Easy Opinel water resistance

[WhittlinAway]

I've seen a few methods of sealing Opinel handles to make them water resistant, but they seemed either involved or time consuming. Then I had a bit of inspiration the other day and decided to try what ended up being both very easy and effective. I've used it now on two No. 6's and a No. 10.

I used Howard Butcher Block Conditioner as the sealant:

It is a mixture of mineral oil, beeswax, and carnuba wax. It is made for butcher blocks and is food safe.

Here is the procedure:

1. Remove the lock ring.
2. Seal the knife in a plastic bag with enough of the mixture to surround it. I used a vacuum food sealer, but I expect it would work fine with a ziplock bag with all the air squeezed out.
3. Put the bag in a pot of hot water and let it sit for 20-30 minutes while the conditioner soaks in. I kept the water around 150 degrees F, but I doubt the exact temperature is important.
4. Remove the knife from the bag and use a clean cloth to wipe off the excess conditioner. Open and close the blade a few times to make sure there is no excess in the pivot.
5. Re-attach the lock ring and enjoy your water-resistant knife.

I hope this useful for someone. Happy tinkering!

 

[jackknife]

Ahhh! Gosh darn you. Now Im going to have to go buy a brand new Opinel to try it out on vs the melted Vaseline in the joint. If it works, I won't have to borrow the better halts blow drier anymore. She'l thank you for that.

 

[GasMan1]

:thumbup:

 

[WhittlinAway]

Ahhh! Gosh darn you. Now Im going to have to go buy a brand new Opinel to try it out on vs the melted Vaseline in the joint. If it works, I won't have to borrow the better halts blow drier anymore. She'l thank you for that.

Oops. I didn't mean to force anyone to buy new knives.

But, I do hope you'll try it and share your findings on how it compares. Do it for science. And for matrimonial harmony.

 

[davek14]

Hmmmm, so you're soaking the whole knife and using heat and vacuum to facilitate penetration. I'll bet this works pretty well.

I think there is some migration of water in the wood of an Opinel handle. This osmosis may make soaking the whole knife better. I soak in mineral oil for extended periods.

Drying the knife very well first in a hot car or whatever might improve on your process.