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In the cutlery industry, a “mule” is a blade used for testing purposes. Spyderco’s Mule Team™ series elevates this concept even further by offering the same fixed-blade knife pattern in many different steel variations and inviting our customers to join in the testing process.

One of the most unique members of this elite family features High-Impact Ceramic (HIC)—a state-of-the-art Ceramic Injection Molding (CIM) material. This remarkable zirconia-based material is significantly more resistant to breakage than conventional ceramics. It is specially formulated to obtain the highest density during sintering, giving it exceptional toughness and resistance to crack propagation. This proprietary material also achieves far greater hardness than steel blades, allowing it to both cut and retain its edge incredibly well. Because this blade is produced by an injection-molding process, its full tang only includes the holes necessary for handle-scale mounting. The additional weight-reduction holes and the lanyard hole seen in steel Mule blades have been eliminated.

Although HIC is more durable than conventional ceramic materials, it is still not as resilient as steel. It is, therefore, not warranted against breakage. Because it has slight dimensional differences compared to steel Mules, the MT40 also will not fit in our standard aftermarket Boltaron® sheath; however, a dedicated sheath specific to the HIC Mule is available. HIC's extreme hardness requires diamond or cubic boron nitride (CBN) sharpening media. For best results, finer grit (at least 600 grit) abrasives are recommended. MT40 Mules may also be returned to Spyderco for sharpening.

Whether you are a blade-material connoisseur, a hobbyist looking for a unique “kit” blade, or a die-hard Spyderco collector, the HIC Mule will proudly meet your needs. All Mule Team blades are sold consumer-direct and available only at the Spyderco Factory Outlet or through Spyderco.com.