Small Opinels

M

Mora2013

Joined
Dec 1, 2013
Messages
311
I think I'm looking to purchase a smaller opinel, but I worry about not having the viroloc ring.

Has anyone had a non viroloc opinel accidentally open up on them in deep pocket carry? It seems unlikely, but it would be an unfortunate occurance if it happened.
 
None of mine were ever loose enough to open on their own. I don't think you need to worry.
 
The N°6 is quite small and still has the locking ring. It's my dressed-up carry knife.

Zieg
 
Yes. Under dry conditions, I've had my #4 open several times in my jeans pocket. It never cut me, but the knife needs the lock ring. I still carry it at all times. It weighs 1/3 oz, so it is slightly lighter in weight than a small house key and key ring. It's great to have or I wouldn't carry it, but the lack of a lock makes it half the knife it could be. I can't understand why Opinel won't put a lock on it. I've come to this conclusion after carrying the knife for well over 1,000 days. I can't recommend it for that reason. The #6 weighs 1oz. In other words, it's three times bulkier than the #4. For that reason, I don't carry it at all, but I use it all the time at home. If they put a lock on the #5, it would probably be the ultimate pocket carry knife. It has no lock, so I'm looking at the Case Sodbuster Jr. or the Swiss Bianco Bushcrafter as my one and only, carry at all times knife.

Joe
 
If you carry tip down it should not give you a problem. Or, you could make like my son's hipster friend who wears her no.3 on a cord around her neck.

Or peen the pivot pin to tighten up a loose blade.
 
I don't have experience with the small Opinels but I have thought about getting a no.4 and attempting to make a leather slip sheath for it to make pocket carry safer.

I wonder if an o-ring would work to stop accidental opening.
 
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I often carry opinels, no's 5, 6 and 7 without the locking rings (no locks allowed in the UK) and have never had an issue with them opening in a pocket. I really wouldn't worry about it.
 
I have owned the No4 for a while now, and it has been relegated to my fire kit. The No6 would be the smallest I would go, and with the 6 you get some interesting wood types.
 
I had a number 4 for a while before it was admired by a family member and now resides in her purse. But I carried it loose in my pocket, and it never opened. I did peen the rivet though, so it was a bit snug to open. You really had to pull the blade open after peening.
 
You could always put a small bail on it and keep it tight. That way you'd have a secondary 'lock' with it folded over the blade tip.
 
A mate at work had the no .2 keyring knife and it opened once in his pocket and jabbed his leg but it was very very old (hes had it for 8 years and it only happened once )


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
The anti-opening feature the Viroloc is really the answer to a question nobody was asking, except maybe the product liability lawyers. It is a relatively new innovation. I don't recall that it was present even six or seven years ago, when I bought a bunch of Opinels as gifts.

If I did want a cheap and easy way to hold the thing shut, I would try a an inch or so of suitably sized clear tubing. Or a small cane tip.
 
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Henry Beige said:
The anti-opening feature the Viroloc is really an newer to a question nobody was asking, ... a relatively new innovation. .
Click to expand...


A question I am glad WAS asked, and an innovation appreciated by me. It's about the ONLY way I feel comfortable carrying one in the pocket, unless with a pocket slip/sheath of some sort. I keep a #5 in my desk drawer, and I wouldn't dream of carrying it w/o the lock. Any 'ordinary' slipjoint with a backspring, yeah...no problem.
 
Yeah, give the peened pivot an extra whack with a tack hammer if it's too loose when you get it. But that's seldom a problem unless you live in a dry climate.

Zieg
 
The lock on Opinels was invented in 55'. It makes the knife safe in the pocket and in cutting. Without it, the #4 is only useful for very light cuts. Even then, say opening a bag of potato chips, the darn blade can move around. It all depends on humidity.

Joe
 
Frisky said:
The lock on Opinels was invented in 55'. It makes the knife safe in the pocket and in cutting. Without it, the #4 is only useful for very light cuts. Even then, say opening a bag of potato chips, the darn blade can move around. It all depends on humidity.

Joe
Click to expand...
The '55 lock was operating only when opened, last year they introduced a second lock , when closed. But I have never heard of one opening in the pocket. Population in the Alps keeps growing steadily, so apparently no vital organ has ever been hurt...:) :D
 
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