Spyderco Mule's. Any good for a fixed blade?

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sir_mike

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Jul 5, 2011
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2,157
Hello,

I am thinking about getting a Mule so I have a fixed blade and need some expertise with these.

1.) Are these Mule's good fixed blades that can take some ues and abuse or just for show?
2.) What steel would you recommend to get in one that can handle hard use?
3.) Are these any better than say, a Becker BK2 or some other fixed blade?

Thanks in advance for the help and any recommendations!
 
The mules are a small fixed blade made to test different steels not to beat in the woods.
 
Mules are slicers, not choppers. They're great for cutting tasks, but probably wouldn't fare well as a dedicated abuse knife. They're designed to test the cutting power of particular steels, not to take abuse. That having been said, they're nice little knives and awesome if you're interested in slicing power as opposed to chopping.
 
sir_mike said:
Hello,

I am thinking about getting a Mule so I have a fixed blade and need some expertise with these.

1.) Are these Mule's good fixed blades that can take some ues and abuse or just for show? When used like other knives, primarily to cut. Spyderco is all about the cut, if you want somthing to chop with consider Becker, Busse, HI, etc.
2.) What steel would you recommend to get in one that can handle hard use? The knives are only available for a short time because they are like sprint runs. They are released every 3 months or so, once they are gone, they are gone.
3.) Are these any better than say, a Becker BK2 or some other fixed blade? Better for slicing and actual cutting, not better for chopping trees down.

Thanks in advance for the help and any recommendations!
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Based on your questions, I'm not so sure these would be a good fit for you. Sounds more like you want somthing to take into the backyard and destroy a tree stump, with. Th Mule team is pretty much targeted at steelheads (people that love steel and performance testing). My suggestion would be to stick with Beckers. ;)
 
Thanks guys!

I dont plan on going out to chop down a tree with it but obviously I want a knife that CAN be used and abused if the need arises! As of right now, it would most likely sit around til I needed it.

If it is just a "slicer" type of knife, then I might as well just use my Para 2's that I have! :)

I am very interested in that Becker BK2 as I really like the beefy looks and heard good things about them. That is why I am kinda trying to compare the Mule to it.
 
Isn't the BK2 about .25 inches thick? No, the Mules aren't designed as crowbars. Some of the steels are certainly tougher than the 1095 in the Becker line but they are primarily designed as cutters, slicers and skinners. I wouldn't go so far as to call them light duty though, perhaps except the ZDP mule. The Cruwear mule and likely the 52100, and certainly the CPM M4 Mules outperform 1095 in probably every attribute so they are sure nothing to sneeze at.
 
sir_mike said:
Thanks guys!

I dont plan on going out to chop down a tree with it but obviously I want a knife that CAN be used and abused if the need arises! As of right now, it would most likely sit around til I needed it.

If it is just a "slicer" type of knife, then I might as well just use my Para 2's that I have! :)

I am very interested in that Becker BK2 as I really like the beefy looks and heard good things about them. That is why I am kinda trying to compare the Mule to it.
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I love my spydies, but for a stout fixed blade---- BK2 is a beast! My buddy Davey recently got one and it is a tank! I don't own a lot of fixed blades, but I choose an ESEE3 (lifetime unlimited warranty. O questions asked). I own an old school buck fieldmate as my heavy duty larger fixed blade, otherwise I would get a BK2! For $60 you can't go wrong.
 
rg02 said:
I love my spydies, but for a stout fixed blade---- BK2 is a beast! My buddy Davey recently got one and it is a tank! I don't own a lot of fixed blades, but I choose an ESEE3 (lifetime unlimited warranty. O questions asked). I own an old school buck fieldmate as my heavy duty larger fixed blade, otherwise I would get a BK2! For $60 you can't go wrong.
Click to expand...

That's what I am thinking. The BK2 looks like a beast and I like it alot but I too love my Spydies! I dont like coated blades like the ESEE's have though so looking for a non-coated blade.
 
You could always strip the coating. It's apparently not all that difficult, but most of those coated knives are not stainless and will rust if not properly cared for. If you're looking for a knife that can be abused, the mule team probably isn't what you're looking for. Absolutely great slicers in some incredible steels, but not really meant for hacking or chopping down trees. I hear you can't really go wrong with Beckers or ESSEs, or Busses for that matter.
 
The Mule Team knives are more in the category of the Becker BK14. The tougher ones, like the Elmax one, should perform very well in the same roles that a BK14 or Izula is good for.
 
sir_mike said:
Hello,

I am thinking about getting a Mule so I have a fixed blade and need some expertise with these.

1.) Are these Mule's good fixed blades that can take some ues and abuse or just for show?
2.) What steel would you recommend to get in one that can handle hard use?
3.) Are these any better than say, a Becker BK2 or some other fixed blade?

Thanks in advance for the help and any recommendations!
Click to expand...
I just ordered one and can’t wait to get it. The Mule’s design is a thin full flat slicey grind. I love my Tenacious but it’s 8cr. The Mike will be the K294. A definite step up for me. Great for cutting but not the best outdoor knife. For that work my favourites are my Cold Steel SRK my Ka-Bar IFB (a stubby tank of a knife) and Gerber Strongarm. They’re all good sturdy budget knives so I won’t cry if I break one working. Try looking through the Knife Centre catalog. One of my favourite knife shops. Hope that helps👌🫶👍
Peace ✌️⚔️✌️
 
You dug deep for that one D David South - this thread died 11.5 yrs ago.
I didn't recognize the steel you mentioned, so I looked it up. Similar to A11 - which is probably my most carried Mule. Did you get scales for it?
 
sir_mike said:
That's what I am thinking. The BK2 looks like a beast and I like it alot but I too love my Spydies! I dont like coated blades like the ESEE's have though so looking for a non-coated blade.
Click to expand...
Have the coating removed
 
hhmoore said:
You dug deep for that one D David South - this thread died 11.5 yrs ago.
I didn't recognize the steel you mentioned, so I looked it up. Similar to A11 - which is probably my most carried Mule. Did you get scales for it?
Click to expand...
11.5 years ago…. 😱 … Well… I am new to the Super Steel scene just making my first purchases. So much 8cr and D2 on n my collection it was time to explore new options. I mean I’m still happy with my CS Aus 10a knives. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to test some new steel and catch up with the rest of the knife community. 😅🤣😂
Thanks Brother 🤘👊🤘
And Peace 👌✌️👍
 
A11==CPM-10V=K294, I've got a K294 Mule I'm just finishing up the handle on, love CPM-10V, it will hold an edge a very long time with that much Vanadium although to sharpen it you really need CBN or Diamond stones.
 
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