Opinel goes MODERN!

I think it's a cool twist to the original. What kind of average price do these have?
 
I think it's a winner.

I'll start with my personal nit and that is the hole in the blade. OWE, I think the video shows it being used as a wrench for sailing shackles, not climbing hardware. I believe climbers use different hardware. I could do without the hole, personally, but I know that the French have a huge sailing tradition and that Opinels get used by French sailors and yachtsman, so it makes perfect sense that sailing would be at or nor the center of their audience with this.

Fausto, like you, I don't care for the partially serrated blades, but I think they better for doing a lot of rope cutting and rope and strapping cutting is critical for sailing, climbing, rafting and rescue work. Will be interesting to see if they later come out with a solid non-serrated variant at some point. Wouldn't shock me.

In terms of materials and handle design, I think they nailed it. Here are 2 pictures to make a point...

Last Saturday, I skied several miles into a Wilderness Area with a buddy of mine. We found a warm sunny spot for lunch along this river.

East Branch of Pemigewasset by Pinnah, on Flickr

At lunch I pulled out my knife and we talked about knives and my buddy told me he used to carry a Buck 112 for backpacking and wilderness trips. I've been doing trips with this guy for 20 years and never knew that. Anyway, he expressed his like of my Buck 482 that I was carrying and after handling it, remarked that it was so light, he could see carrying a Buck again. My 482 is in the middle of this picture. Note that above it there is my Buck 112 and Buck 500 (along with Buck 110) and below it are my Opinel's in a #9 and #8 size.


Folders by Pinnah, on Flickr

The traditional Bucks are great tough knives and weigh a ton. Like my bud, I'm not carrying thing that heavy for wilderness travel. And, as light and useful as my Opinels are, my backpacking and ski touring gear literally gets used hard and put away wet. That 482 got shoved back in my ditty bag where it sits right now, hoping to be used on another ski trip next week end. That's its life. Sits ignored in my pack unless I'm on the trail. I *LOVE* 1095, but not for backpacking.

So, the Opinel #8 Outdoor is to the #8 Carbone as the Buck 482 (or Ecolite 112) is to the Buck 112.

Or, putting it another way, traditional materials for EDC use. Modern materials for the woods.
 
Obsessed with Edges said:
Their steel choice is actually a good one (Sandvik 12C27Mod, same/similar as used on stainless Moras). Among all that's 'wrong' with this model, the steel is actually the least of my worries. It's good stuff, and the same as used on the 'traditional' stainless Opinels.

There's a video on the Opinel (USA) site, which shows how the large, oddly-shaped hole in the blade is used as a wrench for some climbing/rope hardware (EDIT: see the screen capture below, from the video). The hole is used as a wrench to tighten the threaded pin closure on a climbing shackle (French 'demanilleur' seen in pic = 'shackle'). I'm assuming the tapered slot is to accommodate different sizes of threaded pins.

6a7f64c2.jpg
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I am not for the serrations, but you know if they are looking for a certain market, they may have nailed it. If this knife if for climbing gear (I was looking at the shackle... just guessing here) then it all makes sense. The whistle, the easy open hole in the blade that can tighten/loosen gear, the rust resistant steel for those that climb in snow and nasty wet weather, the high vis handles, and even the serrations.

I don't personally like serrations, but have cut enough wet, filthy rope and strapping with serrated knives to feel like they cut a lot better than plain edges in really ugly conditions. They don't cut smooth, they don't cut as much as chew sometimes, but you can't beat good serrations to start a cut in some nasty materials.

Just a couple of thoughts...

Opinel has been doing this too long to be a total screw up on a new knife launch.

Robert
 
midnight flyer said:
I am not for the serrations, but you know if they are looking for a certain market, they may have nailed it. If this knife if for climbing gear (I was looking at the shackle... just guessing here) then it all makes sense. The whistle, the easy open hole in the blade that can tighten/loosen gear, the rust resistant steel for those that climb in snow and nasty wet weather, the high vis handles, and even the serrations.

I don't personally like serrations, but have cut enough wet, filthy rope and strapping with serrated knives to feel like they cut a lot better than plain edges in really ugly conditions. They don't cut smooth, they don't cut as much as chew sometimes, but you can't beat good serrations to start a cut in some nasty materials.

Just a couple of thoughts...

Opinel has been doing this too long to be a total screw up on a new knife launch.

Robert
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That video on Opinel's site does play up the mountain-climbing angle, in their presentation. Also slants towards sailing & other watersports. In both aspects, it does seem to highlight the rope-cutting advantages of the serrations.

I'm sure these will appeal to some 'niche' markets, maybe more-so in Europe. That's fine, and it may also encourage them to integrate the synthetic handle as an optional choice for their 'standard' line of knives, for those who'd like to see it.
 
Has anyone figured out if the new blade has kept the full convex grind? For me this is one of the key features of a traditional Opi. My fear would be a switch to a thicker, flat ground blade for all their models:(

Sam
 
avoidspam said:
Has anyone figured out if the new blade has kept the full convex grind? For me this is one of the key features of a traditional Opi. My fear would be a switch to a thicker, flat ground blade for all their models:(

Sam
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Specs on the Opinel site list blade thickness at 2.5mm on this 'No. 08' sized knife, which is about a full mm thicker than the 'standard' No. 08 blade (I measured mine at ~1.58mm). I suppose, for the 'market' being targeted, and for the built in 'wrench' and serrations, it makes sense to beef up the blade a bit. No idea if it's convex or not; for this blade config (serrated with a big hole in it), I don't think convex would lend much advantage anyway.

This thicker blade also means a standard blade would fit too loose in the synthetic handle, if at all.
 
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Thanks for the answer, this latest offering from Opinel doesn't really rock my boat but my fear would be a cost saving move to a thicker, flat ground blade on all their models, in theory it wouldn't be difficult to make the traditional opinel with the thicker blade.... Hopefully I'm just being paranoid!

Sam
 
Obsessed with Edges said:
Specs on the Opinel site list blade thickness at 2.5mm on this 'No. 08' sized knife, which is about a full mm thicker than the 'standard' No. 08 blade (I measured mine at ~1.58mm). I suppose, for the 'market' being targeted, and for the built in 'wrench' and serrations, it makes sense to beef up the blade a bit. No idea if it's convex or not; for this blade config (serrated with a big hole in it), I don't think convex would lend much advantage anyway.

This thicker blade also means a standard blade would fit too loose in the synthetic handle, if at all.
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Washers. ;)
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
Washers. ;)
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That occurred to me too.

And then, from 'traditional', onward down the slippery slope we go, towards truly 'modern'. Washers, bushings, screwed pivots and who-knows-what-else. It'd spawn a whole different kind of 'Opinel Mods' thread. No wood-carving, but more nuts & bolts. Perish the thought... :D
 
Obsessed with Edges said:
That occurred to me too.

And then, from 'traditional', onward down the slippery slope we go, towards truly 'modern'. Washers, bushings, screwed pivots and who-knows-what-else. It'd spawn a whole different kind of 'Opinel Mods' thread. No wood-carving, but more nuts & bolts. Perish the thought... :D
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Just make 'em phosphor bronze and it'll stay nice and traditional...sort of. :D
 
Personally, I will not get it, If I wanted a more modern higher performance knife, I would want a very different knife, Something Like a Spyderco, Benchmade, or even a Victorinox. This just seems out of place. But hey, there are tons of knives made, and most of them I have no interest in, different strokes I guess.
 
For me the traditional Opinel comes closest to the perfect knife for lots of reasons. It has its shortcomings too but overall it wins for me. Having said that I've always hankered for a knife with similar blade geometry (full convex grind, nice balance between a flat cutting portion, belly and clip point) but on slightly thicker stock coupled with steel liners, either as a smooth slipjoint or liner lock (this knife doesn't exist to my knowledge, I live in hope that Bark River may produce something but the only prototype I saw followed the Titanium framelock vein). This ain't it:)

Sam
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
Why sad? They're expanding. That's a good thing, innit? :confused:

Seriously, guys--they're not replacing the traditional ones with these or anything--it's just one more flavor to add to their line. If an ice cream shop that's famous for it's chocolate and vanilla decides to add strawberry, most folks would be happy to see the addition regardless of their personal flavor preference, right? Same thing here.
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LOL. It ABSOLUTELY is a good thing. As has been pointed out, they are not discontinuing the traditional line. They are just giving the consumer more of a choice, and there are no negatives there, only positives. Personally, I don't like the serrations, so I won't be getting one. But different strokes for different folks. It's all good.
 
At first the picture made me kinda bummed that Opinel was moving away from what made them famous. I love mine and the wood handle can't be beat for warmth, patina and comfort.

After a bit I'm now thinking that 1) they shoulda made it with something like the H1 steel that spyderco uses in it's marine environment knife the salt, and 2) if it floats I am definitely on board for one for the tackle box and the first aid kit.
 
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