MT34P – CPM REX T15 Mule Team Dropping Soon!

[weeping minora]

Still awaiting mine (delivery expected Monday).. Can you post a picture regarding what you are referencing?

Sorry for the delay. Trying to find a way to share a picture on here. Finally found a way…had to screenshot my image and degrade the quality. Here is the difference between REX 76 and T15, both from Taichung.

This may help with posting pictures to the forum:

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=83968

[CLOK]

This is the dentent that is present. Look like a hardness test

Yeah, that looks to be what I’m talking about. Towards the back of the handle on the show side.

Thanx blairtm1977 and CLOK!

It does indeed look like an impression from a hardness poke. I wonder if that means there was a wider variable in hardness that Spyderco was looking to keep a track of, or if there's a potential for Spyderco to start sharing the RC of MULES? I don't recall there being many, if any, previous MULES shipped with such visible RC test markings.

I can’t recall any either. I checked all of mine I have, which goes back a ways and none had them. It will be interesting to see if they say why, I just immediately noticed the mark and it sparked my curiosity. The QA on these are just great…all 4 that I got look identical for the blade edge and sharpness from a quick look/test.

[legOFwhat?]

Both of my examples arrived today with the dot of mystery and the aeb-l with the over grind. Trifecta!

Was able to put scales on my 15v mule yesterday and made the mistake of not checking for warpage visible gap towards butt of knife. Sigh. Hopefully I'll complete the 3 mules I started this weekend, so silver lining is I'll have 3 more for the flock!

[barnaclesonaboat]

Whoa! It is stunning. Just wanted to post some pics of the T15 I received today because of how good it looks. I’m fairly confident this is the sharpest factory edge I have ever received, s-cuts printer paper smoothly in a way that it feels like it has been stropped. The primary grind has a cool facet-like reflection. Stoked.

[Wandering_About]

I cracked and ordered a pair of these since they're still available. Interesting to note that according to Larrin the composition dates back to the 1940s--aparrently high hardness steels had a place even way back then.

[Fireman]

my sample is a good quality one. I need to have more camping time to abuse these knives in my own testing needs. I always carry way more knives than I need when I backpack

[gx9901dx]

I just received them today. I got the hardness for them HRC66, and factory edge quality is so good. I will order more soon.

[weeping minora]

I got the dimples in my twins, as well. Looks to be affirmative indents for RC testing. We'll know for sure if/when we get confirmation regarding such.

Firstly, any sharpening novice need not apply (IMO). I can say with certainty, this is not for the faint of those less hearty when it comes to patience in sharpening. I found the steel to be quite extremely abrasion resistant; even more noticeably than the Maxamet coming out of Taichung. I'd be surprised to find out that these are less than high-mid to high 60's RC. The steel skates like it's on ice whilst on my Venev stones (240 + 400 grit). I would recommend diamond plates for those with less patience (DMT or Atoma).

For those who value these sorts of steels, the burr that comes up is extremely minimal, even with great effort. The steel really "tells you" when your apex has been formed and is ready to be hit from the other side, versus the more well-known "burr detection" method. This is a "sharpeners'" sharpening steel, IMO. Curious to hear others' experiences, as YMMV. Reminds me most of S110V when it comes to sharpening speed and response, although it has been many years since my only encounter with S110V, and that was only within one sample sizing. In other words, this ain't no easy peasy 15Vsy.

The edge that comes up is quite a beauty, though. This is what I'd call "sticky sharp"; blending and balancing the polished, push cutting ability, with extremely refined aggression. It "sticks" to the fingers when felt. No rubbing here. I started in and worked a while on the Venev 240 stone, laying back my secondary bevels a bit lower than factory (as I usually do). I'm not sure of an exact angle, but it is within the realm of ~13dps, give-or-take. I typically add a bit of convexity to aid in toughness, within these highly alloyed and highly hardened steels. I stopped at the Venev 400 stone and stropped on leather compounded with Stroppy Stuff 4, and then 1 micron diamond suspension. One thing I noticed in the sharpening that struck me quite interested, is that the steel seems to start to polish in sharpening, quite noticeably, at lower rated grits. I've not experienced that to quite this degree at these two grits, on the Venev stones. Further assessment will have to be studied before coming to a conclusion, though I believe it is a combination of abrasion resistance and sharpening duration, possibly leading to a sort of burnishing effect, due to the hardness and the alloy/carbide content within the matrix.

Perhaps I'll have to start a new performance thread for this steel. I'm not sure how much I can contribute at the moment (I still have some data on the AEB-L MULE shelved for the time being, along with 15V and SPY27 that I've been playing with), but I've had some excellent results from a couple limited testing phases with T15, so far, when testing for strength and front-end sharpness. Abrasion resistance seems like it will live up to the "high wear resistant steels", that have become all the rage within the community. I'm not all that concerned with it "besting" the highest highs of raw abrasion resistance in and of itself. Honestly, I get bored with the extremely high levels of wear resistance at the expense of all else. I believe Larrin stated that when in comparison to M4, T15 actually has greater impact toughness if both are pushed to +64 RC. Because of that, I see value in this steel, however, those who have tasted more extreme flavors, may feel differently.

In dialing back and balancing out that extreme wear resistance at all cost, I'd like to see Vanadis 8 make its way to the MULE Team. I'd also be interested in a run of CPM REX 20/Carpenter Micro Melt M62.

[Erion929]

Firstly, any sharpening novice need not apply (IMO). I can say with certainty, this is not for the faint of those less hearty when it comes to patience in sharpening. I found the steel to be quite extremely abrasion resistant; even more noticeably than the Maxamet coming out of Taichung. I'd be surprised to find out that these are less than high-mid to high 60's RC. The steel skates like it's on ice whilst on my Venev stones (240 + 400 grit). I would recommend diamond plates for those with less patience (DMT or Atoma).

I’m a hard steel newb….a friend told me don’t even bother without diamonds, so I just bought a Worksharp Precision Elite, as I need guided. Hopefully, I can manage with that.
.

[jmj3esq]

I just got back from vacation and my MT CPM REX T15 had arrived along with my Hazy Design Studios OD green micarta scales and hardware. They fit together perfectly as always from Hazy Design. This is my 4th set of scales from this guy and these are my favorite so far. Get any of his scales as quickly as you can as his drops usually sell out quickly. I have yet to use any CPM REX steel and im excited to try it out. The blade came not so sharp as compared to most so I will likely get a definite chance to sharpen it. Enjoy!

[Michael Janich]

Dear gx9901dx:

Welcome to the Spyderco Forum.

Stay safe,

Mike

[Giygas]

Got mine. Edge is sharp, and bevels are fairly even so I'm gonna do a bit of testing on the factory edge.



I'm really interested to see how it compares to the ASP60 I've been testing. ASP60 vs Rex T15:



I don't see any specific place to post testing results, so Ill probably just post feedback on this thread.

Edit:

After cutting about 50ft of cardboard, I checked the edge with my fingernail and felt this:


It got bad enough to actually be felt during cutting about halfway through the next 50ft:


I usually don't even test factory edges, so this doesn't mean much of anything to me. Just putting it out there as a data point.

Edit2:

Here's the same spot after another 100ft, for 200ft total:


There was a slight hangup at the roll, but it still sliced Walmart receipt paper fairly cleanly otherwise. I'm impressed.

[Wandering_About]

My 15V Mule landed today. I'm not sure why, but I've been quite excited about this one. Fit and finish are excellent, and the factory edge is about as good as it could possibly be. Measures about .025" behind the edge at the plunge line and tip, otherwise seems to be around .020-.021" which is also pretty good.

[Rinzler]

flipper deterrent.

those who buy these things for a quick buck.

shyster flippers

It sounds as if you're very angry about people who put in extra effort and make a few bucks off of those who would choose to sleep in. Have you always hated Capitalism, or is this a more recent development?

Were you able to buy the knife that you wanted today? If not, I might be willing to part with mine. But it won't be cheap.

I’m not angry. I’m not anti capitalist. I also don’t give 2 excrements about your insinuation that might goad me into hurt feelings or shame.

Flippers are a pox on limited knife runs such as spydercos sprints, mules, and exclusives. Flippers can all go stand in front of a train for all I care and that has nothing to do with anger or anti capitalist sentiments.

For the record I live within walking distance to SFO and I bought the mule on the morning of its release as I always do, then I go get a burrito and plot ways to overthrow capitalism as I angrily eat a breakfast burrito.

[weeping minora]

Firstly, any sharpening novice need not apply (IMO). I can say with certainty, this is not for the faint of those less hearty when it comes to patience in sharpening. I found the steel to be quite extremely abrasion resistant; even more noticeably than the Maxamet coming out of Taichung. I'd be surprised to find out that these are less than high-mid to high 60's RC. The steel skates like it's on ice whilst on my Venev stones (240 + 400 grit). I would recommend diamond plates for those with less patience (DMT or Atoma).

I’m a hard steel newb….a friend told me don’t even bother without diamonds, so I just bought a Worksharp Precision Elite, as I need guided. Hopefully, I can manage with that.
.

So long as they have compatible diamond or cbn abrasives for your system, you will be fine. The amount of time needed to truly sharpen and form a proper apex will increase, noticeably, however. Just need to be patient and let the stones do the cutting. Keep them clean in the process!

[Ramonade]

Firstly, any sharpening novice need not apply (IMO). I can say with certainty, this is not for the faint of those less hearty when it comes to patience in sharpening. I found the steel to be quite extremely abrasion resistant; even more noticeably than the Maxamet coming out of Taichung. I'd be surprised to find out that these are less than high-mid to high 60's RC. The steel skates like it's on ice whilst on my Venev stones (240 + 400 grit). I would recommend diamond plates for those with less patience (DMT or Atoma).

Well Tungsten don't play, that's for sure ! I know the REX76 Mule was very high in hardness and my venev stones did provide good feedback on it (a little more glassy than let's say Maxamet, but still okay). Do you use C25% or C100% stones ? I've noticed that steels like Maxamet take way too long with the 4x less concentrated stone (which is perfectly logical).

The C25% stones are perfect as finishing stones though, I love to end on F240 C100 then jumping to the C25 for alternating passes with lower and lower number and pressure.

Can't wait to get one during this summer

[weeping minora]

Firstly, any sharpening novice need not apply (IMO). I can say with certainty, this is not for the faint of those less hearty when it comes to patience in sharpening. I found the steel to be quite extremely abrasion resistant; even more noticeably than the Maxamet coming out of Taichung. I'd be surprised to find out that these are less than high-mid to high 60's RC. The steel skates like it's on ice whilst on my Venev stones (240 + 400 grit). I would recommend diamond plates for those with less patience (DMT or Atoma).

Well Tungsten don't play, that's for sure ! I know the REX76 Mule was very high in hardness and my venev stones did provide good feedback on it (a little more glassy than let's say Maxamet, but still okay). Do you use C25% or C100% stones ? I've noticed that steels like Maxamet take way too long with the 4x less concentrated stone (which is perfectly logical).

The C25% stones are perfect as finishing stones though, I love to end on F240 C100 then jumping to the C25 for alternating passes with lower and lower number and pressure.

Can't wait to get one during this summer

I use their Dragon Series 8"×3" stones, which are all rated at 100%. I used the 240/400, which is my typical sharpening stone progression for most of my EDC knives these days. The 240 is used for bevel reprofiling and apex setting for factory edges and the 400 is my finishing stone. Once that initial reprofile has been set, I'll usually just use the 400 side until I need to reprofile the bevel once more. I reduce the burr on each stone, before hitting my stropping compounds to refine the apex. Two sharpenings in on this T15 and it is more abrasion resistant than the Maxamet I've sharpened on these stones (Native 5 from Golden and Sage 1 from Taichung). Could be that with the additional alloy content of Maxamet, perhaps there is less Tungsten carbide within the matrix versus T15. I know Maxamet is supposedly run higher than these T15 MULES. T15 has a rep for being a PITA to work with from those in the machining world (which seemingly gets replaced with CPM M4 for workability and somewhat less, but close enough overall tool life). I'm not sure just how much of a difference that WC dominant steel poses over VC dominant steel when it comes to sharpening, as I don't have as much experience with WC as I have with VC. Probably mostly down to heat treat and microstructure. Cemented WC blades sound like another story entirely.

T15 has been holding front end sharpness, push cutting ability and slicing aggression extremely well. Not so scientific testing tells me so far that IME, T15 is holding up quite comparably to the K390 out of Seki in everyday type usage. Sharpening response caveat aside (which I find no hinderance in, just my observation), I am really enjoying this steel flavor so far.

[Erion929]

Firstly, any sharpening novice need not apply (IMO). I can say with certainty, this is not for the faint of those less hearty when it comes to patience in sharpening. I found the steel to be quite extremely abrasion resistant; even more noticeably than the Maxamet coming out of Taichung. I'd be surprised to find out that these are less than high-mid to high 60's RC. The steel skates like it's on ice whilst on my Venev stones (240 + 400 grit). I would recommend diamond plates for those with less patience (DMT or Atoma).

I’m a hard steel newb….a friend told me don’t even bother without diamonds, so I just bought a Worksharp Precision Elite, as I need guided. Hopefully, I can manage with that.
.

So long as they have compatible diamond or cbn abrasives for your system, you will be fine. The amount of time needed to truly sharpen and form a proper apex will increase, noticeably, however. Just need to be patient and let the stones do the cutting. Keep them clean in the process!

The Worksharp Elite kit comes with 220, 320, 400, 600, 800 grit diamond plates and a ceramic.
.

[weeping minora]

Firstly, any sharpening novice need not apply (IMO). I can say with certainty, this is not for the faint of those less hearty when it comes to patience in sharpening. I found the steel to be quite extremely abrasion resistant; even more noticeably than the Maxamet coming out of Taichung. I'd be surprised to find out that these are less than high-mid to high 60's RC. The steel skates like it's on ice whilst on my Venev stones (240 + 400 grit). I would recommend diamond plates for those with less patience (DMT or Atoma).

I’m a hard steel newb….a friend told me don’t even bother without diamonds, so I just bought a Worksharp Precision Elite, as I need guided. Hopefully, I can manage with that.
.

So long as they have compatible diamond or cbn abrasives for your system, you will be fine. The amount of time needed to truly sharpen and form a proper apex will increase, noticeably, however. Just need to be patient and let the stones do the cutting. Keep them clean in the process!

The Worksharp Elite kit comes with 220, 320, 400, 600, 800 grit diamond plates and a ceramic.
.

If they happen to be plated diamond abrasives (as in DMT, or Atoma), they seem to cut faster than diamond bonded abrasives (as in Venev). The concentration of the diamond is electroplated to the surface of the stone and they provide a deeper scratch pattern, however, the idea is that you need to use more grits to remove that coarse scratch pattern and overall apex shape (meaningly less ability to jump grits whilst refining the scratch pattern and apex). I would skip the ceramics for use on T15.

[standy99]

Mine arrived today