Pre 1955 Opinel

I'mSoSharp

I'mSoSharp

Joined
Mar 8, 2011
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At a flea market this morning I spied the unmistakable shape of an Opinel in a plastic container full of rusty bits of metal, screws & brackets, the first thing I thought as I picked it up is that the lock ring (Virobloc) is missing but it must be old as the collar is not stainless steel, then I looked at the printing on the handle & realized I’d never seen it before, the blade was too rusty to read but that didn’t matter I’d already decided it was coming home with me!

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Needless to say I’m chuffed to bits being very much an Opinel fan, I have an old one I carry & use that has a carbon lock ring but it isn’t as old as this friction folder one. 😊
 
I'mSoSharp said:
At a flea market this morning I spied the unmistakable shape of an Opinel in a plastic container full of rusty bits of metal, screws & brackets, the first thing I thought as I picked it up is that the lock ring (Virobloc) is missing but it must be old as the collar is not stainless steel, then I looked at the printing on the handle & realized I’d never seen it before, the blade was too rusty to read but that didn’t matter I’d already decided it was coming home with me!

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Needless to say I’m chuffed to bits being very much an Opinel fan, I have an old one I carry & use that has a carbon lock ring but it isn’t as old as this friction folder one. 😊
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What a terrific find!! Congratulations!! How much cleanup will you do on it?

Zieg
 
Cool find. Around here if you want an Opinel without the ring you have to take it off a new one, or get a size 5 or smaller. ☹️
I wish there was a source for the older Opinel like that around here.
The print on the handle is great. Don't blame you for not wanting to mess with it. 😊
 
afishhunter said:
I wish there was a source for the older Opinel like that around here.
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This is only the second all carbon steel Opinel I've found in years of going to flea markets so they aren't exactly thick on the ground here, but they do exist so I suppose that's lucky.

I have a lot of Opinels I've bought new & modified, and have given away a lot too so new is the usual way I get them, at flea markets when I do find a "modern" one even if it's battered, broken or both the vendor normally wants new price or more because it's "antique"...... 🙄
 
Yep, a new all carbon Opinel would be cool.
I’ve given the “new” one a clean up and here it is pictured with my other all carbon one at the top, that one was found so rusted up it wouldn’t open!! In the middle is a modern stainless lock ring (”Virobloc” as Opinel named it) with a spear blade just to show the huge difference in patina.

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A better daylight image of the other carbon one, it doesn't have a "locked closed" cutout on the Virobloc. I'll get better images of the pre 55 one tomorrow.

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They look nice !

Now .............. what you gonna do about that snapped off tip ? :thumbsup: :thumbsup: 😲 😊

Looks like you have a couple of options. ;)
 
Primble said:
what you gonna do about that snapped off tip ?
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Normally I'd drop the spine a bit, in fact I drop the spine of any new Opinel I buy......
....but in this case I'm just gonna leave it, with a bit of a sharpen it won't stand out too much & it's not like I'm going to use it a lot.
 
Nice find.

waynorth said:
If Opinel reproduced that knife in all-carbon steel, with the markings as is, they'd sell thousands!! Nice find!!
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I get it. It took me a while to get an Opinel, because I don't much like the markings on their current offerings and I wanted a knife with a carbon steel lock and collar.
 
afishhunter afishhunter and waynorth waynorth , since both you asked for it (more or less), Opinel do make non locking, all carbon folders.
They are not listed on the Opinel webpage but try googling it...
Here is on.
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EDIT: Just noticed my paid BF membership has run out because I had troubles posting that image LOL.
 
I have an all- carbon locking No. 10, obviously post 1955, but new enough tha I could buy it out of the L.L. Bean catalog, which would have been some time in the ‘70 s. I didn’t realize it was all carbon until it had taken a patina from spending a couple of winters on a motorbike in an unheated garage. I usually drop the spine and slim the handles on my Opinels if I am going to carry them, but I left this one unmolested, so I guess is is a collector piece. Got a pic somewhere.
 
Henry Beige said:
Couldn’t find my old pics, so I took some fresh ones. There is an all-carbon No.7, too. The older stainless lockrings lose their luster, too, and are not a whole lot brighter than the carbon ones.
The 7 may be the first Opinel I bought. If not, it is pretty close.
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Couple of great old knives!! Thanks, Henry!!
 
Henry Beige said:
I have an all- carbon locking No. 10, obviously post 1955, but new enough tha I could buy it out of the L.L. Bean catalog, which would have been some time in the ‘70 s.
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Nice knives 👍.
I think I dated my locking all carbon one to the 70s, it was in terrible condition from being left somewhere wet.
I guess yours don't have a lock shut cutout either? Unless of course you've added it.
 
Croix de Savoie is the trademark of Jean, younger brother of Joseph, he worked with him then installed a workshop in St Jean de Maurienne in 1932, he died in 1943 and the workshop was directed by his sons then grandsons before being bought by Opinel
waynorth said:
If Opinel reproduced that knife in all-carbon steel, with the markings as is, they'd sell thousands!! Nice find!!
Click to expand...
 
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