Any Opinel love? (Updated pics)

I'mSoSharp · Aug 7, 2018

cigarrodog said:
I love Opinels, but with a twist.

After writing that I had to post this image of my carved Opinels again!!

edbeau · Aug 18, 2018

Last week was a good week as I got another Bubinga (6) and an Oak (8) advertising knife.

jstrange · Aug 18, 2018

Anyone own the slimline models can comment on them as an edc? I like the looks, but wonder about the robustness.

Henry Beige · Aug 18, 2018

jstrange said:
Anyone own the slimline models can comment on them as an edc? I like the looks, but wonder about the robustness.

My No.10 slim is a little longer than I like to carry, but it certainly seems sturdy enough to do anything I would want to do with an Opinel, i.e. cut stuff. More than some other models, the slim 10 also needs that trailing point filed down. I have made some headway with that since getting some good files a couple of months ago.

Is there a slimline No.8? The No.8 garden knife, which has the same handle profile as the slim, is very pocketable without modification to the handle. I sure wish these knives came with carbon blades.

edbeau · Aug 18, 2018

Yes, there is a slim No. 8. I use one as a letter opener.

WoodManGM · Aug 18, 2018

edbeau said:
Last week was a good week as I got another Bubinga (6) and an Oak (8) advertising knife.

I like the Bubinga with the polished blade. Is that some sort of special issue? All the knives that I see on the Opinel website seem to have the satin finish.

Duper · Aug 18, 2018

Bought my first Opinel bubinga #6 yesterday at a local shop. 25% discount. I was surprised how feather light this knife is.

Nice packaging and a slip included.

I will report back when I start carrying it.

,,,Mike in Canada

Duper · Aug 18, 2018

Mine is

WoodManGM said:
I like the Bubinga with the polished blade. Is that some sort of special issue? All the knives that I see on the Opinel website seem to have the satin finish.

mine is also the mirror polish. I had not really looked over the other Opinals very much to notice the heir blade finish.

,,,Mike in Canada

edbeau · Aug 19, 2018

WoodManGM, I also like the polished blade Opinels. I am not sure if it is a special issue or not. A lot of my slims that are not Beech have polished blades.

edbeau · Feb 7, 2019

Here I am back again with another Opinel. This one with leaves.

Knifenorway · Feb 10, 2019

This must be why opinel came out with the new type lock. I can still pull out the blade some. I could make the blade a little tighter in the handle, but that would'nt fix the problem. Anyone have any tips? The blade pushes the lock up, so the pin probably is too small for the groove in the lock.

davek14 · Feb 10, 2019

Knifenorway said:
This must be why opinel came out with the new type lock. I can still pull out the blade some. I could make the blade a little tighter in the handle, but that would'nt fix the problem. Anyone have any tips? The blade pushes the lock up, so the pin probably is too small for the groove in the lock.

You can extend the slope which locks the knife until it pushes up as far as it will on locking. The best way is to put the correct peening on the pivot pin. I've used a nail to replace the old one. The groove on the lock and the peening do not match now.

Knifenorway · Feb 10, 2019

davek14 said:
You can extend the slope which locks the knife until it pushes up as far as it will on locking. The best way is to put the correct peening on the pivot pin. I've used a nail to replace the old one. The groove on the lock and the peening do not match now.

Thanks, will try that .

I'mSoSharp · Feb 13, 2019

I picked this up at the weekend, a No9 so rusty it wouldn't even open so I took pity on it & after getting it apart a ferric soak for the lumps of rust that were blade, lock ring & collar, a soak in oil for the handle, reassembly & sharpen & it's got some real charecter...

RoachBelly44 · Feb 13, 2019

Goes on every hike, fish and camping trip. Tried to replace it with probably 20-25 different modern wonder whizzles, but it simply can't be replaced.

I'mSoSharp · Mar 20, 2019

A slightly better pic of the old No9 from a couple of posts earlier that was rusted closed when I got it, its been sharpened more & I've been carrying & enjoying using it.
Can someone confirm the dates for the no-closed-lock carbon steel Virobloc? +/- 40 years old?

Henry Beige · Mar 20, 2019

I have a 7 and a 10 from that era. 40 years is just about right. I think mine are a year or two younger than that. Somebody has a chart that details the changes, but I haven’t seen it in a couple of years. There is a fairly recent post, perhaps in this thread, from a forum member who has the chart.

It looks as if somebody has filed your blade a bit to drop the point.

TheChunk91 · Mar 20, 2019

Can somebody please explain how the new opinel lock works and why it's inferior to the old style?

cigarrodog · Mar 20, 2019

I love Opinels. One of my treasures is one before the virabloc. Those have been hard for me to find, so my focus has been on modded Opinels. I don’t have a modder’s skill, but when I see one I like, I’m like a little kid. A classic Opinel is the perfect blank slate. This is the most recent one purchased from a member who had it re ground, stone washed, with an EO and lanyard hole. Razor sharp.

I'mSoSharp · Mar 20, 2019

Henry Beige said:
I have a 7 and a 10 from that era. 40 years is just about right. I think mine are a year or two younger than that. Somebody has a chart that details the changes, but I haven’t seen it in a couple of years. There is a fairly recent post, perhaps in this thread, from a forum member who has the chart.

It looks as if somebody has filed your blade a bit to drop the point.

Thanks, I have also seen the various blade stamps on a chart as well but can't find it now......

I ground the blade spine, as it had seen a lot of sharpening the tip was a tiny bit proud of the handle when closed, so easily remedied, voila a drop point.