Someone truely EDC a Opinel?

Joined
Jul 4, 2005
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978
Greetings you all:)

I was wondering if there are any of you who truely EDC an Opinel?
I read many positive comments about the Opinel(and very rightly so ;)), but most of the time the knife is mainly used for kitchen or picnick/BBQ duties.

I'm thinking of EDCing my Opinel nr 7 again with my Alox Soldier as a back up (for the tools, just hard to go without)

I'd just like to carry a traditional carbon steel knife which won't cost me an arm and a leg to get over here or to replace.

So I'm curious of there are any of you who really use a Opinel as main knife.

Thanks for reading:thumbup:
 
Since 1982, I've has Opinels, and I do like them. Like them a lot!

There's times I edc one. My number 8 is in rotation with a Carbon steel lockblade Henckels soddie, a Case CV soddie, and a pocket fixed blade by Mike Miller of Oklahoma in 01 carbon. When I carry my Opinel, I don't carry another knife exept my little Victorinox classic that is always on my keyring. I find the Opinel will do anything in the way of cutting that has to be done. To me, it's an all around work knife that I can use hard, and does not cost a lot to replace if it breaks. So far, I've never broken one, but I've given away a dozen to admirers who used it and were impressed. So everytime I give one away, I have to get and treat another one for water proofness. It takes a day or so to sand it all down and treat with Helmsmen Spar Urathane. Then smear Vasoline in the blade pivot area and wipe out the excess, and you have a waterproof Opinel.

Yes, the Opinel will make a fine edc.
 
A couple days after I got my first Opinel, I picked up an Umnumzaan. I have used the hell out of my Opinel, but barely carried the Umnumzaan. I've used the Opinel while gardening, and for small tasks while working outside. The Opinel is a great knife, mine is already stained from oils in my hands and sweat. I would not mind losing it, but I sure would lament the loss of the Umnumzaan. For at most ten bucks, I would get an Opinel, and try it out.
 
For years I carried my Opinel as my main backpacking knife

I was given it as a gift after working in France
All the workers and farm hands carried was an Opinel
 
Dutch, be very, veeery careful here. I can vouch for Opinels being addictive. They are sooo cheap to buy, effective at cutting, and have some kind of old world charm, that they sneak up on you. Over the past 28 years I've been fooling with these things, I've tried to talk myself out of them. I'd tell myself " Why do you want to go through all that trouble waterproofing them? Just carry a soddie and don't worry, be happy!" Or I'd tell myself it's an outmoted thing, has nothing on a more "Modern" knife.

Didn't work in the end. I'd give one away, and tell myself that was it. But a feeling would creep over me. A feeling of something missing. Next thing ya know, there I was at the knife shop buying another Opinel and breaking out the sandpaper and Urathane.

And there are so many to choose from. Theres the regular opys, then there's the slimline of the fishing knives with rosewood or bubinga handles. Then theres the Garden opy, and the keychain opys with little leather sheaths for the keyring. It's a pit trap for the unwary, and easy to fall in.

Be careful dutch. Veeery careful I tell ya! :D

Carl.
 
I often carry a #5 - tiny and non-locking in case anyone wants to borrow something

Otherise I have a modded (spearpoint) #7 which is great. It's in the general rotation :)
 
ive got both a #7 and #8

the 7 sees more carry while the 8 i use mostly for food. the 8 is a bit harder to open (ive sanded notches in the handle to better grip the blade) so i think thats probably why i leave it mostly.

i dont worry too much about losing it, its HARD not to get it cutting like a razor blade and i have a friend who does professional laser engraving and the beechwood is fantastic to laser and its super light.

i find it excels at any CUTTING tasks ive ever had (id never even think of prying with it) and it does so with great efficiency.

mine already has a bit of a patina from cutting apples, and general use outside from trimming bushes ans stuff around the pathway to the front door.

I do find them EXTREMELY addictive because they are so cheap. i fond myself ordering them in bulk (no less than 4)

and ill be picking up more soon.

Another big factor on opies is that they are very non-threatening, unassuming knives and will not attract any negative attention for the most part.

I need to look more deeply into waterproofing mine...ive never heard of it. theyre just stock (minus the notch to grip the blade)
 
I have carried it as a pocket knife when elk hunting before. I use a black powder rifle and it made a good all around knife and cap scraper.
I occasionally carry one.
 
I haven't carried one much for many years. While I love the shape in my hand, I was rather less fond of the bulk in my pocket. I did carry a #7 every day for a couple of years, and I never really got used to it. But that was the knife I sharpened, stropped and removed a three-month beard with, just because a couple of shipmates bet me it couldn't be done. :D

I still have a bunch of them. They are great knives, even though I can't stand to carry them.
 
I did carry one daily for years, while working in the forest and desert as an archaeologist. Now I don't keep one in my pocket, moved on to a lanyard-attached fixed blade, but there's an Opinel in my bag that I sometimes carry.
 
I carried a #6 on and off for a few years. It's a great knife I'll have to dig it out again soon.
 
I used to carry a No. 6 with olive wood handles and inox (stainless) steel. It was a great little knife, really good. I eventually gave it away to a non-knife-savvy friend.
 
How do they compare?

I love the funky, old world charm of the Opy, not to mention the almost light sabre cutting the blade gives.

Having said that...

When I was giving thought to what pocket knife I was taking on my last hurrah cross country motorcycle trip, and I was traveling light, far from home, I took a Case cv yella soddie. The Case is built like a Sherman tank, has a wide thin blade with great slicing geometry, and a charm of it's own. The Case ( I feel, YMMV) feels like it will stand up to some heavy use in an unforseen emergency better.

If I had to choose between a Opy and a CV soddie, I've went with a soddie. I have the same kind of faith in my soddie that I have in my old S&W revolver that's served me well for half a lifetime.
 
I'm late to the party here. I find the Opinel 8 to be very light, sharp and cost effective. I love the simplicity of it. I also enjoy the old world charm. Today in 2020 With our current political climate I think it's a good option. It's small and doesn't really scare people. Not like a Spyderco would. It feels very light in my pocket and if I lose it I won't be broken hearted. I'll just get another. YMMV.
 
Blades are fantastic but I'm not a fan of the lock
I would not disagree with that. I live in a warm area. I put the knife outside in the sun for the entire day. When I took it out, the blade was able to open and close very loosely. It was really simple. Unfortunately the rotating lock was very loose as well. It makes for easy usage, but I'll probably keep my CRKT for regular tasks and keep this one for mostly food prep.
 
I am also quite fond of Opinel.

Pros:
Sharpen easy.
Non-threatening.
Great cutting geometry.
Very acute tip.
Hand-filling and neutral ergonomic handle.
Cool history.
Modifiable.
Inexpensive.

Cons (Subjective of course):
Kinda bulky in pocket once you get up to size 7.
Tip is easy to break.
Wood can take on water and swell, making it necessary to “tap” open the knife.
Lock rings are sometimes too tight and need tweaking.
 
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