Funky Opinel day.

J

jackknife

Joined
Oct 2, 2004
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Today I felt a little in the mood for old fashioned funky carry. I dropped an old Opinel in my pocket for the day's carry, and a Leatherman micra for the tools use. They seem to make a decent edc team. For all their PITA finicky nature, the Opinel does cut great, and being in the heart of Texas, I don't see any ocean to fall into. But I greased the joint anyways, s I should be safe if I fall in a creek. :)

Any other Opinel carriers today?

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I dropped my No. 8 in my pocket today. I spent a little time last night rounding the pommel with sandpaper, as I had read somewhere that this was a necessary mod. I was naturally skeptical, as I had been using a couple of my Opinels for over 40 years without it ever occurring to me that any alteration was necessary or desirable.

As it turns out, giving the pommel a bird's head shape lets the knife sit more comfortably in the palm, and makes it less obtrusive in the pocket.
 
Henry,

My current thinking (what day is it?) is that we all have different hands that like different handle shapes. Very personal, like shoes.

The very top back part of the butt end of the stock Opinel gives me a hot when working with wood right in the meat of my palm near my wrist. I used to pretty aggressively turn it to a bird's head but then found I lost control of the knife under hard cutting. Just sort of disappeared in my hand in hard cutting.

Now, I just knock off the hard corner of the top back, rounding it off but leaving most of the material there. I also flatten the sides all the way up to the ring but more aggressively in the back and yes, it does make the knife ride better in the pocket. With these mods, I've yet to find a pocket knife that feels as good in the hand, but we're talking about my hand and my mods. So, YMMV.

Untitled by Pinnah, on Flickr
 
I'll have my opi on me later today, after I finish up watering carts at the golf course. Cleabing carts with hoses then refilling the deionized water lines is NOT a good time for an opi in my pocket. Later I'll be doing some sanding onnthe handle perhaps too.


Connor
 
Connor,

Carpenter's bee's wax or hard flooring wax. Break off some bits. Work into the joint. Melt in with hair dryer or heat gun. Repeat as needed. Best done with the lock ring off.

I hike all day in the pouring rain with an Opinel in my pocket. No problem.
 
ConBon said:
I'll have my opi on me later today, after I finish up watering carts at the golf course. Cleabing carts with hoses then refilling the deionized water lines is NOT a good time for an opi in my pocket. Later I'll be doing some sanding onnthe handle perhaps too.


Connor
Click to expand...

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Connor, this is my standard water resistance test for Opinel's that Ihave worked on. Total submergence for 20 to 30 minutes, depending on when I remember to come back and take them out. I've got side tracked before and came back in an hour and they still opened. A bit stif, but then just pull harder.

I used good old vaseline jelly just because it was there in the cabinet when I was in an experimental mood. Smeared a bunch in the joint and used the better half's hair drier to melt it into the wood around the pivot. I'm actually thinking of buying a new Opinel just to experiment with the carpenters bee's wax or Johnson's paste floor wax like pinnah said. maybe try them in the water side by side.

With my old Opinel in my pocket of my shorts, I've kayaked for day with some water splashing into my lap with no problem. The action will range on the Opinel, even with waxing and such, but it just gets a little stiff, still workable. When it dries out, it goes back to whatever is normal of that particular Opinel and how the joint is adjusted. You can adjust the Opinel how you like it; loose or snug.
 
I carry an opinel very often, atleast 3 days a week.

mostly the #6 carbon...

Opinel_edge.JPG


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sometimes a fancier shaped one in olive wood and stainless:

Opinel_33.JPG
 
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