Show your Mule

[Jeb]

Sal,

There are some of us that really like those "lumpy's" all you at Spyderco work extra to incorporate into our knife blanks.

Being from Texas, I will go ahead and say it before someone pokes fun at me for liking things that tend to bite back lol, I really love the nice jimping you incorporate on these choils and really wish all my knives, has more on each of the choils lol...

Then there is these killer scales Spyderco has made from G10, the texture on them is freak'n amazing if you ask me. They really compliment the Mule while using them.

I will probably be chewing some nasty looking jimping on both choils of my Mules. Wish I had better equipment to cut these, but honestly this M398 Mule of mine is the hardest blade steel to date this old guy has ever honed lol. I absolutely love this Mule!

My diamond hones just rub and shine a bevel on the M398 lol. Reminds me of sharpening tungsten for my tig torch a lot. I think you would have to sharpen on tungsten to get much harder lol... Thank you guys for all the extra trouble you guys go through just for us, end user's.

[Mk-211]

Ultem.

There's some other knives in the thread with Ultem scales.

Saw some other knives that used it, thought it would look good on the MT. When I started looking through this thread, I saw guys were using it.

Also deleted the little nub or guard whatever it's called. Looks better without it hanging down, handle area contoured to match.

MK,

You grinding off your finger choil, doesn't concern you with a slick and smooth grip on your Mule; that your hand slide up and get your hand on the cutting edge while using it?

Heck, here I am wishing I had jimping on the thumb and finger choil of mine. I am actually thinking of possibly cutting my on jimping on both the Mules I have lol.

That being said, my scales have a pretty decent texture to them also, I know they are plane old solid black G10 and all, but hey they aren't that ugly lol.

I sure wouldn't want my hand or any other parts of my body on my cutting edge. That would be "not good" lol.

Guess it comes down to personal preference, the MT knives are kind of an experiment.

Spyderco put them out there for this reason, I thought the finger choil took away from the design. Definitely feel that it looks better without it.

[Jeb]

Mk,

I get it, I am really big on working any of my stuff to my liking, I just have not seen anyone remove the finger choil. I will modify anything of mine, if it doesn't work for me or if I just see something I would like better.

Not seen those scales of yours, either. The Mules are just this sort of perfect platform for those of us to finish these out like we personally want...

Here is my Mule in M398 that I have right now, I am quite certain I have talked myself into cutting some jimping on the finger and thumb choil on this knife lol

[Mk-211]

All it takes is a few minutes to lay it out, then start filing.

[ykspydiefan]

AEB-L Mule. Finished the scales, hidden pins and no idea what the wood is. I found a block of really hard wood in a shed and this is the result.

The sheath is Halpern. Any tips on getting epoxy off the blade?

[Jeb]

Use a Razor blade scraper to get the epoxy off. Nice looking scales man. The wood looks a lot like walnut with just oil finish, or oak with a dark stain, from the pix.

[ykspydiefan]

Thanks Jeb. I'll try the razor and agree with you on walnut. The finish is just oil and sanding so... Thanks eh.

[Jeb]

Here is my M398 Mule

[ykspydiefan]

Here is my M398 Mule

Good looking picture. How are you liking M398? I have not been able to bump Aeb-L, and 15v out of the line up yet, but I am keen to get my M398 going.

Halpern scales? I sure like them, easy to swap from one blade to the next when changing up the rotation.

[Jeb]

I do like it so far, have not got to cut a lot with it, but what I have done is some 20' of double-sided cardboard and one mean and thorny rose bush lol.

I have mine beveled at 15 dps and it's so far still sharp as it ever was. Now I will say I like to really start the testing after a blades second honing, as I think the profile is more spot on this way. Specially when the steel is hard as this is...

But I really so far like everything about it. I will say on the hone, the M398 is one hard devil. When I got it one side bevel was pretty much spot on at 17 degrees, but that otherside was were it was way off and basically squared lol.

I didn't check it, but it took me forever to get that even with the otherside. I have really been impressed with the Boltaron Sheath as well. The only issue I have with it has been it doesn't slip over my 1.75" heavy canvas belt.

If it was only .020" bigger belt clip it would fit, it's that stupid close lol. I been pondering removing the belt clip and heat it up ever so slowly, then re-bend the clip just to get just enough clearance to slip on my bigger belt.

The bad thing, you can't just buy the belt clip lol, so if I screw this up I will be tigging one up from stainless to fit... I have lots going on to do that sort of project... so far the time I am using my little 1.5" belt instead.

[Jeb]

Well I been up since 2am, so I decided I would fix the belt clip on one of my sheaths to make it fit the bigger 5.11 belt of mine. It was so close but just not enough to slide on the 1.75" belt.

I ended up heating the bend in the clip and was able to roll it down a little to get about .10" extra room. The clip actually fits my favorite size belt now and I suspect that my M398 Mule will become an edc now.

I been wanting to pack this knife to check out this steel more regularly anyway, but didn't want to use my little 1.5" belts just to do that lol... so today will be that beginning...

I got some out of control old mustang grapevines that are in need of a hacking back, it's going to take some real effort to get these back under wraps.

We hit a nice smooth 100 degrees yesterday, they say we're only going to be 99 today lol... so hot and sweaty it's going to be. Hacking at these mustang grapevines is not going to be pleasant.

All this of coarse will be if the mosquitoes allow me, these mosquitoes are just about as bad as I have ever seen them. They don't usually get this bad with no more rain than we have had.

Here is a pic, you look through the bolt up holes of the clip, you can see I moved the clip loop about half a hole. Had to stop there, or I won't be able to screw the clip back on the Sheath. Got to be able to get the T-10 driver in the screws lol.

So I stopped there for a smoke test and this thing fits perfect! So excited I could simply heat this plastic up and roll it to get the extra clearance. Otherwise I would be building a clip from stainless and I already have more to do around here than I can get to...

This clip was a lot harder to roll just that half hole than I ever expected it to be. Still got to do some testing on it to make sure it's not bridle and breaks very easy.

I will probably order an extra clip so that I can actually do some destructive test on this clip to be sure it's sound... that is the best way to know for sure and if all tests good, I will do this to all my clips, if not I will tig up some nice stainless sheet metal clips and just replace them... so far it feels really good and strong.

[Jeb]

Not being very patient about this clip, curiosity was eating on me yesterday, so while I was taking a break from our 99 degree temp and a Dew point in the 60 range, hacking away at these mustang grapevines, I slipped this sheath off my belt.

I grabbed the clip with the big belt threaded into it with one hand, and the Sheath with the other and I tried to break it. If it's going to break, I would rather it be here at the house somewhere as opposed to about somewhere else where I might not even notice it.

Not one hint of even getting close to it snapping off or breaking. I am going to still break this clip, but now I am more comfortable using it and not loosing my knife from the clip breaking off from me heating it up and rolling to better fit the big 5.11 belts I like...

I am really pumped about how well this modified clip is working. Now there is not enough room in the fit over the big belt for a slip over fit, you do have to thread the Sheath on the end of the belt, but I am ok with that.

I just need a MagnaMax Mule now, since I got someone already putting the con on me for the M398. This person has been one of two I have yet to say no to also, so this knife is short lived in my possession, least what I am seeing right now lol.

Didn't see her wanting this knife, it just kind of snook up on me yesterday, by a casual hint about it lol. So, come on MagnaMax, I am going to need another Mule.

[standy99]

Just buy a tech lock clip that fits the belts you speak of, for under $20 in the USA. Supper easy to attach to the sheath from Spyderco



The Blade-Tech Tek-Lok is the industry gold standard when it comes to belt mounting solutions. Innovative and versatile, the Tek-Lok can accommodate up to a 2.25” belt as well as a multitude of mounting positions with 9 mounting holes to accommodate a variety of sheaths

[Jeb]

Oh cool clip man, thanks... will be checking those out

Thanks

[bartekkaniewski]

VG xeos shorty in blue jean micarta.

[Pacu0420]

Out at the lake doing some fishing.

[Jeb]

Just buy a tech lock clip that fits the belts you speak of, for under $20 in the USA. Supper easy to attach to the sheath from Spyderco



The Blade-Tech Tek-Lok is the industry gold standard when it comes to belt mounting solutions. Innovative and versatile, the Tek-Lok can accommodate up to a 2.25” belt as well as a multitude of mounting positions with 9 mounting holes to accommodate a variety of sheaths

While this is a way cool clip, the hole pattern is not the same as what we have on the Boltaron Sheath and it's clip. They are way off.

Man I don't get it, this Tek-Lok is a way cool and secure clip and it has the same looking 9 hole grid to bolt your Sheath, holster or whatever to, they don't line up with this Spyderco setup.

I have checked my Blackhawk and Safariland holsters and this clip doesn't line up with either of these either.
I may still use this to mount the Boltaron Sheath for the Mule, all I will have to do is drill one hole in the Sheath.

I have certainly had to do much more involved things to make things I buy, work for me and my likes. This project will be later, heck right now I am shoulder deep into a new nugget ice machine, getting it all unboxed, cleaned and going lol. This thing turned out to be way heavy.

I would rather tinker with this clip and Boltaron Sheath, the ice machine gets priority lol. Much as I hate it lol. I do get to cut up a bunch of double-sided cardboard to be tossed away, so get to mess around with one of my Spyderco knives to do that...

[Jeb]

[Goldmund]

Love the way my black walnut scales turned out.

Still dreaming of a folder in this steel.... revamped Spyderco K2 anyone? Don't wake me up

[standy99]

kk294.png

Love the way my black walnut scales turned out.

Still dreaming of a folder in this steel.... revamped Spyderco K2 anyone? Don't wake me up

Nice handle….
Sweet for a first post….

And a Big welcome to the forum.