Question for Opinel Experts

F

flintrocker

Joined
Sep 1, 2014
Messages
42
Hi,

In my traditional folders, there is a "kick" at the bottom of the blade that stops it on its way into the handle. On my old Buck 110, after I had sharpened it many times, the point of the blade stood proud of the handle, and I had to file down the "kick" to get the blade to close fully.

Now on my new Opinel, there is no "kick" on the blade itself. What keeps the blade from going all the way in until it hits the bottom of the blade slot in the wood handle? If I close the blade quickly with my fingers, it does make a "snap." Not exactly like a traditionally sprung folder "talk,' but something like that.

Seems like hitting the blade edge on the wood handle wouldn't be good for sharpness. Peering into the slot, I can't see any damage or marks if the blade is touching the wood. But my old eyes aren't very good, either.

I hope one of you experts can explain how this design works. Thanks in advance.
 
Do not really know and never gave it much thought. I suppose without a spring they don't close all that hard and so maybe that avoids edge damage, a soft closing. They sure do cut stuff.
 
Knives which have the blade hit inside the handle on closure instead of a kick are a pet peeve of mine. Opinels do it. Since there is no spring it is not as much of an issue.
 
flintrocker said:
What keeps the blade from going all the way in until it hits the bottom of the blade slot in the wood handle?
Click to expand...

Nothing.

Edited to add:
Good thing steel is considerably harder than wood.
 
Took out my #9 oak and just what knarfeng said "Good thing steel is considerably harder than wood". The blade hits the wood a little down from the tip.
 
I think it's a minor issue but then again, you might find it buggy.

I carry a DMT diamond stone in my pack and over sharpen mine so I don't really notice it. Given the cost, I'm fine with using up the blade.

The Inox is noticeably harder. I get edge roll with the carbon at 17-dps and stick with 20-dps for EDC. This issue is one of many that I don't push the blade too thin.
 
If it really bugs you and you are prone to borderline-OCD lunacy, it is conceivable that a person could cut off a section of a fat, round toothpick that has been shaved down to be a snug fit in the handle cut and press it down vertically just south of the pivot so that it would act as a blade stop functionally similar to the kick on other traditional knives. It is conceivable that an opened paperclip or two might be useful to help align said toothpick by pushing into the gap between the blade and the ferrule when the blade is at a 90deg angle. Trial and error would be necessary, but I think you would find that the toothpick would have to be a little longer than you might expect. With the right amount of tweaking, it might be possible to get the blade to sit with the point below the handle, but not in contact with the wood.

In theory. Only if you are borderline-OCD.
 
The drug companies will probably have a pill out soon for CDO and OCD along with all those others they advertise on tv every night.
 
Pinnah: I just (literally) laughed out loud.
Thank you! :thumbup:

To the OP, et al.: It's really not that difficult to do what I described before, but I'm not sure what the payoff is. It gave me an excuse to play with the knife more than usual, which is always good. It does protect the tip from contact with the wood, and helps protect the edge at the very tip of the blade, especially if you keep a shallow angle on it. Useful? Yes. Necessary? Not really. But it was a fun proof-of-concept test.
 
Yep, Opinel blades touch the bottom of the slot in the handle when closed. I've never had an issue with it, though. It's bad juju on a slipjoint or lockback where there's metal down there for the edge to hit (under spring pressure, no less), but, as said, the Opinel blade closes pretty softly and hits nothing but wood. :thumbup:
 
waltmc said:
If it really bugs you and you are prone to borderline-OCD lunacy, it is conceivable that a person could cut off a section of a fat, round toothpick that has been shaved down to be a snug fit in the handle cut and press it down vertically just south of the pivot so that it would act as a blade stop functionally similar to the kick on other traditional knives. It is conceivable that an opened paperclip or two might be useful to help align said toothpick by pushing into the gap between the blade and the ferrule when the blade is at a 90deg angle. Trial and error would be necessary, but I think you would find that the toothpick would have to be a little longer than you might expect. With the right amount of tweaking, it might be possible to get the blade to sit with the point below the handle, but not in contact with the wood.

In theory. Only if you are borderline-OCD.
Click to expand...

A couple years ago I couldn't even spell OCD. Now look at me.

Nice dude, I haven't found it an issue with Opinels but I may just "consider" your "theory" for something to do.
 
All mine hit in the bottom of the channel like you've described. If it's affected the edge at all, I can't tell it. They're all razor sharp. Another option would be to glue a bit of rubber band in the bottom of the channel if you're really concerned about it. It doesn't seem to affect any of mine though as far as damaging the edge.
 
When I bought my #8 Garden model the tip was actually sunk deep enough into the wood that I had to cut it out with another knife. It just took a few minutes of scratching away next to the blade and there was no damage at all to the knife blade. If anything the tiny groove in the handle near the tip has helped it stay closed. Some may call it inconsistent, but I like this sort of character in a knife :) Also, I'm a messy bastard and my house would be a nightmare for a person with OCD :D
 
I can very well understand someone being upset about a new knife showing "imperfections". On the other hand, you must understand the Opinel was conceived and sold, and is still sold, as an everyday tool. Call it a garden tool, a farm tool, whatever. Fit and finish is top notch as far as use goes (and that is "not so far"). The problem is Opinel recently stepped up the game with producing knives for the collector segment : ebony handles, fair horn tip handles... you name it. Beautiful knives allright but the basic mechanics remain the same : a farmer knife. This said, I have some fancy Opinels (I do care for) and I destroyed (shame on me) many basic models over decades because it was my "go to everything" tool. Back to your question : the blade hitting the wood is no problem at all because the standard steel (12C27) is very hard and the handle is beechwood. A straight grained wood with excellent mechanical qualities but basically soft. The edge will not dull. Even with an ebony handle (my favourite), I slam the blade back in place and secure it with the rotating ferrule : the tip will still shave hair like nobody's biz. Don't worry and be happy with a knife that will give you back way more than what it costed.
 
herisson said:
I can very well understand someone being upset about a new knife showing "imperfections". On the other hand, you must understand the Opinel was conceived and sold, and is still sold, as an everyday tool. Call it a garden tool, a farm tool, whatever. Fit and finish is top notch as far as use goes (and that is "not so far"). The problem is Opinel recently stepped up the game with producing knives for the collector segment : ebony handles, fair horn tip handles... you name it. Beautiful knives allright but the basic mechanics remain the same : a farmer knife. This said, I have some fancy Opinels (I do care for) and I destroyed (shame on me) many basic models over decades because it was my "go to everything" tool. Back to your question : the blade hitting the wood is no problem at all because the standard steel (12C27) is very hard and the handle is beechwood. A straight grained wood with excellent mechanical qualities but basically soft. The edge will not dull. Even with an ebony handle (my favourite), I slam the blade back in place and secure it with the rotating ferrule : the tip will still shave hair like nobody's biz. Don't worry and be happy with a knife that will give you back way more than what it costed.
Click to expand...

Plus, with the blade geometry they have they still cut quite well even if dulled in a spot. Some knives close with the tip hitting brass.

I agree with you on the fancier Opinels. Kind of like a hammer with an Ebony handle.
 
Thanks for the information, especially for the proposed engineering solution! This answers my question fully. I don't see anything wrong with the design as it is, and I will just use the knife. I was just curious, as I have not seen this design before.
 
Very true, sir. Yet my friend, Frank, I found the problem for me was when the edge would sink into the wood and THEN lateral force would fold over the fine edge. It was a real problem for me. :)

knarfeng said:
Nothing.

Edited to add:
Good thing steel is considerably harder than wood.
Click to expand...

So, my solution was to cut down a piece of triangular stag and wedge it down in there. It was fitted so tight the compression of the wood held but I also stripped the inside where it would attach and epoxied it in.

I also put a notch to hold the blade in it so it would stabilize it a bit.



I like my opines to be sharp the entire length. I even file them for the kick out further.



In the ebony I went all out and designed it for the back of the kick to hinge down onto the slant shown in here :)



All in all I LOVE opinels. I invested days of work into mine and they have NOT let me down :)

I have one in this one too (gift from Sam Avoidspam)



Also this one :)





All three of these :)

 
richstag said:
So, my solution was to cut down a piece of triangular stag and wedge it down in there. It was fitted so tight the compression of the wood held but I also stripped the inside where it would attach and epoxied it in.
Click to expand...

Seeing this posted elsewhere on the forum earlier was the inspiration for my own (less sophisticated) modification. And I agree that the lateral motion of the tip against the wood seems to be the source of more edge than simple contact with the handle.

Thanks, richstag, for sharing this both now and earlier.:thumbup:
 
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