A new modern traditional from Opinel - The No. 09 DIY Knife (aka. Couteau Bricolage)

Thanks for the review Scruff :thumbup:

scruffuk said:
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Oh, my eyes!! :eek:

This kind of reminds me of the things some of the Sheffield cutlers tried producing in the 70's (eg the Ibberson's Action range). I don't like Opinels, but I imagine their 'rustic charm' is a big selling point, along with decent carbon steel. This knife makes me shudder. Ugh!

knarfeng said:
En Francais.
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:D
 
I totally dig the blade shape. Reminiscent of the old Ulster BSA spear.

I totally dig the plastic handle and the blade size. Would be perfect for backpacking except....

Hating the wire stripping stuff on the blade and don't need the screw driver bits. Actually, a ski tourer, I need to drive screws with some authority to do a field repair on a ski binding, but at that point I'm carrying a real ratcheting t-handle driver anyway.

Drop the unneeded stuff and put the #9 spear point in hardware and backpacking stores for $25 with a selection of plastic color handles and it's an instant classic.
 
Jack Black said:
I don't like Opinels, but I imagine their 'rustic charm' is a big selling point, along with decent carbon steel. This knife makes me shudder. Ugh!



:D
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"Decent" carbon steel!? You must have very very high standards.

-- Mark
 
Mark,

I find the Opinel Carbone (something close to 1086 hardened to around 56 Rc, if I understand it right) to be a bit on the soft and tough side, at least compared to the old Schrade USA carbon (1095 hardened to around 58Rc, as I understand it). They are very different steels.

The Opinel Carbone sharpens almost with nothing more than a stern face and shaking the stone at the blade. The steel might dent a bit if slammed into metal bits when working the knife hard, but I've never chipped it. The Schrade 1095 requires some concerted work with the stones and can be chipped if really abused. Holds an edge much longer than the Opinel Carbone too.

The Opinel Inox feels closer to the Schrade 1095. It's a hair easier to sharpen and will deform if abused (I've done it). Holds an edge longer than the Carbone.
 
I like the blade shape and the waterproof plastic handle, and will probably get one for those reasons alone.

As for the screwdriver bits and wire-stripper/cutter — well, those are completely extraneous from my point of view, but don't wreck the knife for me.

I agree with Pinnah about making a backpacker/hiker version —
 
It's interesting, thanks for showing us Thom. It's another alternative to leatherman and SAK, and if think if they market it well it'll sell in outdoor recreation shops, and such like because it is quite quirky.

A bit of an oddity though and not my cup of tea - I think it has removed itself from what makes an opinel an opinel, and isn't really a multitool. Kind of like when Porsche made the Cayenne. It'll sell but it's hideous and useless as an off-road vehicle.
 
I'm glad I could be the source of such curiosity and repulsion folks :D

Thanks for all the comments.
 
scruffuk said:
I'm glad I could be the source of such curiosity and repulsion folks :D

Thanks for all the comments.
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Thom, you have had it for a wee while now, what're you're thoughts? Does it have a decent amount of utility? Or more simply, do you like it?
 
Well, you know sometimes it's very very good to have an odd sense of what is "good". :cool: Early in the thread, I had opined that the design looked useful. Thom PMed me and asked if I would like to take a crack at carrying the knife. Turns out he bought two.:D

I said yes, and asked for his address in return. Thom gave it to me, with the proviso that he did not want a knife in return. He said he'd gotten into cooking with local spices and was kind of wondering if I had any local type spices that I might share. Oh oh. Spices peculiar to San Diego going to UK? (Can you say, "hot sauce"? I thought you could.)
"Flames hit UK! Film at 11:00". But that will come later as the package just left SD.

But in the meantime, I've been carrying this "Couteau Bricolage" for the last three days.
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This is the size of a #9, so the handle is quite hand filling. Pocket filling, too. I can carry this in a jeans pocket, but the #9 is about at the limit for standard pocket carry. However, when I'm not at work, I mostly wear carpenter jeans with extra tool pockets on the leg. The Opinel fits perfectly in the long tool pocket. So that takes care of one concern.

There were a couple of aspersions cast at the wire stripper and wire cutter. You know I did not manage to cut any wire this weekend, but I did notice that some really tough vines need a bit of trimming in the back yard. They are kind of like vines but have tendon-like threads running through them. They are hard to cut. But you know that wire cutter cut through them easy as pie. Very handy to have. I'm guessing it would also be good at other heavier cutting jobs.

I found the screwdriver bits to be very well retained when in the stored position. They are held by friction. The width of the retainer decreases, so you slide them in an push, and they are held in. Takes some little thumb force to free them up.

The Phillips head and flat head are of a decent size to do the sorts of jobs one might randomly come upon. I had to take apart a computer case and the Opinel Phillips head did the job, even when I found that the last person who put one of them in had cross threaded it. (Cross threaded screw? Shocking! Wonder who could have done that? )

Love the yellow color. When I was working outside I set the knife down to free up both hands, as commonly happens with small jobs. That bright yellow ensured the Opinel was easy to find.

The blade cuts like... well, an Opinel. The point works well and I found that the wire stripper wasn't in my way in the least when cutting. Remember, this is a #9, so even with the wire cutter and wire stripper, there is still about a 2 1/4" cutting blade. That works fine for me.

You know this Opinel won't replace a tool kit. If it I go out to do a specific job, I take my tools with me. However, I don't know how it is with anyone else, but I often find little jobs to fuss with as I go through the day. For me the Opinel DIY is perfect for that sort of thing. I like it a lot. YMMV.

Thanks Thom.
 
:thumbup::thumbup: to Thom for yet another great act of generosity hereabouts!

Thanks for the first impressions review Frank!
 
Frank do you think the bit holders will wear over time making the bits loose? I really like this one and hope it will be available in the US. Anyone know if it will? Saw nothing about it on the US Opinel site
 
Notice how each bit only goes part way into the depression? I think that as it wears, it will work its way deeper into that depression. I think there is room for a lot of use before the handle does not retain the bit.
 
Thanks for the review Frank.

I'm sorry I've not had chance to report back on the knife myself, I've been busy with family and the likes over the past few weekends.

I hope it an continues to serve you well sir.
 
knarfeng said:
Notice how each bit only goes part way into the depression? I think that as it wears, it will work its way deeper into that depression. I think there is room for a lot of use before the handle does not retain the bit.
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Thanks Frank. I think this will make a great around the house utility knife.
 
"Oui, je suis Catherine Deneuve" :D
Frank, thank you for your feedback.
Personally I have no use for SD bits, but I like this blade shape pretty much... :rolleyes:

Fausto
:cool:
 
Frank,

I will be interested to hear how you like the 12C27 as you put it through its paces, especially in comparison to Buck's 420HC.

This knife sort of has me thinking of it as a modern-traditional update to the old TL-29 pattern.
 
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