Unfortunately, carrying a thick round shaped object int he pocket like an Opinel of any size isn't near as easy as a Douk-Douk or Mercator. The small Douk-Douk can even be carried in a wallet. Factor in that I don't have to go melting any wax or stuff into the joint for some water resistance and the Douk-Douk comes in far ahead. I've had the wood crack on an Opinel number 8 where the pivot pin goes through and it ended up in the trash can. I saw an Opinel number 7 break off right at the step in the wood where the whole blade/bolster/locking ring was mounted. At least with the Douk-Douk, it's all metal and good solid rivets. After about 35 years of a love/hate relationship with Opinels, I finally gave up on them. At least with he Douk-Douk and Merctor they are ready to go right out of the box. And way easier to carry. YMMV as always.
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Douk-Douk Question
- Thread starter Mitch Taldison
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Unfortunately, carrying a thick round shaped object int he pocket like an Opinel of any size isn't near as easy as a Douk-Douk or Mercator. The small Douk-Douk can even be carried in a wallet. Factor in that I don't have to go melting any wax or stuff into the joint for some water resistance and the Douk-Douk comes in far ahead. I've had the wood crack on an Opinel number 8 where the pivot pin goes through and it ended up in the trash can. I saw an Opinel number 7 break off right at the step in the wood where the whole blade/bolster/locking ring was mounted. At least with the Douk-Douk, it's all metal and good solid rivets. After about 35 years of a love/hate relationship with Opinels, I finally gave up on them. At least with he Douk-Douk and Merctor they are ready to go right out of the box. And way easier to carry. YMMV as always.
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Douk douk is fine knife,but the handle is little uncomfortable when cutting harder stuff,or whiittling wood.Opinel is little hard to carry but i love the way blades are ground and 12c27.They should make some hybrid between Mercator and Opinel.....Mercator with metal and wood handle is awesome,bought it
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And now, baby!
I got the smaller “petite” sized Douk in and it’s every bit as neat as the larger one! The Douk-Douk engraving on the handle is struck a bit deeper so it really “pops”. Sadly, Las Vegas has oppressive and pointless knife laws so I won’t be able to carry the larger one when I get back home. But this little guy sure seems like it will be up to the task! Got it very very sharps and ready to go!
I got the smaller “petite” sized Douk in and it’s every bit as neat as the larger one! The Douk-Douk engraving on the handle is struck a bit deeper so it really “pops”. Sadly, Las Vegas has oppressive and pointless knife laws so I won’t be able to carry the larger one when I get back home. But this little guy sure seems like it will be up to the task! Got it very very sharps and ready to go!
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Glad you prefer the Opinel. I tried it and didn’t like it. Not sure what or how much your cutting to make that claim. In the few weeks I’ve owned my Douk-Douk, it’s proven to be a comfortable and effective work knife, and those I’ve shown it to were impressed with it. Just my experience, again this is a construction job I’m in so if you mean cutting things like kindling etc. all day I can see how the Opinel might fair a bit better.
herisson
Apple slicing rocking chair dweller
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The "petite" size Douk-Douk is actually the one I carry everyday... in my coin purse. It's the perfect back-up and I mean a serious backup not like a Case Peanut or a Spyderco Bug. A real knife in a diminutive format. Quite the deed. If you're a whittler or bushcrafter go for an Opinel or others, the Douk is not a working tool it's the epitome of pocket knife.
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How can the epitome of a pocket knife not also be a working tool?
Henry Beige
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Trim the flared pommel and flatten the sides of an Opinel. It will be comfortable in the hand and in the pocket, and will index in the hand without sacrificing comfort.
Douk-Douk is fine for occasional use, but torture in extended use. I carry my Opinels daily, but save the Douk-Douk for Halloween, in case I want to go dressed as a hipster.
Douk-Douk is fine for occasional use, but torture in extended use. I carry my Opinels daily, but save the Douk-Douk for Halloween, in case I want to go dressed as a hipster.
herisson
Apple slicing rocking chair dweller
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[How can the epitome of a pocket knife not also be a working tool?]
In my opinion, a pocket knife is a jack of all trades that is used as a "get by" / "make do" tool. So, not an "intensive" / "extended" use tool. Everyone got his own everyday tasks, so choose the pocket knife suited to them. I love the flat profile of the Douk-Douk and it matches my needs perfectly. I value the strong purchase of the Opinel's blocky handle but I don't use my pocket knife for tasks requiring that strength, so I'm out on the Opinel.
In my opinion, a pocket knife is a jack of all trades that is used as a "get by" / "make do" tool. So, not an "intensive" / "extended" use tool. Everyone got his own everyday tasks, so choose the pocket knife suited to them. I love the flat profile of the Douk-Douk and it matches my needs perfectly. I value the strong purchase of the Opinel's blocky handle but I don't use my pocket knife for tasks requiring that strength, so I'm out on the Opinel.
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I've always disliked the round Opinel handle for pocket carry, not a problem with the Douk Douk. The Opinel has its place, just not loose in the pocket
If I carry an Opinel loose in my pocket, it will be either the No. 6 or 7. And with either of those, I don't even notice it's in my pocket.
Or just get a MAM.
This. A pocket knife, any pocketknife is a make-do tool. It's used to make cut now and then, and may save as a food prep tool while out someplace.
My old man once told me something when I was a kid, and it kind of stuck with me. He said a pocket knife is something you carry around a lot, and use it a bit now and then. I know that fits my description. I don't work as a lumber jack, I don't whittle for a living, I don't skin buffalo, and I don't do heavy pruning in the yard with my pocket knife. So what does that leave? Opening packages, cutting jute twine in the garden, breaking down a cardboard box for the recycle bin, slicing a sandwich in half to share with the better half, and other light duties. Having used both the Opinel and the douk-douk a lot over the course of 50 years, I eventually discarded the Opinel as too bulky for pocket use except for the little number 6's which are too light built for much rugged use.
For me, and YMMV, the flat profile of the douk-douk and the Mercator K55 makes them far better carry in a pocket. And lets face it, that's where a pocket knife lives 99% of the time. It sits there until we need to cut open a package, sever a piece of rope, slice a sandwich or a slice off a loaf of nice fresh French or Italian bread. Once in a while I'd whittle a hot dog stick for the kids, and then later, the grandkids. I used both Opinels and Doug-douk's and didn't really notice much difference in effective cutting or handle discomfort. Yes, if you lean on it for extended time the douk-douk is a little thin, but hot spots all over??? Come on. Maybe you need some work gloves.
I've never been an office worker. I've spent my whole life as a tradesmen. First in the army engineers and lots of construction projects in all kinds of not-so-nice places ranging from cold wet forest in winter Germany to North African desert at Wheelus Air Force base, to camping in the Great Smoky Mountain National park. I never had a douk-douk fail on me. Yet I can't say the same for the Opinel. I've had a handle crack right at the skinny little fingers that the blade pivot is supported by and the whole knife was rendered useless. My friend Danny broke a number 7 right off at the step in the wood where it was turned down for the locking ring and inner bolster.
While stationed in Germany, we used a lot of local labor for the construction grunt work and the Mercator was dirt cheap there in 1968. Most the German guys working on the job sites used the ever loving dog poo out of the K55's and I never saw one break. At Wheelus AFB Libya, we were extending and beefing up runways for heavier aircraft. The local contract labor were all these Arab guys who used the ever loving dog poo out of their douk-douks, and I never saw one break.
Point of all this? If I'm looking for a rugged work knife, I want things riveted with he rivet set in real metal. No skinny wood fingers for me. I've had then fail, and I'd rather have a little handle discomfort than a knife that can't take pressure. Douk-Douk- Mercator, Buck 110, military 'demo' knife, Victorinox pioneer, all have the metal construction for heavy duty working over a long period of time. And the douk-douk can be put into service immediately with no melting wax, sanding handles, tweaking locking rings and whatever.
I like metal in my knives and my guns. I've swore off Opinels and Glocks forever.
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Henry Beige
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Or just get a MAM.
I have tried that. Not a bad play if you don’t mind the stainless blades. Either as a straight friction knife, or as a liner lock (a neat trick for a knife that does not have liners). For a while, the Tipica was a favorite, a broad sheepsfoot blade that made the ideal bagel knife. I carry an Okapi Biltong for that duty now.
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herisson
Apple slicing rocking chair dweller
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Jackknife's grandpa summed it up quite righthly : "a pocket knife is something you carry around a lot, and use it a bit now and then". I'm on that wagon... but now somebody's everyday use may imply whittling a walking stick and / or a foraging stick, pointing some skewers for grilling lunch and what do I know many other demanding tasks. You're out of pocket knife territory, right ? Get a very stout pocket brick or step up to a fixed blade...
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I just LOL’d at that one! Face it, an Opinel is ever bit the “hipster knife” as any Douk-Douk. I’ve heard even the Case sodbuster referred to as such! What a world we live in when that if you don’t carry the latest Spyderco or Benchmade, you are automatically a hipster.
But now that you mention it, I do enjoy a cold Pabst from time to time...
!I'm not going to knock the hipsters. At least they are carrying a knife! Thats a lot more than can be said of most of the rest of the sheeple populace these days. I for one am very glad to see at least part of the younger population of this country take up carrying a knife, and be somewhat prepared for an emergency that may require a sharp blade. I don't understand the man-bun thing with the hair, but if he's got a knife in his nicely pressed jeans then okay.
Just once in my 78 years of life did I need a knife in a life-or-death situation. An upside down old Datsun B210 that had rolled and was burning and the driver's seat belt would not release. A pocket knife did the cutting and the driver got out. It happens. At least some hipster with a douk-douk could have done the same thing. And as for Opinels, I've seen them at REI stores now and REI has turned into the biggest hipster outdoor clothing store chain around, since Eddie Baur and L.L. Bean. All of which were at one time good outdoor equipment places. Opinels are in the catalogues of trendy kitchen and picnic outlets for the hipster crowd.
If hipsters like douk-douk's, then I applaud the trend.
Henry Beige
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Yes, they've went down too.
There's a Bass Pro right down the road that is a hipster/yuppy/outdoor poser clothing store. All the latest logo fleece stuff and 100 dollar nylon wind breakers. Over priced, over hyped, over done stuff with a few decent things mixed in. When I was a kid, Eddie Baur, L.L. Bean, R.E.I., had catalogues and even stores full of real outdoor gear ranging from knives and rifles to camp stoves and real wool stuff from Filson and Woolrich. Now it's mostly junk with high price tags.
But then, the whole world now seems to revel in the mediocre.
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I know what you mean! My dad had a genuine Woolrich flannel shirt, and it was just amazing. Thick and soft, not like the paper thin junk Chinese flannel you find nowadays. He gave it to me and I wore it for several years. But then, it was stolen from my car, along with a yellow Case Sodbuster Jr. knife, also a gift from him.
But not long ago he bought me a yellow Kissing Crane knife very much like that old sodbuster. I don’t carry that one, it’s tucked away in my safe.
Guys I’ve really enjoyed this thread and am so glad I found this forum!