamps of course). All went well, except at two edges the scales lifted a fraction of a mm after a few months use, which drives me crazy to this moment. On the other hand, my timing was lucky and the mule is made from Maxamet. Can you imagine your first knife being a Maxamet mule?

Now, I find I want to make a few more sets, I have 4 kids, and I don't want to make another mistake. I'm very happy to take advice on how to best build a set of scales.

Regarding the Timascus or Mokume issue - yes they are super expensive, but I'm hoping to have the kids pass these down for generations. I thought if I got lucky and found some remnants, the idea could be interesting. I've seen couple of large pieces going for smaller amounts than you might expect, and likely to yield 2 sets of scales. While expensive for sure, the mules are so awesome, I'd compare any well scaled Mule to most other knives on the market. Nonetheless, I may not spend the money, I'm just seeing what's possible at this point.

It sounds like folks are saying yes if you use a spacer, and it will likely work without a spacer, but there's some risk.

Finally, while folks are offering advice, is there a best way to re-scale the mule I screwed up? I'm worried about damaging the mule while trying to remove the old scales. I'd also like to make my oldest son's knife as good as it can be.

[Xplorer]

Hi nycone,

I'd be happy to help you with the Mule you want to re-scale if you'd like. I've made a few Mule handles myself and I like to encourage others to do the same. Can you send me a picture of the handle on a Private Message so I can get a better idea of what you should do next?

There' a Mule picture thread with lots of different pictures of handles that might be helpful to you as well. viewtopic.php?f=6&t=31531&start=1040

Like you, I also like to make knife handles (knives as well for that matter) that I hope my kids will pass on for generation and I'd by more than happy to help you make sure your oldest son's knife turns out as good as it can be. Send me a P.M. and let me know how I can help.

Best,
CK

[fixall]

Scales lifting at the ends is a really common issue. It’s caused by having the clamps a bit too tight while curing the epoxy.