I've had an opinel #6 carbon steel and i would love it except for no matter how many times i sharpen it, the tip dulls as soon as i close it. It has happened enough that i dont like to carry it because a dull knife really makes me mad. Has anyone else had this problem?
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Opinel edge retention
- Thread starter Inthewind
- Start date
They have a tendency to do that. Since there is no kick for the blade to come to rest on, the blade just rests on the tip down in the handle. Since I tend to make spear points or drop points put of them, it seems to do it a little less, but still will do it a little. I just blow it off as one of the quirks of the knife. In real world use, it doesn't seem to affect anything, and to me an Opinel is a dirty deeds work/gardening knife. Usually I just put a course edge on it with an old gray silica stone and leave it at that. I don't pay any attention to the tiny dull bit at the very tip.
You could duct tape the blade edge and use a large mill file to make a spear point out of it.
You could duct tape the blade edge and use a large mill file to make a spear point out of it.
These knives have several (IMO loveable) quirks. I have a no 8 garden knife with the spear point blade that has actually cut through the wood when closed and the blade goes into the lanyard hole. But it's still a great knife and I love it. I think you don't hear about these issues on the forum as much because of the low price of the knife.
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- Apr 12, 2009
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I replied to your similar question in the other thread also. The carbone blades in Opinels are a little softer, I think. I have one each of the 'carbone' and stainless, and have noticed the carbone takes a very, very fine edge, but is also a little more delicate. I have dinged mine a couple or three times, though I don't know if it's actually been dulled inside the handle. The Sandvik stainless of the other one is spec'd by the maker up to ~59RC, and I think Opinel took advantage of that. It seems a little more robust at the edge. I've thinned the blades on both of mine, so I tend to be a little more careful with both of them. I could see a possibility of rolling or denting the edge, if it's very fine, inside the handle.
You might be able to build up the rearward end of the blade well in the handle, by placing a small piece of rubber/plastic in the slot back there. Just enough to give the rear of the blade something to rest on (like the 'kick' on a more conventional folder's blade), which should also lift the tip a tiny bit, and keep it from contacting the wood in the handle. Some have used leather or wood to do this, but if that absorbs any moisture, it could eventually rust or corrode the portion of blade edge in contact with it. This is why I'd use something in plastic or non-porous rubber of some kind.
David
You might be able to build up the rearward end of the blade well in the handle, by placing a small piece of rubber/plastic in the slot back there. Just enough to give the rear of the blade something to rest on (like the 'kick' on a more conventional folder's blade), which should also lift the tip a tiny bit, and keep it from contacting the wood in the handle. Some have used leather or wood to do this, but if that absorbs any moisture, it could eventually rust or corrode the portion of blade edge in contact with it. This is why I'd use something in plastic or non-porous rubber of some kind.
David
well someone may have alluded to this, but i had the same problem, simple solution is to stretch a rubber band (one of the red ones are perfect diameter), and when its stretched you put it in the slot, and when you have it settled in where you want it, you let go, and the rubber band naturally gets fatter (when u stretch it gets skinnier) and lodges itself in nicely. Mine hasn't fallen out ...well ever.