mule m4

DennisStrickland · Sep 4, 2009

got mule yesterday n.i.b.got big pile of cardboard boxes & a clock.started reducing boxes to slivers ,after 22 min. blade would still shave leg hair if i made slicing movement.please understand i'm not concerned about measuring length of slices, identical box burst strength,how many ozs. of pressure.i've tested blades in this method for 30 yrs.& it works for myself.this knife cut longer than any edge i've ever tested. no it would'nt outcut a fowler or burke.those knives had 4.5 to 5 in. blades & cost 800 to 1100$.simply put the average deer hunter if he keeps blade clean& oiled will only need a touch up after 2 or 3 yrs.my cutting speed keeps blade warm, some cardboard tinner than others some cardboard double thick.i know how scientific you guys test .i can say with total conviction you will be able to skin & quarter 7 or 8 whitetail deer before touching up blade.i did' cut up leather or hardwoods,in tx. we just are concerned about hide & fleash.this alloy which was triple tempered is simply enough steel to satisfy me for life.please note i do'nt care what 60v or 90v will do,this is all i could desire in a blade steel. thank you forum kats for putting me on to this.

cotdt · Sep 4, 2009

great to read your experience with m4! i've had similar good experience, and found that it cuts even better with a more thin, acute edge, which this steel can handle very well. for the price tag, the m4 mule is a thanks.

orthogonal1 · Sep 4, 2009

Good to see I'm not the only one liking the performance of M4.

Spyderco did us all a favor when he chose to offer these Mule Team knives. Decent design and good steels for the price.

Nebulae · Sep 4, 2009

M4 is the best why is it not as popular as s30v or CPm 154.
most competition cutting knives are CPM M4

cotdt · Sep 4, 2009

Nebulae said:
M4 is the best why is it not as popular as s30v or CPm 154.
most competition cutting knives are CPM M4

it requires high temperature heat treat and harder to grind. it's also not stainless, although it does have SOME corrosion resistance. like S90V and ZDP-189, it will never become mainstream, unless people are willing to pay a price premium for these steels.

gunmike1 · Sep 5, 2009

My Mule M4 skinned out a pig the other night with a 20-24 degree inclusive edge and was still cutting great after we finished. Lots of light bone contacts, but no dents or chips visible to the naked eye. The knife is now going out for Rockwell testing to see how hard it is. Whatever hardness it is it performed great and gets extremely sharp.

Mike

cotdt · Sep 5, 2009

gunmike1 said:
My Mule M4 skinned out a pig the other night with a 20-24 degree inclusive edge and was still cutting great after we finished. Lots of light bone contacts, but no dents or chips visible to the naked eye. The knife is now going out for Rockwell testing to see how hard it is. Whatever hardness it is it performed great and gets extremely sharp.

Mike

eagerly awaiting your rockwell test results!

The Mastiff · Sep 5, 2009

M4 is the best why is it not as popular as s30v or CPm 154.

I don't call any steel the best as they are all designed for different uses.

IMO, Manufacturers are only going to specialized knives in carbon and alloy steels. I can't blame them. We are always getting complaint posts and whining about very much stainless steel knives getting tiny pinprick rust spots on them. They will put them in very corrosive environments, not take care of the knife after, and complain about the rust rather than just dealing with problems they created.

Then there are always the guys that jump in and start wondering if the knife has a bad heat treat. Same thing happens with guys complaining about chips, rolled edges, broken tips, even screws they themselves stripped.

Is it any wonder only a few companies will make one handed EDC folders in carbon steels in specalized sprint/boutique runs for AFI's?

Kershaw 2110 · Sep 5, 2009

im sad that i missed out on the m4 mule

DennisStrickland · Sep 5, 2009

brother got n.i.b.sat eve on e-day.seems like 100$ will buy.my info shows a 600 production run by spyderco.b.m. is supposed to have one out but have no info on this knife.i.m.o.p.straight knives are the way to go with this alloy since i sweat tons working.if you put in a 12 hr. day, rust may be a problem.i do'nt know the oxidation coefficent so we wait.am going to let my nephew make a kydex horozontal carry for myself.