Teach me about Opinels.

Steve_Holt said:
How did you get the ring-lock off and back on without messing it up?

I was thinking about getting a couple of spares to play around with, but can't figure how to remove and re-install the lock other than just prying it off.
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I use snap-ring pliers. Just go in the slot where it rides over the pivot pin and open it enough to slide off and down the blade.
 
Thanks for ALL the input guys, I appreciate it a lot!


gajinoz said:
The #10 #6 and #2 (with leather keyring sheath.)

op1.jpg


op2.jpg



The #6 compared to some other small knives.

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Gajinoz, I noticed your from Australia. Did you get your opinels from a website or a local shop? If you got them from a website would you mind giving me a link to it? Thanks mate! :thumbup:
 
I have a No. 8 and gave my No. 9 to my brother-in-law for Christmas. Both are carbon steel, and so easy to sharpen,,,,I have even sharpened it on the bottom of a coffee cup (non-glazed portion of the porcelain). An yes they do get scarey sharp!!! My wife will not use it any more in the kitchen, she cut herself so bad. I prefer the carbon steel, that patina gives it an aged coolness look to it. Just keep a bit of mineral oil on it after you use it and clean it. Excellent slicers.
 
I have a bunch of Opinels in carbon and stainless. I had one of the stainless models out for sharpening last night. It's a number #6 with a nice dark walnut handle and an Inox blade.

The steel is fine grained and takes a very good edge, easily made able to "whittle" a hair. It reminds me of 12C27 run fairly soft. It's very easy to sandpaper scratches out and cleans up easily.

The carbon steel is equally easy to sharpen and makes a slicer that some expensive knives can't keep up with. Typically the fancier wood handles mean a stainless blade. I believe I've seen Pear, olive as well as the walnut wood models. The Carbon steel model is standard Beechwood.
 
I got 2 #6s a while back. An olivewood with stainless blade (12C27), and a standard carbon with beechwood handle. Pearwood handles don't exist (not for a long time), even if advertised that way (per the Opinel website). I wanted the carbon blade with the olivewood handle. Not an option, so I switched blades. My olivewood/carbon #6 is easily my favorite knife. I might get walnut, oak, and bubinga #6s. The #6 is the perfect size for me.
 
The Mastiff said:
It's a number #6 with a nice dark walnut handle and an Inox blade.
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My #8 is the same - Inox/Walnut. It is my fancy Opinel and cost me a whopping $11.57!

My #4, #6 & #9 are all the standard Beechwood/Carbon versions.

All 4 of my Opinel knives are easy to sharpen - strop for a minute or 2 and then slice anything. Slicing a tomato with a SHARP #9 is so effortless - the knife just glides through! At Christmas time we ran out of steak knives and I had a steak to eat, no worries - I had my #6 in my pocket, slicing up a piece of steak has never been so easy! Once finished I rinsed the blade with some hot water and then dried it - no rust yet.

My Opinels are my best slicers and my #8 in stainless makes a great food prep knife. I wouldn't say they are the best knives in the world, but they cut VERY well and cost very little - great value for sure!
 
antonio_luiz said:
I'm sure there's a correct way of doing it but this worked for me. The pivot pin is the only thing keeping the lock on. I held the handle in a soft-jaw vice and then used a small screwdriver to spring it open a little to clear the pivot pin, and a larger flat screwdriver to prise the ring off. When done I just used a piece of wood to protect it and tapped it back in taking care to open it out a little with a small screwdriver as it came to the pivot pin.
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wwells20 said:
I use snap-ring pliers. Just go in the slot where it rides over the pivot pin and open it enough to slide off and down the blade.
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Thanks guys. Makes sense. One of my favorite things about inexpensive knives is that if you mess them up too badly when you're mangling them, it's no great tragedy.
 
I am slowly working on a collection of Opinels. An Opinel is possibly one of the most functional folders made. Simple in construction, yet if you see one dressed in Olive wood, there is a sort of elegance about it. Collecting Opinels is sort of like having a Lay's potato chip - you just can't stop at one. ;)
 
I was at the knife counter at cabelas today getting a tomahawk and the guy in front of me brought in an opinel and asked the guy behind the counter how to sharpen it. First time I've seen some one else using an opinel around here in a long time. Going to get a #6 next.
(Hawk is cheaply/poorly made btw, but fun none the less :) )
 
opinel no matter the size is probably one of if not the best knives for killing some time whittling. I like to take em camping with me for just that purpose alone sitting around the fire just kicking back
 
Absintheur said:
The small Cold Steel TwistMasters are a very pocket friendly size as well and can still be found online...sometimes at a bargain price. Their blades are heavier than an Opinels and being made of synthetic the handles don't swell when gotten wet. They had 4 blade choices as well...clip, drop, bowie, and tanto.
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I also have TwistMasters (4 of them BNIB), love that razor Carbon V..!

These Opies look very nice for the price though.
 
cheap
light
strong
customizable by you
best slicer I have
one hand opened (hit metal ring in you leg or anywhere) and blade pops out
man buy one #8 carbon blade and you´ll not regret
 
Thanks guys, I just need to round up a few more dollars (unemployed :thumbdn: ) and then I should be able to grab a No. 9.
 
Not sure I should thank you for that link - never seen a #18 folding saw before - now I want one :D

Some of the USA onlines are cheaper if you buy a bunch at a time and combine freight, but for a one-off it's good to know of an Aussie supplier.

The only Opinel in my collection I've used is an old #9, but I'm going to the NSW pine forests mushroom hunting next month and just might break the cherry on my Opinel mushroom knife :cool:
http://www.oberonaustralia.com.au/things_mushrooms.asp
And gotta remember to take something for the darned leeches :eek:
 
gajinoz said:
A blow torch will fix those buggers real quick. :)
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Damn blowtorch would bugger me up real quick too - I'll stick to the saltshaker.

Those mushies are awesome - some of them are the size of dinner plates and that Opinel mushroom knife may not be big enough. Unfortunately they don't transport or keep very well but they can be pickled. Lots of folks just pick them and toss them straight on the barbie - on busy Sundays you often see queues to use the BBQ's in the picnic areas. Several of the European ethnic clubs are fanatical about them and even arrange for bus trips to go picking - last time I went mushie hunting I didn't hear a single Aussie accent the whole time except for my family.

Don't get them up here - wrong species of pine and just too darn hot I guess.
 
Got 3 of the #6 knives at christmas time. One for me, one for my parents. Things came with no edge, but sharpened up to SCARY sharp in no time. It's the only knife of mine that I can easily get to the "do not touch the edge at ALL" sharpness. All my "super steel" tactical knives, I am unable to get as sharp, though they can all shave and push cut paper easily enough.

I'm about to pick up a few more size, probably at least one stainless as well. Gotta be careful with the ill informed on knives, though. My dad loves his, always compliments its sharpness, and hasn't had to resharpen it yet. However he was doing some muddy landscaping, was cutting stuff up, and left mud on the blade for about 8 hours. Even though I told him to keep them dry and clean. Thing has a bunch of rusty pockmarks now. I'll have to see if I can clean that up for him.
 
goodeyesniper said:
Got 3 of the #6 knives at christmas time. One for me, one for my parents. Things came with no edge, but sharpened up to SCARY sharp in no time. It's the only knife of mine that I can easily get to the "do not touch the edge at ALL" sharpness.
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This mirrors my experience - I have 4 Opinels (#4, #6, #8 & #9) and only one came sharp. But all 4 were easily sharpened to a good standard and they make GREAT slicers. Last nights I took my #8 (walnut handle, stainless blade - my favourite food prep knife) and used it for preparing & eating dinner - when you slice a tomato with a GREAT slicer it makes you smile, so much better than the steak knives in the kitchen draw. Even for cutting & eating steak the Opinel is better than the steak knives!
 
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