Opinel or Chambriard?

[Maximus79]

Guys, I'm currently in a situation where I can purchase either an Opinel #10 Slim Blonde Horn or a Le Thiers Chambriard Companion Horn.

Here in Australia the Opinel is approx $160aud and the Chambriard is $200aud.

The place that I had lined up to buy the Opinel sold the one they had got in for me to someone else. It's like an omen to not get it.

Talk me into a knife or convince me to hold off and get a proper traditional 15 pattern with a rare handle.

Thanks again

JR

 

[jackknife]

The Chambriard is an exquisite knife in a whole other class than an Opinel.

If you have a chance to pick up a mongin with the blond horn handle do so. Flat out gorgeous!

 

[afishhunter]

What's a regular wood handled Opinel #10 slim cost?
I'd probably go that route, myself. A bit of paint can make wood look like horn.

 

[Ourorboros]

I looked up the exchange rate to US dollars and I'm sorry, $160 Australian is far too much to pay for an Opinel unless the knife steel and build quality are far higher than the regular Opinels. I don't know what extra taxes and import costs there are in Australia, but that's a $25-$30 knife dressed up in horn. Lipstick on a pig.
An Opinel is fine for what it is, but that's all it is.
While it costs more than in the US, the Le Thiers knife is more in line with what the cost should be. It is also a better knife, worth more than +25% of an Opinel.

 

[meako]

Sold it someone else ?!!
Well that's about as appealing as Tony Abbott's budgie smugglers.
Go the Chambriard.

 

[Maximus79]

Thanks for the replies.

A standard #10 Slim folder is $35 and a bubinga handle is $40 so an extra $120 does seem crazy for a horn handle with shiny blade and a display box.

The Chambriard looks amazing. Plus the horn on it looks spectacular.

Why did you have to tell me about the Mongin Knives. Arghhh.

Thanks.

 

[Âchillepattada]

Hello ,
I won't say that I like the Thiers' shape.
But it's not comparable with the Opinel.
To my opinion I could call the horn handled opinel a "pizza with caviar" . It's a very very simple ( but really efficient ) knife and they added a more expensive material
to increase its price .
The Thiers is a much more complex knife .

And both of them can't be compared with the Mongin. A Mongin is an almost handmade knife .
It's a beautiful tool and its look will embellish with the time .
But I guess the price is not the same

Best regards from France

Â

PS : just for fun here you have a very nice alternative .
The Yssingeaux :

 

[Jolipapa]

Hello ,
I won't say that I like the Thiers' shape.
But it's not comparable with the Opinel.
To my opinion I could call the horn handled opinel a "pizza with caviar" . It's a very very simple ( but really efficient ) knife and they added a more expensive material
to increase its price .
The Thiers is a much more complex knife .

And both of them can't be compared with the Mongin. A Mongin is an almost handmade knife .
It's a beautiful tool and its look will embellish with the time .
But I guess the price is not the same

Best regards from France

Â

PS : just for fun here you have a very nice alternative .
The Yssingeaux :

+1

 

[Will Power]

Yes that Yssingeaux is what horn/bone handled is all about!

I have an Opinel fillé in horn which I got 10 years ago not too dear. It's a solid horn tip with the standard Opinel fittings, very lightweight, yes it's attractive and the horn has coloured well with age, but it's a sort of table type knife you might serve up pieces of Smoked Salmon with etc, not carry and not worth that type of cash in my opinion. "Caviar on Pizza" yes, or perhaps Truffles on burger Equally inappropriate

Chambriard compact is a nicely made modern take on the Lag in some ways but it's divisive- some like them (I do) but others baulk at them. Really different from the Opinel in all ways.

But that Yssingeaux...I could lose my mind suddenly

 

[Maximus79]

Sold it someone else ?!!
Well that's about as appealing as Tony Abbott's budgie smugglers.
Go the Chambriard.

Yep. Ordered it over 6 weeks ago and told them to let me know when it comes in. Had been just over 1 month so contacted them and they said 'yes we had it in but have already sold it'
They said they would order me another but I found the Chambriard and thought that would suit me better.

You guys have definitely talked me away from the opinel horn. Thanks.
You have also set me off googling these new knives I've never seen or heard about.

I recently found Stephan Schmalhaus on YouTube and that's what took me on the path of finding the Chambriard.

Too many knives not enough money!

 

[Fodderwing]

Too many knives not enough money!

... and so it shall ever be...

 

[afishhunter]

Too many knives not enough money!

That daRn N+1 ....

 

[lambertiana]

I have a Chambriard (in ebony) and it is in a class well above an Opinel. Between those two I would take the Chambriard without hesitation.

 

[Gary W. Graley]

The Chambriard is the logical choice, but, I would warn you that the horn scales are quite smooth, read slippery, so care is needed when being used, I had one and moved her along, beauty she was, but smooth.

Opinel's are nice but I feel the blades on the Chambriards keep a better edge.

My fav was the stag handled, one of a kind by definition, no two stag scales will be exact, and built in texture providing a more secure grip while cutting.

Chambriard_compagnon1 by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

at one point I owned all three sizes in stag...yes...I know, I have a problem

stag_chambriards by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

and here is the photo of the horn I owned

Chambriard_horn-open by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

G2

 

[Maximus79]

Thanks for the replies.

Just got an email from a supplier is Oz and he is seeing if he can put an order in for a stag handed Chambriard Companion for me.
Gary seeing the one you have tipped me over the edge mate.
Stag or horn I'm not that bothered as they both do look amazing.

Fathers day and wedding anniversary coming up so should be a nice little gift from the wife and kids!

Pics when I get it.

Thanks again.

JR

 

[meako]

Too many knives not enough money!

Yea Verily.

 

[PirateSeulb]

The Opinel is a fantastic knife at it's price but there is a reason for the price difference and for me if I were deciding between the 2 I would go with the Chambriard.

 

[boykinlp]

Thanks for the replies.

Just got an email from a supplier is Oz and he is seeing if he can put an order in for a stag handed Chambriard Companion for me.
Gary seeing the one you have tipped me over the edge mate.
Stag or horn I'm not that bothered as they both do look amazing.

Fathers day and wedding anniversary coming up so should be a nice little gift from the wife and kids!

Pics when I get it.

JR

Looking forward to your pictures.

 

[Maximus79]

Me too mate.

The wait to see if he can actually get one in and the final price will be whether I get the stag or horn version is killing me.