These are blades without handles sold at a nice price to showcase various interesting knife steels. This is just a cool thing done by Spyderco to cater to "knife steel junkies" and folks with a "do it yourself" bone in their body. The original price is typically around $70.
If you go looking for one of the sold out versions, you will find them selling for $110 and up to cater to folks collecting the unusual versions. There is an unhappy problem with people buying these to "flip" them and it has been discussed in the "flipping" thread linked below.
The blade length is 3.46 inches. Overall length is 7.63 inches. A typical blade weighs about 3 ounces.
When the first (MT1) was announced, it was said that quantity would be limited to 600 pieces. Some have been more limited (in one case due to manufacturing issues), and one run went to 1000 pieces. At any event they are scarce and special items.
The series is up to MT24 as of 3/28/2017.
I ordered an MT22 in RWL34 on 3/28/2017. The price was $69.95 plus $13 shipping. So it pays to order something else, but ordering two Mule Teams to get free shipping no longer works as Spyderco wants a $150 order to offer free shipping.
I was surprised when my MT22 arrived that it was made at Spyderco's Taiwan facility. This is entirely fine by me though, as I am well aware that some of Spyderco's finest knives are made in Taichung. The MT23 is also made in Taichung. But this varies with each mule, some are made in the USA and one was even made in China.
CTS B70P is a powder metallurgy derivative of Carpenter’s CRB-7 alloy, but offers improved wear resistance and hardness capability. Its corrosion resistance is very comparable to 440C stainless steel. Collectively, these qualities make it an excellent candidate for cutlery applications.
My impressions of this steel are that on paper it looks like 154CM with a bit more Vanadium and with Niobium added. My blade arrived decently but not spectacularly sharp, but after just a few minutes on the sharpmaker, it is amazingly sharp. So it sharpens quite well and quite easily.
Supposedly Spyderco called B70P "stainless Cruwear", which is an interesting label. This has 14 percent chromium, while cruwear has just under 8 percent. Cruwear has nearly 3 percent vanadium, while this has about 1 percent. It is definitely a steel that has gotten less attention than it deserves.
Spyderco’s twenty-second Mule Team installment features RWL 34, a "rapidly solidified powder" (RSP) martensitic stainless steel made by the renowned Swedish firm Damasteel®. RWL 34 is a variation of the 420 martensitic stainless family that contains 14% chromium, as well as molybdenum and vanadium for improved corrosion resistance, hardness, and strength. The performance of these alloys is further enhanced by the RSP process, which involves using high-pressure nitrogen gas to force the molten steel through a nozzle. Just as in the CPM process used by Crucible, this creates a spray of small spherical droplets that rapidly solidify into powder particles, drastically reducing the segregation, or settling, of the alloys in the steel to produce an extremely fine, uniform carbide structure.
RWL 34 has long been a favorite of custom knifemakers—particularly Canadian maker Brian Tighe, designer of the Tighe Stick—because of its high-performance characteristics and the fact that it is capable of taking an extremely high polish. However, it has not been used in the production of factory-made knives because it was not available in large sheets. Recent improvements in the availability of the material have changed that situation, so Spyderco quickly seized the opportunity to incorporate RWL 34 into our Mule Team Project.
RWL 34's alloy composition is as follows: Carbon - 1.05%, Manganese - 0.50%, Silicon - 0.50%, Chromium - 14.0%, Molybdenum - 4.00%, Vanadium - 0.20%. This advanced alloy mix makes it a very close equivalent of 154 CM and ATS-34 stainless steels, but since it has the additional advantages offered by the RSP process, it is actually closest to CPM 154—Crucible’s particle metallurgy version of 154 CM — with the addition of several trace elements.
Spyderco's twenty-third Mule Team installment features CPM 20CV steel, a highly wear resistant, powder metallurgy stainless tool steel. CPM 20CV is unique in that it contains a high volume of vanadium carbides and the highest amount of chromium of any high-vanadium stainless steel currently available. This potent combination of elements gives it a remarkable combination of high wear resistance, superior corrosion resistance, good impact toughness, and excellent polishability. These properties are maximized by the powder metallurgy process, which ensures an extremely clean steel with small carbides and a very fine grain size.
CPM 20CV excels in industrial applications that demand high wear resistance and high corrosion resistance, such as plastic injection feed screws, barrel liners, screw tips, and mold cavities. It is also used in food processing equipment and pelletizer knives and is an extremely popular blade steel in high-performance custom knives.
CPM 20CV's alloy composition is as follows: Carbon: 1.90%, Manganese: 0.30%, Silicon: 0.30%, Chromium: 20.0%, Tungsten: 0.60%, Molybdenum: 1.00%, and Vanadium: 4.00%. An advanced alloy that offers outstanding potential in high-performance cutlery applications, CPM 20CV is a truly unique blade material and we are proud to feature it on the MT23 Mule Team blade.
The following thread is fascinating and started before the MT24 was released. It is interesting to see the discussion that led to the adoption of Maxamet and the participation of the online community. It is also interesting to see Maxamet discussed alongside of A11 (in light of the MT26 in PM A11). Maxamet has a lot of Tungsten, which in the original formulation of the steel was added to produce what they seem to call "red" properties, i.e. its ability to retain an edge when used at high temperatures as a tool steel cutting metal in a production setup. These high temperature properties have little if any relevance as far as its use as a knife steel. Not to say that the tungsten doesn't lend virtues to Maxamet as a knife steel, but you will have to read the links to try to sort this out.
The MT24 release "jumped ahead" of the MT23 and is now no longer available. It was somewhat expensive at $110. Some nice photos in the following thread:This became available on April 12, 2017 (and I got one). It is claimed (and may be correct) that LC200N is a new name for "Chronidur 30".
Spyderco's twenty-fifth Mule Team installment features LC200N steel - a high nitrogen alloyed tool steel that offers extreme corrosion resistance. This extraordinary material is produced by a combination of the PESR (Pressurized Electric Slag Remelting) process and “smart forging” technology to yield an amazing increase in the steel’s purity and a very fine and homogenous microstructure. LC200N is also a true martensitic steel that achieves its hardness through traditional heat treating, so its hardness level can be precisely controlled to meet the demands of specific uses. Regarded as the material of choice for applications that involve high static and dynamic loads in corrosive environments, LC200N is widely used in the food, chemical, recycling, and pharmaceutical industries, as well as in mirror-polished dies used in the plastics industry. It is best known, however, as NASA’s preferred material for the ball bearings used in their high-performance aerospace equipment.
LC200N’s unique alloy composition includes: 0.3% Carbon, 15% Chromium, 0.5% Nitrogen, 0.95% Molybdenum, 0.5% Nickel, and 1.00% Manganese. When this advanced alloy recipe is translated to knife blades, LC200N provides an exceptional blend of toughness, edge holding, and corrosion resistance.
The above is Spyderco's official description.
The following is an interesting and very well done review by
I first started using lc200n when the Tusk was released and have worked with two other folders and a custom fixed blade since then. I have worked the steel really hard in my kayak over the last year and have formed what I think are some halfway educated opinions about its performance. I doubt it comes as a surprise that I like this steel for my saltwater work. It has proven itself to be 100% corrosion proof like H1 but shows much better edge retention in plain edge. What has surprised me a bit though is how much I have come to enjoy it as a regular "edc" steel.
I thought I would start a thread about how this steel has made it onto my favorites list and share a little bit about the "why". We all have different tasks, different ways of using our knives, different sharpening routines and all of those things affect what we like in a steel. For my use and sharpening, I've found this steel to work quite well.
Lets start with sharpening because I think this gets overlooked a lot when we talk about what kinds of steels we like. If it does get included we often only look at how hard a steel is to grind and leave it at that. For me, other characteristics are important, including what type of edge a steel will take (with my sharpening protocol) and the idea of how often I sharpen. I really like the edge I get out of lc200n. I find that not only is it easy to grind and profile, but the steel will get very sharp, almost effortlessly, and takes a VERY toothy microbevel... notably more aggressive than some of the other steels that are popular these days. That's a biggie for me since I finish most of my edges in the 1000-1200 range.
Another reason that I like this steel is because I sharpen early and often. That means that extreme wear resistance is not a big deal to me and I will trade ease of sharpening for lower sharpness edge retention in most knives. Now, that works for me because I don't find myself in situations where I HAVE to use my knife for extended periods of time without access to a sharpener. If I did then I might favor some of the higher Vanadium steels but for my use and sharpening a steel like lc200n works very well.
Edge retention on this steel has proven to be more than adequate given the way I use and sharpen. I have a knife I keep on my kayak that will often clean 20-30 fish between sharpenings and will still shave arm hair when its time for a touchup. That's good enough for me. The steel does have some weaknesses though. I find a lack of strength compared to some other modern steels one of them. The result is that sometimes I will get very fast dulling due to microscopic apex deformation. This usually happens when I am cutting into an irregularly shaped or very hard surface that is putting lateral stresses on the edge. This can cause very quick dulling of ANY steel but I find lc200n lags a bit behind the more common stainless steels used today. I would note though that is is still WAY ahead of H1 in this area.
So there ya go. Spyderco is using a steel that is a very capable performer with good toughness that takes an amazing edge (both coarse and polished) with very little effort. As if that weren't enough, it is fully rust proof. I know a lot of folks love the high carbide steels that will cut and cut and some folks really need that kind of steel for the work they do. But if you are anything like me and like to touch your edge up often and keep your knife at very high levels of sharpness then you might find yourself really enjoying this steel. I certainly am, whether it be in the kayak or just normal everyday use.
Spyderco’s twenty-sixth Mule Team installment features Carpenter® Technology Corporation's Micro-Melt® A11, a particle metallurgy version of A11 tool steel. Also known as AISI A11, K294 (Böhler-Uddeholm), CPM® 10V (Crucible®), and PMA11 is an extremely wear-resistant tool steel that is capable of achieving a high working hardness. One of the world's premier steel choices for highly wear-resistant industrial tooling, in its CPM 10V form it is also one of the favorite steels of renowned custom knifemaker and Spyderco collaborator Phil Wilson.This is A11 tool steel made via powder metallurgy. Said to be the same as CPM 10V, K390, and others. It is a tool steel, so it will rust if not taken proper care of. As quoted below, Phil Wilson says you can watch it rust in salt water. 10V is recommended for "small slicers" rather than big heavy use blades.PMA11's alloy composition is as follows: Carbon: 2.45%, Manganese: 0.50%, Silicon: 0.90%, Chromium: 5.30%, Molybdenum: 1.30%, Vanadium: 9.50%, Sulfur 0.08%. Its large volume of hard vanadium carbides provides substantially better wear-resistance than typical high-carbon, high-chromium die steels such as D2 and D7. In knife blades, this translates to outstanding edge retention and good toughness, especially in shorter knives. These properties are maximized through the particle metallurgy process, which greatly reduces alloy segregation and ensures a homogenous microstructure.
Please note, however, that PMA11 is a tool steel and must be maintained properly to safeguard it against corrosion. PMA11 is an advanced alloy that offers excellent potential in high-performance cutlery applications.
Here are some words on CPM 10V from custom knifemaker Phil Wilson in 2006 from a Blade Forums post:
CPM 10V is pretty much in the realm of a speciality steel. I have been using it for 15 years or so and recommend it for applications where sharpening in the field is inconvienent and the user wants a knife that will hold an edge a long time on abrasive materials like elk hide, hair and pig bristles. 10V is not stainless and takes more care than say 30V or CPM 154 or VG10. The knives I make from 10V are flat ground to a thin edge +/- 0.010 behind the edge. This makes for easy sharpening with a silicon carbide or diamond stone. The edge holding on 10v is due to the higher hardness 62-64 and the large percentage of vanadium carbides. Think of 10V as sort of a super charged A2. 10V is hard to work with for custom makers, hard to finish, grind and takes a very high temp to heat treat. As a result you will not find any factory knives with this steel as far as I know and only a few custom guys feel that it is worth the trouble and extra expense. As far as toughness, at the high end hardness and a thin blade it does take some care and does not lend itself to prying or forcefull working around bones or chopping. On the other hand the bending strength and edge strength is high enough for a slicer on tough materials. I have made a few fillet knives out of 10V for my own uses and have had no issues with them other than they will rust in salt water while you are looking at them.. PhilNote that he has been working with 10V since 1991 or so. The Spyderco Farid K2 is a knife made from 10V Note in the review below, he says, "the edge retention was the best of any production blade I ever tested".
Here are some other comments on CPM 10V:
10V is a very specialized custom knife blade steel. It's never going to compete with the ATS34/154 CM group of work horse steels because of the lack of corrosion resistance and finish difficulties. A very few custom makers will use it for performance reasons only and it does not appear to be economically feasible for use on a factory blade. This is a steel for an avid hunter or guide who wants a blade for field dressing, skinning and boning, that cuts and holds an edge above everything elseA steel from Bohler called K390 is also considered to be almost identical to A11 or 10V. Here is what Phil Wilson had to say about it in 2016 during a discussion of its use in the new Spyderco Police 4 knife:
I have been using K390 from the start ever since it was introduced by Bohler and I got some small samples to try. A bit of history is that it is the European version of CPM 10V but not the exact chemistry (about 1% less V plus small addition of a few others). That is because the CPM 10V chemistry was protected by patent at the time. If you check the K390 data sheet it claims that the bit less V gives K 390 a little boost in impact toughness. It also can be heat treated at a lower temp. than 10v. So it is pretty much the same as the A11 grade but different in a few small details. It is hard to tell the difference between CPM 10v and BU K390 in the real world in my experience. I like both grades and they are the base line (along with Vanadius 10 and K294) from which I measure wear resistance. The 5 chrome is there to make them all air hardening among other things and does not contribute much to corrosion resistance. It is going to make a killer knife in the new offering and be another classic. Phil
Spyderco’s twenty-seventh Mule Team installment features Carpenter® steel's Micro-Melt® PD#1 alloy — an air-hardening cold-work die steel. PD#1's unique alloy composition gives it wear resistance significantly superior to conventional steels like D2, while still maintaining excellent toughness. Thanks to Carpenter's advanced Micro-Melt powder metallurgy process, PD#1 possesses an extremely fine microstructure and uniform carbide distribution, as well as the enhanced compressive strength necessary for the demands of tooling applications. Collectively, these qualities give it a unique combination of wear resistance and toughness that make it ideal for use as a blade steel.It turns out that this composition is essentially identical to CPM Cru-Wear from Crucible, with just a tad more Cr (7.75 instead of 7.50). People say that Cru-Wear is easy to sharpen to a great edge and holds it well. It is not stainless, but claims are that it is fairly rust resistant; More so than M4, which I have no problems with. People like Cru-Wear a lot, claiming it is easy to sharpen and has a nice balance of toughness and edge-holding. According to "Mastiff" in a post on Blade Forums:PD#1's unique alloy composition includes: 1.1% Carbon, 7.75% Chromium, 1.2% Silicon, 1.6% Molybdenum, 1.1% Tungsten, 0.25% Manganese, and 2.35% Vanadium. Note that its moderate Chromium content provides only limited corrosion resistance, so please maintain your knife properly.
In industry it's used as an upgrade for D2 where greater toughness and wear resistance is desired. It has some red hardness but isn't in the same category as M2, CPm M4, etc. as far as red hardness but it isn't classed as a high speed steel so no surprise there. This class of steels originated with a steel called Vascowear made by Vasco Pacific. They dropped the steel production and Crucible took it up calling it Cruwear. They then made a version that would be tougher but with less wear resistance and lower hardness. They removed some Carbon, switched the Tungsten to all Vanadium and used their powder process. 3V was the result and it's excellent.The Cutlery industry showed interest in Cruwear beginning with Sal and Spyderco although Strider beat them to the punch using smaller runs of 3V, Zapp's Z wear, as well as Carpenter/Latrobe CTS-PD#1. Cruwear has since been made using powder process, which essentially makes these all the same with differences coming more from heat treatment than any composition differences. They are all powder process steels helping the already tough steels be tougher. My Cruwear can be ran at rc 63 and still be plenty tough
All are excellent, fine grained, clean steels and will do good work in hard use knives like Striders, and Vegas Blades El Patron. Corrosion resistance is not quite up to D2 but is not bad. It can vary with the heat treat just like any of the other attributes (wear resistance, toughness).
elmeringalo wrote: ↑ Mon Feb 15, 2021 4:39 pm I’ve measured all my Mules and this is the results: MT02P CPM-M4 62HRC MT03P CPM-S90V 60HRC MT04P ZDP-189* 65HRC MT05P 9Cr18Mo* 59HRC MT06P CPM-S35VN 58HRC MT07P DPS15/VG10 34HRC MT08P Aogami Super Blue 63,5HRC MT09P Cobalt Special SUS420J2* 56HRC MT10P CTS-BD1* 57,5HRC MT11P M390 60HRC MT12P CruWear * 59,5HRC MT12P CruWear (2)* 62HRC MT13P Elmax 60HRC MT15P CTS-B75P 63HRC MT16P CTS-XHP* 60HRC MT17P K390 64HRC MT18P CPM-S110V 69HRC MT19P PSF27* 61HRC MT20P CTS-B70P* 60,5HRC MT20P CTS-B70P(2)* 61HRC MT21P CPM4V* 64HRC MT21P CPM4V(2) 65HRC MT22P RWL34* 59HRC MT22P RWL34(2) 61HRC MT23P CPM 20 CV 60HRC MT23P CPM 20 CV(2) 61HRC MT24P Maxamet 69HRC MT25P L200N* 57HRC MT25P L200N(2) 58HRC MT26P PMA11* 63HRC MT26P PMA11(2) 64HRC MT27P Micro-Melt PD1 63,5 HRC MT27P Micro-Melt PD1(2) 63HRCSome questions were asked about the 34 HRC on MT07P, but he confirmed that measurement and says it may be on the DPS15 steel (this is a Damascus).
Tom's Knife Info / tom@mmto.org