Swappable Wooden Mule Scales?

007 Agent ZZero

007 Agent ZZero

Basic Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2006
Messages
2,515
Anyone else have a deep affinity for wooden scales and have thought about swappable wood scales for the mule model? I think it fits very well in the “pick your poison” aspect of all the mule runs and being able to track down almost any steel imaginable. I was drawn to the mule because I have been a steel nerd at heart for a long long time. SR101 captivated me back when the Swamp Rat line had 2 models. Now seeing the long legacy of steels that Spyderco has so graciously made the mule model in brings a small tear to my knife guy eyes. It’s a legacy that just keeps delivering. I thought I was happy with my Maxamet PM3. This Z-max Mule is a laser of a fixed blade and another step up IMHO.

I see a lot of new threads up for handle options given the new Z-max just dropped. I myself am salivating at the idea of a curly maple set of scales in Bill Moran’s Feibing stain and finished out to a glassy shine. Any other visions out there?
 
Anything is possible. However, while I love wood scales, especially burl I think removable ones are more susceptible to warping and breakage then a permanent seal to the rigid steel handle. I recall seeing an add for some handles you are describing in the classifieds.
 
Ask the guys at cuscadi.de. I know they are doing Mule Teams, just not sure if they are permanent or not.
 
Cuscadi doesn’t seem to be doing any mule scales. I am not sure anyone on the pro level is doing removable wood scales. I saw the recent thread where Boomer52 said wood wasn’t a preferred medium for him. I think they have settled well into the micarta / G10 arena.

The possibility of warping is something you need to think about when finishing wood scales. Wood will warp or crack if it gains/loses moisture unevenly, but you can prevent that from happening by choosing a finish that fully seals the wood. You can also stabilize the wood, but I’ve had great results with just sealing all surfaces with TruOil.

Breakage is also not really an issue with a decent hardwood, especially when you account for how little a pair of hardwood scales actually weighs. You’d be surprised how much knocking around and general abuse a good wooden handle can take without showing much wear as well as gaining properties from finishes like TruOil because it’s a polymerizing oil that soaks into the wood and hardens. Scratches and dings don’t get through the finish coat, so they’re easy to fix by just rubbing a bit more oil on it and letting it dry. I’ve also found that wood can be very resilient when considering the standard use case for a utility knife. Wood can flex enough that it mostly just absorbs most impacts. The natural grip that you hold a knife in reinforces the integrity of wood scales. That’s not to say things don’t go sideways sometimes. Life happens but wood, while not indestructible, is pretty damn tough.

Honestly though, the fact that every wood piece I’ve bought or made is unique and the fact that you can easily shape and mold it into whatever you want or need is what really sets wood apart for me as a material. You can get such a beautiful finish with simple tools like files and sandpaper and if you can find a great piece of raw wood stock you can make something that is both unique and exceptional without having to buy expensive equipment.
 
8-Fingers said:
I received my sets of wood scales from you and your partner today! The sapele is absolutely perfect and the shape just about fits my hand perfectly!
You guys nailed this one. Affordable, screw construction scales for the Mule Team series that fully cover the tang! Did I mention affordable?

https://imgur.com/ATC34UV
Click to expand...
Just ordered a set after seeing this review. Will add my thoughts after I receive mine and yes very affordable.
 
Thank you for the kind words! I was surprised to find that Sapele had so much chatoyance. It really does glimmer. It’s also very lightweight considering it’s as hard as Hickory. I have some Katalox on the bench now. Reminds me a lot of Cocobolo. Very oily dense hardwood. I hope to make myself a set of curly maple scales soon. I am still chasing that Bill Moran look that brought me into the world of knives.
 
Honestly, I am honored that the Mule Team project would prompt such attention and skill. I am awed by the custom and special handles that people have come up with for their Mule Teams. Thank you very much.

sal
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top