MT24P - Mule Team Fixed Blade with Maxamet

[Fallen]

How similar is this to Rex 121? Crucible's datasheet says Rex has 50-100% better wear resistance than 10V. Wouldn't using ceramics be cheaper than trying to produce and machine ultra hard steel? What advantages does using steel have (at this level of hardness)?

[Cujobob]

As we don't know the heat treat process, we can't say for certain, but as was mentioned earlier... This will have greater toughness than ceramics and hopefully wouldn't have as much of an issue with chipping. Ceramic blades haven't caught on to a great degree because they chip.

[Ankerson]

How similar is this to Rex 121? Crucible's datasheet says Rex has 50-100% better wear resistance than 10V. Wouldn't using ceramics be cheaper than trying to produce and machine ultra hard steel? What advantages does using steel have (at this level of hardness)?

It's really not, REX 121 is a different animal than MAXAMET.

The alloy content is very different between the two by a large percentage.

Doing what REX 121 was designed to do in the industry yes it would have that much difference than 10V. It was developed to exceed that standard of wear resistance in a hot work steel and bridge the gap between steels and pure carbide. It has almost as much Vanadium as 10V does and that doesn't include the other carbide formers. However in knife blades it has had mixed reviews, not really the best choice for knife blades as it turns out.

MAXAMET on the other hand was developed to give 10V level of wear resistance in a hot work steel so we will have to wait and see how that works out in knife blades.

[Bodog]

How similar is this to Rex 121? Crucible's datasheet says Rex has 50-100% better wear resistance than 10V. Wouldn't using ceramics be cheaper than trying to produce and machine ultra hard steel? What advantages does using steel have (at this level of hardness)?

It's really not, REX 121 is a different animal than MAXAMET.

The alloy content is very different between the two by a large percentage.

Doing what REX 121 was designed to do in the industry yes it would have that much difference than 10V. It was developed to exceed that standard of wear resistance in a hot work steel and bridge the gap between steels and pure carbide. It has almost as much Vanadium as 10V does and that doesn't include the other carbide formers. However in knife blades it has had mixed reviews, not really the best choice for knife blades as it turns out.

MAXAMET on the other hand was developed to give 10V level of wear resistance in a hot work steel so we will have to wait and see how that works out in knife blades.

Have you heard of anyone using Rex 121 that wasn't ridiculously thick? Most people only reference Farid's super thick mule at 70 + RC.

[Ankerson]

How similar is this to Rex 121? Crucible's datasheet says Rex has 50-100% better wear resistance than 10V. Wouldn't using ceramics be cheaper than trying to produce and machine ultra hard steel? What advantages does using steel have (at this level of hardness)?

It's really not, REX 121 is a different animal than MAXAMET.

The alloy content is very different between the two by a large percentage.

Doing what REX 121 was designed to do in the industry yes it would have that much difference than 10V. It was developed to exceed that standard of wear resistance in a hot work steel and bridge the gap between steels and pure carbide. It has almost as much Vanadium as 10V does and that doesn't include the other carbide formers. However in knife blades it has had mixed reviews, not really the best choice for knife blades as it turns out.

MAXAMET on the other hand was developed to give 10V level of wear resistance in a hot work steel so we will have to wait and see how that works out in knife blades.

Have you heard of anyone using Rex 121 that wasn't ridiculously thick? Most people only reference Farid's super thick mule at 70 + RC.

Not many. LOL

Spoke with a few and they said it doesn't do as well thinned out as they thought it would.

Not really a lot of it around and not many who would work with it.

Strider did a run years ago using REX 121 also (SnG), would have to sell the house to get one of those these days however.

[Philo Beddoe]

Maxamet and Rex 121 comparision..

[Bodog]

How similar is this to Rex 121? Crucible's datasheet says Rex has 50-100% better wear resistance than 10V. Wouldn't using ceramics be cheaper than trying to produce and machine ultra hard steel? What advantages does using steel have (at this level of hardness)?

It's really not, REX 121 is a different animal than MAXAMET.

The alloy content is very different between the two by a large percentage.

Doing what REX 121 was designed to do in the industry yes it would have that much difference than 10V. It was developed to exceed that standard of wear resistance in a hot work steel and bridge the gap between steels and pure carbide. It has almost as much Vanadium as 10V does and that doesn't include the other carbide formers. However in knife blades it has had mixed reviews, not really the best choice for knife blades as it turns out.

MAXAMET on the other hand was developed to give 10V level of wear resistance in a hot work steel so we will have to wait and see how that works out in knife blades.

Have you heard of anyone using Rex 121 that wasn't ridiculously thick? Most people only reference Farid's super thick mule at 70 + RC.

Not many. LOL

Spoke with a few and they said it doesn't do as well thinned out as they thought it would.

Not really a lot of it around and not many who would work with it.

Strider did a run years ago using REX 121 also (SnG), would have to sell the house to get one of those these days however.

I just wonder if Farid treated it correctly or left it too fat to be a decent blade. The rex 121 blade I have is good but it's a couple of points lower than I heard Farid's was and it looks considerably thinner without needing to be thinned down after heat treat. Anyway, at this point I worry less about the specifics and more about how much I like an individual knife as a whole package. I haven't seen such vast improvements in any steel from any company that I feel like I need to worry. Get a good knife from a reputable company and use it for whatever you need a knife for. It's just a tool. I don't worry much about steels in hammers, either. It's about whether it works and is worth whatever I paid for it.

[Ankerson]

Farid knows what he is doing HT wise. :)

I know what you mean though, you can group some of the steels into the same general category as long as the HT is good. :)

[Ryno]

I've looked through this thread and can't find what HRC the Maxamet Mule will be hardened to. Does anyone know?

[swigert]

I've looked through this thread and can't find what HRC the Maxamet Mule will be hardened to. Does anyone know?

we do not know and likely will not know.

[ABX2011]

I've looked through this thread and can't find what HRC the Maxamet Mule will be hardened to. Does anyone know?

we do not know and likely will not know.

In the past Sal has often posted the RC

[Bodog]

One of the interesting things about the steel is how hard it can get. Hopefully the target range is published.

[bearfacedkiller]

It looks as though 66-71 is a range they publish hardness results for. It is hard to say what Spyderco is gonna do with it for a knife blade though. No matter what they do it appears as though this stuff is gonna be up there a ways.

http://cartech.ides.com/ImageDisplay.as ... ss+Results

[Ryno]

I've looked through this thread and can't find what HRC the Maxamet Mule will be hardened to. Does anyone know?

we do not know and likely will not know.

I wonder if there is any harm in spyderco disclosing the hardness of this knife.

[Bodog]

I've looked through this thread and can't find what HRC the Maxamet Mule will be hardened to. Does anyone know?

we do not know and likely will not know.

I wonder if there is any harm in spyderco disclosing the hardness of this knife.

Evidently awhile back Spyderco would list the target for their knives and it always led to controversy because some people would think the blades were too soft or too hard or if the target range was say 59-60 and the knife was tested and came up as 57.5 to 58.5 people would bug out about how they were ripped off. Basically led to a lot of second guessing the company and what they did. I wouldn't see an issue with the mule teams considering they're supposed to be for testing, comparisons, and real world R and D.

[Bodog]

It looks as though 66-71 is a range they publish hardness results for. It is hard to say what Spyderco is gonna do with it for a knife blade though. No matter what they do it appears as though this stuff is gonna be up there a ways.

http://cartech.ides.com/ImageDisplay.as ... ss+Results

I meant the specific range Spyderco was trying to hit.

[bdblue]

I wonder if there is any harm in spyderco disclosing the hardness of this knife.

I don't search constantly for hardness numbers but in the past Spyderco has listed numbers for at least some knives after they are produced. There are some aspects of their production that they keep secret but they don't seem to try to keep hardness numbers secret. There was a lot of discussion about the best hardness for 52100 before the Military models were produced. I don't know what the resulting hardness was but I know that Spyderco was interested in producing blades with the best hardness range for use. I have no doubt that they have done their research for the MT24 and it will be a good blade. And if it isn't the best for that steel and use, then its use in the mule team will show that and will give them information for any future use of the steel.

[Skidoosh]

Focusing on the HRC number distracts from real world application because we don't know enough about the usage of the steel to tell us much. The ZDP-189 mules were to hard and there was some cracking. RWL-34 has been testified to as a great steel but the HRC hasn't been much a factor in discussion. I'm curious about polished edges, working edges, and corrosion resistance. We just won't know until we get it in hand.

[SpeedHoles]

More HSS! YES!!!

[PayneTrain]

I say we keep recklessly speculating for the next couple weeks, because why else would they announce anything ahead of time if they didn't want us to go off the deep end thinking and dreaming about it? :D

I for one can't wait to take this thing into battle in my remodeling project. Wish I had it for the linoleum removal, but M4 did quite an impressive job there. I'm definitely going to put all those carbides to the test. That formica really has to go. I'd better get some scales ready!