Stainless or Carbon Steel in Opinel?

3.25 inches long. Open,the #8 is a total of about 7.5" and closed it is almost 4.325" long.

To the best of my knowledge, there is not now, nor has the ever been (unless it was a special edition) a pearwood Opinel. The Orange colored handles are beech. The whitish colored wood handles are also beech, just not tinted with colored varnish.

I personally like the carbon blades for work knives and the stainless blades for food prep. The #8 Effilet is just about the perfect apple peeling and eating knife. It is a pleasure to use for that purpose. I own quite a few Opinels, #1-6,2-8s,2-10s,1-12 in carbon. 2 garden knives, #8. An olive #8, a standard #8 effile and bubinga #10 effile. I carry the #6 every day in my cell holster along with my phone.

I love Opinels. I am a sucker for something archaic, utilitarian and cheap.
 
To the best of my knowledge, there is not now, nor has the ever been (unless it was a special edition) a pearwood Opinel.
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There are dozens, or hundreds even of listings for pearwood opinels. Try googleing it. I don't doubt you as I see none in the current catalog, but are they all mismarked?

I've been seeing Opinels advertised as Pearwood for years. A quick check has them listed everywhere. Some look like regular Beech, but some are lighter with stainless/12C27 .

Also :
Walnut
Oak
Olive
Bubinga
Rosewood
Ebony

Interesting! I wonder where the Pearwood idea came from?
 
I have two carbon steel models, an old number 8 and a newer 10. The knife number is the length of the blade in centimeters. I use them for camping cook knives. To me Opinel means carbon steel, and the darkened blade is part of the classic look. They are seriously sharp and take an edge quickly.

I am, admittedly, biased by the fact that my Dad gave me one decades ago. He firmly believed in the superiority of carbon over stainless steel (not to mention favoring hemp rope and cast iron pans), and I still have a few other carbon steel knives he gave me.
 
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Love the Opinels. Great gifts too! I bought 2 #6s (one stainless/olivewood, one carbon/beech) I swapped the carbon blade to the olivewood handle. Really nice. Both steels sharpen right up, great with food, and you do not look like a fool slicing meat for your lunch with a classy Opinel.
 
Hello to you all!

Here is the answer of the question regarding the beechwood handle difference between the classic stainless knives and classic carbon knives. Many years ago, Opinel wanted to have very consistent handle "look" this is why they varnished all handles. Later on, they realized that it might be better to let the natural grain of the wood show and stop varnishing handles. As of today, the carbon models are the only ones with varnish handles. Of course, some other models like the colored handle are treated.

I noticed that the beechwood handle of the Opinel Carbon and Stainless steel models look different, is it the same wood?
Yes, Opinel use the same wood, the difference is that the carbon models have a varnished handle and the Stainless steel models are left untreated / natural.

Hope this will help.
 
OpiKnife said:
Hello to you all!

Here is the answer of the question regarding the beechwood handle difference between the classic stainless knives and classic carbon knives. Many years ago, Opinel wanted to have very consistent handle "look" this is why they varnished all handles. Later on, they realized that it might be better to let the natural grain of the wood show and stop varnishing handles. As of today, the carbon models are the only ones with varnish handles. Of course, some other models like the colored handle are treated.

I noticed that the beechwood handle of the Opinel Carbon and Stainless steel models look different, is it the same wood?
Yes, Opinel use the same wood, the difference is that the carbon models have a varnished handle and the Stainless steel models are left untreated / natural.

Hope this will help.
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Resurrecting this thread because I just got a #8 with a stainless steel blade at REI and the package says that the handle is indeed varnished.
 
You should get the stainless. If you get it Carbon steel it'll be ground down to a nub in the first couple months of sharpening because Carbon steel is weak and soft. Just ask Gaston444. He said so.

:D
 
me2 said:
Whats the blade and overall size of the #8?
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3.25" blade length. Overall I'd say just under 8" probably 7.75 or so. I prefer stainless. I use mine for cutting food and for some reason especially fruit I felt like the carbon left a slight after taste. Could be in my head but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.
 
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