Blades Blanks?

[nozh2002]

I see that Mule project creates new kind of business for many - made handle and resell knives to friends neighbors etc... Mule is just very well designed knife - no wonder that it is very popular especially with custom touch, custom made handle. It create demand on Mule blanks - like I see that new coming Mule is limited to one, etc...

I think that Spyderco may have business opportunity here with Mule blanks targeting people who craft handles and resell. May be it will be some market for regular production blade blanks similar to Mule or same?

What do you think? I just like to discuss this - because I am not sure really how many people actually will be interested in this.

Thanks, Vassili.

[ChrisR]

Certainly here in the UK many independent craftsmen forge blades specifically for the re-handling market - not everyone has the equipment to forge but grinders/sanders are cheap and people can enjoy adding something of their own design to the finished blade. It produces some wonderful finished products :)

In the case of the MuleTeams and Swicks almost anyone can do it because they can just do a paracord wrap :D

[swanseajack]

I know the idea of the Mule's is for people to test out different steels, but I'd love to see a steel that has "come up to the mark" used in production run Mules.
I absolutely agree my fellow countryman above as well 8>)

[The Deacon]

Could be wrong, but believe the Bushcraft blank will be a regular production item. There's also the run of blanks Spyderco made for Woodcraft. Sal also mentioned the possibility of selling some of the planned kitchen knives as blanks.

[swanseajack]

Cheers Paul. Those Woodcraft blanks are s30v ??? Nice.

[2cha]

I greatly prefer the woodcraft blanks to the std. Mules. [ATTACH]14875[/ATTACH]

[2cha]

BTW, Woodcraft is now advertising the blanks as "Limited Quantities." I don't know whether this is meaningful as to remaining stock or simply an attention grabber.

[ChrisM]

^
Those look very nice.

[bh49]

I greatly prefer the woodcraft blanks to the std. Mules.

I am wondering why?
Great job on handles by the way.

[cckw]

You guys that do the nice custom wood handles, what all tools are required?

And count me in as a regular buyer of blank blades

[bc]

man...you learn something new every day. That Woodcraft Mule looks sweet. I never even knew they existed. This forum is THE BEST. It takes the edge off of waiting for the new Mule...tommorrow at 10am!

[sharpguitarist]

i just learned of the woodcraft blanks not too long ago. i went to my local woodcraft, and the salesman said he had just sold the last one he had a few days before.
he said he wasn't sure, but didn't think they would be restocked.

[jabba359]

You guys that do the nice custom wood handles, what all tools are required?

I made my Mule handles from stabilized wood I bought on eBay. For tools I used a belt sander for rough shaping, hand drill for the pins, couple of 99 cent clamps to hold scales on while glue dries, and some sandpaper (100-1500 grits) for finish sanding.

While I now have a benchtop belt sander, I originally used a hand held belt sander, laid it on the side, and used a brick to make a raised surface to lay the wood on. Decidedly low tech, but very cheap! You can see my result here.

[2cha]

I am wondering why?
Great job on handles by the way.

Thanks. I prefer because it is a beast! And, because I'm a true convert to the finger choil. Can't see from my photo, but Woodcraft version is hollow ground.

As for tools? 1x42 Kalamazoo belt sander with horizontal small wheel. A bunch of files and sandpaper. An old scroll saw. A stationary belt sander. A Foredom rotary tool (fancy dremel) with sanding drums. I did the wood handles before I had the horizontal configuration and used scroll saw to cut rough outline, then a variety of files to get really close, and do contouring, then multiple grits of sandpaper wrapped around various cylindrical objects. Even with the horizontal set-up and Foredom, I more or less still primarily use the scroll saw, file, sand method. Works well on Micarta, but really rough files can cause tearing of fabric in micarta that is difficult to get smooth again.

Buffer is high on list--it's an awful lot of work to get micarta super smooth when hand sanding--I go through 8 grits of paper.

[nozh2002]

Long ago I was making knives myself...

Her it is - I hope you do not need read Russian to understand what it is about:

http://playground.sun.com/~vasya/KnifemakingBeauty.html

I used mostly Dremel.

[cckw]

Long ago I was making knives myself...

Her it is - I hope you do not need read Russian to understand what it is about:

http://playground.sun.com/~vasya/KnifemakingBeauty.html

I used mostly Dremel.

Wow, that is some great work!!!

[skunk_2]

i probably would buy a woodcraft blank, if we had a woodcraft store here. i dig full tang blanks. i have done 2 enzo blanks in the last few weeks, and had a ball! never done a mule, mostly because of unavailability. but i like the woodcraft more anyway.

[nozh2002]

From the time I started this thread I got Bushcraft blank and WoodCraft blank - they call it Mule, but is is very different from what we get used to.

I would say that I love Spyderco blanks! I really like to see more in different steels and different shapes. For some reason I really like Bushcraft - it just make cuts so easy, I did not understand why but it is most pleasant knife to work with.

I really hope that Spyderco will release more blanks.





Thanks, Vassili.

[JNewell]

I would really like to see a few "standard" steel Mules for use as control/comparison blades vs. the others. For example, Mule blades in S30V, VG-10 and 154CM would be very useful. The Woodcraft S30V doesn't really count, because the grind and blade shape are different from the standard Mule spec.

[Visual Articulation]

I just picked up a mule blank at my local woodcraft 75$ after tax. i cant wait to put some handles on it! only downside is it ate my chokwe deal money =( . But i don't have any small fixed blades let alone one i can outfit for new furniture! i hope i made a good decision and the project goes well =/