Pre 1955 Opinel

n°8 with Virofix Lock ring.
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©https://couteauxdepoche.forumactif.com/t124-la-croix-de-savoie?highlight=Croix+de+Savoie
 
Jolipapa said:
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
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I wonder if Opinel has the rights to the old markings and logos??
 
I'mSoSharp said:
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.
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Not friggin’ likely. The lock shut cutout was the answer to a question that nobody asked, and the trigger for design changes that degraded the elegant simplicity of the original virobloc. I have inox Opinels that must be from the ‘80s that lack the lock shut cutout (thank you for that term, BTW. I was never sure what to call it). To my mind, these are the classic Opinels. If I remember right, the cutout was introduced in 1990. I had bought several Opinels in the ‘70s and ‘80s, and then didnt buy any more until well after the turn of the century, when I joined BF, so I missed the first iteration of knives with the cutout.

The problem with the cutout was that it allowed you to open the knife against the cutout, forcing the ring over the collar and sending it spinning into oblivion. I guess that situation could not be tolerated, and brought the lawyers in with a vengeance.
 
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Jolipapa said:
Unheard until now... any example to show? 🤔
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I assume that the lock shut cutout was introduced out of concerns for product liability, which means lawyers, and that the subsequent changes were similarly stimulated by legal advice. I could be full of it, but that is how it looks to me. Not knowing for sure, I use “the lawyers” in a metonymic sense.
 
Henry Beige said:
I assume that the lock shut cutout was introduced out of concerns for product liability, which means lawyers, and that the subsequent changes were similarly stimulated by legal advice. I could be full of it, but that is how it looks to me. Not knowing for sure, I use “the lawyers” in a metonymic sense.
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Is the 'lock shut cutout' the part of the ring that allows you lock the knife shut? If so, it's the main reason I like having the ring - I don't care if it locks open (since I cut with the edge of my knives, they tend to stay open when cutting), but I really appreciate the ability to lock the knife shut in my pocket. I've had a modern folder partially open in my pocket; next time I reached for my keys my fingers didn't enjoy the experience as much as one might hope for. I have carried my Opinel a lot, but probably wouldn't have if it didn't lock shut.

FWIW, I am not a lawyer.
 
Tyson A Wright said:
Is the 'lock shut cutout' the part of the ring that allows you lock the knife shut? If so, it's the main reason I like having the ring - I don't care if it locks open (since I cut with the edge of my knives, they tend to stay open when cutting), but I really appreciate the ability to lock the knife shut in my pocket. I've had a modern folder partially open in my pocket; next time I reached for my keys my fingers didn't enjoy the experience as much as one might hope for. I have carried my Opinel a lot, but probably wouldn't have if it didn't lock shut.

FWIW, I am not a lawyer.
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6 million Opis sold every year. No ball has been reported to have been deflated yet...
 
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