New poster, long time reader, Opinel

C

chrisN01

Joined
Jan 12, 2016
Messages
42
Been lurking for some time, first, actually second post, due to a fat thumb, managed to post in the wrong subforum.

Been looking long and hard at the Opinel line of folders.

Ordered two versions, stainless no 9 and the olive tree version.

Shown together with a "lommekniv" a costum pocket knife done by a northern knifesmith here in sweden. I guess it would be described as a brass lined folder with what I think are micarta liners.

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Best regards Chris.
 
Hi Chris, and welcome!
Although they're not everybody's cup of tea, Opinel knives have their fans here :rolleyes: for a number of good reasons ;)
So...do you like them? I find the slim (effile') series to be too narrow and pointy for my taste, and I prefer their standard blade shape. Olive wood is always nice though :)

Fausto
:cool:
 
Fausto,

I feel that both versions have blades that are thin, the slim one is really to thin for any heavy work, but within there own limits they are nice for edc.

I plan to exchange the handle on the one nr 9 for a piece of moose antler. Pics will follow. Chris
 
Greetings Chris and welcome to the forum. The no.9 in carbon steel is my favorite knife in the standard Opinel line and your moose antler project sounds promising. Please keep us updated on the project with lots of photos. I've given several modified stock handle no. 9's as gifts but have yet to do a full handle swap but have wanted to. I find the best use for this knife is for a travel food prep knife as they are efficient slicers. Many an apple have felt the sting of my Opinel blade.

The slim no.8 with a 3 1/4" blade I find makes a great bird & trout type knife and the no.10 (4") & no.15 (6") make excellent smaller filet knives.
 
Opinels are THE slicer, and work great for anything thay needs slicing. I find them excellent for food work and cardboard duty as they touch up nice and easy. I carry mine as a beater, for anything abrasive (cardboard) or hard (wiring mostly) that needs to be cut. I use pinnah's mod of flattening the sides of the handle with a sanding block to make it more comfortable in hand, and make sure to round the edges on the butt. Refinishing in beech is hard, so my stain job looks like it's an old and well used tool. I have a standard model, never tried the slims.

Welcome to the porch!
Connor
 
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I do love the carbon blade though mine is a pain to open. But for the money it's hard to beat. Oh and welcome .:)
 
Welcome Chris we're glad to have you here. I like Opinel's for user knives that I keep laying around in toolboxes, kitchen drawers and such. I don't carry them in pocket though.
 
Welcome to the porch Chris. Lots of Opinel love here,great steel and fun to modify. Here's a #8 that I toyed with.

Best regards

Robin
 
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Welcome to the porch, Chris. As it happens, I have my No 10 in my pocket today. This is my favorite size Opinel, and it sees lots of use.

 
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Hey Chris welcome, I don't always carry an Opinel, but they are great knives. They will do most everything you need a knife for. When I carry mine, there is usually a bottle of wine, some cheese, salami and fruit involved.
 
Great choice Chris. I currently have No 7 in my pocket here and really enjoy carrying and using in almost any circumstance. Might take some sandpaper to it after seen these customs being posted. Very nice guys.
 
Love the Opis.
The #10 I bought in a mountaineering store in Japan; it was my picnic knife. The tapered Coghlan is my favorite because it's so much more pocketable than the regular ones. It and one of the #8s is from the flea market. (The other was from an antique mall.) Someday I'll taper the rest of them.
cklMEw4l
 
I have a No. 6 in bubinga that I really like, although I haven't used it much yet.

Chris, would you please post more photos of your lommekniv if you can. Thanks in advance.
 
Welcome to the front porch! and to BladeForums, Opinel's have a pretty good following here since they cut so well and are fairly inexpensive too, nice combination :)

I started this thread a while back on my collection

Also check this thread out too about Opinels

I've trimmed back on most all my folders down to a select few, for my 'food' knife I rely on a very nice Opinel Slim #10 in Olivewood.

The largest one they sell is the Opinel #13, sold that not too long ago, probably should have kept it as it was pretty cool

Opinel_choices.jpg~original


G2
 
Recently I noticed that my No.7 and No. 10, purchased probably between 1976 and 1983, have carbon steel lock rings and bolsters rather than the stainless that appears on more recent knives, even those with carbon blades.

I am curious about when the change came about. Google hasn't helped. Anyone?
 
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