TBE guys are wrong - Opinel isn't the best apple slicer...

CanadaKnifeGuy

CanadaKnifeGuy

Joined
Jan 27, 2019
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I was surprised today when I switched out my Sandvik Opinel No.6 for a new SAK ALOX Victorinox Electrician because it would fit better (thinner) in my pocket sheath.

The blade on my SAK Electrician is 2.5mm thick (more stout than the 91mm plastic handled SAKs) and the Opinel is only 1.4mm thick.

The opinel is OEM lightly convexed and stropped by me and the SAK is fresh out of the box (and less sharp and also had 2 sections with a noticable wire-edge). The Opinel's around 30° total and the 93mm victorinoxes are 40°.

I thought it would be worse, but I hoped it would still be decent enough for my daily apple cutting at work.

THE SAK WAS A BETTER APPLE SLICER.
:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

It's both a much thicker bladestock and the SAK also has a thicker edge and a lower angle bevel...

So WTF!?

It's drag. The SAK while SLICING an apple, is somewhat chopping / batoning in the sense that it's splitting the firm fruit as its slicing around the longitudinal cuts through the apple.

The opinel (which has a very similar blade height of 14-15mm) has significantly more drag and resistance because there's more surface area in contact.

Now I REALLY appreciate Jerry Fisk's geometry considerations and the mighty swedge...

I'd be interested in competing the 93mm SAK against a swedged Opinel No.6. It might break even!?

Also, the distal taper along the length of the SAK is completely on one side of the knife. This is so that another small tool can snuggle up beside it.

This makes it even more of a wedge... Both top to bottom and front to back! :eek::confused:


Even when you think you're slicing, you're actually chopping!?!?:confused::confused::confused::confused::confused:
 
Don't agree I'm afraid. My Opinel 6 Inox is significantly better slicing apples or firm fruit than my 93mm Pioneers. Incidentally my 91mm SAK's are also better than the 93mm which have a thicker blade but the Opinel trumps them both. I will say that the 93mm blade is noticeably better than either the 91mm or an Opinel when working with wood. The extra thickness gives a more positive bite. The 93mm is a great all rounder in that it can do an apple almost as well as its 91mm cousin but can do tougher jobs better. I carry a 91mm these days but if I'm heading out of the urban jungle it's always a 93mm.

I've been thinking of an Electrician recently. I just wish it didn't have the wire scraping bit on the sheepsfoot, I would far prefer more edge. One day I'll mod a pioneer putting the small blade from a 91mm instead of the can opener. That would suit me nicely.
 
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I haven’t used an Opinel in a very long time. However, my Pioneers do a good job slicing, not chopping, apples.
 
CanadaKnifeGuy said:
It's drag. The SAK while SLICING an apple, is somewhat chopping / batoning in the sense that it's splitting the firm fruit as its slicing around the longitudinal cuts through the apple.
Click to expand...

Your SAK is breaking the apple not slicing it. You said it yourself, it is chopping/batonning. You are wedging through it, not slicing through it.

Try wedging through a ripe tomato.

Its the same reason why I don't like a Mora for veggie prep. It doesn't slice a carrot, it more breaks it.

And honeycrisps are like what a person who has never tasted an apple thinks they taste like. Blech. :D
 
Slice an apple? Why?
I just bite chunks out of them on the ultra rare occations (once or twice every three or five years) that I eat one.
:)
 
Pomsbz said:
Don't agree I'm afraid. My Opinel 6 Inox is significantly better slicing apples or firm fruit than my 93mm Pioneers. Incidentally my 91mm SAK's are also better than the 93mm which have a thicker blade but the Opinel trumps them both. I will say that the 93mm blade is noticeably better than either the 91mm or an Opinel when working with wood. The extra thickness gives a more positive bite. The 93mm is a great all rounder in that it can do an apple almost as well as its 91mm cousin but can do tougher jobs better. I carry a 91mm these days but if I'm heading out of the urban jungle it's always a 93mm.

I've been thinking of an Electrician recently. I just wish it didn't have the wire scraping bit on the sheepsfoot, I would far prefer more edge. One day I'll mod a pioneer putting the small blade from a 91mm instead of the can opener. That would suit me nicely.
Click to expand...

marcinek said:
Your SAK is breaking the apple not slicing it. You said it yourself, it is chopping/batonning. You are wedging through it, not slicing through it.

Try wedging through a ripe tomato.

Its the same reason why I don't like a Mora for veggie prep. It doesn't slice a carrot, it more breaks it.

And honeycrisps are like what a person who has never tasted an apple thinks they taste like. Blech. :D
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I agree with he above.

I have a ha handful of Opinel. They are better for me on apples than my SAK. The blade on the SAK is significantly thicker at the base and tents to crack my apples, rather than make cleaner slicing cuts like the Opinels.

Now, the finish is smoother on the factory SAK, than the finish on the Opinels. But I still pick an Opinel for the job.
 
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Basp2005 said:
Medford knives exel when one's goal is apple sauce.
Click to expand...

Also great for bananas!

qNbGwFl.jpg
 
afishhunter said:
Slice an apple? Why?
I just bite chunks out of them on the ultra rare occations (once or twice every three or five years) that I eat one.
:)
Click to expand...

I eat one nearly daily. I don't like chomping on an apple if I can help it. If I'm our campimg/Hiking or at an outdoor event, I may not slice up an apple (depends on location, and if I have a paper towel kr paper plate) but I much prefer eating slices of apples one at a time.

In my house we go through 4-5 apples a day for kid snacks. They also prefer slices. So does the dog... cant just toss him an apple whole...


On a side note, I also like to cut corn off the cob.... eat watermelon cut off the rind, and generally use utensils for much of my eating.

I eat cheetos with a fork, or chopsticks to keep the fingers clean!!
 
Bigfattyt Bigfattyt

Wow! You must be OCD and a perfectionist like me! Lol.

Although i dont do the chopsticks thing.....yet.
 
I actually find certain hollow grinds to be better apple slicers. My GB1 did the daily apple lunch honors today, and in impressive fashion. Yesterday an Endura, and day before a Large Inkosi. I actually found the Large Inkosi better than the thinner Endura, I suspect due to increased surface contact area with the FFG vs the large radius hollow.
 
afishhunter said:
Slice an apple? Why?
I just bite chunks out of them on the ultra rare occations (once or twice every three or five years) that I eat one.
:)
Click to expand...


If you have bad teeth or a lot of fillings then it can be nice to slice things first.
 
Hmmmm . . . carry a stock SAK edge grind or not carry a knife at all . . . hmmmmm.
That would be a tough choice. I might just go with no knife at all.
I just LOATH the stock edge geometry on the SAK. Goes dull if I cut a string. Knock it back to <15° per side and the thing is a cutting machine ! ! !
No . . . no . . . I'm afraid (very afraid) I would just have to find another hobby.
Apples or no apples.

I was too late to the party; already brought down my apple for today and cut it up .
IMG_5948.jpg
As fate would have it I fairly recently bought my first Electrician (Alox; my first Alox to). I use it for a specific job at work; it sits on the work bench all day and then I put it in it's little slip and take it home with me every night. I do like it quite a lot. Always wanted one. Part of the reason I bought it was the half moon wire peeler blade so . . . gotta keep that.
I have sharpened the sheeps foot blade but the long blade is . . .
STOCK ! I haven't even touched it up (too many other knives on me / around me to think of using the long blade on the Elect.) so mañana !

My must have SAK is the Mechanic though. Shown here with the pliers. If I were to mod I would put the wire peeler in the Mechanic frame.

I tried my newest Franken Knife the Outdoor Edge with the shortened blade on todays apple. As you said and to my surprise it took more effort than I expected. For what it is worth it has the stock edge but touched up ever so slightly (as I remember maybe not it had a good edge from the factory). It's super thin; 1.5mm.

The Case Trappers are apple cutters, only thing is they are hollow ground so though they cut right through, the sliced surfaces are very noticeably curved (concave / convex) . . . so not the most accurate slicer if you are into surface plate flat slicing.

Any one having trouble cutting apples . . . not having a good time . . . ? ? ? . . . I can recommend the Opinel #12 ! ! ! It says "Apple what apple ?" as it effortlessly dispatches yet another of the formidable beasts.
IMG_5947.jpg
 
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