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Opinel knives

Oddly, I have never owned an Opinel, Otter Mercator, Svord, or Nagao Higonokami knife. I have to admit locking rings and friction folders are low on my list.

But I can certainly appreciate the beauty and influence Opinel has had on the knife world.
 
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Why can't you open one handed. I've not had an opinel that could not be opened and closed one handed? It is just slow....

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The stainless Opinels use a modified version of 12C27 with less carbon and it's run relatively soft. That makes it easy to sharpen but I also find the edge retention to be lacking. There are people who claim otherwise and the blade geometry certainly helps. I'd be interested to try again if they did a run in better stainless steel with a decent heat treatment.

Of course, the issue with wood swelling is also a turn-off. I imagine that this could be mitigated with a proper treatment. Wood can be beautiful but needs to be adequately protected.
 
I have a No. 7. It is pretty swollen and I think someday I will cut myself just opening and closing it. Too bad about that because otherwise it is a sound design.
 
I enjoy seeing these modified knives, and own several Opinels, but have never seen a real use for them as carry knives myself. I purchased a new one every time I saw them talked about here and figured I'd give them another chance, but it just never works out. I DO keep a #10 in the garage for box breaking-down duties when needed, but I haven't purchased one in years at this juncture, but that said, I respect the history behind them and it's neat that they're still being made more or less as they used to be a hundred years ago.
 
I have a No. 7. It is pretty swollen and I think I will cut myself just opening and closing it. Too bad about that because otherwise it is a sound design.
 
I like the thin steel stock and lean primary grinds, plus the common Opinel folding modles are light weights in my pockets or pack.

While I've been learning to freehand sharpen, I've used Opinel steak and kitchen knives as practice. They have a forgiving steel, the thinness behind the edge was helpful for me as it was easier to sharpen thinner material, and when I started to sharpen correctly the blades could get really sharp - which was a nice confidence boost to know things were working once and a while.
 
Chronovore said:
The stainless Opinels use a modified version of 12C27 with less carbon and it's run relatively soft. That makes it easy to sharpen but I also find the edge retention to be lacking. There are people who claim otherwise and the blade geometry certainly helps. I'd be interested to try again if they did a run in better stainless steel with a decent heat treatment.
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You should try a rebladed version in S90V.
It's the perfect Opinel.

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Love them.

Have a couple, mostly no.6's in bubinga, olive, beech and oak.

Figured I need to try the legendary no.8 and found this model I haven't seen before, black oak. Ordered it today.

The stainless steel is treated with an electrolytic bath, it darkens the steel and give it some extra stain protection.

I think it looks really good and oak is my preferred "Opinel wood", low weight and hard.

Pictures from the mothership:

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Travman said:
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I've loved Opinels since 1982 when I got my first one. They are habit forming.

I've been walking around with a number 5 Opinel in my pocket for quite a while now. Its cut all I needed to cut in my day to day life. While I have a couple number 8's around, regular garden and slim, and a number 12, the number 5 gets carried the most. I love small friction folders a lot. Especially when they cut like the dickens.
 
Figured I'd finally take a pic of my latest Opinel, gifted to me a few years back.
It illustrates all the mods which are actually needed and I did them in minutes with a coarse file and a piece of sandpaper.

The point on the butt of the knife facing your palm sanded down. I could have done a bit more.
Easy open notch to pinch the blade open.
Sides flattened a bit. I definitely could have done a bit more.

I've read on here that Opinels can be modified perfectly with a brick. I agree.



More wood removal can be fun and rather purty, but it's not necessary.
One reason to do so might be to make the knife smaller for pocket carry.
Jackknife, I am indeed finding that I carry my #8's less than I used to. I have a few. Wish I'd kept all the #6's I'd modded.
Here's a #6 I still have and modded in the last few years. It fits nicely into a watch pocket now, my favorite carry.



I've taken enough wood (and steel) off a #8 to fit them to a watch pocket as well
 
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