I love the Opinel.

W

wongKI

Joined
Jul 9, 2009
Messages
1,472
Ultra-lightweight, no vertical blade play, excellent steel, thin blade, razor edge.

Love it. Totally.

Just saying :)
 
rave more!
it's ancient, and it cut's like as if there's no tomorrow.
opinel is an uber cool cutter!!!
 
One of my classmates used it as a razor yesterday. I had just polished the edge.

He spent the rest of the day playing with it and slicing paper.
 
opinels.jpg

Not the best possible picture, but I love'm as well. I modified the handle of the no8 on the right to make it fit in the pocket a bit better. It's my inexpensive travelling knife, maybe not the best possible edge retention, but very easy to touch up while away from home
 
I'm probably gonna grab one soon. should i go carbon or stainless though? i'll probably use it mostly for house chores like food prep, so stainless would make sense. what are the advantages/disadvantages tho?
 
At the price of the Opinels everyone should own one, nah scratch that, everyone should own a few. My #8 stainless with walnut handle is really nice, but I also like my #9 carbon and #6 carbon and #4 carbon. They are all great!
 
mk.ultra said:
I'm probably gonna grab one soon. should i go carbon or stainless though? i'll probably use it mostly for house chores like food prep, so stainless would make sense. what are the advantages/disadvantages tho?
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You can't go wrong with the carbon, it is seriously ridiculous how quick you can get these things scary sharp. And I use mine mostly for food prep. If you don't mind a bit of discoloration you'll be fine. I'd recommend at least a 7 for food prep, that's a good "traveling" food knife, though I get by with my #6. Bigger is always better, though.

I hear their stainless is excellent for getting wicked sharp too, though...

The only thing with the carbon, the first few times you cut up something acidic and let it sit for a few minutes, it will make a funny smell while it oxidizes. Once it has a bit of patina that doesn't happen, though. Mine has a very light patina and is just fine.
 
I guess I got the first one about 35 years ago - my son now has it - a #6 --I use the #8 carbon steel as backup - to my sak- and in the kitchen. the patina issue just makes it look neater! Cold blue will make that happen more quickly or just slice a few tomatoes! It helps to soak the open grain of the wood in linseed oil to keep the swelling down.
Peace
Revvie
 
you all forgot to mention the price - tell them the price!

I have a 40yo #8 that I picked up for $5 - it's in my pocket at the moment. I don't use mine for food prep unless I'm visiting and am confronted by the usual selection of blunt and chipped knives in the second drawer (I have a bad habit of taking over kitchens when I visit but they like my cooking and a break from doing it themselves - so far no complaints)
 
goodeyesniper said:
You can't go wrong with the carbon, it is seriously ridiculous how quick you can get these things scary sharp. And I use mine mostly for food prep. If you don't mind a bit of discoloration you'll be fine. I'd recommend at least a 7 for food prep, that's a good "traveling" food knife, though I get by with my #6. Bigger is always better, though.

I hear their stainless is excellent for getting wicked sharp too, though...

The only thing with the carbon, the first few times you cut up something acidic and let it sit for a few minutes, it will make a funny smell while it oxidizes. Once it has a bit of patina that doesn't happen, though. Mine has a very light patina and is just fine.
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I just heard some people say that it leaves a funny carbon taste...is this true? Also I'm gonna have to go with the No. 6 as 3" is the legal blade limit where I am. It sucks.
 
wongKI said:
Ultra-lightweight, no vertical blade play, excellent steel, thin blade, razor edge.

Love it. Totally.

Just saying :)
Click to expand...

one of the best knife you can buy and use.
I love its thin blade and grind
I dislike when blade is hard to take out becouse wood handel is wet
Anyway I love my DIY custom OPINELS.
P1040156.jpg

P1030303copia.jpg
 
facablade said:
one of the best knife you can buy and use.
I love its thin blade and grind
I dislike when blade is hard to take out becouse wood handel is wet
Anyway I love my DIY custom OPINELS.
P1030303copia.jpg
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I love the one on top! how'd you get the dark/ashy look?
 
thanks.
I forced the patine using ClH used for electronic boardcircuits burt use you can use vinegar ;-)
 
mk.ultra said:
I just heard some people say that it leaves a funny carbon taste...is this true? Also I'm gonna have to go with the No. 6 as 3" is the legal blade limit where I am. It sucks.
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early on, the taste is like the smell. if you cut up an apple or something it might taste a bit of iron, before you have a subtle patina formed. but if you chop it up quickly it's not bad, if the blade sits and oxidizes on the fruit it might be worse.

After a couple meal preps you'll be good to go, I don't notice any smell or taste at all now.
 
mk.ultra said:
I just heard some people say that it leaves a funny carbon taste...is this true? Also I'm gonna have to go with the No. 6 as 3" is the legal blade limit where I am. It sucks.
Click to expand...

I used dilute phosphoric acid to force a patina = no iron (not carbon) taste. You can use any acidic fruit or an onion to get a patina but IMO phosphoric acid is the best one to use

The president of my shooting club EDC's the #6 and doesn't appear at all handicapped by the size although I did wince when he used it to hari-kari open a bag of pre-mix concrete/sand/gravel after I'd sharpened it for him. Opinel's come in a useful range of sizes to suit different needs and pockets - pun intended :D
 
goodeyesniper said:
early on, the taste is like the smell. if you cut up an apple or something it might taste a bit of iron, before you have a subtle patina formed. but if you chop it up quickly it's not bad, if the blade sits and oxidizes on the fruit it might be worse.

After a couple meal preps you'll be good to go, I don't notice any smell or taste at all now.
Click to expand...

guess its just a bit or extra iron in my diet, ey?
 
Im going into France in a couple weeks, I may have to look around to see if they are just out for sale...instead of ordering on-line.
 
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