If you don't have an Opinel...

Absintheur said:
If you like the design you can avoid some of the shortcomings of the wood by hunting down a Cold Steel Twistmaster. It is a more modern version if the Opinel. I reaaly like mine for a camp knife tho it is a bit large...that is a full sized Sodbuster posing with it...

soddietwist.jpg
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Thanks, I was hoping someone made one with a synthetic handle! :D What size opinel would you say it's comparable to? And what type of steel?
*Hmm, carbon-v steel, but $60 at the only place I can find. Kinda defeats the purpose of a cheap knife...
 
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Bob W said:
"Buncha ungratefull,snooty,a$$holes... "
That seems unnecessary, and unsuitable for the General forum. :thumbdn:
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I admit the a$$hole comment was a bit harsh,but I stand by my other convictions...as well as being some of the bravest europeans in the world:rolleyes::thumbdn:
 
My point was, save it for W&C or the Political forum. Don't you suppose that any Bladeforums members are French, have French friends or family, or are of French ancestry? Everyone interested in knives should feel welcome in the General area, regardless of where they're from. Heck, even people from New Jersey are welcome here.

:thumbup:
 
AfterTFD said:
Ok, I will. :) I've been intending to try out a carbon #6 and #8 for a while. I guess now is as good of a time as any.

Does anyone know a good way to dry the wood handles and seal them?
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Remove the locking ring for working on.

Give them a light sanding inside and out. Make sure to get around the blade pivot inside the blade slot with 500 sandpaper. Fold up the sandpaer to fit snugly inside then sand away. Sand out the blade slot a little wider. Finish with Helmsman Spar Urathane. Give it about 2 or three light coats with a very light sanding in between. Use a pipe cleaner to get the urathane around the blade pivot. Open the blade 90 degrees for one coat, then almost all the way open for another coat. Don't worry about it sticking, it will break loose when dry.

After letting it sit for a few days to harden up, use well as edc. The knife will now stand up to short immersion in water. I've tested mine by leaving it in a glass of water for 10 minutes with no problems swelling shut.You can still lube the blade pivot with mineral oil.

The locking ring can also be removed for adjusting how much tension you want on it. I sometimes use a file to make the locking ring turn farther.

The Opinel can be fixed to be just the way you want it.
 
Handle swelling is another thing Opinel has improved in the newer models. I have a yellow handle #8 in stainless and soaked it in the kitchen sink for a couple of hours in cold water first, then hot. The blade was a little stiff opening but quite functional. According to the website there is a new process for treating the wood that makes moisture and humidity less of a problem.
 
Bob W said:
My point was, save it for W&C or the Political forum. Don't you suppose that any Bladeforums members are French, have French friends or family, or are of French ancestry? Everyone interested in knives should feel welcome in the General area, regardless of where they're from. Heck, even people from New Jersey are welcome here.

:thumbup:
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Bob W,Please accept my apologies.I got a little carried away with expressing my contempt for the French.You're right,it does belong in W&C.
To everyone else,I'm sorry for dirtying up the general forum.
BTW,nice dig on NJ;):thumbup:
 
> I got a little carried away with expressing my contempt for the French.

The typical logical contradiction with this kind of statement is that there will always be certain French people that you'd rather be friends with than with certain USA citizens....

anyway, back to the topic.

Dagon, who enjoyed sampling a few exquisite French cheeses at lunch
 
To help with the swelling on mine I sanded an easy-open notch in the handle so I can just pinch the blade open. Works great!
 
Sorry but I have no use for one. I don't see a reason to buy a cheaper knife just because it is a good value. I would rather stick with a better more expensive knife as you say a Sebenza or similar.
 
vjb.knife said:
Sorry but I have no use for one. I don't see a reason to buy a cheaper knife just because it is a good value. I would rather stick with a better more expensive knife as you say a Sebenza or similar.
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Nothing against your decision, but I didn't really have a use for one; or so I thought, until I got it. Then I realized how great it was to use such a thin carbon steel blade with a great profile! Cuts way better than a sebenza and mighty strong. Then again, I AM a sucker for carbon steel! :p
 
Capt. Carl said:
Nothing against your decision, but I didn't really have a use for one; or so I thought, until I got it. Then I realized how great it was to use such a thin carbon steel blade with a great profile! Cuts way better than a sebenza and mighty strong. Then again, I AM a sucker for carbon steel! :p
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Sorry, but I spent $380 on my Seb and I refuse to believe that a FRENCH knife is a better cutter. But I just ordered an Opinel 12 for the hell of it. That bensbackwoods place looks kinda low budget to me though.
 
Yeah, it will outcut a Sebenza. All about geometry. Hard to beat a 1/16" full-convex grind.
FortyTwoBlades said:
To help with the swelling on mine I sanded an easy-open notch in the handle so I can just pinch the blade open. Works great!
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Same here. And reshaped the handle, and made it more of a drop point.
 
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