Hi, i have been thinking about buying a(or a few) Opinel Folding knife(s) for a while now.Since they are rather cheap, i looked around in town today, and i found alot of them in a knife store.i handled a few small ones(without the locking ring), and a few larger ones, all with the ring.Well anyway, I wasn' t the least bit impressed, the ones i handeled were all very dull, the action was extremely stiff, the Ring was hard to turn and there was a significant ammount of blade play.So, I' m asking whether i just got a false impression on those knives, or are they really sort of crappy.Is it simply ''You get what you paid for.''?
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Opinel Opinions?
- Thread starter miro44
- Start date
I have read many posts where people say they are good knives for the money and that may be true. Personally, my impressions match yours. I don't get it.
Additionally, the wood handles will swell in very wet conditions. I think the main thing to like is the carbon steel which is superior to any cheap stainless and they have good blade geometry.
Additionally, the wood handles will swell in very wet conditions. I think the main thing to like is the carbon steel which is superior to any cheap stainless and they have good blade geometry.
powernoodle
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The good: 1) they are cheap, 2) sharp and 3) have a certain aesthetic appeal. A fertile imagination leads you to think that you are in the vineyard slicing some aged cheese to go with the Pinot Noir and crusty bread.
The not so good: 1) its a cheap knife.
I sorta like 'em. Its not a bad knife to keep in the shed or throw in the tackle box and forget about. And you don't cry like a baby if you lose it.
:thumbup:
The not so good: 1) its a cheap knife.
I sorta like 'em. Its not a bad knife to keep in the shed or throw in the tackle box and forget about. And you don't cry like a baby if you lose it.
:thumbup:
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With minimal effort you get much more than you paid for with an Opinel. The sticky action can be addressed -- it's likely the wood has too much moisture in it. That's pretty easy to solve -- do something to dry it. A little lubricant can help too.
The blades come rather dull. You can sharpen them on a stone, Sharpmaker, etc., or preserve the full convex profile by using sandpaper on leather or a mouse pad, or a slack belt on a belt sander.
They don't hold an edge for a very long time, but they're easy to sharpen. I find the stainless holds an edge about as well as the carbon.
When sharpened, they cut beautifully because of their thin convex edges. Really, my Opinels cut better than most of my other knives.
You can also customize the handles easily. I hope someone else posts some pics of modified Opinels.
The blades come rather dull. You can sharpen them on a stone, Sharpmaker, etc., or preserve the full convex profile by using sandpaper on leather or a mouse pad, or a slack belt on a belt sander.
They don't hold an edge for a very long time, but they're easy to sharpen. I find the stainless holds an edge about as well as the carbon.
When sharpened, they cut beautifully because of their thin convex edges. Really, my Opinels cut better than most of my other knives.
You can also customize the handles easily. I hope someone else posts some pics of modified Opinels.
They aren't for everybody, but I like mine. The action gets sticky at times, but flushing it out with WD40 and a couple drops of oil works for me.
I think you get more than you pay for. Of course, that might mean it performs like a $15 knife. In terms of knife per dollar, I think Victorinox is better, but I won't be throwing out my Opinel.
I think you get more than you pay for. Of course, that might mean it performs like a $15 knife. In terms of knife per dollar, I think Victorinox is better, but I won't be throwing out my Opinel.
A very long time ago (20? years ago) I had a stainless Opinel and it was atrocious, I remember the steel sharpened like rubber. I thought I had given up on it, but only two days ago, I found one, that I had bought about 14 years ago, in the basement. It was stored relatively dry but was put away without any rust protection consideration. To my surprise, it had only two insignificant spots of rust on it. My knife hobby only developed only about 8 years ago and really took of about 5 years ago. Now that I look at this Opinel with new found interest, I must say I am impressed. It is a simple but solid design. I sharpened it yesterday and it takes a very nice edge. It could be a bit harder (steel) for my liking, but all in all I have to give it a big :thumbup:. However, I have to add that, if I would want to buy another one, I'd rather spend $8-10 more and get a Byrd.
Dan Lequin
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An Opinel for $15 its better than any expensive knife!
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I have a few in different sizes/blade shapes, all carbon. They are cheap, get sharp and are well designed. I use one in lieu of a box cutter when I need a razor sharp tool. My work knife is so well broken in that I can flick it open and lock it in the blink of an eye. I'll post a video as soon as I load the driver for my RAZR into my computer.
There are 3 knives IMO, that are cheap and good.
Opinel
SAK
Mora.
All different, all have their uses.
There are 3 knives IMO, that are cheap and good.
Opinel
SAK
Mora.
All different, all have their uses.
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me too 224477, I have a no.8 (i think) w/ the stainless steel and bubinga handle I got from agrussell's website......this arrived very sharp w/ a cool sheath....not bad...I was impressed w/ it and as mentioned, the thin FFG? blade performs well...I then scored a smaller olivewood one....don't use them much....but they are decent value for the price imho....as is the DoukDouk
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I love them. THey aren't the greatest knives on Earth, but they are functional and great quality for a low price. I don't have to worry about swelling out here in the desert, but I have experienced it when using them in the kitchen and getting them wet. I've found a good soak in mineral oil helps prevent this, though. THey often don't come very sharp, but sharpen easily to a razor edge. I haven't run into a hard to use locking ring or one with blade play (of the couple dozen + that I own), but those could be easily fixed by bending out the ring a little and by giving the pivot pin a few taps with a small ball peen hammer. THey're also a lot of fun to customize. :thumbup:
they are great steak knives for the kitchen, the wife likes them and uses them. visitors like to eat steak at my house and get handed a nice little folder. when you go on picnics with the lady you toss a couple of those in the bag with the cheese and the wine. for chicks, it 's romantic. for you and me, it's , well it's a cheap knife. as a designer I can also vouch for the fact that the simple design is truly elegant and timeless. I am happy to see a post on this knife in this forum of such elegant expensive knives, the Opinel design is a recognizeable icon in the knife culture.
cutlerylover
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I have a video on an opinel #8 on youtube...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SQIm22ShwA
When you get an opinelk you need to do a few thgins, 1st of all sharpen it yourself, they get very sharp! next oil it, so the action is smooth, then, and this step is optional, finish the handle so that in humid conditons it will not swell up or change...Then you have a knife WELL worth the money you paid for it...Also as kjbenner said, they aren't for everyone...the nicest slipjoint in the world will not appeal to some...same goes for the hottest bad @$$ tactical fodler for others...to each his own...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SQIm22ShwA
When you get an opinelk you need to do a few thgins, 1st of all sharpen it yourself, they get very sharp! next oil it, so the action is smooth, then, and this step is optional, finish the handle so that in humid conditons it will not swell up or change...Then you have a knife WELL worth the money you paid for it...Also as kjbenner said, they aren't for everyone...the nicest slipjoint in the world will not appeal to some...same goes for the hottest bad @$$ tactical fodler for others...to each his own...
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Carbon steel of Opinels are great for money!
My Opinels are the carbon steel one and are REALLY sharp.
No blade play if you twist the ring enough. Maybe you just handled crappy ones.
I have a #8 in my EDC rotation, serves me good and sheeple friendly. For the price they are REALLY good.
You can also pimp them, and if you screw up, you only lost 15$. I reshaped the handles on mine and they look great.
No blade play if you twist the ring enough. Maybe you just handled crappy ones.
I have a #8 in my EDC rotation, serves me good and sheeple friendly. For the price they are REALLY good.
You can also pimp them, and if you screw up, you only lost 15$. I reshaped the handles on mine and they look great.
I don't think you'll be sorry. I carried one for years working and living outdoors as an archaeologist. And I still keep one in my work bag at the drill rig.
My current model is a larger carbon knife. I don't recall how sharp it came new, but it gets razor sharp and slices like a dream. I have had them get swollen from moisture, but never so still that they couldn't be opened at all. And I've never had one with any blade wobble when locked open.
FYI, the best Opinel deal going is the 10-knife set at SMKW for $60. They also have the lowest prices and best selection if you only want an individual knife.
It's true that you may not like Opinels, even after giving them a try. But it's a very inexpensive learning opportunity. And you'll feel much better about it if you don't spend too much to begin with.
Good Luck!
-Bob