Praise for Opinel

cerulean

cerulean

Joined
May 26, 1999
Messages
1,964
I just bought an Opinel #7 (3" blade). It's pretty cool. A lot of forumites seem to have a good opinion of this French knife, which is really what caused me to look at it.

The blade is carbon steel, which is fine with me. I'd rather have carbon steel than something like 420-J or 440-A. I'm sure it will eventually discolor, but who cares?

I love the handle. Its round, wood handle reminds you how uncomfortable the thin, plastic handles of modern folding knives are. The handle's a bit small though. I might try a #9 in the future.

Anyway, I guess I really don't have a point. It's just weird that the knife is so cheap (about $10). Most knives I carry cost ten times that amount, yet I think I might carry the Opinel for a while and see how it feels.

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Cerulean

"Just because some folks think you make great kydex sheaths doesn't make you into some sort of mind reading psychologist." -Paracelsus
 
Yes, the high praises from this forum also got me into ordering a couple of those Opinel knives.

Now, if only I can figure out what happened to them once I hear from Brian of Discountknives.
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Dan
 
Originally posted by cerulean:
The handle's a bit small though. I might try a #9 in the future.
Click to expand...
<img src="http://www.canit.se/%7Egriffon/knives/misc/_opinel_10.jpg" align=right>Yes, it's great that they come in so many sizes, so you can easily find one which is exactly right for you.



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Urban Fredriksson
www.canit.se/%7Egriffon/
Latest updates Moki Hana, Fällkniven WM1 neck sheath, Moki Blossom and Fällkniven S1

"Smooth and serrated blades cut in two entirely different fashions."
- The Teeth of the Tyrannosaurs, Scientific American, Sep 1999
 
Great value - and even if they do rust after a while - and they do - who cares? Get another one. These are workers.

Do you think CS should have mentioned the Opinel when reintroducing their twistmaster?...
wink.gif


 
I just ordered two of them yesterday. The large one (taking my own advice and using it as a "camp knife," and the saw blade. Looks like a nice, lightweight saw, which I often need to get some whittling wood when I'm in the field.

I ordered them from Marshman Brothers. Prices were the best I could find and shipping was included.

Here's a copy of their invoice:


Product Number: OP165
Description: Opinel Saw
Price: 25.00
Quantity: 1
Unit Subtotal: 25.00

Product Number: OP12
Description: Opinel, 6 1/4" closed
Price: 16.00
Quantity: 1
Unit Subtotal: 16.00

Subtotal: $41.00
Shipping & Handling: $0.00
Tax: $0.00
Total: $41.00


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Hoodoo

The low, hoarse purr of the whirling stone—the light-press’d blade,
Diffusing, dropping, sideways-darting, in tiny showers of gold,
Sparkles from the wheel.

Walt Whitman
 
I agree. I've got the Opinel #9, and it is a great blade that gets sharp easily. Loses it quickly too... but it is easy to sharpen.

The only reason that I don't carry it with me anymore is because I spent WAY too much on my CS Voyager Medium Tanto... and if I didn't carry that with me 24/7 then I would feel guilty for dishing out the cash.

But my Opinel... that's one trusty guy. Blade is almost black from discoloration and I love it that way.
 
NaturoEric, welcome to the Forums!
smile.gif


Your Opinel loses its edge quickly? Hmm.. I wonder why? It's supposed to be a carbon steel blade, right? should hold its edge longer, supposedly.

Blilious, now that you mentioned it.. the twistmaster does look like the Opinels..
smile.gif


Dan
 
I got an Opinel with around a 3" blade on Friday. I discovered what NOT to do with it. I was sharpening the blade the way I do most knives. I was thinning the edge using a coarse diamond plate under running tap water. The running tap water removes debris and gives me the quickest, cleanest cutting. I had it ready for the next step when guests came to the door. I shook water off the blade and gave it a hasty wipe and tossed it in a drawer. (I try not to greet guests with a drawn blade).

Three hours later, after the guests were in bed I went back to the Opinel. I could barely open it! When I got it open it already had some significant corrosion on the blade. I put a little oil on the pivot and it still was very, very hard to open.

Examining the design I discovered that the blade pivots in a slot in the wooden handle that is reinforced by a surround tube of steel. My guess was that there might be a little rust on the hidden blade surface, but the biggest problem was that the wood had swollen due to water absorption. The steel tube confined that swelling and pinched the blade.

I finished my sharpening and cleaning and left the knife by a heater vent to dry out. I'm up at 7,000 feet in Colorado and the air is extremely dry. The knife did recover when dry, but the blade is mottled from the corrosion.

So be warned, keep your Opinel dry.


[This message has been edited by Jeff Clark (edited 03-20-2000).]
 
Danny,
They're on the soft side is why...about Rc54, more or less. You may notice that people who use knives heavily, as in butcher shops, etc. use softer blades as well. Ease and speed of sharpening is more important than edge retention. This is where a fine, sharp edge is the only way to fly, "sorta sharp" just doesn't get it.
Dan
 
Jeff,
My wife left her Hawkbill, on the garden table over winter, and I found it some time after the snow-melt. The wood soaked up the water and the blade had rusted(not as bad as I would have thought, but I soaked the blade and pivoit end in WD-40 for about half an hour and wipped off the knife, then used some Barkeeper's friend to polish off most of the rust. There was a little pitting, but not bad. As far as the wood is concerned.....the Hawkbill is almost as gravity knife now.
Dan
 
Yep Jeff, you do need to dry them. They will rust easily.
For the money Opinel's are great. Everyone should have one just to see how great a cheap knife can really be.
 
Great little users! I have a couple & I love 'em- Mine have cut plenty of bread, cheese & fruit- the blades will stain a little, but if kept properly, they'll give years of service.

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Runs With Scissors
AKTI# A000107
 
Hey Danny! Thanks for the welcome. Great to be here, I've been reading the posts for a while.

Jeff... same thing happens to me when I wash the Opinel. My advice is to dry it and then leave it on the table with the blade half out, ie at 90 degrees, so the wet wood barely contacts the blade.

Otherwise, when mine is dry, it is really loose.

Eric

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Eric Chan
ND student
www.ccnm.edu
www.bastyr.edu
 
I have heard there is a smaller Opinel model that has a stainless steel blade. Is it 440-A or C? Has anyone experience with this one?
Jim
 
I got an unusual Opinel as a gift a few years back. It's a BIG sucker and works pretty well on Roasts and Turkeys. I was just wondering if any of you had seen one before.

Blade length is 9" and overall length is 20". Shown are the Opinal closed and partially open with my BM 975SBT as a size reference.
ffcfab6d.jpg.orig.jpg

ffcfac10.jpg.orig.jpg


Blackdog

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The GH Forum Photo Galleries & The Bowie Design Gallery
 
So .. the secret is out please don't talk too loud about the virtues of this little blade - some of those High end fanatics will shed tears...
Discoloration and handle swelling are about the only down sides I've found in that knife.. and I've not noticed that it looses an edge very fast either. Try sharpening it with one of those hand held triangular creamic carbide rods like Lansky's dog bone
and keeping it dry...
I've had one for well over 20 years .. in fact my son has it now. I also gave one to my father-in-law.. I keep meaning to pick up another for myself. it is a real value and cuts too !

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knife Knuts are sharp people

Jonesy!
 
When someone asks for a knife to really "abuse" I always suggest getting an Opinel. I think they are by far the best folding knife for the money on the market. The carbon steel blades take and hold a great edge and are easy the sharpen. And if you loose it or break it, well buy a new one!

Recently I was at the giant hunting trade show IWA in Nürnberg and stopped by the Opinel booth. I told the man working the booth what a great carbon steel knife I think his company makes. He asked if I'd tried their stainless blades and I said I hadn't. So he GAVE me one. And once I got home I quickly brought the knife up to the usual razorsharpness with a very fine stone and strop and will try it out in my kitchen to see how the edge holds up.

Opinel is great company with a great product.


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Totally new website!
http://www.wilkins-knives.com
 
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