When Spyderco announced their latest Mule in CPM S35VN, I decided I wanted to do something different with one:
I'll probably end up enlarging the opening hole to make it a little more thumb friendly, but it works for now.
And, yes, that is an Emerson CQC-7 handle. A 10 may have worked better, but I didn't have one handy.
More....
Thanks, all. I knew this project was going to be a bit of a pain, but why let a little pain stop you?
Sorry, no in-process pics.... Maybe next time.
First question is, where to put the pivot hole. The Mule handle holes are ~.187" laser cut, with the initial keyhole OUTSIDE the hole. First thing I did was open the hole up to make it round. Then it was simple to drill through the handle with a carbide bit.
Next was setting the OPEN blade stop position. Carefully removed material above the pivot line until the blade was in the position I wanted.
Next, cut the lock face. With a little geometry and a paper pattern, I set the tool rest on my Harbor Freight 1 x 30 to 7 degrees, and very carefully ground in the lock face.
Next, grind the remaining bits of tang away so it will rotate between open and closed and fix the CLOSED position. Once that's done, move the blade between open and closed enough times to mark a line on the tang for the detent ball, the drill a small hole just past that line.
There you have it.... Mule Folder!
:D
