Anyone Else Like Mules?

[kosta]

Hi. This is the real mule? http://www.ebay.com/itm/Spyderco-Mule-T ... 2041747645?

[Xplorer]

I love Mules. They're great light-weight hiking knives. They also work well in the kitchen. My favorite part is that they come with no handle and I can play with my own handle designs. In fact, it was a Mule that inspired me to make my first knife handle. About two weeks ago I built a new Mule 21 handle because I wanted to compliment the blade with a light-weight handle that blended well with my pack. Here's how it turned out...

I epoxied the C-TEK, Turquoise, CF and G-10 liners together to create one-piece scales first.


I epoxied the scales to the knife with the nickle silver lanyard tubes and a titanium pin.


After some grinding, and hand-sanding, and polishing I had a nice new Mule handle.

[bearfacedkiller]

Please keep sharing, your work is great!

[Xplorer]

Please keep sharing, your work is great!

Hey thanks Brother! I appreciate the kind words.
Be well!

[kjd2121]

Oh wow that is beautiful. Would love to know the process of gluing the different materials together.

Best one I've seen so far!!!

[Xplorer]

Oh wow that is beautiful. Would love to know the process of gluing the different materials together.

Best one I've seen so far!!!

Thank you very much kjd2121! I really appreciate the kindness.

I'm sorry, I didn't take step by step pics this time but I'll be happy to describe the process...
First of all, if I tried to glue up all of those parts and attach them all to the knife simultaneously it would have been a nightmare making sure every gap stayed perfectly tight. This also would have been a little harder without the G-10 liners.

1. I rough cut the CF, CTEK, Turquoise and G-10 into the correct size rectangles.
2. Next I prepped the edges of the materials that would have to bond to each other. I used a disc sander and hand sanding on a very flat surface plate to get the sides very flat and very square.
3. I clamped a 6"x12"x1/2" steel plate with a machined flat surface to my bench, with about 8" hanging over the edge. This gave me a nice flat and rigid place to clamp the scales while the epoxy cured. I put a piece of wax paper over it to make sure the scales don't get stressed after they dry.
4. I glued the C-TEK, turquoise and CF to the G-10 liners and clamped them in place on the flat plate. I used 3 clamps on each scale to make sure I could hold each piece and avoid any slipping that would mess up my gaps. The next morning I had a pair of one-piece scales that I could work with much more easily.
5. I carefully drilled the holes in the scales to match the tang using a drill press with the tang as a guide.
6. I temporarily pinned the scales onto the blade and shaped the profile using a belt sander.
7. I took the scales off the blade and pinned them to each other so I could shape and completely finish sanding the front edge of the handle without the blade in the way.
8. I cut the lanyard tubes and the Ti pin to length and fluted the ends of the tubes by spinning them in the drill chuck and rounding the inside edge with a small diamond file and then sandpaper.
9. I epoxied the scales, tubes and pin to the knife and used 3 c-clamps to hold it while it cured.
10. I did the final shaping on the belt sander and then hand sanding. I used 150, 300, 400, 500, 1000, 1200, 1500, 2000 grits, then green rouge on the buffing wheel.

Piece of cake. 10 easy steps. Done before you know it! :D

[HarleyXJGuy]

I love the Mules. I'm pretty sure I'll be them all, from here on out. I've bought every one I could get new for the last several years, and several older ones secondhand. I had serrations added to my CruWear mule, and that thing is a beast.

Really?

I know you didn't just say Cruwear SE and not post a picture..

Somewhere babies are crying because of what just happened.

[SG89]

Xplorer: great work wow!

[Xplorer]

Xplorer: great work wow!

Thank you so much! I really appreciate the kind words.

Be well!

[El Gato]

Beautiful job on those scales Xplorer! Nicely thought out and very well done. You have the artist's eye and the craftsman's execution.
Great job! :)

[Xplorer]

Beautiful job on those scales Xplorer! Nicely thought out and very well done. You have the artist's eye and the craftsman's execution.
Great job! :)

Wow El Gato, those are very nice things to say. Thank you very much.

Have a great day! :)

[kjd2121]

Thank you so much for the tutorial. I have a MT01 just sitting here waiting on scales. I will have to give it a try.

Thanks,

Kevin

[Xplorer]

Kevin, I sincerely hope it helps you get started on your MT01. Go for it! If you have questions along the way I'd be happy to help.

another tip...you can use the 5 min epoxy that is easy to find at hardware stores but if you get some 30 min epoxy (might have to find it on-line) it takes away the time pressure and it's usually stronger as well.

Be Well!

[kosta]

Anyone Else Like Mules?

I like mules.

[Xplorer]

Anyone Else Like Mules?

I like mules.

Wow! That's an amazing pack of Mules you have there! :eek: :)

[QUICKSILVER]

kosta,
I count 22 mules. Only 21 have been issued by Spyderco. Is there a duplicate or did you buy the MT14 in CTS 204P which was on ebay?
Bill Maier

[Sully]

I like 'em.

Mules are very cool. Unique. Raw. Solid physical evidence of Spyderco's ongoing willingness to experiment. They're also a generous and gracious invite to Spydie loyalists to join Sal & co. in the process of creating exactly the knife that's just...right.

Just one time, try something truly different. Just simply switch the Spyder to the other side. Create the very first Lefty Mule. Ever. Make history... or just "experiment" expectedly.

Keep experimenting boldly. Keep pursuing the unexpected. Keep changing the game... Eric.

[SG89]

kosta,
I count 22 mules. Only 21 have been issued by Spyderco. Is there a duplicate or did you buy the MT14 in CTS 204P which was on ebay?
Bill Maier

22nd mule RWL34?

[Fallen]

I'm all for the ideas behind the Mules - great steels on a single platform at a relatively affordable price, but personally I'm not a fan of the shape. I feel that the current shape is more geared towards slicing and lighter use. I think a folder can do what the Mules can do fairly well. My ideal Mule would be a drop point(?) with a thicker blade to withstand heavier (ab)use. Testing these steels could also go much further if the durability of these knives were increased. Just my $0.02.

[Xplorer]

I agree with Fallen that it would be nice if Spyderco made a more heavy-use Mule design. But, the design gives me the impression that the Mule is intended to test steels more for their suitability in folders than for fixed blades. After all, Spyderco does sell far more folders than fixed blades. My guess is they would prefer to offer us a Mule Team folder if it wasn't more expensive to produce than a fixed blade. I'm happy to have the opportunity that the Mule Team project gives us. But, if they were to make two versions...I would definitely buy both....and I'd probably prefer the larger one of the two. :-)

There are two reasons I buy Mules. 1. Test the new steel. 2. Customize it with my own handle and sheath.
I'd love to see Spyderco offer the option to purchase a select few, a bunch, or even all of their fixed blades with no handle like the Mule.