Anyone else open their Opinels like this?

C

chococrazy

Joined
Jul 1, 2009
Messages
506
When I first got my opinel it was pretty stiff, but it just needed some wearing in. Trying to get use to it I've been edcing it for a while and I constantly play with it when I'm bored, and I can now open it one handed with hitting the bottom the blade. I open it as if it had a nail nick over the length of the blade.
First I hold it and my thumb down to the bottom over the nail nick and put some pressure to open it a 4th,
Step 2. Continue putting pressure and move up the blade (toward the pivot) and pushing the blade out.
Step 3. By the time you get to the picot the knife should be open.
I find this to be the easiest way to open 1 handed, and the fastest.
 
I have not handled an Opinel but I am curious. Can you not pinch the blade between two fingers and flick the handle away from the blade (like the spidie drop)?
 
To the original poster, yes I open my opinel like that when it is humid out and the blade is stiff. Right now it is quite dry and the blade literally drops open it's so loose. To kimberholic: there is quite a bit more friction on the pivot point of the opinel compared to modern locking knives. That, combined with the fact that very little of the blade is actually sticks out beyond the handle when closed would make it quite hard to flick the blade open as one can with a spyderco. Although, when it is dry out and the wood handles shrink it is possible to grab the handle and flick the blade open to about 45 degrees and then open it the rest of the way with ones thumb. From there it can be locked with the thumb as well, so it is possible to unlock, open and lock the opinel one handed--with the caveat that it takes just as long as the conducting the process with two hands.
 
if i need to open mine one handed i just pull out the blade enough to be able to catch the end of the handle on my pants leg and just use my thigh as the second hand (use the leg to hold the tip of the handle against keeping it static while i rotate the blade clockwise if using right hand and leg). works with almost any knife that isn't designed for one hand opening.
 
also, the handle is far too light to be able to "spydie drop" it. Unless your pivot is seriously loose. Spydie drops work better on spydies with beefy handles, and opinels have lighter handles than any spydie I've ever seen.
 
chococrazy said:
When I first got my opinel it was pretty stiff, but it just needed some wearing in. Trying to get use to it I've been edcing it for a while and I constantly play with it when I'm bored, and I can now open it one handed with hitting the bottom the blade. I open it as if it had a nail nick over the length of the blade.
First I hold it and my thumb down to the bottom over the nail nick and put some pressure to open it a 4th,
Step 2. Continue putting pressure and move up the blade (toward the pivot) and pushing the blade out.
Step 3. By the time you get to the picot the knife should be open.
I find this to be the easiest way to open 1 handed, and the fastest.
Click to expand...

Wish I could understand what you are saying, as "Opinels":D are my favorite folders, maybe because of the cost. Cost being irrelevant, I like "Spyderco."
 
He's saying he pinches the blade from tip to beginning, and with each pinch the blade opens more and more till it's mostly open. My opinel no.9 is so worn in that the blade freely swings open with a slight flick of my wrist. Also it's been sharpened into having a recurv blade shape. Not intentionally. But it looks cool. Carbon blades ftw.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top