Mule Team 13 (ELMAX) is available for limited time

[ez bake]

The Mule Team 13 (MT13P) is available now on Spyderco's Store (purchase limited to 2 each).

I just got my order in. If you order 2, you get free shipping.


http://www.spyderco.com/catalog/details.php?product=721

 

[OKWalker]

Thanks for the info EZ. I do have a few questions that I don't see answered on the website if you know:

1. Is this a good steel?
2. How long is the blade and the overall knife?
3. What are your plans for scales / handle wrap / sheath?

 

[ez bake]

That's funny man, I was just going to update this post (mine came in today). It's got a slightly longer cutting-edge than the Para-2 but with no finger-choil cut out of the blade so you get a slightly shorter handle/over-all length.

I was surprised by the fact that it was stone-washed (which is nice). ELMAX is a Böhler-Uddeholm Steel. They're based in Kapfenberg, Austria.

Here's Spyderco's short write-up on ELMAX (it is a highly sought-after tool steel and is very good for use in blades):

Böhler first sold steel in North America in 1925 by providing European-made steels to toolmakers, manufacturing industries and construction jobs in the U.S. Their Elmax is an alloy composed using powdered metallurgic technology that was designed specifically for high-tech applications, primarily for use in the electronics industry. It contains elevated levels of chromium, vanadium-molybdenum that deem it a well-tailored fit for making knife blades. These elements translate into resistance to wear and corrosion and it has a homogenous grain structure making it malleable when grinding and forming.

Ankerson rates it in the upper half of his edge-retention tests (right along side ZDP-189, CPM-154, CTS-XHP, and Super-Blue).


blade length: 3.313"
length overall: 7.625"
weight: 2.7 oz.

There are a couple of places to get scales. I got mine from Halpern Titanium (but they're an older style that has been discontinued). You can go to Tuffknives (TuffThumbz on several of the boards), or find another custom maker. There's always the option of picking up some stand-offs and making your own out of G10, Linen-Micarta, Carbon-fiber, Wood, or whatever else you want.


Better hurry if you want one, they were selling like hot-cakes and I want to say they're only making 800 of these Mule Teams in a series:

 

[Ignored Member]

I guess they're out of stock now. I tried to order 3 times and everytime it went to the credit card part it said my cart was empty.

 

[Ignored Member]

Nevermind I finally got my order to go through.
It's all your fault EZ.
Now I gotta pick out my handles.

 

[ez bake]

Nevermind I finally got my order to go through.
It's all your fault EZ.
Now I gotta pick out my handles.

I'm pretty sure Warrior45 or some other capable knife-guru could whip you up some

You can always use Para-cord man (or play with G10/wood/micarta/Carbon-Fiber and make your own). Be careful with G10 though - use a good mask and have plenty of ventilation if you're going to be sanding on it.

I need to figure out if I've got the time to order some Kydex and make a sheath, or if I'm just going to have someone else make me one.

 

[Ignored Member]

Yeah I think I want tan micarta and a kydex iwb sheath.
I might hit up warrior about it.

 

[Ignored Member]

Went on knifekits.com and ordered some g-10 black/blue blanks cause they didn't have tan micarta. I decided I want to give it a go myself.
Does anyone have any tips on the best way to fit these? I want them to look like the scales on the Coye Ridgeback.

And EZ if you have the time and materials I'd like to throw some cash your way for a sheath if you'd be up for it.

 

[ez bake]

Went on knifekits.com and ordered some g-10 black/blue blanks cause they didn't have tan micarta. I decided I want to give it a go myself.
Does anyone have any tips on the best way to fit these? I want them to look like the scales on the Coye Ridgeback.

And EZ if you have the time and materials I'd like to throw some cash your way for a sheath if you'd be up for it.

Search Youtube and google "make your own G10 knife scales" or something like that - basically, you rough them out on a band-saw or similar device (leaving enough scale hanging over the edge) and then mount them temporarily on the knife and sand away (use mill with the right bit to get the cool 3D texture or a round file).

You have some choices for mounting (especially on these knives - there's a crapload of holes on there for exactly that reason). You can pin/glue them, hollow-flange-tube them, or use chicago-screws or barrel screws and counter-sink the heads (that's how Halpern's thin scales are done - you can get all the screw-parts you need at Ace hardware).

Making sheaths is well easier than making the handles. You just cut two pieces of Kydex (use the thinner stuff) or fold one after heating it in the oven until it's leathery and get it out with gloves and wrap it around the blade and press it between two pieces of closed-cell foam (Wal-Mart Camp Mat works well for like $10) and leave it until it cools/hardens. You can use a hair-dryer or heat-gun (or re-heat it in the over for just a bit) to really work the finer areas around your contact-points on the knife (for retention) with a popsickle stick or half of a clothes-pin.

I rough-cut mine and will usually drill/bolt it together before putting in the oven so that once it's cooled, I just have to sand or finish up the outside and put the rivets in.

You can get creative and add your own loops or whatever additional stuff you want to. Crap, now you've got me thinking about ordering a bunch of Kydex stuff again (I just sold all my sheath-making stuff a few years ago - I had a nice rivet-press, different dies, a set of Kydex-specific drill-bits, etc.).

I may go ahead and order some hand-sets, drill-bits, and a Kydex sheath kit for mine and see if it comes back to me like riding a horse. I've been meaning to order a set of knife kit's low-rider pocket-clips to see which one fits my various Spydies anyways.

I'll let you know how it goes man - worst case, I'll let you borrow the tools so you can screw it up instead of me

 

[Ignored Member]

I'd definitely be into making the sheath myself. I've never messed with kydex before so I'm sure I'll have to scrap the first try before i get it just right.
Doesn't seem too bad though from your description. I might have to order a couple small sheets to play around with. Do you have a good source for it or should i just get some from knifekits.com?