Spyderco Crafts The Mule Team MT40 In Zirconia-Based Ceramic

Blade afficionados may find a spot in their collection for the Spyderco Mule Team HIC MT40 Knife, an experimental folder that perfectly blends exquisite style and unrivaled durability. It’s one of the most unique member of Spyderco’s Mule Team series crafted from High-Impact Ceramic (HIC).

HIC is a state-of-the-art zirconia-based Ceramic Injection Molding (CIM) material known to be significantly more resistant to breakage than conventional ceramics. It’s specially formulated to achieve the highest density during sintering, providing it with exceptional toughness and resistance to crack propagation.

Likewise, HIC is a proprietary material that obtains far greater hardness than steel blades for maximum edge retention. Its extreme hardness requires diamond or cubic boron nitride (CBN) sharpening media with a finer grit of at least 600. Due to its injection molding method, the Spyderco Mule Team HIC MT40 Knife omitted the additional weight-reduction holes, as well as the lanyard hole found in steel Mule blades. Instead, it features a full tang that only includes the holes needed for handle-scale mounting.

Despite this, this pocket knife performs great both indoors and outdoors. As Spyderco says, “whether you are a blade-material connoisseur, a hobbyist looking for a unique ‘kit’ blade, or a die-hard Spyderco collector, the HIC Mule will proudly meet your needs.”

Not to mention, it is compact and lightweight for everyday carry. The Spyderco Mule Team HIC MT40 Knife clocks in at 7.63″ long and weighs 71g. The blade features a full-flat grind and measures 3.5″ long and 1.12″ thick. This Swiss-made folder comes in a sleek blacked-out finish and offers customizable sheath options because of its slight dimensional differences with steel Mules. It does not fit with Spyderco’s standard aftermarket Boltaron sheath but has its dedicated sheath specific to the HIC Mule.