Opinel Classic Wide Handle Raw - Need advice!

[DavidZ]

I bought an Opinel Classic Wide Handle Raw - actually three of them! I thought that it would be a fun project to play with, and to just to see what talent I may have hidden away. Hopefully it will be fun, satisfying, and successful. I just started to whittle away on it today, and discovered that I have no idea where I want this handle to go, or how to go about whittling or carving it to shape.

I would appreciate any advice on the way to maybe mark it and what shape would make some sense to at least proceed with before I turn the whole thing to wood chips. I am thinking that a more oval shape than the regular Opinel, with a longer and larger grip area. Has anyone else done one that they would like to share a pic or two with me? Here is what it looks like from the company when you get it.





Thanks,
Dave

 

[davek14]

Seriously though, if you scroll down a bit there is an Opie mod thread on this page which should give some ideas.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/817090-Opinel-mods

The French site this pic is from is on the first page, but here it is.

http://michel.montlahuc.free.fr/opinel4.htm

You could get a regular Opie to experiment on.

I found less is more with them. Knock the pointy part off that faces your palm at the butt, cut an easy open notch, sand smooth and stain. Of course I'm not a woodcarver.

 

[DavidZ]

Seriously though, if you scroll down a bit there is an Opie mod thread on this page which should give some ideas.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/817090-Opinel-mods

The French site this pic is from is on the first page, but here it is.

http://michel.montlahuc.free.fr/opinel4.htm

You could get a regular Opie to experiment on.

I found less is more with them. Knock the pointy part off that faces your palm at the butt, cut an easy open notch, sand smooth and stain. Of course I'm not a woodcarver.

Thanks for the links! I did see the ones on the Opinel sight, but those are beyond my current skill level. I would love to hear from a maker to see how I keep everything symmetrical as I am whittling away. I just would not want a crooked handle.

 

[Rat Finkenstein]

Seems to be an excellent opportunity for some sort of woodcarving.

 

[G. Scott H.]

I bought one in carbon about 6 mos. ago, myself, but I've yet to touch it. I can't decide exactly what I want to do with it. However, one idea I have is to taper the rear part of the handle and leave a big ring of wood in the center, so it would look sort of like a sword handle. Maybe leave a "bulb" of wood on the end to suggest a pommel.

Think of a pug version of a handle like this:

 

[davek14]

Here's a video kind of showing that "less is more" princible. He starts with knocking the bump off the palm side and an easy open notch. The does just a little more shaping to add one "finger groove/notch - whatever".

I'm wondering if a basic sticky could be made to show the basic Opie mods. With links to Pinnah's page of course.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uyt5qptLgus&feature=player_embedded