Spyderco
MT31P
Mule Team – CPM S45VN

What is a Mule?

In the English language the term mule has multiple definitions: There’s the obvious equine reference being the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse. It can be a coin minted from two dies by mistake and the auto industry refers to their test vehicles as a mules. Spyderco also calls knife models designed and built for testing and evaluation Mules. When a group of these are brought together they make a team of mules, thus the name of this knife series: The Mule Team. Knife and steel-devotees love trying out new blade steels. Spyderco leads the industry in offering, testing and manufacturing knives using new and exotic blade steels. Taking that idea a step up, why not offer a series (team) of blades using different, exotic and freshly unveiled steels? In doing this steel-obsessed knife knuts can try, test and use something normally not offered to the industry.

What is the Spyderco Mule Team?

The Mule team project was created as a simple, inexpensive venue for “steel junkies” to have an opportunity to test different blade steels themselves. Each run will have a different interesting steel. Each run will have the same pattern, a fixed blade with a full tang. Each run will have the same thickness, grind, edge and will be heat treated to the optimal hardness for that steel. The blade is leaf-shaped with a sharpened and finished PlainEdge blade, but with an unfinished handles providing some a do-it-yourself opportunity. The unfinished handle has a series of holes for attaching a custom handle or for wrapping in cord. No handle, scales or sheath are provided. This not only saves you funds, but gives you the opportunity to make (or have made) custom handles and sheaths.

How many and how often will they be released?

Spyderco’s plan is to release several variations per year using the same fixed blade pattern produced with different exotic steels. Each steel offering is limited to approximately 600 pieces and engraved indicating the steel used. Variations are priced accordingly with the only cost variable being the steel itself.

Spyderco’s thirty-first Mule Team Project installment highlights CPM S45VN. When Crucible Industries created CPM S35VN for the cutlery industry, they formulated it to provide increased toughness over CPM S30V while maintaining the same level of edge retention. CPM S45VN takes that development a step further, adding Niobium and Nitrogen in place of some Vanadium and Carbon to provide a more finely tuned balance of edge retention, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance.

The latest addition to Spyderco’s remarkable Mule Team series, this CPM S45VN fixed-blade blank allows you to test, experience, and evaluate the properties of this steel for yourself. It’s also the perfect basis for aspiring knifemakers to develop their handle and sheath making skills with a genuine Spyderco blade.

Discontinued by the manufacturer, this product is no longer available. Please see related products below.