That was not meant to be a slur in any way. Those are the best and most logical mods. I used to mod Opinels a fair bit and I've done some pretty funky things which didn't work out.
Opinel mods
- Thread starter Thanatophagous
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That was not meant to be a slur in any way. Those are the best and most logical mods. I used to mod Opinels a fair bit and I've done some pretty funky things which didn't work out.
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- Oct 20, 2012
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This thread inspired me to mod my #8 carbon which I just got last week.
I sprayed the handle with a hammered brown paint, but it had a slightly sticky feel (like it wasn't/wouldn't dry). So, I put a few coats of lacquer on as a top coat and it feels good to the touch now, but it lost much of the hammered texture.
I used apple cider vinegar to force the patina on the blade.
I just ordered 9 more last night.
Thanks for looking.
I sprayed the handle with a hammered brown paint, but it had a slightly sticky feel (like it wasn't/wouldn't dry). So, I put a few coats of lacquer on as a top coat and it feels good to the touch now, but it lost much of the hammered texture.
I used apple cider vinegar to force the patina on the blade.
I just ordered 9 more last night.
Thanks for looking.
I used a dremel, first the cutting disk, then a sanding drum. I had a wet cloth at hand and cooled the blade freguently.
to keep it pocket legal, mainly. Under 3" and non locking is fine, but a lock requires a specific reason here..
It also makes it more slim and light weight!
admittedly the lock is very useful but with the lower section of the blade ground like mine the blade rattles when locked. Stropping it gets a little scary though, I need to keep a finger firmly on the blade so it doens't close on me 
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- Dec 8, 2010
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Here is my #8, nothing complex, just sanded, stained/waxed and used a lot.
also have a #9 that I'm working on and a #10 that I kind of messed up (well, its just a fugly handle mod).
I love the way your handle turned out! This is the exact look I want to do with my #7 that I just got in the mail and was wondering if you could explain a little more what kind of stain and wax you used? I really love the dark black splotches in your handle it really did turn out perfect. Is that the standard beech wood handles?
I just ordered me an Opinel nr 12!! If anyone has photos of modifications done to an opinel of this size I would be very pleased to see them. Most likely I will shape the tip just lighly to a clip point (just straighten the curve int the tip), round the back of the handle, take some off the sides of the handle and color the wood. Maybe add a lanyard hole.
If anyone has nr 12, please tell of your experiences with it.
If anyone has nr 12, please tell of your experiences with it.
I've sanded & stained a few Opies.
No.6 Olivewood 'PW'
Hey Wosey - really liking the Olivewood job you did. Is that a custom handle or did you refinish the factory handle?
How hard is it to remove the finish on the wood handled Opinels? Is paint stripper needed or can you sand deep enough to remove the original stain and varnish?
just pick the standard beach/carbon models in what ever size you feel will work best for your needs.
My advice with the handles to anyone inetrested in working on them is to be careful if you whittle them down. The wood under the varnish is drier than gandhi's sandal! if you are rough it can chip, split and splinter, so go slow and file/sand it to avoid this.
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- Apr 12, 2009
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The standard (or 'classic') carbon-bladed Opinels, with the 'orange' beechwood handle, are finished in varnish, but the 'premium wood' versions with stainless blades aren't. If getting anything other than the carbon-bladed version with standard beech handle, there'll be no need for stripping. Just sand as desired (if re-shaping), and go from there.
Opinel is offering a stainless-bladed version with an untreated beechwood handle. The difference in color is obvious, with the varnished handle looking a lot more 'orange' than the untreated handle.
David
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- Feb 3, 2001
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Just a little decorative staining/patina, scotch tape and vinegar.
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- Jan 15, 2013
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Just bought this yesterday and decided that, even though it wasn't broke, I'd go ahead and fix it anyway. Sanded and re-stained the handle, (I much prefer the walnut on this one to the standard beech on my carbon No 8, it takes the stain better) added a lanyard hole that's so crooked its almost perfectly diagonal, and reground the tip to a subtle(ish) drop point. I attempted to bypass the damage I usually inflict when using power tools, and reprofiled it using just a small mill file and a piece of 200 grit sand paper. Love how it turned out. Keeper for sure.
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- Mar 2, 2012
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I got this No.8 several years ago when House of Blades still had their store in the Fort Worth Stockyards. Didn't know anything about Opinels, just thought the twist lock was unique. Kept it in stock form with laser-etched deer until this year. Used minwax golden pecan stain, but what really made the grain pop was re-using sandpaper from sanding down a piece of cocobolo on the lathe. The slimmer shape fits alot better in the pocket, and the unique look gets attention. Wood is ash.
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