Opinel 8 Outdoor just arrived

I really think that plastic handles COULD be done effectively. It just seems that Opinel is having a bit of trouble executing it properly.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
I really think that plastic handles COULD be done effectively. It just seems that Opinel is having a bit of trouble executing it properly.
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I guess you can't blame them for jumping on the "survival" bandwagon, but I think all they have really done is once again prove the old adage "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Serrated Opinel with plastic handles. Sheesh. :rolleyes: At least they didn't coat the blade.
 
I like the change of pace but a built in whistle.....seriously?.....makes me think of something Gerber would put on bear's knives.
 
marcinek said:
I guess you can't blame them for jumping on the "survival" bandwagon, but I think all they have really done is once again prove the old adage "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Serrated Opinel with plastic handles. Sheesh. :rolleyes: At least they didn't coat the blade.
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I don't think there's anything wrong with the direction they tried moving in--the problem is they moved too far in that direction. Just coming out with a solid plastic handle with the nice li'l lanyard hole with a plain-edged nail-nicked blade would have been sufficient. And less of a risk.
 
jimnolimit said:
why they didn't do this ^ to begin with is beyond me.
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I think it mainly has to do with the kind of people who they had in mind when designing this knife, mainly people who like to do outdoors sports, but who are not into knives, bushcraft and such things. Maybe they find it cool to have a whistle on their knife.
 
First: i don't see anything wrong with having a whistle in a survival knife. it doesn't seem to impede the integrity, and the people buying these pretty things are probably the same ones that are going to get themselves lost.

Second: i do believe they should have offered a non-serrated version. i don't like serrated blades, hardly ever use them unless the serrations are very slight. might be good for cutting larger diameter rope. i do think it having a serrated blade helps to sell it to their intended market i.e. those darn leaf peepers getting in the way when I'm trail running. i like the large hole which is easier to grab with gloves than a nail nick.

Third: if you don't like the plastic handle then just get a classic model which are also offered with a serrated blade if that's what you want. i think it would be cool to see a glow in the dark version. i do see the low temp rating of 180f as a downside, wood can take at least 225f.

Fourth: to all you hardcore knife enthusiasts who are so bothered by this knife's design, go get one and change it to your liking. you man enough to have and use knives but you don't have the ability to fix or modify them? that blade has enough meat on it that you could grind it to flat and still have it be as thick as a regular opinel.

i registered just to reply to this thread as i saw too many narrow points of view. not trying to criticize, just trying to bring up all aspects of the knife's construction. in the end i do not like this knife and would not carry it even if it was given to me. my pocket space is too precious to be wasted on something that fails if dropped in a hot pan while cutting or will get things clogged in unnecessary holes.
 
I want to see a synthetic handled Opinel sans the whistle, serrations, and weird cutout, I don't mind one hand manipulation, but the cutout is much too extreme, and looks like it could threaten the integrity of the blade.
 
i highly doubt that the "hole" would lessen the integrity. even if you were to grind off that curved bit it would still be as big as a regular opinel blade.
 
whetrock said:
I want to see a synthetic handled Opinel sans the whistle, serrations, and weird cutout, I don't mind one hand manipulation, but the cutout is much too extreme, and looks like it could threaten the integrity of the blade.
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So the second one down without a whistle? None but the bottom one are real, of course (yet.)

opinelNo8outdoorcollection.jpg
 
looking at the blades again i would like to revise my previous statement. i dont think it would be quite as big as an original with that bit ground off but it is quite evident that the blade is thicker and wider to compensate for this. the hole's main task is unscrewing threaded clevis pins.
 
Yeah that's the one I'd most likely go for. I'm thinking they could manufacture something similar to the old Cold Steel Twistmaster, with little effort.
 
Firstly, I'd like to begin with saying the French can sometimes be weird.:D It seems like they're trying to market it to mountain climbers. Seems a rather odd thing to go from nearly unchanged design for a century to an odd plastic, serrated, shackle key, mountain climbing design. Heck, there might be an untapped market for mountain climbing knives in France/Europe/wherever and Opinel is laughing all the way to the bank. Or maybe not.
 
Do they have washers between the blade pivot and handle like a regular folder?

Yeah I don't know if I like it. That's one id prefer to see before I buy.
 
"Bushcrafters", time to pay the piper! Enjoy your overbranding 'bushcraft'. I'm keeping my woody! (You know, my olivewood Opinel)
 
I'd take one, but I can do w/o the whistle. The only flaw I see with the whistle is making sure it is properly cleaned out after gutting an animal in a survival scenario. I think it's a step ahead. Serrations don't bother me at all, whether I have them or not. Flint knapping is based on making tiny serrations in stone and they cut very well when applied to task no matter the size serration. Wood is good, but, with technology today, plastic is better. Just facing the facts. I would never get rid of my wood Opinels though.
 
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