1st Mule: M398 hunting model

[Maremmen Jager]

Dear all,
This is my first Mule project.
I used an M398 (MT38) blade paired with Cuscadi G10 glow in the dark scales and a Francesco Nova custom leather sheath.

Choose this setup as a to go companion hunting knife:
1) M398 steel because it is a stainless steel with an expected great edge retention;
2) Cuscadi G10 glow-in-the-dark scales because I often hunt at night or am out for a few hours before or after sunrise and sunset.
I think it makes it easier to find if I drop it on the ground or it falls for some reason.
3) A custom leather sheath because I need something that perfectly suits my needs, in terms of
3.1 Quality, something really well made with top quality materials.
3.2 Fit, something that fits the knife perfectly and protects it without allowing the knife to sag in the sheath;
3.3 Portability, I want something that fits perfectly with the packs I use for my type of hunting and allows me to change the place of the knife in relation to the place where I am in Italy ("complex" knife law). Thanks to the molle panels I can move it inside or outside the pack I use for hunting (Mystery Ranch Asap or less often an older version Tasmanian Tiger Trooper) or otherwise I carry it on the classic rigger belt.


After ten months of use, during which I used it for almost everything (except food processing), such as field dressing, cutting ropes, gutting boar to pull them with a winch, opening letters and card boxes, getting a credit card out of a petrol pump and so on.
I try to write down somethings:

In short, pros:
1) Great steel, I haven't sharpened it yet(Probably I am looking to a custom with in the while to find a Sprig);
2) Great handling, it fits the hands like a glove, even with leather gloves;
3) Great blade shape, looks like a 30-06 good for all best for nothing.

Cons:
1) Expensive, **** expensive, to get a complete one in Europe is very expensive;
2) Great all round blade but suffers from specific use(Like a 30-06 good for all. best for nothing);
3) Detachable handle, a glued one could be better option.

What do you think about my setup?
Suggestion?
Thank you in advance

[standy99]

Great set up…

Having the same handle scales. It fits in the Boltron sheath pretty snug.

It would be easy to pin and epoxy the scales. Just drill out the holes to the widest point and use a same size pin. Some epoxy a pin and a few clamps it would take a few minutes to do.

[Fireman]

Great work!

[Bolster]

Very nice. As Standy says, you can convert those scales to "glued." Actually you could epoxy AND screw them, that way you'd not have to modify the scales at all. Just put down a layer of epoxy and then clamp; when dry, reattach the screws.

[wocket]

Re: epoxy, dry, then install screws - from the few videos I've seen of makers putting handles on (not Mule Team blades), they screwed on the pins right at the beginning, before drying. Do I have it wrong or is this something different about Mule Teams?

If I let it dry w/o the pins, could the scales drift ever so slightly causing the holes to not line up?

I plan to jump into Mule Teams w/ the AEB-L, just waiting to see if the boltaron sheath restocks soon so I can get everything in one order.

[standy99]

Re: epoxy, dry, then install screws - from the few videos I've seen of makers putting handles on (not Mule Team blades), they screwed on the pins right at the beginning, before drying. Do I have it wrong or is this something different about Mule Teams?

If I let it dry w/o the pins, could the scales drift ever so slightly causing the holes to not line up?

I plan to jump into Mule Teams w/ the AEB-L, just waiting to see if the boltaron sheath restocks soon so I can get everything in one order.

You would epoxy and put the screws straight in while epoxy was wet..otherwise you probably wouldn’t get the screws in

(But I would use a pin and save the screws and maybe add a G10 liner to make it a touch thicker)

[Maremmen Jager]

Hi,
Thank you to all for the suggestion, W will move to a glued/epoxy approach.
I am in touch with a friend of mine who is more skilled about this kind of works.

Suggestions about maintenance and resharpening?

(Ps. Do you know the HRC grad of this Mule?)

[Maremmen Jager]

Great set up…

Having the same handle scales. It fits in the Boltron sheath pretty snug.

It would be easy to pin and epoxy the scales. Just drill out the holes to the widest point and use a same size pin. Some epoxy a pin and a few clamps it would take a few minutes to do.

Glad to hear someone has the same scales!

Don't yours have a constant glow in the dark "performance"?
Mine look brighter some days than others...
I am not able to understand if this is a misleading perception of myself.