Opinel

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Nov 27, 2007
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I am really thinking about picking one of these up becasue I am looking for an inexpensive traditional knife with a lock. Any opinions?
 
outstanding bang for the buck. i prefer the carbon steel version but he ss is supposed to be good also. try ragweed forge for a good price and great service. also pick up a mora or two while you're there.come on you know you want to. btw the #8 is my favorite.watch it they're addictive.
 
the opinel may very well be the most underrated knife out there it will outcut anything i know. sexy as a fencepost but if you are looking for performance look no further
 
I've had a ton of knives come and go in my lifetime. Case's, Buck, Camillus, Imperial, as well as customs by Randall, Hastings, Hendrickson. Yet every time I use one of my Opinels, I always thing "Nothing cuts like an Opy!"

And you can sand and refinish to your own taste. A do it yourself custom!:thumbup:

Besides-every pocket knife accumulator needs at least one Opinel.:)
 
Opinel is the best $8.00 knife on the planet. SMKW has a set of 10 in a gift box for $60, bringing your cost down to $6/knife. My EDC Opinel is a #9, but a size or two smaller would be prefered for pocket carry.
 
The #8 is my general-purpose favorite, but a #6 rides real well in the pocket for a small light duty knife. Their stainless blades may be 12C27, which means they really are practically as good as high carbon. The edge geometry assures great slicing ability in either case.

Customizing the handles by reshaping or coloring is a tradition with Opinels. Their only real defect is a tendency to stick in humidity, with that bare wood around the pivot. This is easily countered by dripping some mineral oil around the pivot, to seal the wood and protect the steel inside the locking ring.

You can pop off that locking ring, push out the pivot pin (and replace it with a stronger one), remove the blade, sand off the varnish, and soak the whole handle in oil, like linseed oil.

Or you can just use it as it comes from the factory! :D
 
I have the #4 I think, the blade is just under 3" long, it was supposed to come with the lock I think but mine was without. Anyway its the Carbon Steel and is a super good slicer, the very end of the tip bent recently and broke off so I took the opportunity to reshape the tip and then reshape the handle more like the garden knife they sell. A little wood stain and Johnson Past Wax and she is as good as new. Its the knife I loan out when anyone asks for a knife. Its super lightweight and is hardly noticeable in the pocket especially now with the reshaped handle.

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