Mule scale attachment

[warbow150]

Hi, all
Just received my Mule 23, the CMP20Cv version. Halpern Titanium type 4 micarta scales will be here in a couple days.
Simple question: Is it advisable to epoxy them on, or is the standard mounting hardware sufficient for everyday utility purposes?
Thanks!

[JenWrath]

Hey!

I have a Mule team as well, got the Halpern micarta scales for it. You shouldn't need epoxy on them at all. I use my mule team for anything from light kitchen work to non-batoning camp chores. No problem so far, nothing loose!

[warbow150]

Groovy. That's what I was hoping. Thanks!

[SpeedHoles]

They will flex and let in debris and liquid.

Processed a deer with my 4V Mule last year and it got a lot of stuff inside the bolted on Halpern Scales. You will get corrosion, even if you remove scales to clean (unless it's daily!).

[bearfacedkiller]

I have had a good amount of corrosion under the scales when subjecting them to wet and/or bloody conditions. I have been able to clean them up easily enough. This was when putting them on with no treatment. I have recently started applying some Vaseline to the tang before applying them. So far so good and I imagine this should aleviate the problem entirely.

I would not epoxy them on.

[Nate]

I used to have one in k390 and it got some corrosion immediately when I didn't dry the tang under the scales right away. Nothing major, but a scattering of dark blotches on the tang. Otoh, 20CV has ~20% Chromium, so it should resist corrosion far better than carbon steels and probably most other stainless alloys.

As a point of reference, I've been using my B70P in the kitchen with the scales just bolted on for a while now. It gets washed frequently and I never bother to take off the scales. This is what it looks like underneath now:



Should only take a couple minutes to clean it up with some sandpaper. I might try some vaseline like BFK suggested or maybe Tuff Glide if I'm careful and keep it off the blade.

[SpeedHoles]

I have had a good amount of corrosion under the scales when subjecting them to wet and/or bloody conditions. I have been able to clean them up easily enough. This was when putting them on with no treatment. I have recently started applying some Vaseline to the tang before applying them. So far so good and I imagine this should aleviate the problem entirely.

I would not epoxy them on.

Is Vaseline still a petroleum product? If so, it may have detrimental effects on the polymers or something in the synthetic G10.

Yeah, I'm hesitant to do full epoxy as well.

[SG89]

my rwl34 mule is in my kitchen and sees light cutting duty and is never submerged in water just scrubbed with a brush with soapy water. that being said I covered both sides of the tang with vegetable oil when installing the scales. this is what it looks like under the scales after more than a year of use. scales are halpern

[warbow150]

Interesting. Thanks for the great info and photos.

[SG89]

after I removed rust I put CLP on each side of the tang and reinstalled scales

[Matt Deaner]

I use silicone based bow wax under each scale, and it eliminates the rust problems.

[The Mastiff]

I treat the steel with tuff glide then wax it before putting scales on. Certainly passivating ( sp? ) steel before doing stuff like putting on scales is a good idea because if something like steel powder remains the rust from that causes rust on the steel underneath. Likewise if a screw begins to rust that will cause the adjacent knife steel to rust quicker as well.

Joe

[MichaelScott]

So, as a point of interest from a non-mule owner, would you recommend treating the haft with something (a rust inhibitor?), then a regular maintenance schedule, like monthly, to remove the scales, clean and re-treat? Any ideas for permanently inhibiting rust other than never using the knife?

[ZMW]

So, as a point of interest from a non-mule owner, would you recommend treating the haft with something (a rust inhibitor?), then a regular maintenance schedule, like monthly, to remove the scales, clean and re-treat? Any ideas for permanently inhibiting rust other than never using the knife?

If you are Not using the mule in the kitchen or a wet environment I would not think it will be an issue. I sprayed my handle with CLP before putting the scales on, but have not checked it since. It is my garage heavy cutter, so it never sees water.

[nicked.onaut]

The downside of petrolatum jelly under the scales (or elsewhere on a knife) is migration and absorption. This is worse with hot environments. It will tend to ooze out along the edges of the scales, an depending on scale material it can be absorbed within. Wax products will protect from corrosion better than vaseline, and will be much less prone to migration. (Don't leave your MuleTeam on the dashboard July 4th in Scottsdale!)

With waxes it is easy to control the amount/thickness/layers/buffing to your own needs and preferences. Paste wax like J & J will work fine, and I would not worry about any trace contamination with food. *But* for complete food safety confidence, with reasonably helpful corrosion resistance, use a wax suitable for salad owls. I blended some carnuba, beeswax, and a miniscule amount of vaseline years ago and it works fine on blades and under scales. Straight carnuba and beeswax are both fairly hard/higher melting point, and the blending facilitates application and buffing.

Mahoney's (spp?) makes a similar commercial product with carnuba, beeswax, and walnut oil, and Artisan makes one with lemon oil vs. walnut.

Unlike vaseline, waxes also are not "magnets" for dust and grit to embed.

Another commercial wax product that is easy to apply, especially within the handle holes in the MTs, is Rust Gaurdit. This is a wax-based spray for which you can control the thickness as with any spray finish. I thicher finish will feel more tacky, but it will not migrate (unless the MT is too hot to handle). This would likely give the longest protection between scale removal rust checks.

good luck,
nicked.onaut

[warbow150]

This is very interesting stuff. I think I'll try bowstring wax since I have some already lying around. Seems like a good use for it.

[eddiebob]

Three mules and Halpern scales waiting for me at the house. I'll be back home today and will work on them. I use Renaissance wax on my Damascus blades (safe queens) to keep rust in check and am thinking this might be a good way to address the potential rust issue with the Mules tangs. Good idea? Thanks, Ed B

[TomAiello]

I tuff glided my K390 mule before installing the scales. I took the scales off every now and then to check the rust, and I was surprised at how long (I basically abused the knife and didn't clean it) it took for rust to happen under there.

It's a mule. Beat the heck out of it. :)