2 weeks shaving with an opinel 9

F

fierostetz

Joined
Jul 28, 2010
Messages
65
I really like my Opinels - cheap, effective, beautiful flat grind (after polishing; before polishing the grind is so rough it looks like a metal file).

I used glass and finishing film on the flat sides of the blade until it was perfectly level and shiny, which turned out to be tree-topping sharp. I then proceeded to strop and keep stropping through the 3 grades of DMT paste, then plain leather- this gave me what I felt was a shaving sharp edge. While showing my friend, he bet my that I really couldn't shave with my "shaving sharp" edge, so I decided to give it a try!

Using regular old shaving soap and a boar hair brush I lathered up, gave my opinel a few quick passes on the strop, and went to work. I will say it wasn't the smoothest shave ever but it worked. I proceeded like this every day for 2 weeks and have to say that I am mighty impressed with this 12 dollar wedge of carbon steel. I wouldn't do it again, as it was a tad rough, but it was do-able.

Anyone else have similar experiences with Opinels? I love 'em.
 
Now I should say something like "This thread is useless without pictures."
I would really like to see the before and after pic's, but I believe this can be done.
Do you have pictures, the blade or your face would both be interesting?
 
I am impressed by Opinel, your sharpening skills, and your manliness!! That is an awesome story. When can you come over and sharpen my blades?
 
Cool,
But I think the coolest shaving pictures I ever saw was some dude shaving his face with his hatchet, lol... it shaved clean too.
 
I used to think that Opinels werre flat ground too, but a member pointed out that they are actually fully convexed with a slight edge bevel.

The blade geometry on an opinel is just plain awesome. :):thumbup:
 
The Government said:
The blade geometry on an opinel is just plain awesome. :):thumbup:
Click to expand...

+1

For those that haven't experienced an Opinel:
If you could buy a laser knife, how would you imagine that would cut? Well, you can't buy a laser knife - but the Opinel cuts how you were just imagining, get one! (or get several)

Last Xmas at Mum's place all her steak knives go used and I had a nice piece of steak on my plate with no steak knife - Oh, noes! So I reached into my pocket and pulled out my Opinel #6 (I knew it was in the pocket even though I couldn't really feel it, being pretty small & light). The #6 is a pretty good steak knife, better than Mum's cheap rubbish steak knives TBH. After eating a bit of hot water over the blade and a dry off with a tea towel and it was good as ever - despite being a carbon steel blade. It's hard to beat an Opinel for quality/performance at the price they are.
 
Out of curiosity, OP, did you do this with one of the carbon steel Opinels or the stainless 'inox' ones?
 
I love the opinels i own the 6# & the 8# and love them both. And yes, I have shaved with them, like fierostez says they are a tad rough but they work nonetheless
 
Only those that deserve the darwin award shal receive it.
 
Dagon said:
While fun and cool for us knife nuts, I also think this is a great strategy to eventually win a Darwin Award...
Click to expand...

I'd say he should be just fine unless he goes full-retard for some reason...:confused:

After all, people have been successfully shaving with blades for quite a few years now. :p
 
I don't know about shaving a face - but I know that my Opinel's will absoultely peel hair off your (or my) arm - and I'm not that fussy about doing the edge - just a whetstone (very fine) followed by the extrafine diamond - Opies are the truly THE underestimated knife of the world - I mean -MADE IN FRANCE??? but they do provide lots of bang for the buck
Peace
Revvie
 
This thread has really got me jonesin' for an Opinel...I want to try giving one a true convex edge with the sandpaper/mousepad technique and see how it goes. Plus if I botch it completely, it's no more than 10$ lost. Time to check the fleabay...
 
I shave from time to time using any of my knives, SRM 710, SRM 763, SRM 723, SAK Spartan Lite, SAK OH Sentinel. Dry, no soap (in office). Rough, but doable :D

I use ladies' nail polisher / buffer for stropping them before eah session ..
People calls me crazy, I guess I am ;)
 
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