Opinel Oyster Knife

[Stich2442]

My personal favorite is the #9, if you do any camping the #10 is great for everything, but I find it too large for daily carry.
Too bad about the oyster knife, i knew it would be blunt, I kind of thought there might be a slight taper towards the edge.


Pete

 

[richstag]

Sorry about that Gary, but thank you for those pictures. I would grind that down on my 1sm but then probably find out its not hardened well enough. Did you find out about that?

Thanks.

Kevin

 

[Gary W. Graley]

No, didn't try the steel at all, as I want it to be Mint in order to return, my guess is it should be hardened enough so it could take some prying but maybe just enough to be spring type hardness, tuff for that but not for a thin delicate edge. Maybe they will come out with a nice one like that maybe a modified wharncliff version but sharp, like we like
G2

 

[richstag]

Thank you Gary

 

[Gary W. Graley]

You're most welcome, you know you are pushing me towards an Ebony #8 right

I called the folks today and they said I could return it, but also said "we told you it wasn't sharp" but I said, yes but you didn't say it wasn't ground at all, which is a big difference, I suggested that they put a photo showing the "Edge" side of the blade so folks will realize that it isn't just something you can take and sharpen up for yourself, not without a lot of metal being removed so she'd cut like an Opinel should.

G2

while it's not a lot of money, the knife is just under $25 and shipping was just over $3, I'll get refunded the price of the knife, but I'll not get the shipping to me, nor shipping and delivery confirmation going back, not a killer loss but a loss none the same, and that my friends is why folks ask questions, hopefully someone will see this thread and those images and will have a better idea of what it is they are buying, without the surprise on unpacking it

 

[richstag]

Good on you for bringing that to their attention. Your pictures show it perfectly. The ebony 8 is awesome btw. I love the mirror blade but I want to carry it for work for a while so I swapped in a carbon blade. If the handle gets to nasty I will swap back in the stainless blade and keep it as a weekend knife

Kevin

 

[hank_rearden]

Shucking an oyster is a lot easier when it's dead. You guys might find the Filipino way of preparing oyster crazy but we take a bunch of cleaned oysters and dunk them in boiling water for 10 seconds, and then drain. The oyster opens only slightly and there's still a little liquor to it. Anyway, a blanched oyster is far easier to shuck open. I used to do it with my un sharpened gerber. Easy, with no gunk or anything.

 

[5K Qs]

...
I suggested that they put a photo showing the "Edge" side of the blade so folks will realize that it isn't just something you can take and sharpen up for yourself, not without a lot of metal being removed so she'd cut like an Opinel should.

G2

... that my friends is why folks ask questions, hopefully someone will see this thread and those images and will have a better idea of what it is they are buying, without the surprise on unpacking it

Almost 8 years later, I'm that person, Gary; much appreciated!

I'd seen the Opinel oyster knife occasionally while looking at Opinel models that vendors offered, and the relatively short blade compared to longer handle appealed to me as a whittling blade, since I prefer quite short blades for whittling. This morning, I did more intentional research and found that the blade is over 3" long, so not short by any means, and that only the tip is sharpened. But a good-sized spearpoint blade also appeals to me, and I wondered if I could sharpen the rest of the edge and have a big desirable spearpoint knife.

I was about to start a thread asking if anyone had any experience with such a project involving the knife, and then I thought, "Doh! Why don't you do a search first?" The rest is history, as they say. A very informative thread with contributions from several people who considered doing just what I wanted to do. And Gary's convincing photos indicating that it would be a LOT of work to sharpen. (And the question of heat treatment still seems open.)

I guess I'll now see if there are any threads involving the Opinel chestnut and garlic knife as a potential whittling tool!

- GT

 

[Jolipapa]

French oyster knives traditionally have a point, both edges sharpened, and a guard to protect yourself from the shell.

Some are slightly sharp (top)), some are not (bottom). Protection is kinda gimmicky.

I just don't know.

Being a Maryland native, I've shucked oysters. It's a messy, grungy job and I don't know if a folder will be up for it. Aall kinds of junk is going to get into the locking ring and pivot, and be heck to clean out. ...

I shuck oysters pretty regularly (also a Maryland native, Baltimore to be exact), and I would never want to use a folding knife. For that matter, I would never use a knife with a cutting edge, either.
A proper oyster knife just needs to be able to penetrate inward, and pry, plus a little bit of scraping. A sharp cutting edge is inviting disaster, and a folding knife would double the risk. Too dangerous!
The blade needs to be long and slender/narrow, but also thick enough that it will not snap.

I would never want to use that knife to pry open shellfish, ...

Any knife can open an oyster, as long as you know how to. First look for the good place, put your thumb half an inch from the tip, push the blade in moving forward/backward and slightly pry open the cover to drop it then cut the oyster's foot. Remember the aim is to eat the oyster, not destroy it. So work in softness and finesse.

Here is a friend's knife? She uses her to open dozens of oysters on markets where she works three days a week most of the year for decades.
It is a mere G? David Lag, carbon blade. I recently oiled the joint while markets were closed, I found no particular junk (anyway, junk in the knife = more in the oyster). Water in the oyster keeps the knife "clean".


I always use the one I have in my pocket. The Ohta works fine.


About 40 years ago, they sold an electric opener, very efficient. You can see the tip is all but pointy.

 

[Will Power]

Jolipapa great video, but I'm really struck how well that old David Lag has held up under 'adverse' conditions. I'm not using my new Lag from Jérôme for such tasks But the everyday nature and strong build of the recent Davids I've bought in stainless have impressed me for the money,

Regards, Will

 

[Jolipapa]

Jolipapa great video, but I'm really struck how well that old David Lag has held up under 'adverse' conditions. I'm not using my new Lag from Jérôme for such tasks But the everyday nature and strong build of the recent Davids I've bought in stainless have impressed me for the money,

Regards, Will

GD are made to work hard! I was amazed to see there's no blade play. horn is getting to show the age. Your Latreille would sustain the job, but that would be a shame, I agree! The Ohta did the job only occasionaly of course. The one I prefer for that job is the Country Cousin. D2 also.

This is the one I use at home, much like in the video.

 

[Danke42]

Great. Now I want fresh oysters!

They get some super nice ones inland here over the winter when they can next day deliver. Can't remember the type.

Super thin shells though compared to most of the West Coast ones. I smoke them on a charcoal grill for a few minutes and they pop open a hair. The texture is still like fresh but they're less of a battle to open.