You got your Ceramic Mule. How you gonna sharpen it?

[yablanowitz]

Also, for giggles, I tried to see if I could use my hardest waterstones to do anything, maybe polish, or rid myself of some of the toothiness. As expected, absolutely not. Don't even bother.

I got a nice mirror polish from my Shapton Kuromaku 2k. It seemed to get a lot of the micro-chipping out as well, but after a certain point it just kinda stops doing anything to it.

I tried for I don't know how long to coax a decent edge out of it with a 9 micron DMT hone. Tried super light pressure, edge-trailing only, etc. Best I could get it to was 200 BESS and too smooth to really pass a 3-finger test.

I'm over this one. If it's this much of a pain to get it decently sharp, it's not worth it to me. I figured that the real challenge would be on actually abrading the material, but it just doesn't work like steel, and I am not really keen on learning to sharpen it. I've just decided to resell it.

Anyone know anything about those Sandrin tungsten carbide blades? Is that material like this, or similar to steel? I kind of figure the "tungsten' bit implies metal lol

Bro. Spyderco couldn't even ship the knife to me that wasn't blunt. I was at least expecting something worth working on. And they expect me to do it for them?

They expect you to join in the pioneering spirit of the Mule Team program. But since it does not appear that you are going to do so, and I've already broken the tip off one of mine, I will refund your purchase price and throw in $15 extra to send yours to me, provided you stop harping on the subject.

[j15w]

Also, for giggles, I tried to see if I could use my hardest waterstones to do anything, maybe polish, or rid myself of some of the toothiness. As expected, absolutely not. Don't even bother.

I got a nice mirror polish from my Shapton Kuromaku 2k. It seemed to get a lot of the micro-chipping out as well, but after a certain point it just kinda stops doing anything to it.

I tried for I don't know how long to coax a decent edge out of it with a 9 micron DMT hone. Tried super light pressure, edge-trailing only, etc. Best I could get it to was 200 BESS and too smooth to really pass a 3-finger test.

I'm over this one. If it's this much of a pain to get it decently sharp, it's not worth it to me. I figured that the real challenge would be on actually abrading the material, but it just doesn't work like steel, and I am not really keen on learning to sharpen it. I've just decided to resell it.

Anyone know anything about those Sandrin tungsten carbide blades? Is that material like this, or similar to steel? I kind of figure the "tungsten' bit implies metal lol

Bro. Spyderco couldn't even ship the knife to me that wasn't blunt. I was at least expecting something worth working on. And they expect me to do it for them?

They expect you to join in the pioneering spirit of the Mule Team program. But since it does not appear that you are going to do so, and I've already broken the tip off one of mine, I will refund your purchase price and throw in $15 extra to send yours to me, provided you stop harping on the subject.

You got it, buddy! Disclaimer: I did run some 600 and 800 grit diamond over it with no apparent change.

PM your info and I'll get thus out ASAP.

[Fireman]

Seems like a win win deal to me

[Fireman]

Yablanowitz, I have a DMT 80 grit diamond plate but it weighs like 3 lbs. want to see if I can reprofile that tip for you?

[Fireman]

Has anyone tried using those paper wheels with compound to sharpen? That may be the bees knees for this. You can make your own using MDF if you dare.

[hollowt1pz]

Hi Matt,

Unexpected performance?

It's strange stuff to be sure. I found that my HIC Mule would have no problems slicing tomatoes. Though it didn't "feel" sharp enough to slice a tomato. Normally I would grab a serrated Spyderco to slice a tomato, so I was actually surprised that it worked so well. I've been sharpening it regularly with the coarse CBN rod on the Gauntlet. Perhaps it was the coarser edge on the HIC? .............................. Vivi?

Have any of you found that it performed in a way that you did not expect?

Perhaps the coarser edge affects the Bess in unexpected ways, since we always go finer and finer for a good "Bess Edge".

sal

Yes sal, I did notice that with this material. I do not have much experience with these types of ceramics, but I personally expected this to cut more like carbide ceramics than what it does. If I am talking to who I think I am (?), than well hi sir much respect first, I know you are well aware that ceramics will behave differently under sharpening than steel and a coarse edge on any material is going to matter on BESS testing, I have gotten a coarse edge and a smooth edge to both be around 200-225 using different materials for ablation. I also, likewise, get a dull "feel" but it ends up cutting up cherry tomatoes or any food just fine. It is slightly different than Sandrin, or that is just my head not being used to this, but both are very similar in my personal opinion.

Hi Hollowt1pz,

Looking forward to your results.

sal

Of course, I heard through the grapevine that you may know the guy who will be testing this for me. I just wanted to personally say that I have no dog in any fight, but I understand I have had issues with the kid also. It's because he is autistic. I hope that doesn't affect how you view any results. Anything I post is of my own accord and my own personal opinion which I believe everyone is entitled to.

Seems like a win win deal to me

I laughed for the first time in a while. What a tool.

Has anyone tried using those paper wheels with compound to sharpen? That may be the bees knees for this. You can make your own using MDF if you dare.

Does used F1200 alumina to the backing count? I used everything that I typically would use to sharpen this, but would get chipping no matter what. So I decided to go to a softer ablating material which actually worked, although it took about two hours and a few hundred in belts, since I was trying different things without necessarily thinking them through fully.

I think you are right and have to either use a softer cutting material, changing the size of whatever grit you are using and whatever its unique fracture patterns are, or using a smaller micron very hard diamond paste on say paper or poly.

[Fireman]

If this works, might be the easiest way to sharpen. Load up the paper wheel with diamond abrasive

https://youtube.com/shorts/9CHFdRy_eDU?si=xti8r5G24jvr-gi1

[yablanowitz]

Yablanowitz, I have a DMT 80 grit diamond plate but it weighs like 3 lbs. want to see if I can reprofile that tip for you?

I'm actually halfway there already, and I have some SiC belts ordered for my 1 x 30 belt sander which should take care of the rest. Thanks anyway.

[Fireman]

Yablanowitz, I have a DMT 80 grit diamond plate but it weighs like 3 lbs. want to see if I can reprofile that tip for you?

I'm actually halfway there already, and I have some SiC belts ordered for my 1 x 30 belt sander which should take care of the rest. Thanks anyway.

Well looks like you are set for the first “Chopped” HIC mile. I assume you are making it more of a drop point/sheep’s foot? Perhaps taking the first 1/2” off will make it a bit more in the lateral strength

[yablanowitz]

I may take a little more of the belly out toward the tip, but that's what it looks like now.

[bobartig]

I was ready to give up on it until I started cutting up some cardboard with it. It performs at a much higher level than the edge would have me believe.

I do think that this material might do best with a coarse edge. Need to play with it some more.

This is an interesting observation, because I experienced something similar, but didn't really know what to think, and I didn't overall test it very much yet. The way it cut through paper vs. cardboard, it almost felt like two different knives.

It didn't feel very sharp and its paper slicing took a bit of patience and the cut was a bit rough (like a knife that is *almost* sharp). However, when I tried it on cardboard, it push-cut like a sharper knife, gliding through the material like a sharper knife. Maybe the hardness of HIC gives it an advantage "like" it has narrower geometry?

[legOFwhat?]

I may take a little more of the belly out toward the tip, but that's what it looks like now.

May i ask how you broke the tip off?

[yablanowitz]

Cutting out caulking to replace it. Working between a countertop backsplash and a sheetrock wall, like I've done a hundred times with other Mules. I wasn't prying, but I must have put too much lateral pressure on it having my fingers between the handle and the wall.

[Fireman]

Did you bring the spine down or the belly up or both?

[Fireman]

I wonder if dual grit sharpening, a coarser grit on one side and a mirror polish on the other will give the edge more bite? I noticed that with my Rhaven knife that the edge did not have that bite for tomato skins.

[yablanowitz]

Did you bring the spine down or the belly up or both?

I took the spine down just a tiny bit. Mostly I brought the edge up to meet it. There is still a small flat at the very point.

[sal]

Hi Hollowt1pz,

My wife, Gail, and I founded Spyderco, if that's what you mean? The Mule Team project is one that we began.

Thanx much for your participation and sharing your thoughts and experience.

Hey Yab,

Nice job! Is that what you re using to sharpen it?

sal
__________________________________________________________________________________________

"Continual improvement is our evolutionary obligation to humankind".

[sal]

I wonder if dual grit sharpening, a coarser grit on one side and a mirror polish on the other will give the edge more bite? I noticed that with my Rhaven knife that the edge did not have that bite for tomato skins.

Hey Fireman,

I'm just using the CBN rod on a Gauntlet for my Mule which seems to work well on tomato skins.

sal

[yablanowitz]

Sal,

I've just been using my DMT Diafolds and patience so far. Unlike steel, I have not gotten any kind of edge with X Coarse or even Coarse, although they can establish a bevel. A well-worn extra fine/XX Fine has managed an edge that almost feels sharp but won't shave, even though it zips through cardboard and plastic softener salt bags with ease. Interesting material.

[FullScaler]

Man, you guys are killing me here. I'm still patiently (mostly) sitting on my hands waiting for my HIC to get here. I've watched so many threads and conversations about sharpening this beast and my hands are just itching waiting for mine to get here.

I milled up a set of black and blue micarta scales for it and am working on a black and blue sheath to match. Now I just need the blade to arrive so I can dress it up and start testing.

I am patient. I am patient. I am patient. AAAAArghhh, I am patient. lol.