I am curious about the projected release date of this Mule though, I don't think it will sell out crazy fast like some of the others, I don't check in every day so I don't want to miss it either!
Secondly, I am curious about this steel. How will it hold up on a farm, camping, or a bit of bushcraft? Being an abrasive cold work specialist, I am thinking it will be a good choice for me to use though, resharpening may be a bit tough when I dull it.
K294 should perform extremely similar to the PM A11 mule. I heavily abused my PM A11 mule with no chipping or cracking. I would not advise batoning with K294. I also have a master sushi chef buddy that I gave a PM A11 mule. He absolutely loved it and used it in his restaurant to break down partially frozen fish that he got in. The steel holds an edge, but is a beast to sharpen. You will probably need diamond stones and patience when you do have to sharpen it. As to release date, that will be announced in the forum somewhere around two weeks prior. At least that’s how mule team releases worked in the recent past. I intend to pick a couple myself. Good luck and hope you enjoy it.
Tool steel. Bohler-Uddeholm (European) equivalent to Carpenter's PM A11 and Crucible's CPM 10V. Very similar expected performance when compared to K390 (obviously depending on heat treat).
Corrosion resistance will be quite low. Again, pretty comparable to K390. I have quite a bit of an issue in getting K390 to rust quite quickly within the pocket knife format. Being that this will be a fixed blade, the biggest concern will most likely be prohibiting rust formation underneath the scales you wish to affix (or cordage wrap). Any gaps between the scales can be a weak point in allowing water/moisture/blood/acids to accumulate and start the oxidation process, forming rust. I apply mineral oil before screwing scales on. If you are permanently affixing handle scales, just watch for any warping of the tang. So long as you keep your blade and sheath clean and free from any prolonged exposure to excess moisture or acidity, this will be a much nicer format to experience these non-stainless steels, IMO.
So long as you keep your blade and sheath clean and free from any prolonged exposure to excess moisture or acidity, this will be a much nicer format to experience these non-stainless steels, IMO.
That is unfortunately, hard to do in our PNW during fall hunts. It's hard to believe how dry we are now, though.
