kamagong
Gold Member
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2001
- Messages
- 10,874
Ive always considered the mule an ugly animal. Short and squat, they undoubtedly are useful, but they have neither the magnificence of a horse, the raw strength of a bull, or the likeability of a favored dog. The Brown Mule by Kissing Crane was aptly named. Like the animal, this version of the sodbuster is a humble, unassuming worker. Its there when you need it, although you dont really notice it otherwise. I never even gave it a second thought when I stopped to look at a knife display case or perused a catalog. That changed once I started spending more time in this forum. All those fond reports I read of the Brown Mule and its ilk piqued my interest, so I decided to see what all the fuss was about. A quick fishing trip on the Bay netted me one, the K36 medium sized Brown Mule. I got it for $12 shipped, cheap enough that I wouldnt get irritated if it fails to meet expectations.
It arrived a couple of days ago. A quick examination revealed that this was a crude knife, much cruder that any other knife Id owned. Fit and finish were poor, with there being noticeable gaps between the wooden scales and the liners. Also, the backspring was not flush, rising above the liners and scales when the knife is closed.
Still, this knife is not without its charms. Once I got past these cosmetic flaws I started to notice several good things. First, this knife is surprisingly light. Its not small by any means, yet it is lighter than my 3.5 Eye Brand stag stockman. Second, the previously maligned backspring has a tremendous snap to it. I try to be very careful upon closing it, lest I lose a finger. Finally, the blade gets scary sharp. A few minutes with some sandpaper and I had an edge I could brag about.
As I said earlier, the finish on this knife was mediocre at best. I set about remedying that problem as soon as I received the Brown Mule. I applied several coats of Tru-Oil to it. After sanding, this knife felt like a totally different animal. The now smooth finish, combined with the generous handle, makes this the most comfortable slipjoint knife Ive ever used.
This knife is a definite keeper. I dont think itll get used much because I like my personal knives to also look good. However, it is a good loaner for those times when someone needs to borrow a quality knife, but I dont want to lend my better blades.
It arrived a couple of days ago. A quick examination revealed that this was a crude knife, much cruder that any other knife Id owned. Fit and finish were poor, with there being noticeable gaps between the wooden scales and the liners. Also, the backspring was not flush, rising above the liners and scales when the knife is closed.
Still, this knife is not without its charms. Once I got past these cosmetic flaws I started to notice several good things. First, this knife is surprisingly light. Its not small by any means, yet it is lighter than my 3.5 Eye Brand stag stockman. Second, the previously maligned backspring has a tremendous snap to it. I try to be very careful upon closing it, lest I lose a finger. Finally, the blade gets scary sharp. A few minutes with some sandpaper and I had an edge I could brag about.
As I said earlier, the finish on this knife was mediocre at best. I set about remedying that problem as soon as I received the Brown Mule. I applied several coats of Tru-Oil to it. After sanding, this knife felt like a totally different animal. The now smooth finish, combined with the generous handle, makes this the most comfortable slipjoint knife Ive ever used.
This knife is a definite keeper. I dont think itll get used much because I like my personal knives to also look good. However, it is a good loaner for those times when someone needs to borrow a quality knife, but I dont want to lend my better blades.
As far as likeability, if I had to choose between between my Tennessee Walking Horse and my saddle mule, Rosie, well, so long, horse!
