Opinel Wood Finish

C

CraigTbone

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Mar 4, 2019
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I carry an Opinel #6 whenever I am out & about as a dedicated food knife. The handle is modified to remove the upper fish tail so it looks Laguiole-ish but a bit fatter, a much more comfortable grip. It is finished with a clear coat, probably polyurethane.

It can get slippery if any food gets on the handle.

Is there any finish that would provide a less slippery grip but not hide the wood grain too much? Presumably I could sprinkle sand or some other grit on the wet clear finish.

Any thoughts are most appreciated.
 
Personally I'd suggest carving a few diagonal grooves into it, and/or some flats on the sides. Should keep it from wanting to turn in the hand. The polyurethane isn't the issue so much as the surface texture and handle shape.
 
The first one I modified I coated with many layers of Sno-Seal, heated with a heat gun between each layer. That was effective in reducing the swelling from water when washed. But it soon had dirt on the surface that would not wash off. Would a BLO finish do a better job?

I have never done that sort of carving. Maybe it is time I learned.
 
Boiled linseed oil shouldn't cause tackiness once fully cured if not applied excessively. But semi-cured oil left on the surface from over-application can be pretty sticky.
 
When I reshaped and refinished three of my No. 08 Opinels, I noticed how much the choice of sandpaper grit altered the finish of the bare wood. It became progressively smoother and even polished to some degree, using a sequence of grits up through 800+ or so. And then applying a urethane finish enhanced the shine further. I used urethane glue, a.k.a. Gorilla Glue, rubbed on in very thin coats for this. I was deliberately aiming for a glossy finish on these, heavily influenced by sanding to very high grit. But I'd bet that if you sand at a coarser grit, like maybe 220 or lower, then that should be enough to make a difference, even after the urethane is reapplied.

By the way, simply reshaping the handle to something less round in cross-section can make a big difference in grip and control. In seeing how mine turned out, fitting very securely in my grip with the somewhat flatter cross-section and even with the polished finish, I'd pursue reshaping first to make a bigger difference. See the 2nd and 3rd photos for a clearer look at the flatter cross-section I described.
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The walnut-handled one in the lower position in the 1st photo above^ had previously been reshaped and finished with Watco Danish Oil, before I made the 2nd effort as described above. With the Danish Oil finish, I noticed it left the surface tacky over time, likely due to my inexperience and applying it in coats that were probably a bit too heavy. If applied too heavily, it never cures completely. I think that's a risk with boiled linseed oil as well, as has been previously mentioned. The tackiness of the finish also meant it tended to get dirty & grimy looking with handling, as it would hold any dirt that came in contact. So, for that reason, I really didn't care for how it turned out in that first attempt. Here's a photo below, of how it looked initially after I modded it the first time. Looked OK then, but the finish began to collect grime over time, as I mentioned.
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A few years ago I saw some threads about carving Opinels. I found this one, "Opinel mod ideas | Show me your modded Opinel's". But I did not find any others.

Can any of you folk point to other threads with photos of carved Opinels? I am hoping to get ideas.
 
It's popular enough that you can buy Opinels with unturned handles for the purpose so you have more material to start with. But I'm unsure of where to point you for photos of finished work other than Google Images.
 
CraigTbone said:
A few years ago I saw some threads about carving Opinels. I found this one, "Opinel mod ideas | Show me your modded Opinel's". But I did not find any others.

Can any of you folk point to other threads with photos of carved Opinels? I am hoping to get ideas.
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You'll find lots of photos of Opinels, some of which are modded, in this popular thread below from the Traditional forum:
Chui

Thread 'Hats off................to Opinel'

I own but one humble, yet perfectly formed, No8 Opinel.

It is a knife of simplicity and beauty - and at the same time, function.

We have all heard stories about the amazing production modernisation and investment of the iconic Victorinox brand, and to a lesser extent the ways that Laguiole and Thiers have brought mechanisation on in the last few decades.

However, I was pleased to see this article in a magazine this morning - well done, Opinel - hats off to you guys....!!

Though obviously with great character, it does make me wonder from time to time what could have become of our own...
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I have found that Opinel handles take stain much better if you sand them coarse, not fine. Maybe that would also apply to oil finishes, but I don’t use them often so cannot say. With poly over the top, the rougher starting surface does not seem an issue, at least to me.
 
Blue Sky said:
I have found that Opinel handles take stain much better if you sand them coarse, not fine. Maybe that would also apply to oil finishes, but I don’t use them often so cannot say. With poly over the top, the rougher starting surface does not seem an issue, at least to me.
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That was true with the factory 'orange' varnished finish on most of the older Opinels. It was often mentioned here on the forum, that in order to stain them or apply a different finish, the original varnish needed to be fully removed by sanding to some depth.

I think with the exception of the current 'carbone' (non-stainless) Opinels, which I believe still have that varnished finish, most or all of the rest of the current Opinel line are now unfinished wood. I've purchased 3 Opinels in the last 2-3 years, all stainless and all in unfinished beech, which is their standard handle.
 
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