Opinel to make the Néo6 with "opiflex"

oldmanwilly said:
For starters, the ring now only rotates clockwise, which puts the sharp corners of the ring in just the right spot to create hotspots that wear on my hands in use. In addition, each Opinel I've gotten with the new lock has a locking ring that is too loose and too easy to disengage for my taste. So, I modify all of my Opinels before putting them in my pocket:
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Yeah, for the record, I am pro modification, I’m just commenting on the fact that companies may feel inclined to take steps to make that more difficult. I personally don’t really care for the “ability” to pop the safety mechanism off with the knife closed- that could be seen as a weakness in the design.
As to the “single-sidedness” and your proposed solution, I think it’s brilliant and if I was Opinel, I would strongly consider making that update.

oldmanwilly said:
I think it's regrettable that such a well established cutlery firm has to overhaul its flagship model in order to cater to overzealous legislators bent on control. But, I can't fault a firm for trying to stay ahead of the curve and offer viable options for its customers. Hopefully Opinel offers a slimmer design, as mentioned above, since they no longer strictly need the virolock.
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I think it’s not really an overhaul. All the components are largely the same, they’re just using the ferrule as a spring and probably changing the tang a bit. Blade shape while they’re at it, it seems.

Technically, to meet the requirements of their target audience, they’d just have to revert to the pre-1950’s configuration. Remove the virolock on a number 6 and blunt the tip and there ya go. I see this as an attempt to offer functionality over the “friction folder” capability.

But certainly, as you said, we can’t fault a company for working within the confines they are provided. We might not like the laws of various countries, but that doesn’t change anything.
 
oldmanwilly said:
Hopefully Opinel offers a slimmer design, as mentioned above, since they no longer strictly need the virolock.
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Oh one last comment: I don’t see this happening as a result of this new offering. The dimensions of Opinels didn’t change with the addition of the Virolock, so I doubt that’s holding them back from a slimmer design. The classic Opinel handle is a classic.
 
calm said:
Opinel make slimmer models too (Opinel Slim range)
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That is true, however the no 8 slim still has a diameter at the ferrule equal to a no 6. I’m afraid that’s as small as it gets without getting into the 2-5 territory.
 
The neo6 isn't replacing anything anymore than 1075 is replacing 1055.
It's a line expansion for parts of the world that has become too anti-knife for their own good. I ordered one 4 days ago, and it has arrived already from France, to me thats impressive, the sites we all know and love usually take 1.5+ weeks for me.
I will see what the fuss is about but knowing me I will take a virobloc flavor over the "opiflex" any day.
 
I do not think everything a knife company does has to be about knife rights and the ability to carry anything we like anywhere.

Does GEC make slipjoints to target the UK market?

It is just an expansion of their line and people that buy it may already have several locking opinels (especially in this forum :) ) and may want something different.
 
What does GEC have to do with this? They cannot even supply the demand in the US, so no way would they even consider making something special for overseas sales. 🤷‍♂️

The majority of Opinel sales are from Europe and so they will make products that are legal for sale and use in any EU country.
 
calm said:
I do not think everything a knife company does has to be about knife rights and the ability to carry anything we like anywhere.

Does GEC make slipjoints to target the UK market?

It is just an expansion of their line and people that buy it may already have several locking opinels (especially in this forum :) ) and may want something different.
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I would like to disagree, because they went with the 06, which is under 3 inches, they blunted the tip to make it "safer" and less aggressive in appearance, it is a slipjoint knife, and it's only available (at the monent) on their European website, it checks all the UK boxes for non-restricted carry. I would say they made this knife for areas with stricter knife regulations
 
SharpBits said:
What does GEC have to do with this? They cannot even supply the demand in the US, so no way would they even consider making something special for overseas sales. 🤷‍♂️

The majority of Opinel sales are from Europe and so they will make products that are legal for sale and use in any EU country.
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They sell to 70 countries which to me is a lot, I don't really see them for sale where I live except the 08, which is about it and only in a few stores at that. They aren't stocked here often but you do see everywhere is Swiss army knives, so since they can't "get in" they go to smaller European countries.
 
I'd be happy with an Opinel for a 2025 BF forum knife. New style, old style, no worries either way. The real fight will be over wood and color! 😂 o_O
 
EngrSorenson said:
I disagree. I think Opinel improved their product to make it meet their intent. They clearly aren’t interested in individuals levering the knife apart. Brilliantly simple, and there’s less worry about some schmuck cutting themselves doing something with a knife that wasn’t intended. With the right tool, it’s easy enough to get the lock off, but you’ll notice Opinel doesn’t give instructions to do that. Can you imagine the liability they’d have if they encouraged users to defeat a safety mechanism?

This latest knife is addressing the fact that in some places opinels numbered 6-13 aren’t legal carry knives because they have the lock. Again, Opinel isn’t catering to the people that can defeat the lock- they’re providing a solution that doesn’t require modification.
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I think you misread my post. Opinel never encouraged users to lever the ring off with the blade. This can happen inadvertently if you try to open the blade with the ring in the locked position, it’s a bug, not a feature. It happened once to me, and to at least a few other people
 
The Néo6 has arrived. It operates like any other opinel but right at the end the spring sort of, pushes it into place and encourages it to stay, it didn't come as sharp as other opinels do, the tip is just plain ridiculous but it does look like it can be sharpened to a point --- i would call it an elegant child's knife, something more high-end than the "my first opinel"
Ultimately if opinel replaced every model with this one, they won't survive
 
Henry Beige said:
I think you misread my post. Opinel never encouraged users to lever the ring off with the blade. This can happen inadvertently if you try to open the blade with the ring in the locked position, it’s a bug, not a feature. It happened once to me, and to at least a few other people
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They do give tutorials on how to tighten the ring. And show the part where they remove the virobloc locking ring with a brandless snap ring pliers
 
After some file work:

NyLMBQ9.jpg
 
353 said:
After some file work:

NyLMBQ9.jpg
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It's too bad opinel gives us a chore to do first off, the blunted tip really nerfs the knife
Because using the knife with the blunted tip really gets in the way, so you can buy it, use as is, buy it and file it down to make a tip, at that point why not just buy the 05?
Or, buy a model with a virobloc and, a tip and be good?
The Néo6 is a good kids knife
 
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