Spyderco's Mule Team Project is one of the most unique programs in the commercial knife industry. By definition, a "mule" is a sample knife used for in-house performance testing. Traditionally, they are made to the exact same pattern and specifications, but feature a different blade steel or heat treatment protocol. This keeps all the performance characteristics of the knife identical except for a single variable, allowing an excellent basis for objective, scientific performance-based testing.
