MT21P - Mule Team Fixed Blade with CPM 4V

[The Mastiff]

Jim, I have one Bark River 4V at around rc 59-60, and the Big Chris knife at rc 63 and I'm guessing yours was at the higher hardness. That would explain the lower rust resistance you saw. The lower hardness knife is about like 3v or even D2 or somewhere in the middle when it comes to rust. I've seen the effect with the Cruwear in rc 63.5 compared to rc 61-62. The heat treat seems to make a big difference. I'd still place it above Blue Super levels even at higher hardness's. The Super blue can get pretty bad to not quite as bad depending on all kinds of stuff. Even at high hardness the 4V seems to not rust as much as the simple carbon steels like 1070 or 1080/85/SK5, or the W2, 1095 and 52100 knives you will be testing soon.Another thing I've noticed is when a knife gets scratched up it definitely rusts quicker. That's one reason I re satin the knives after some use with paper up to 2000 grit.

That reminds me I recently found a Caly 3.5 Super Blue Spyderco I forgot I had. It's brand new. I put it away when I got an Endura Super Blue and forgot it in a safe place . I was impressed all over again when I looked at it after I got over the surprise.

This retirement fixed income thing makes things tough. If I get the mule I hope the HAP 4o knives don't come in until the next months paycheck!

BTW, do you have one of my O-1 knives? I can't find one. Cedar Burl? :)

Joe

[Ankerson]

Jim, I have one Bark River 4V at around rc 59-60, and the Big Chris knife at rc 63 and I'm guessing yours was at the higher hardness. That would explain the lower rust resistance you saw. The lower hardness knife is about like 3v or even D2 or somewhere in the middle when it comes to rust. I've seen the effect with the Cruwear in rc 63.5 compared to rc 61-62. The heat treat seems to make a big difference. I'd still place it above Blue Super levels even at higher hardness's. The Super blue can get pretty bad to not quite as bad depending on all kinds of stuff. Even at high hardness the 4V seems to not rust as much as the simple carbon steels like 1070 or 1080/85/SK5, or the W2, 1095 and 52100 knives you will be testing soon.Another thing I've noticed is when a knife gets scratched up it definitely rusts quicker. That's one reason I re satin the knives after some use with paper up to 2000 grit.

That reminds me I recently found a Caly 3.5 Super Blue Spyderco I forgot I had. It's brand new. I put it away when I got an Endura Super Blue and forgot it in a safe place . I was impressed all over again when I looked at it after I got over the surprise.

This retirement fixed income thing makes things tough. If I get the mule I hope the HAP 4o knives don't come in until the next months paycheck!

BTW, do you have one of my O-1 knives? I can't find one. Cedar Burl? :)

Joe

Joe,

Yup, still have it, haven't been over in awhile, will bring it next time I am over. :)

Jim

[The Mastiff]

No hurry Jim. I had forgotten about it. I was going through looking for something and I saw the box it was in and figured you might have it. Keep it until you get to use it until it breaks which shouldn't be that long at rc 64-+ :) I had the water jet company make up some blanks in 1/8th steel one time and that was one of the finished ones I kept. Might be the only one in fact.

I also found a NIB Lum Tanto sprint in gray G10 I forgot about. It's better than buying a knife as I am not going broke from it. That Lum is nice. It must have came during something bad that made me forget even getting it. I had a few bad luck years there.

Anyways, thanks. No hurry at all. Take years if needed.

Joe

[swigert]

In for 2, better order scales now...

[JNewell]

Taz, any idea what the target hardness range on these will be?

[nccole]

No hurry Jim. I had forgotten about it. I was going through looking for something and I saw the box it was in and figured you might have it. Keep it until you get to use it until it breaks which shouldn't be that long at rc 64-+ :) I had the water jet company make up some blanks in 1/8th steel one time and that was one of the finished ones I kept. Might be the only one in fact.

I also found a NIB Lum Tanto sprint in gray G10 I forgot about. It's better than buying a knife as I am not going broke from it. That Lum is nice. It must have came during something bad that made me forget even getting it. I had a few bad luck years there.

Anyways, thanks. No hurry at all. Take years if needed.

Joe

You have so many knives you forget about them! That's like the old football coach that you say has forgotten more about football than you know lol. Thanks for giving your insight into 4V. You are soley responsible for me getting my CRUWEAR Military and CRUWEAR is my favorite steel now.

[Bodog]

Jim, I have one Bark River 4V at around rc 59-60, and the Big Chris knife at rc 63 and I'm guessing yours was at the higher hardness. That would explain the lower rust resistance you saw. The lower hardness knife is about like 3v or even D2 or somewhere in the middle when it comes to rust. I've seen the effect with the Cruwear in rc 63.5 compared to rc 61-62. The heat treat seems to make a big difference. I'd still place it above Blue Super levels even at higher hardness's. The Super blue can get pretty bad to not quite as bad depending on all kinds of stuff. Even at high hardness the 4V seems to not rust as much as the simple carbon steels like 1070 or 1080/85/SK5, or the W2, 1095 and 52100 knives you will be testing soon.Another thing I've noticed is when a knife gets scratched up it definitely rusts quicker. That's one reason I re satin the knives after some use with paper up to 2000 grit.

That reminds me I recently found a Caly 3.5 Super Blue Spyderco I forgot I had. It's brand new. I put it away when I got an Endura Super Blue and forgot it in a safe place . I was impressed all over again when I looked at it after I got over the surprise.

This retirement fixed income thing makes things tough. If I get the mule I hope the HAP 4o knives don't come in until the next months paycheck!

BTW, do you have one of my O-1 knives? I can't find one. Cedar Burl? :)

Joe

The knife I have with Vanadis 4E doesn't patina or rust anywhere close to the 52100 or 1095 knives I have. It DOES rust if left wet but not bad. Took a couple of days left wet in a sheath for it to form rust in my experience. Oh, and I hope you get a chance to check those other knives out once Jim gets his hands on em.

[The Mastiff]

You have so many knives you forget about them!

NCCole, yep. Still too many even after getting rid of probably 50 in2013 - 14. I'm more an accumulator than a collector and get ones I like rather than getting a collection of any one thing. Mostly I'm a steel junky though to be honest. Like you I'm very glad Sal resurrected an old steel forgotten by most of the industry. As usual after he did the run we saw a few other knife manufacturers begin to offer it here and there. It seems that Sal has a pretty large influence on the industry without trying to.

The knife I have with Vanadis 4E doesn't patina or rust anywhere close to the 52100 or 1095 knives I have. It DOES rust if left wet but not bad. Took a couple of days left wet in a sheath for it to form rust in my experience. Oh, and I hope you get a chance to check those other knives out once Jim gets his hands on em.

Yep. It is like 4V in that respect from what I've seen of 4V. I do like this steel and I have wanted a mule in it for a long time. It should be one of the better all around performers in the mule line up. Not the best at anything and not near the worst at any attribute either. Very high all around except for being non stainless which certainly doesn't bother me. All my knives get pretty much the same care and that level seems to be enough for anything I have ran across.

Joe

[Bodog]

I've beaten on Vanadis 4E (4V's twin brother) like it owed me money and it kept a really great edge. I don't cut a lot of soft, pliable materials. I can't wait to see what it's like in a thinner but still reasonable width.

[spydieh0le]

Looks like I'll have to buy my first mule now....great! :D

[sbaker345]

Hopefully its around 62HRC, 64 would be great, but not likely.

[Evil D]

Yep, this will likely be my first mule. I've been trying to find a particular Strider in 3V for a good price, but 4V for $70 sounds nice.

[greatscott]

Looks like I am going to have to jump on this one too.

[Emrys]

I'm in for my usual, one for me and the other for my brother.

For those, like myself, in the UK: 9am MDT is 4pm BST

[bearfacedkiller]

This will be my fourth mule. I have a 52100, M4 and S110V mule already and this one should add nicely to my options.

[BTG]

M4 sounds good to me, I should really invest it the tools needed to shape G10 so I could play around some making my own scales, that being said I just ordered some CF scales from Halpren, and I'll order another T2 sheath when I order the mule...even though I got one coming in tomorrow, that ones for MT 20.

[swigert]

M4 sounds good to me, I should really invest it the tools needed to shape G10 so I could play around some making my own scales, that being said I just ordered some CF scales from Halpren, and I'll order another T2 sheath when I order the mule...even though I got one coming in tomorrow, that ones for MT 20.

Do you have any pics of the mules in a temp 2 sheath?

[farnorthdan]

Here you go:

[BTG]

M4 sounds good to me, I should really invest it the tools needed to shape G10 so I could play around some making my own scales, that being said I just ordered some CF scales from Halpren, and I'll order another T2 sheath when I order the mule...even though I got one coming in tomorrow, that ones for MT 20.

Do you have any pics of the mules in a temp 2 sheath?

Farnorthdan beat me to it...but I'll take this opportunity to feel stupid...misread CPM 4v.....was thinking M4...will still be getting it, but don't know as much about this steel.

[DougC-3]

I'm on the bandwagon for this one! :eek: May be leaning toward a Temp 2 sheath too.