Opinel new lock ring - bad design

Huge fan myself, got my first 3 weeks ago and it kicked out my sebenza, benchmade 556-1, delica zdp and others for it's nice design and slicing capabilities.

How ever this is about the lock ring. I don't have any of the new ones, but from what I can se from the vid the Virobloc is actually getting a worse desingn than the previous version. And as I have have stated earlier, the option to twist the lock to the other side, and make it even stronger, is gone.

I stand by my previous statements.
 
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Pomsbz said:
You have already posted that video. You've only owned an Opinel for 3 weeks. Can I suggest giving it a rest and perhaps trying the new lock yourself for a few weeks before launching a crusade against it?
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Sorry Mr.Pipesmoker. I have EDC'd this knife now for as you say, more than 3 weeks and also stated why I have issues with the design. Please take the time to read the whole thread before you post, I know what I am talking about. I have both mechanical and engineering background. Thank you for pointing out the vid, I will have it removed.
 
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I wonder if the old timers in the early 20h cent were put out by the new locking ring? :D I remember having a couple of N°8s in the 90s, one of which had the then-new lock-closed feature. I handed it to a co-worker in the barn. She opened it up without twisting the ring open and off the ring flew into the great unknown. My wife and I ended up using that knife for a good five years before I broke down and wrote Opinel for a replacement ring (which they happily sent from France). The tip was broken off at some point, requiring a reprofile. A lanyard hole was sloppily drilled and then filled with wood filler. That thing was (and still is!) a workhorse and it did fine with no ring at all. I think we just need to adjust to change. I look forward to trying a new one.

Zieg
 
353, with all due respect, you may have all of the background in the world, but we have no way to know that. You made some pretty broad statements about how terrible something is, but "just trust me" doesn't fly far around here. You have to show your work. Sometimes that might be as simple as gathering enough anecdotes until you have data, or maybe do some of your own testing. But if you want to go toe to toe with someone, 42 has been around a long time (and may, just may, know a thing or two about production and QC)

I would suspect that this change might be due to the fact that its possible to jam the ring on a knife, making it quite hard to close, and due to where you put your hands, could pose a safety concern. So there you go. As far as the video goes, its pretty well established that taking the ring off will make it looser, so I'll chalk it up to that, and say that removing the ring would likely be taken off the "opinel tune-up protocol"
 
353 said:
As I said in the other thread:

"Hope they go back on this, and not let "pride" ruin a good traditional design.

I would also like to add one more thing.

On my opinel I always lock it in open position by turning the ring the opposite way from the closed knife position. It locks open stronger this way because the lock ring is wider on that side(not having the cutout for locking the knife closed) so it takes more to bend it when you get spine pressure on the blade, if that makes any sense..

The new design makes it impossible to turn the ring this way."
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I lock mine the same way. I have never popped the collar off while opening up. I suppose because I know to turn it first. Lol I let my gf handle it shed never seen anything like it before and tried to open it.Plang! off it went. I was surprised how little effort it took for her to shoot it across the room.
I have never had it come open in my pocket.
Maybe they wanted it to be a one handed closer
 
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353 said:
Sorry Mr.Pipesmoker. I have EDC'd this knife now for as you say, more than 3 weeks and also stated why I have issues with the design. Please take the time to read the whole thread before you post, I know what I am talking about. I have both mechanical and engineering background. Thank you for pointing out the vid, I will have it removed.
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I did read the whole thread, including the reports of people who have the new system and have used it whose reports do not coincide with that video. I don't have any evidence you know what you are talking about. Especially not on your say so, lacking anything other than a single video (not produced by yourself) and given your lack of experience with the system. This is the internet, talking big means nothing. I'll suggest again, buy one of the new knives, use it, extensively and then report. You are not bringing anything new to the table other than your own opinion. Which is fine. But it is only that, a single opinion.
 
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I have a bunch of #8s (and one #7), both the classic ones and the garden variety, and have been carrying Opis for quite some time now. I have both the old and new collar represented in my collection, and just went back to compare them against each other.

I can see how the new design restricts some mods that people did on their Opis. However, for someone like me, who does not mod the collar, I can't discern any difference in lock strength or safety (but no destructive testing done here, mind you). It's an Opinel Virobloc alright, and does what it should. Works fine for the tasks I use my Opis for (which is: cutting like a laser), and if I know I will be battoning wood I bring my BRK Bravo, or even better: my Gränsfors axe.

So much for safety. Now as for handling, I have to say that I prefer the new design to the old one, for two reasons:
(1) The new ring seems to be more consistent, i.e. there is less variability in the feel and behavior between my individual Opis with the new collar compared to the ones with the old collar.
(2) The twist of the ring naturally stops when the blade is free to be opened or closed with the new collar, which makes opening/ closing the knife without looking down easier.

So I won't hesitate to get more Opis with the new lock (in fact I ordered another garden knife this week). Just my two cents, ymmv.
 
The thread has drifted a bit, as they do. Again, the biggest thing most who don't like about the new design is the inability to do the locking ring mod. This mod makes the lock up more solid as it is a better, more gradual friction fit. I found Pinnah's Opinel primer still floating around in cyberspace.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/28597626/tuning-opinels.txt

Quote:

"When the lock is engaged, the lock is held in position only by friction. It is possible for
the lockring to work itself loose. To help with this, you can file down the lockring to
allow it to spin further around before it fully locks."

So, for people who never wanted to do this, the new design is fine.

Does anyone know if the new design is being done on all sizes now?

Opinel has been trying to expand their market as evidenced by the new plastic designs. This may all be part of that. That's fine. I *am* glad I got a heads up on the forum about the locking ring change and got a couple more of the design I prefer while they were still around.
 
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Maybe it has something to do with stupid European knife laws. They must have lost quite a market when the British came up with the whole "lock knives illegal to carry" deal. Sad.
 
I agree to what some have said, I need to get one of the new ones and see for my self.

However I will stand by my statement of claiming that twisting the ring towards the presentation side makes for a stronger lock. And if the new ring makes it harder/impossible to take it of and modify it(making it looser/more snug etc) that's not a good thing either.
 
I have not seen one of the new design yet. In fact it was only recently that I got a couple of knives with the hold-closed notch, which struck me at the time as the answer to a question that nobody was asking. Being essentially clueless in these matters, I only learned after the fact about those few enterprising souls who used to cut their own notch before the factory made the change.

Did I read on the porch that the offending feature of the new ring can be defeated with a little file or Dremel work? If that is the case, then there is no reason to be upset about the change. Opi users will gladly hack their knives if given an excuse.

Given my druthers, though, I would return to carbon steel for the bolsters and Virobloc, the way they did it in 1955. If there was a Golden Age for Opinels, it passed long ago.
 
I remember when I bought one from the camping section at the drug store. I carefully sanded it and applied danish oil walnut stain to the handle. I gifted it to a friend that Christmas. Well at our New Years party he handed it to a friend for inspection. Sure enough the ring flew off upon opening and a loud round of laughter filled the room. After that it was relegated to an old tackle box where it rusts to this day.
 
Am i reading this correctly or is Wikipedia wrong, How does Opinel sell so many locking knives, You can buy an non-locking version for use in the UK

So in France you are not allowed to carry fixed blade or a locking folding blade of any length without a good reason, So unlocked folder is fine, It does not mention an length limit.
This is the same as the UK, apart from the blade has to be 3" or under as well.

France
In France, any knife of any blade length with a fixed blade, or a folding blade with a locking system, falls into unregulated Category D weapon (armes de catégorie D en vente libre).[21] Unregulated category D weapons may be legally purchased if over 18 years of age, but they may not be carried on one's person, unless carried "for good reason", for example, as part of the tools of one's profession. If carried in a vehicle, such knives must be placed in a secure, locked compartment not accessible to the vehicle occupants.[9] In addition, French law provides that authorities may classify any knife as a prohibited item depending upon circumstances and the discretion of the police or judicial authorities. Since "reasonnable size" knives are merely tolerated in most circumstances, authorities may summarily confiscate it.[22]
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knife_legislation#France
 
Personally i dont care for the new locking system so i bought the Old bear brand opinels and let me tell you the locking system on these are awesome way better than any opinel i have owned or handled
 
This is a left-hander's perspective: the new lock may be better or worse, but what it is now is right-handed. I have always found it more secure to twist the ring in the opposite direction the new lock allows. Opi's will sometimes try to twist in my hand when cutting and locking it the way I do has always tended to tighten the lock, not loosen it. I don't know the physics of it all, so can offer no factual explanation, this is only my personal perception. But to me, it is real. Now it will only twist in the opposite direction. I don't see any advantage there for me.
 
PoorUserName said:
Am i reading this correctly or is Wikipedia wrong, How does Opinel sell so many locking knives, You can buy an non-locking version for use in the UK

So in France you are not allowed to carry fixed blade or a locking folding blade of any length without a good reason, So unlocked folder is fine, It does not mention an length limit.
This is the same as the UK, apart from the blade has to be 3" or under as well.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knife_legislation#France
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I had read that when France came out with this legislation there was a huge backlash specifically because of the Opinel and since then there is an exception (not sure if it is written into law or an unwritten law) that allows Opinels and similar French traditional knives.

Dunno if it's true but I can see it happening. The French are fiercely patriotic.
 
When I was in Paris a few years back I carried my Opi 8 all over the place and used it openly. No one batted an eye. Also, it was common to see them for sale in shop windows and such.
 
davek14 said:
Does anyone know if the new design is being done on all sizes now?
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I just got a new #10 the other day, and it doesn't have the new ring. Maybe I got older stock, or they haven't finished changing the whole line yet. I expect they will all eventually be changed over.
 
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