New Kabar G10 mule - $37 MSRP, 3CR13 steel?

V

VR4

Basic Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2010
Messages
243
Kabar has got a new version of their lockback Mule folder, this time with G10 handles and 3CR13 steel.

A heavy duty lockback with G10 seems like a bargain at the $25 price I've seen online but I have no experience with 3CR13 steel. I'm always on the look out for cheap lefty friendly knives that I can abuse and not worry about... If I did pull the trigger on this thing, it'd be used for use in the field... mostly opening MREs, cutting 550 cord, etc... nothing that requires a super fine edge.

Anyone have any experience with either the knife or the steel in general? Any thoughts on how it would suit my needs? Thanks for any help


Here are some links to the knives on Kabar's site...

3064_large.jpg

https://www.kabar.com/product/produ...egoryId=1,2,3,7,8,9&categoryName=New Products

3062_large.jpg

https://www.kabar.com/product/produ...egoryId=1,2,3,7,8,9&categoryName=New Products
 
It's what Gerber uses in its cheap-o's. I think it's similar to 420
 
It's Chinese stainless steel, generally equivalent to 420 of the J2 type.

It's quite unimpressive as a blade steel with a maximum carbon content of .36.

Sorry to see Ka Bar moving from manufacturing the Mule in Taiwan with AUS8 blade steel,
to manufacturing it with 3CR13 - presumably in mainland China.
 
rifon2 said:
It's Chinese stainless steel, generally equivalent to 420 of the J2 type.

It's quite unimpressive as a blade steel with a maximum carbon content of .36.

Sorry to see Ka Bar moving from manufacturing the Mule in Taiwan with AUS8 blade steel,
to manufacturing it with 3CR13 - presumably in mainland China.
Click to expand...

The regular Mule is still being made with AUS8 in Taiwan as far as I know... the G10 version is being manufactured in mainland China, however.

What are the weakness of a steel like this? Is it soft and just not hold an edge well? Is it brittle? I don't know much about the characteristics of steel besides what I've experienced with knives I've owned.
 
I had the Kabar mule tanto combo edge, excellent knife, but the lock kept failing. I did some filing and got it to hold "OK" But afterwards it closed on my fingers while at work. Lucky for me i was wearing leather gloves...which it cut through..but i got away with just nicks and scratches....

The knife itself it awesome. If Kabar could work out the lock problems ( maybe they have???) they would be the ultimate work knife.

stay away from the china crap man.... taiwan....is somthing we have to live with...supply and demand...but chinese products are junk.
 
VR4 said:
The regular Mule is still being made with AUS8 in Taiwan as far as I know...
Click to expand...

That's good to hear. :thumbup:


VR4 said:
G10 version is being manufactured in mainland China, however.
Click to expand...

Oh well. Yet another not-very-good knife being manufactured there.


VR4 said:
are the weakness of a steel like this? Is it soft and just not hold an edge well?
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's it pretty much. It is stainless and it is cheap, however.
Up till now you saw it used mostly in knives from United Cutlery, bottom of the line CRKT's, etc.
 
The grip is big enough for a secure grip in a fighting situation. Big and heavy for a folder. The blade is of cheap soft Chinese metal. You need to re-sharpen it after each use (read criminal stabbing if you are a Democrat politician, and do act concerned now, moron). The back of the blade is thick enough to compensate for the weak metal. It will not bend or close on your hand in a fighting situation. The clip is brittle and will snap, I have read elsewhere. For a folder it is a cheap OK choice. A fixed blade knife can be much better for the same price. Haven't put use on it yet because my other folder isn't lost yet. Bought it as a replacement folder just in case (I lost it in a criminal stabbing).
 
It' s definitely not comparable to 8Cr13MoV. It has very bad edge holding capabilities imo. It is, however, extremely easy to resharpen.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top