Anyone Else Like Mules?

[El Gato]

The Mule Team Series are some of my favorite Spydercos. A Mule is my camp and trail knife as well as my edc working knife, and rides comfortably in my back pocket until needed. I especially like my Mules for what they do not have.
No moving parts and therefore:
no vertical blade play
no horizontal blade play
no loose pivot
no tight pivot
no lubrication required
no spring issues
no lock rock
no early lock up
no late lock up
no lock failure

So I call my Mule "SUE". Just "Sharpen/Use/Enjoy"
I would like to hear your Mule stories and see some pictures of your Mules. :)

Thanks.

Dave

[BTG]

So I call my Mule "SUE". Just "Sharpen/Use/Enjoy"
I would like to hear your Mule stories and see some pictures of your Mules. :)

Thanks.

Dave

[/quote]


DANG....knice knife..lol...great edge....love the sheath .who, where, and how much..ill take 6

[El Gato]

LOL. Gosh, thanks BTG. That Mule 21 is my current edc working knife with a 15 dps bevel and a 18 dps micro bevel. The pocket slip sheath is one I designed and made for myself. I am retired now but made a business of sheath making for many years. Thanks for the kind words. Glad you like the picture. :)

[gaj999]

The size is spot on. I like the shape OK, but if I were I doing it, I'd lose the little guard thingy and straighten the handle out with respect to the blade and make it more like a Puukko.

Gordon

[SpyderNut]

The Mule Team Series are some of my favorite Spydercos. A Mule is my camp and trail knife as well as my edc working knife, and rides comfortably in my back pocket until needed. I especially like my Mules for what they do not have.
No moving parts and therefore:
no vertical blade play
no horizontal blade play
no loose pivot
no tight pivot
no lubrication required
no spring issues
no lock rock
no early lock up
no late lock up
no lock failure

So I call my Mule "SUE". Just "Sharpen/Use/Enjoy"
I would like to hear your Mule stories and see some pictures of your Mules. :)

Thanks.

Dave

Beautiful job Dave--on both knife and sheath. I especially like what you did on the sheath! :) Very well done. :D

[El Gato]

Thank you kindly my friend. I can always count on you for a kind word. :)

[TomAiello]

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.

[El Gato]

Sounds like an interesting assortment Tom. Pictures perhaps? :)

Cru-Wear with serrations ........ wow!! What's not to like, eh?

[farnorthdan]

I like them, here are the last couple I've added:

MT8 Super Blue to complete my SB set


MT1 - 52100,

[Wright.88]

I've really been thinking about getting one. How do you like the 4v steel, Dave?

Great looking edge and sheath, btw :)

[El Gato]

I like them, here are the last couple I've added:

MT8 Super Blue to complete my SB set


MT1 - 52100,

Thanks Dan. I just recently got the MT8 myself and would like to find the MT1 to try, but that is going to be challenging I think. I did get a second MT21 as a pre-need Mule because I am really loving the CPM 4V steel. :)

[El Gato]

I've really been thinking about getting one. How do you like the 4v steel, Dave?

Great looking edge and sheath, btw :)

Thanks Wright. I think you would enjoy the MT 21. I ordered a second one because I have had such good performance from the CPM 4V steel. When I first received my MT21 I put my own edge on it, gave it an overall treatment of FrogLube to protect the non-stainless steel, and then used it as my only knife for all things including kitchen work and table use for six weeks. I say six weeks because that is currently how long I have had the knife in edc service. I am extremely happy with the edge retention of the 4V.

I have not had to touch up the edge since the initial sharpening but I do strop it lightly every couple of days just to keep the hair popping edge. This Mule just keeps on working. I have noticed no chipping or roll of the edge and it keeps a working sharpness that just won't quit. Once I got that first initial sharpening completed it was easy to maintain by light stropping so far. Every time I think I need to get out the EdgePro and touch it up I have passed it over the strop and found sharpening unnecessary as yet.

Personally I prefer a non-stainless tool steel for my working knives, so the 4V was one I wanted to try and I am glad I did. I have not tried all the different steels but in my own experience so far the 4V gives me the best performance I have ever enjoyed in a knife. Because I am so impressed with the 4V I felt I wanted to have the second one as well. I can only hope we might see a Mule in CPM 10V one day. I think that might be a great steel as well. I have not used my MT21 hard or for rough work but I do use it everyday as my only knife and that is how I compare it to other knives I have owned and used. I guess my own personal "testing" is how a knife performs for me day in and day out and so far I am totally impressed with the CPM 4V steel.

You may notice there is no patina showing on my MT21 and think I have not used it much, but I use and carry it everyday and it is in my back pocket now. With daily use as my only kitchen knife I cut a lot of things that would normally cause a patina. The reason none has developed is the FrogLube treatment I first gave the knife which seems to prevent a patina from forming. Personally I kind of like a nice patina, but I also like the protection the FrogLube is apparently providing. I have spread a single drop of the FL over the blade every couple of weeks just to restore protection but I am not sure if even that is really necessary.

The CPM 4V in this MT21 is the best steel I have ever enjoyed in a knife so far. I hope you will enjoy your MT21 as much as I am enjoying mine and I hope this helps in answering your questions. If you get your Mule please let me know how you like it. :)

Dave

[SpeedHoles]

I have always respected what the Mule Team Project was all about, but I was a somewhat late adopter of actually enjoying the design and starting to carry one often. Just recently seeing the light and now really getting into it. :)

I got onto a kick buying some smaller fixed blades from other companies and a couple of handmades, and really enjoyed a few of them. Then I came back to an old MT1 I had, and then it just hit me how awesome of a knife they really are!!! :cool:
And available in so many flavors. So then I picked up the MT21, and also got my MT8 out of the closet.
I am a huge fan of the Stretch and carry one very often, so for me, the contours of the handle feel nearly identical on the Mule (just without the small lower index finger choil).
For this reason I actually prefer flat scales just a bit, simply for familiarity and comfort when carrying. On larger fixed blades contoured is great, though.


I have been really HOPING for a Mule Team in HAP40!!! :spyder:
Please! :D



Here is my MT21 from a few weeks ago when it was new.

[El Gato]

Thanks for sharing your Mule and thoughts. I too got into the Mule Team project a bit late and am still catching up. I don't feel the need for all of them but I do especially want to try the non-stainless tool steel editions. The Mule is a lot of knife in a small package. :)

I like your sheath too. I checked out the website and like what I see there. Might have to try one myself.

[SpeedHoles]

Thanks for sharing your Mule and thoughts. I too got into the Mule Team project a bit late and am still catching up. I don't feel the need for all of them but I do especially want to try the non-stainless tool steel editions. The Mule is a lot of knife in a small package. :)

I like your sheath too. I checked out the website and like what I see there. Might have to try one myself.

Yeah, there's no way I'd even attempt to attain all of the Mules. I am quite happy with what I have, although at one point I did have my eye on the K390, the PSF27, and the Cobalt.


If you were referring to my sheath, it was from user glockcrazz. I just got an orange one also.

[El Gato]

If you were referring to my sheath, it was from user glockcrazz. I just got an orange one also.

Glockcrazz does some very nice work. I especially like the fact that he can supply a Mule sheath without having the customer send their knife to him. I like that. :)

[farnorthdan]

My Mule Team...team so far:
52100
Super blue
PSF27
V4

PSF27 in Temp2 leather sheath


All Halpern scales, PSF27 contured others in flats. Still no scales for the 52100, what do you guys think would look good on this one?

[BTG]

All Halpern scales, PSF27 contured others in flats. Still no scales for the 52100, what do you guys think would look good on this one?[/quote]


Really liking that natural Jade G10 El Gato has going on his.

[SpeedHoles]

^ Ha that's crazy, you have all the same Mules I do! With the addition of the PSF27 that I was considering. Also 2 of the same Halpern colors I do, but on different steels.

I have micarta on 52100, Foliage on 4V, and grey on SB.

[farnorthdan]

^ Ha that's crazy, you have all the same Mules I do! With the addition of the PSF27 that I was considering. Also 2 of the same Halpern colors I do, but on different steels.

I have micarta on 52100, Foliage on 4V, and grey on SB.

Sweet, I really like the battleship grey (i think thats what they call it) on the SB, comes real close to matching the greay they use on the other SB models. I also really like that natural Jade, may have to try that one out. I wish there was another supplier of these scales that offered more options and were as easy to order from as Halpern.