I really like Opinel knives -

painkilleraz

painkilleraz

Joined
Jul 5, 2014
Messages
500
As someone who edc's Benchmade cqc7 emerson design or any number of other classy, awesome knives...I have found opinels to be absolutely wonderful knives and am not ashamed to carry them regardless. I wrote up a straightforward review with pictures, feel free to comment or add of course.

See link here
 
My critique of my #7 and 10 model is that they have too thin blades, also they need to offer micarta handles, maybe they do now
The handles are good but a tad too round, much like Kanetsune
I do hate rectangular knife handles *glances angrily at esee-4*

Nice knives
 
Right! I did think about that, but given the tasks I use that size knife for, it really works well. And I agree, I thought for sure In would hate the round handles, but, amazingly I have become attached.
 
Vicarious Reality said:
My critique of my #7 and 10 model is that they have too thin blades, also they need to offer micarta handles, maybe they do now
The handles are good but a tad too round, much like Kanetsune
I do hate rectangular knife handles *glances angrily at esee-4*

Nice knives
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If you don't like thin blades and round handles, then you don't like Opinels. Which is fine...one doesn't have to like them.

"I'd like Opinels if they were titanium framelocks with micarta scales and overbuilt saber ground blades."
 
I am a huge fan of Opinels. An old no.7 I found in the back of a desk drawer was the first knife I ever got crazy about... still have it.

Opinels.jpg
 
I have to say my journey into slip joints has shown me the delights of thin blades. I wish more modern folders would be offered with nice thin flat ground blades. At least there is always spyderco
 
I have a carbon steel No 6 and a mini-peasant in my shopping cart on BladeHQ. They look cool!
 
vanslem6 said:
I have a carbon steel No 6 and a mini-peasant in my shopping cart on BladeHQ. They look cool!
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The no. 6 is a versatile and very lightweight knife. The Svord is a classic rustic knife that is awesome to hold. Both are classics.... go for both! I like the hardwood peasant but that is just a personal preference.
 
I was looking for the Mini-peasant with the wood handle, however, It's no longer listed… So I'm debating between the white and red, plastic handle. If I decide to buy, I'll most certainly get both.

Painkilleraz, great article.
 
I'm one of the guys that doesn't appreciate Opinels. I bought one or two when I visited Paris a number of years ago and they just feel/look cheap. The ones I purchased were stiff and looked/felt like they were poorly made.
 
Brules1 said:
I'm one of the guys that doesn't appreciate Opinels. I bought one or two when I visited Paris a number of years ago and they just feel/look cheap. The ones I purchased were stiff and looked/felt like they were poorly made.
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Yeah, out of the gate they don't impress so much. But they improve with some fine tuning.
 
cards94 said:
I'd give them a shot if they were made in the US.
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There is so much wrong with this (IMHO). I really don't think that because it was made somewhere beside good ole' murica doesn't mean it's not a fantastic blade. As long as it's from it's country of origin for the design, I'm fine.
 
TheDandyLion said:
There is so much wrong with this (IMHO). I really don't think that because it was made somewhere beside good ole' murica doesn't mean it's not a fantastic blade. As long as it's from it's country of origin for the design, I'm fine.
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No thanks.
 
I have an Opinel no.8, and it was the knife that truly changed my understanding on knives. Looking back, I only believed I liked thick blades on folders due to hype. During the little time that I have been into knives, the thin blade of the Opinel is perfectly tailored for the very tasks that I need a knife for. Noticed some comments on flexibility, mine does not seem to flex really though. I mean, I can get it to move a bit if I hold the tip and yank on it, but those types of forces are not experienced in any of my chores, so it stays completely straight. Only bad thing about them in my opinion is that when you wash them, it is too easy to get water on the handle. One drop and opening and closing the blade gets quite laborious, relatively speaking. It would be nice if they offered some nice synthetics that still retained the look and feel, but without the whole issue of swelling.
I did notice that you mentioned in the post that you use oil on your handle. I need to start doing that.
Back to what is great about them, I like how every centimeter of the blade is sharpened, no need for a choil. The fact that the wood adds a decent amount of friction when opening means that the locking ring does not even need to be used for me most of the time, which is nice. The ergonomics for the 8 are almost perfect for me, and few other folders in my experience have a full three dimensionally shaped handle.
 
I like the Opinel and the Svord and for the price they're both hard to beat. Slightly off-topic, the Svord wood handle comes pretty rough. I spent a few minutes sanding then melted wax on them and hand-rubbed them and they are much nicer. For what I use them for (mostly around food...beach bbq's and the like) they are perfect.
IMG_1861.jpg
 
I took a group of scouts camping last night. We camped in the rain. I showed them how to build a fire in rain.

To make the shavings and fuzz sticks, I handed them all opinels.


The thin blade is really the reason I like them (for those saying the blades are too thin).
 
cards94 said:
I'd give them a shot if they were made in the US.
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So, no Opinel, no Victorinox, no Mora, no Helle, no Grohmann, no Boker, no Puma, no puukko or leuku, none from Solingen, etc. etc.? Won't even consider them? Truly your loss.

Do you fish? If so, who made your fillet knife?

Knives in your kitchen? Who made those?
 
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