Coghlan Opinel

Well, I ended up getting the Garden in Stainless, with the curved handle, and have to say, they did a great job, and I'm happy with it. My first Opinel.

Love the tapered end of the handle. It fits nicely at the bottom of a pocket.

Still keeping an eye out for a Cophlan in carbon.
 
Anytime I step into a sporting goods store the first thing I do is look for the Coghlan rack. I've found plenty of racks, but no Cog/Opi's. :(
 
So funny you posted this thread. I used to see these at all kinds of shops (sports, drug, hardware) and never bought one. Recently I decided to grab one and now cannot find one of these anywhere. I know I can buy it online but wanted to find it out in world myself.
 
I had a olive wood #10 slim arrive today. It has a very thin blade at .060" thick at the base and the 3.875" long blade is only about .55" wide at the widest sharpened point. I can see why some retailers refer to the slim Opinels as fillet knives with their thin and narrow blades. Definitely lighter duty than the standard versions with the same size numbers and blade lengths. My #10 by the way uses the same diameter and length locking collar as the #8 standard Opinel version. Definitely a very thin wood body compared to the same size number normal Opinel knives.
 
Tatfiend,the Slim Opinel is a knife I could find immensely useful for certain tasks, but I don't see myself taking to it for general use. I've contemplated getting one as a fillet knife, which I think I'd excel at. Very cool knife, all in all.
 
A thread about a knife I can actually buy locally at just about any sporting store??? Ha finally!! I have had a few of them, my sister worked at a factory that employed people with special needs to package coughling products. Great knife, one of my favorites and an unbelievable value, I always have one close by but that's about all I can add to the conversation...
 
A local camping store I was at the other day had all three sizes of the Opinel Coghlans for sale. There was a 7", a 7.5", and an 8". I think they were all around 20 bucks. I can't help the urge to own them all, but I need to hold off on that for now. I do plan on picking one up eventually. I just like the fact that I can buy a useful carbon traditional folding knife locally!
 
locally and I can finally get a knife cheaper than buying it in the states.....doesn't happen too often north of the border hear
 
Huh, that is so funny. Just last week as I was stocking coglhans merchandise at the hardware store i work at, I noticed that the packaging for one of the items(i think quick tinder) featured an opinel in the picture. It didnt have a logo on it and so I assumed they used it unlicensed. Guess I was wrong.
 
Hunted one of these down along with a normal Carbon #6.
The Coghlan's is made by Opinel and has a #7 locking ring and blade with a very ergonomic handle. The regular handles seem to be easier to grip firmly due to shape and amount of material (wood) the Coghlan's is a little smoother in the hand but it is a less substantial handle.
Forgot how clean and sharp Opinel blades are!! A great feature is the locking ring use it for harder work, leave it unlocked for a quick slice or cut. Either or.
 
I remember seeing the blister pack Coghlan Opinel in the Pittsburgh Scout Shop when we were on a council camporee. I had already gotten enough stuff and didn't know much about Opinel at the time, shoulda grabbed it!
 
Hi everyone,

I just bought a Coghlan's #8 in carbon steel today at Miller's Surplus in Tucson. I've also seen them at Sportsman's Warehouse. Miller's is a Tucson place but Sportsman's Warehouse is all over. Check with them. I'm really happy with mine and also prefer the slimmer handle. Makes a #8 much less obtrusive in the pocket than a regular #8, with all the same utility.

Happy hunting!

-- Mikel.
 
tatfiend said:
So far as I can tell from a Google search the only way to get the curved and tapered handle and the carbon steel blade combo is with the Coghlan's sold Opinel versions, at least in the USA. Availability may be different in France or other European countries but nothing in the way of that combination is shown on the Opinel importers web site.

Also per the web site none of the fancy wood or horn handled Opinel versions are listed as available with the carbon steel blade. The carbon steel blade option seems to be only available in the Beechwood handle standard least expensive versions.
Click to expand...

Yes that is exactly right and is the unique feature of the Coghlan. The slim Garden handle is normally sold only with an Inox spear blade.
 
Last edited:
I have an old Coghlan version. I don’t have any other Opinel knife to compare it with. The Coghlan Opinel is the reason I don’t have any other Opinels. It liked to come open in my pocket and stab me.

To be fair, I don’t think Coghlan had anything to do with the problem. This knife predated the notch in the lock ring to hold the blade closed. I never bought another because I don’t like tools that are dangerous and hostile.
 
It does seem to have more of a curve to it than the standard Opinel.

No. It's identical. I have one I've bee restoring... but in the case of Opinel restoration:

Screw it. Let the pedants sort it out.
 
As I mentioned above I look everywhere they stock Coghlan stuff. I was hopeful the other week ago when I was camping in the Sierras. I found a few stores that had a great selection of the brand, but alas, no Opinel.

If not in the center for local camping then where? :(

The search continues.
 
I got my first one this week. A NOS stock No9. I has the old Opie blade stamp. Some of the new production ones are stamped "LE SAVOYARD FRANCE" but the handle still says made by Opinel.

No9Camp_zps08448602.jpg



Finally took it out of the pkg and it's great! So far, it and the Garden are my faves!
COpieNo9_zpsb494bed5.jpg
 
for food prep, would you recommend the garden knife or the standard no8? I have the regular one, but this thread has got me thinking. Plan to just sand down the handles of mine to be a bit slimmer.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top