Hey, Spyderco! What is Cobalt Special???

[jzmtl]

I don't know if this apply to short/thick blade of knives we are taking about, but for kitchen knives, the laminated blade is easier to make. A solid steel blade is more likely to warp, crack or otherwise junked during heat treating than a laminated blade.

Edit: just saw Sal's post, so it's really not a laminated steel, but more welded, sorta like Kershaw's composite blade.

[cckw]

Hi Sequimite,

We really don't know much about it. It's one of those odd steels that is supposed to be special. No one has played with it yet. I trust Takefu to do it right. It is also challenging to get these foundries to play with us.

I am guessing that the reason it's clad is to save money. The alloy is most likely quite expensive to proeduce. The Japanese foundries cut a channel into into the edge of the "laminate" steel and place the special steel in the channel.

The sample that I've been testing for the past few months has been impressive.

With the Mule team, we all get to try a piece of this special stuff and come to our own conclusions. What's better than that?

sal

Do you know how deep this channel is? Does it go nearly to the spine? 1/2 way ? etc? I ask this from the point of view of messing with axes.

On an axe, only the bit (sharp edge) is hardened. you can see the heat treat area if you soak it in vinegar for a day. the hardened area is darker then the non hardened. I have one axe that was hardened less then an inch, another hardened clear back to the handle hole, although most are closer to 2".

With the axe and potentially with this blade abusive sharpening practices can overrun the area of intended use. Not a worry on this Mule, just fun to know such things.

Regardless of the answer, I'll be ordering my usual quantity of 2, one to use and one for the collection.

[sal]

Hi Cckw,

I'm guessing about an inch to an inch and a half, but I don't know for sure. Different foundries do it differently.

sal

[JacksonKnives]

If the lamination happens to barstock at the foundry, it only really needs to go far enough back to provide material for the tip. (Obviously some blade designs would be better suited to this that others.) If the lamination happens after the initial silhouette is formed, it only really needs to go back far enough that there will still be a bit of core steel left when the blade has been used/sharpened enough to be considered "depleted." Either way sounds more labor-intensive than the lamination done with the Caly jr/3, but then maybe the foundry in question likes showing off their skill.

Remember that this is how the Scandinavian master smiths of the first millennium made smithing into "magic." The tiny amounts of quality steel they had available were laminated and pattern-welded into blade edges so much better than everything else, surviving legends and stories say they must have been made by "the giants" or "Weyland himself." (They said the same of abandoned Roman architecture.) If you can afford to make an entire blade out of the world's best steel, then by all means do so; it doesn't make the lamination technique any less valid.

[mongatu]

How quickly do the Mule's usually sell out once they go on sale?

[defenestrate]

mongatu - this varies quite a bit. My guess based on the price and how little known this steel is, it will probably be available for at least 2-3 weeks, but I could be wrong.

[mongatu]

Thanks for the info. One more question, if I may, what is the blade length on these knives?

[dsmegst]

Thanks for the info. One more question, if I may, what is the blade length on these knives?

All mules are identical. Just take a look at the other mules on the website.

The specs will be the same on the new one.

http://spyderco.com/catalog/details.php?product=611

[richroemer]

Just got my cobalt special. Regarding the question of the channel and how high it goes, I think from looking at mine that this knife is made with 3 layers that are all the same... full height, equal thickness all around. When I look at the edges of the handle, I think I see 2 very faint lines going all around the handle... top, end, and bottom... same across the spine (top) of the blade. The central layer might be just a bit thicker than each outer layer.

[HaroldB]

Just got my cobalt special. Regarding the question of the channel and how high it goes, I think from looking at mine that this knife is made with 3 layers that are all the same... full height, equal thickness all around. When I look at the edges of the handle, I think I see 2 very faint lines going all around the handle... top, end, and bottom... same across the spine (top) of the blade. The central layer might be just a bit thicker than each outer layer.

Is anyone taken PICS yet? :confused:

[Dapurplenurple]

Is anyone taken PICS yet? :confused:

I've seen a few in a previous post. I've got a couple pics of MT9 (w/ green scales, lamination shows up faintly in the pics).

[Rogcohen]

Kind of on the topic on this thread, but I've never bought a mule and know very little about them. However, I like the blade shape and the think it might be fun to try out a new steel like the Cobalt Special.

How do people go about making / buying handles and is there an easy way to do it? Any direction on where I can go to learn more would be appreicated. Thanks!

[Dapurplenurple]

How do people go about making / buying handles and is there an easy way to do it? Any direction on where I can go to learn more would be appreicated. Thanks!

http://muleprojects.blogspot.com/
http://marioncarry.blogspot.com/

I'm new to the mule project too but I've found a bunch of useful information from Marion David Poff's blogs and posts. I got my scales (and so have many others) from Halpern Titanium and like them very much. They're great to work with. They actually referred me to Marion for sheaths so I've got an order with Marion. Can't wait for them to come in.

[Bulldog856]

I know this is an old thread, but has anyone determined the hardness of the Cobalt steel?