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Opinel #8 handle customizing ...

K

kuuto

Joined
Oct 12, 2011
Messages
81
... to make it look like half a canoe.

Initially wanting to make a cut-out for easier opening and maybe round out the edges a bit... couldn't just stop there. Feels much better to hold as well.



 
VERRRY NICE! I like it. Sort of a 'slimline' character to it, very attractive. And the lanyard hole is a great addition. :thumbup:
 
sweet work! The varnish brings out the grain of the wood nicely.
I have a question about opies, can you lay the knife flat on a stone and sharpen it full scandi style, or does it have a secondary bevel?
If you could lay it flat, then you could get like straight razor sharpness almost huh?
 
shrapne1 said:
sweet work! The varnish brings out the grain of the wood nicely.
I have a question about opies, can you lay the knife flat on a stone and sharpen it full scandi style, or does it have a secondary bevel?
If you could lay it flat, then you could get like straight razor sharpness almost huh?
Click to expand...

The factory blade grind is a very subtle & thin convex (full, from spine to edge), with a very small secondary/micro bevel at the very edge. I laid my Opi blades flush to my strop block (leather over oak, w/sandpaper overlay), and thinned them to a zero-bevel edge. Wicked slicing this way, though the edges are very delicate. Be choosy about how you use an edge like this. :)
 
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Congratz on that mod! Looks great. We had a thread here, some time ago, that I started to show the moddified Opinels from the different members of the Trad-Forum. Just give me a minute to make a link right here.

Here´s the link http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...finished-my-first-modded-Opinel-show-us-yours!

Maybe you can find some nice inspiration for another great mod.

Thanks for sharing :)

Kind regards
Andi
 
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Nice work, my #8 is similar but not as canoe like.

I picked up a #10 about a week ago and am still trying to figure out what it wants.
 
That is very similar to how I reshaped my #6. It feels so much better.

I did my cutout a bit more like an EO knife than a slimline, but I like it.

As far as sharpening goes, I sharpen at a very steep angle, but not flat on stone. Mine is hair popping sharp, which is about enough. :) These things are so thin that even if they are dull, they still slice decent! My pad of my thumb will attest to that.
 
kuuto said:
... to make it look like half a canoe.

Initially wanting to make a cut-out for easier opening and maybe round out the edges a bit... couldn't just stop there. Feels much better to hold as well.



Click to expand...
Very nice! I've done the same thing with my No. 10, almost the same exact shape, but I haven't applied a finish to mine as yet.
 
The finish is Minwax Helmsman spar urethane, no stain.
The slimmer handle wasn't the intention, more of an easy-opening notch that got out of control when realizing it started looking like a canoe, haha, but it feels surprisingly good... seems to match the blade size quite well.
This knife is mainly used for cutting small bits of food while camping, nothing heavy-duty.

thanks
 
This is by far my favorite treatment of the end of an Opinel that I've seen. If copying is the highest form of flattery, I'm going to flatter the heck out of this knife on future Opinel mods I do!!!!

I really, really, really dig the canoe bow line effect of the end. Lots and lots of possibilities here and my only regret is that it's not my idea. Still, I'm going to copy it shamelessly.

As with others, I'm curious if it's a beech handle and if so, what grit sand paper you used and what kind of stain you used. I've messed up beech before by using too high of a grit which makes absorption of regular stain impossible. I've had better luck with wood dye (not stain) and only 220 grit paper but would like to use real stain. You really nailed the finish on this.

Really, really great job.
 
The handle could be Beech, I don't know... it cost about $12 (Cdn) 20yrs ago... I don't remember it being anything special. The wood wasn't much lighter color before adding the urethane (no stain). Seems most Beech handles are a lighter color... can these get darker over time? Memory is getting a bit shakey.

The shaping was done with a Dremel rough sanding drum, then hand sanded with 100, 150, 280 grit.
 
yup, Inox.
trying to compare it with photos of walnut handles... walnut seems "grainier" or more spotty.
the darker color makes me think it could be walnut... did the basic cheaper versions come with walnut?

edit... could it be Bubinga?
more photo searching shows some Bubinga handles that looks very similar. More of a reddish color than the brown of walnut.
Never heard of that wood before... sounds fancy. I'm not wise to the ways of identifying types of wood.
 
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pinnah said:
Is the blade Inox?

If so, wondering if it's a walnut handle.
Click to expand...

kuuto said:
yup, Inox.
trying to compare it with photos of walnut handles... walnut seems "grainier" or more spotty.
the darker color makes me think it could be walnut... did the basic cheaper versions come with walnut?
Click to expand...

Doesn't look like walnut to me. Color/grain looks more like rosewood in both straight grain and color, or maybe bubinga in color, but grain looks a little different (based on current offerings from Opinel, anyway).

Here's what my walnut No. 08 looks like (no stain; just natural 'Danish Oil' finish):
 
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Yeah, it's not walnut. The grain isn't open enough for walnut.

Obsessed, I am thinking of doing a little Danish oil treatment on my no. 6. Do you like yours?
 
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