Help with a Mule project.

G

gnius

Joined
Jul 1, 2008
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After seeing this beautiful Mule
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=607856

I was really bitten by the bug to try one. So I ordered myself a CPM M4 Mule from Spyderco.

I think that I'd like to try making the handle scales myself, but I have no idea where to even start. I live in an apartment, so I can't use anything that would produce toxic dust (is it G10 that isn't good for you?), so I need to choose what to make the handle scales from.

I only have basic tools - a drill and a Dremel, but I have very steady hands and a lot of patience. I think I can do the cuts just fine, but I need help with trying to obtain small quantities of material for the handles.

I would probably like to try either wood or micarta (if it's safe) or both. I would highly appreciate it if someone pointed me somewhere I can purchase very small quantities of either, because don't need large slabs of either, nor could I afford them.

Also, I really have no idea how to affix the scales to the tang. People talk about pins and screws, but I would also need to figure out a place to buy both.

I guess I really don't know that much, but I'm generally very handy and terribly excited about the project, so I'd appreciate any help or advice.
 
Thanks a lot. The second link was especially helpful. Anyone else?

*hopeful bump
 
If you go into the collectibles section of ebay and go to the sub category of knives, swords, and blades then enter the word scales in the search block you will come up with more options than any 3 websites can offer. There is all kinds of wood as well as other materials.

One of the newer materials that I have been playing with is polymer clay. You can decide the colors, create mosaics, do something that looks like damascus with lots of folded layers, do inserts...it is fun material and once baked it is very stable. It is also very inexpensive so you can try several things till you find what you like. It is very easy to shape and you can do the majority of shaping before baking it...just remember it does shrink a bit. Here's a couple I made, thinking about using the top set for a Mule.
clayscales.jpg


Another company on e-bay is doing the same thing with pvc and making some really great looking scales.

Another option is keep an eye on the knife makers for sale section here on the forum, some of our members make really nice micarta and offer it for sale there as well as seeling wood scales and other materials.
 
texasknife is where i buy my stuff, i have purchased g10 and a couple slabs of micarta. i wanna get some emerald dyed wood too
good luck!
 
Corian or other durable counter top materials work great for knife scales too. I have a few Mcustas with the Corian scales and like them a great deal.
 
Thanks everyone. Texasknives looks like an awesome shop. I got a cheap blade there (440C flat grind doesn't sound too bad itself) and some handle materials and pins for a practice run before I touch my Mule.

Thanks a lot. If this works out, I'll post my work (will be a couple of weeks).
 
what this russian guy made out of the Mule is ( imo ) the ugliest POS i have ever seen

why not make a BABUSHKA figurine out of it ?
 
KruppStahl said:
what this russian guy made out of the Mule is ( imo ) the ugliest POS i have ever seen

why not make a BABUSHKA figurine out of it ?
Click to expand...

If you can't say anything nice, keep quiet.

Your comments were uncalled for.
 
KruppStahl said:
what this russian guy made out of the Mule is ( imo ) the ugliest POS i have ever seen

why not make a BABUSHKA figurine out of it ?
Click to expand...

Pochemu vam ne nravyatsya russkie?
Keep the bigoted remarks under control.
I wonder if you know what a babushka is, anyway.

This is the General Knife Discussion, Not Whine & Cheese, not a street corner. Show your fellow Bladeforums members a bit more respect, especially in the knife-related forums.
 
KruppStahl said:
what this russian guy made out of the Mule is ( imo ) the ugliest POS i have ever seen

why not make a BABUSHKA figurine out of it ?
Click to expand...

Edited: Ok, found the russian site, the upper pictures look a bit rough, but the finished article isn't too bad. bit bright for my tastes, but each to his own. I suppose the real clincher is what he sheaths it with (kydex would look realy wrong in my opinion, whereas leather could look quite good)
 
I may not want to decorate my knife in that way, but that does not mean it's ugly. If it pleases him, then that's what's important. And having never made a handle, I'm not going to criticize someone's work either.
 
I've visited the Texas Knife Supply before as well when I was looking into making some custom scales. My only question is how to properly use the various corby, loveless, and screw type fasteners to affix the scales. Are either of these options listed better for a beginner? Do you just tighten them up with loctite and grind off the excess as you shape the handle?

Thanks.
 
DMD08 said:
I've visited the Texas Knife Supply before as well when I was looking into making some custom scales. My only question is how to properly use the various corby, loveless, and screw type fasteners to affix the scales. Are either of these options listed better for a beginner? Do you just tighten them up with loctite and grind off the excess as you shape the handle?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

You have to countersink the holes so that their shoulders are within the thickness range of your bolts. Then you smear both the holes and bolts with epoxy and screw them tight. Finally, you grind off enough of the bolts that the screw slots are removed.

That's why I prefer to have a tang with big holes in it...that way I can count on the adhesive flowing between them and locking the two scales together. I use just a couple of 1/8 brass rod pins to line stuff up and I think that's good enough for me. I've never had one of my homemade jobs come loose.
 
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