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Heck, with all these Opinel threads of late...I have to wonder if there is...dare I say it, an Opinel cult?
Carl.
Nothing to worry about, I can assure you
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Opinels vs Sodbusters
- Thread starter Rsmith_77
- Start date
Nothing to worry about, I can assure you
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- Apr 12, 2009
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thats ironic, i LOVE that my opi has a usable point unlike the soddie
what can i say, different strokes for different folks i guess
Don't get me wrong. I like the tip on the Opi, but it does bear watching, and needs some respect at times.
Another thing I've liked about my soddie actually is the tip. This particular knife came with a near-perfect edge grind, all the way to the tip. I've since fine-tuned it a bit, and it is a great piercing tip in it's own right.
David
I dont mean to rustle anyone's feathers, but it always gets to me when people diss the sodbuster blade. The whole thing that makes a sodbuster is that skinner blade, and sodbusters arent trying to trick anyone into thinking they are anything but skinner blades. You knew when you were getting a sodbuster that it was going to have that blade, so why then complain!! To get back on topic, i do agree with you OP, especially love the carbon blades because of how sharp they can get, but something that always bugged me was the simplicity of the opinels, and i guess knowing that i can build one in my shed kinda ruins it for me. But then i remember how sharp the blade is and its a vicious cycle back n' forth
I remember you posting that you were hiking and someone hurt themselves
And someone else broke the opinel because he leaned to heavily on it as he cut a stave
Do you think an Opinel will take as much pressure as a Soddie?
- Joined
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Don't get me wrong. I like the tip on the Opi, but it does bear watching, and needs some respect at times.
Another thing I've liked about my soddie actually is the tip. This particular knife came with a near-perfect edge grind, all the way to the tip. I've since fine-tuned it a bit, and it is a great piercing tip in it's own right.
David
You got any pics of your super-soddie? you got me curious
not a complaint, exactly
your right, i knew what i was getting when i bought the sodbuster, its just i was alot newer to knives and didnt realize how much "I" utilize a good point to start a cut in my day to day activities. But yes, i do like the aesthetics of the soddie, it just wasnt the right blade for me...
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- Jan 8, 2012
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- 368
I recently picked up a Case Sodbuster Jr at Lowes and I love it. Mine has a perfect (or near enough) edge grind and has a pretty nice tip. So far, It's pierced and poked everything I've needed it to. The question now is: Do I like it better than an Opinel? ...I'm not sure.
Comparing them both, I like the weight and balance of the Soddie slightly more (very slightly) vs the unmodified Opinel. Of course, that's a matter of personal preference. I still like the Opinel a lot, but I can't say that I like it more than the Sodbuster. I think the Sodbuster looks nice and sleek in black but that's about all its got over the Opinel.
If there's a cult for the Opinel and one for the Sodbuster, maybe we could work out some sort of dual membership deal?
Comparing them both, I like the weight and balance of the Soddie slightly more (very slightly) vs the unmodified Opinel. Of course, that's a matter of personal preference. I still like the Opinel a lot, but I can't say that I like it more than the Sodbuster. I think the Sodbuster looks nice and sleek in black but that's about all its got over the Opinel.
If there's a cult for the Opinel and one for the Sodbuster, maybe we could work out some sort of dual membership deal?
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- 6,997
I think that's sorta like being a member of the Pagans and the Hell's Angels.If there's a cult for the Opinel and one for the Sodbuster, maybe we could work out some sort of dual membership deal?
Blue Sky
Gold Member
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- Jun 16, 2002
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- 3,491
I have been a fan of Opinels for a while. They do stand up to hard use, I have a modified #12 in my tool bucket that gets more than it's share of dirty jobs and handles them just fine. It has taught me one weakness in the Opinel's design though. Over time, it becomes necessary to turn the locking a little more, and a little more. Soon, I will run out of ramp and the ring will just spin. Maybe just a fluke, maybe not. Just something to be aware of.
I have and love both, and each has it's strengths.
Opinels are very thin ground and fantastic slicers. With everyone I've handled, I've been amazed that a knife so inexpensive can have such a sharp, thin-ground edge. As mentioned, the points are excellent for detailed point work.
Sodbusters have thin handles and fit more unobtrusively in the pocket. They disappear in a back pocket. Mine have thicker blades and edges than my Opinels--so they are tougher and get used for heavier-duty work. I have an Eye-Brand that I bought because it was the thinnest sodbuster blade I could find. Eye-Brand has excellent carbon steel. I also have a Bullnose sodbuster because both blade and handle are heavy duty. Both are stouter than any Opinel and I love GEC's O1 steel.
Opinels are very thin ground and fantastic slicers. With everyone I've handled, I've been amazed that a knife so inexpensive can have such a sharp, thin-ground edge. As mentioned, the points are excellent for detailed point work.
Sodbusters have thin handles and fit more unobtrusively in the pocket. They disappear in a back pocket. Mine have thicker blades and edges than my Opinels--so they are tougher and get used for heavier-duty work. I have an Eye-Brand that I bought because it was the thinnest sodbuster blade I could find. Eye-Brand has excellent carbon steel. I also have a Bullnose sodbuster because both blade and handle are heavy duty. Both are stouter than any Opinel and I love GEC's O1 steel.
I can't argue with anything there. GEC's O1 is better steel than you get on an Opinel, but you're paying a lot more for it. The Sodbuster is maybe a more rugged knife, but you will have to beat the snot our of both for the difference to become clear. I do know that I've seen more extremely abused Case sodbusters than Opinels, and I don't know if I'd want to bet on a Opinel taking the same punishment. I used to work with some non knife people in a shop where the work was a lot of dirty and hard. There was a Lowe's and a Dick's sporting goods close by, and the non knife people went to either place to pick up a cheap knife to beat up on the job. The guys who went to Lowe's all got Case sodbusters that were on sale. The guys who went to Dick's got a bunch of Gerber LST's that were on sale some kind of clearance deal.
Over the next several months I saw these knives beat on, abused, neglected, and treated in a way that would give most of us knife nuts screaming nightmares that would wake you up in a cold sweat. Beat on, pried with, twisted, and used as scrapers. I truthfully don't know if I would have treated my Opinel to that stuff. But not one of the Case sodbusters or Gerber LST's broke. Very tough knives. On the other hand, I did see an Opinel number 7 break. To give the Opinel credit, it was several years old, and the guy was 6 foot 3 or 4 inches and 250 pounds of in shape ex army ranger, and he was really leaning on it. Would a sodbuster have broke? I don't think so because of the construction. The Opinel broke off where the wood handle was lathe turned down where the steel collar went on it under the lock ring. The wood broke, not the metal parts like pivot pin or collar. The blade and pivot pin and bolster held.
With the sodbuster having the construction that it does, with brass liners, (or steel if it's a Eye-Brand) encased with slabs of delrin, I think the sodbuster will stand up to pressure better than a Opinel.
I love Opinel's, I really do. But if I were being dropped off someplace with one folding knife, one folding knife only, and my choice was between a sodbuster and a Opinel, my choice is going to be a Sodbuster by either Case or Eye-Brand. I don't have any experience with the newer GEC, but it looks like a heck of a knife, and I do know 01 is some great stuff. Bill Moran made some knives to experiment with out of 01 instead of his usual W2, and he was very impressed with it.
Come to think of it, when I was making my cross country motorcycle trip in 2000, and I was carrying one folding knife, I did choose a sodbuster with a yellow handle. So I guess I did make that choice when I really had to.
Carl.
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i was thinking about this story earlier, was going to ask you
1) knowing then what you know now, would you still have brought the sodbuster?
2) if not, what folder WOULD you take on a trip if you were to do it again?
Thinking about it carefully, I think the same criteria would hold me to the same choice. Traveling thousands of miles from home, riding through little towns in the middle of nowhere, and being low key and 'normal' looking if something happened, yes. I didn't want numerous knives on me making me look like a traveling serial killer, and the knives I did have I wanted to be normal in a farm or ranch area. The yellow handle sodbuster was made for the job. Most blue collar farm and ranch hands are familiar with it, so any local over zealous sheriff's deputes would not go ape over it. It was large enough to handle campfire cooking, sturdy enough to deal with damp juniper wood being split for a campfire, and light weight enough to not drag my pants down. The yellow handles have a classic friendly look. And I knew from experience, mine and others, that it was sturdy enough to lean on if I had a small emergency. The only other knife I may have picked, would have been my old Buck 301 stockman. Either one would be a great cross country knife if it was the only knife I was going to carry.
A peanut in a watch pocket would be a good backup. Also yella handle.
Carl.
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lol curious, i could have sworn you would have gone with something with a 2nd blade. jack knife perhaps
i find it interesting that you would redo the soddie as your first choice
i think perhaps i may try and fiddle with my soddie and try and file it to more of a point, something to think about
i find it interesting that you would redo the soddie as your first choice
i think perhaps i may try and fiddle with my soddie and try and file it to more of a point, something to think about
Robb, those Eye-Brand sodbusters are the only ones that have a nice thin blade that will slice and dice with an Opinel. I had the big yella one that was almost 5 inches closed, and it was a cutting machine. That is only one of the two knives I regret getting rid of in my big downsize. The Eye-Brand is a hell of a knife. :thumbup::thumbup:
Carl.
Carl, I got that Eye-brand sodbuster on your recommendation here on BladeForums. I've had it about 5 years now if I recall correctly. I got it for the thin, 1095 blade. It's held up wonderfully and seen lots of camping, gardening (tomato stakes, bean poles, etc.) and pruning around the yard (my wife loves Magnolias and they need lots of trimming). Mine's a small in yella. I like smaller knives.
Nope, neither. I'm in the use-em but don't abuse-em camp. I carry a Sears key-coin and P-50 on my keychain that I use for scraping. so I don't even have to use a knife for that. Camping, dressing meat/boning ribs, pruning/gardening and cutting down a lot of cardboard for recycling is the lion's share what I do with my knives.
I prefer a thin blade because of what I do with a knife, both because it slices much more easily, but also because once it finally does get dull it still seems to go through cardboard and wood much more readily. Usually I'll carry a 3-3/8" jack or Peanut. Those are about perfect for me. But I do love variety and mix it up with my Opinels and sodbusters. I get a bigger knife or a saw if the job calls for it.
I prefer a thin blade because of what I do with a knife, both because it slices much more easily, but also because once it finally does get dull it still seems to go through cardboard and wood much more readily. Usually I'll carry a 3-3/8" jack or Peanut. Those are about perfect for me. But I do love variety and mix it up with my Opinels and sodbusters. I get a bigger knife or a saw if the job calls for it.