Could we see a Rex-121 mule?

[weeping minora]

The latest Reveal has several Rex-121 knives in it. Is it accurate that there wasn't a Rex 121 mule? Now that the knives are going to be made, does that mean we won't see this as a Mule in the future?

15V was released in the Manix platform before the MT, so not necessarily.

[bobartig]

15V was released in the Manix platform before the MT, so not necessarily.

ah, good point. I'd forgot, and I even have that mule. Derp.

[barnaclesonaboat]

I hope to see a mule in REX 121, in part so I can pit it against some other tool steel mules I've got like the K294, T15, and 15V, ... and in the same form-factor.

I'm not against buying a Sage 5 to get a taste of this material, but would prefer a Mule.

[bobartig]

The mule I've put the most mileage on is the Rex 76, which has absolutely bonkers edge retention compared to anything else I've tried so far. Wouldn't mind trying another Rex family tool steel.

[weeping minora]

I hope to see a mule in REX 121, in part so I can pit it against some other tool steel mules I've got like the K294, T15, and 15V, ... and in the same form-factor.

I'm not against buying a Sage 5 to get a taste of this material, but would prefer a Mule.

Would be nice to get a piece in a more swallowable price point, to boot.. $255/300 for a first taste is quite a pill to swallow...

[weeping minora]

I hope to see a mule in REX 121, in part so I can pit it against some other tool steel mules I've got like the K294, T15, and 15V, ... and in the same form-factor.

I'm not against buying a Sage 5 to get a taste of this material, but would prefer a Mule.

Would be nice to get a piece in a more swallowable price point, to boot.. $255/300 for a first taste is quite a pill to swallow...

Buy a car recently? Start expecting these numbers. People will pay it. We (people) realized this over the pandemic. Companies did. I'm talking from a purely sociological perspective but, it's a thing. I did a thing!.

I don't understand this type of comparison, and I don't believe it's relevant to prove a point of inflation, nor merely summarizable to "what people will pay for a product". There's a level of misunderstanding that doesn't quite get relayed when it comes to the conspiracy theorists and armchair quarterback PhD holders. It ultimately boils down to Cause and Effect. We (the people) have Caused the prices to inflate (Effect). Many layers to that cake, but the banners of victimhood are easier to wave than those of accountability and recuperative economical measures. This exhausts my deep-dive within the Spyderco Forums regarding the socio-economic dismisiveness of humanity post-pandemic.

[barnaclesonaboat]

Would be nice to get a piece in a more swallowable price point, to boot.. $255/300 for a first taste is quite a pill to swallow...

You're not wrong! I've no idea what a REX 121 mule would go for, but agreed about the cost of that first taste...

[weeping minora]

Would be nice to get a piece in a more swallowable price point, to boot.. $255/300 for a first taste is quite a pill to swallow...

You're not wrong! I've no idea what a REX 121 mule would go for, but agreed about the cost of that first taste...

It would most likely be reaching the HIC price. I'd guess ~$135. I remember seeing Shawn (BBB/Deadboxhero) say that a REX 121 blade he made, roughly similar in dimension to a Mule, took 7 belts @ $10 per belt to grind that one knife. The abrasive cost alone is very costly and is certainly prohibitive for most sane knifemakers .

[barnaclesonaboat]

Would be nice to get a piece in a more swallowable price point, to boot.. $255/300 for a first taste is quite a pill to swallow...

You're not wrong! I've no idea what a REX 121 mule would go for, but agreed about the cost of that first taste...

It would most likely be reaching the HIC price. I'd guess ~$135. I remember seeing Shawn (BBB/Deadboxhero) say that a REX 121 blade he made, roughly similar in dimension to a Mule, took 7 belts @ $10 per belt to grind that one knife. The abrasive cost alone is very costly and is certainly prohibitive for most sane knifemakers .

Ya, I was thinking about the abrasives and imagining it takes a glut of belts/wheels to get this done. Not sure what the HT is like, but if it's anything like maxamet the cost may also have a margin for the QC fail rate for all of the warped blades.

[Steeltoez83]

I have no interest in these offerings unless there's a demand for my testing results. I've never had rex 121 on my bucket list, even turned down a custom from triple b at one point. I suppose to some ppl it's the equivalent of slaying some type of mythical dragon. Those that requested it will get what they asked for. So I will live vicariously thru them.

[Tucson Tom]

Seeing the recent Spyderco byte got me thinking about a Rex 121 mule. I didn't think that one had passed me by and I thought I had seen it asked for. Seeing the MSRP on the Rex121 Sage (at $340 to $400) does suggest that as a mule this might cost more than the usual amazing $75 bargain.

But I would like to see a Rex121 mule, even at a higher than usual price point. Is this Sage the only knife Spyderco has ever made using Rex 121?

[sal]

Interesting thread, and my apologies for not participating sooner.

Rex-121 is a very special blend of materials that all making working the material harder than anything else we've had to grind. In fact, I'm surprised that Crucible decided to take it on, and I applaud them for doing so. This is another realm of knife making. Space age material. Frankly, it was Eric's call to mess with the stuff which is pretty ballzy. I'm proud of our staff for doing it.

I have no problem understanding why one would want a lower price. It's the blade steel that increases the cost.
As I've said in the past, we operate our business at relatively fixed margins. Cost to make the product + packaging + Margin = cost. Our Margin includes what it cost to run the business + profit. We sometimes reduce the margin in an effort to bring the product to you, but that's not a good business model. We don't make an excess of profit, but we do need profit to stay in business and grow. I drive a 5 year old Acura and Gail drives a 2012 Toyota. None of the family lives high on the hog.

We try to do all of the right things for all of the right reasons. It's in our Company Culture to operate our business this way. Perhaps an example of a path for business that tries to benefit all in the business chain.

I've been carrying an FRN version for a while now and so far, I'm impressed with its abrasion resistance. I will look into possible ways of getting the stuff to you at a lower cost. (Mule, UK, ?) The Sage is an "in-the-line" model and will be around for a while anyway. But I think it would be worth hunting around for a decent price.

"What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object"? In terms of blade steel evolution, this is the best there is right now in being the unstoppable force. Not quite like walking in space, but definitely the "front of the oval". ( imagine an oval that encompasses all that there is, moving forward through time).

sal
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"A goal in life is to be consistent like the sun and transparent like the air. That's how trust is built...and trust is the true bottom line.

[Fireman]

More than a Mule I would love to see a 121 DF2 Wharnie

[legOFwhat?]

I'd be down for 2-5

Make it happen, pa'weeze!

[LC200N]

Interesting thread, and my apologies for not participating sooner.

Rex-121 is a very special blend of materials that all making working the material harder than anything else we've had to grind. In fact, I'm surprised that Crucible decided to take it on, and I applaud them for doing so. This is another realm of knife making. Space age material. Frankly, it was Eric's call to mess with the stuff which is pretty ballzy. I'm proud of our staff for doing it.

I have no problem understanding why one would want a lower price. It's the blade steel that increases the cost.
As I've said in the past, we operate our business at relatively fixed margins. Cost to make the product + packaging + Margin = cost. Our Margin includes what it cost to run the business + profit. We sometimes reduce the margin in an effort to bring the product to you, but that's not a good business model. We don't make an excess of profit, but we do need profit to stay in business and grow. I drive a 5 year old Acura and Gail drives a 2012 Toyota. None of the family lives high on the hog.

We try to do all of the right things for all of the right reasons. It's in our Company Culture to operate our business this way. Perhaps an example of a path for business that tries to benefit all in the business chain.

I've been carrying an FRN version for a while now and so far, I'm impressed with its abrasion resistance. I will look into possible ways of getting the stuff to you at a lower cost. (Mule, UK, ?) The Sage is an "in-the-line" model and will be around for a while anyway. But I think it would be worth hunting around for a decent price.

"What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object"? In terms of blade steel evolution, this is the best there is right now in being the unstoppable force. Not quite like walking in space, but definitely the "front of the oval". ( imagine an oval that encompasses all that there is, moving forward through time).

sal
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"A goal in life is to be consistent like the sun and transparent like the air. That's how trust is built...and trust is the true bottom line.

Reasons why Spyderco is my favorite knife company!

Daniel

[sal]

Thanx Daniel.

Hey Fireman, LegOFwhat,

Why a Dfy2? That's a pretty small knife for a super steel, and it wouldn't be any cheaper than the Sage.

sal

[legOFwhat?]

Thanx Daniel.

Hey Fireman, LegOFwhat,

Why a Dfy2? That's a pretty small knife for a super steel, and it wouldn't be any cheaper than the Sage.

sal

Sorry, Sal I'm referring to the MuleTeam blades. Didn't see Fireman's post there.

[VandymanG]

Wow ok I had myself convinced that I wanted nothing to do with REX-121 but after reading what Sal posted… sigh I want some REX-121.

[barnaclesonaboat]

Well, great to see this thread gaining momentum! The Mule Team really sounds like a great venue to stack REX121 against the juggernaut steels of seasons past. I would certainly do my part to buy 1 (or 3) and sharpen them to see what it can do!

[Tucson Tom]

I'm not at all surprised by what Sal said. I sort of figured that the price of the Sage indicated both the cost of the material and the difficulty of working with it. Nobody expects Spyderco to do a Rex-121 mule and loose money on it. At least I certainly don't.

Exotic steels are what the mule team is all about. A Rex-121 mule would be a wonderful thing. I hope others think so.