The Svord Peasant Folder

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newguy93

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Mar 2, 2015
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So I asked about the opinel and I notice that a lot of people here really like them. I did a little research and found that many people are comparing the peasant to the opinel. Now my decision is skewed between the number 8 and the peasant. Do any of you have any experiance with the peasant? If so, have you compared the opinel an the peasant? What are your thoughts, comments, concerns?
 
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I have both...
The Peasant is heavier and bulkier. It doesn't lock open or closed. And it's not as pretty.
For daily pants pocket carry, I'd recommend the Opinel. For rough chores while wearing gloves, the Peasant would be a better choice.
 
Bob W said:
I have both...
The Peasant is heavier and bulkier. It doesn't lock open or closed. And it's not as pretty.
For daily pants pocket carry, I'd recommend the Opinel. For rough chores while wearing gloves, the Peasant would be a better choice.
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I also have both and agree with this. The Opinel is a dedicated slicer whereas the Svord is a workhorse. ..albeit an ugly one :) Buy both and see for yourself.
 
Another thing is I watched a guy split a small stick, hollow it a nest, and lash his peasant inside to make a fixed blade. I like that versatility. Not saying I would do that, but the option is nice. and it disassembles easily for cleaning, modding, so and so forth.
 
They are very different knives. I like the Opinel more. The Svord is pretty bulky and awkward to carry in pocket. It certainly has a beefier blade, and it sharpens up very nicely (factory edge on it was pretty poor). That unfinished look of the Peasant's blade is pretty cool though, and the steel (L6?) does take on a patina very quickly, if you like that. The Opinel is just a good, simple, functional, compact knife that you can toss into your pocket. The No. 8 is about 1/2" shorter than the 9 pictured below and is just a little larger than a 3-layer SAK (about the same thickness, but the No. 8 is a little longer).

Here's a shot that has a Peasant and a few Opinels (No. 12, 10, and 9).

1059793_comparison2_800x552.jpg
 
I also have both. Bob W said it pretty well.

The Opinel will excel at light cutting due to thinner stock and grind, while my Svord gets used for a lot of harder use (but it is also a pretty mean slicer since I thinned it out). With Opinel you have an option for stainless or carbon, while the Peasant is only offered in carbon steel last I checked. Corrosion resistance is very low on Opinel's XC90 & Svord's 15N20 (simialar to L6,) but if you keep them dry and maybe apply some mineral oil, etc... once in a while you shouldn't have any problems. I use my Svord more, mainly because it has it's own niche as my workhorse folder, while the Opinel has a lot of competition in my collection for edc use.

Svord makes a mini-peasant too if size is a concern.
 
The fit and finish of the Peasant is terrible. It isn't pocketable. And it's butt ugly. But I do like the L6.

The Opinel will outslice anything on the planet, is pocketable, is very handsome, and threatens no one (in fact they seem to find it very elegant).

I use my knives to slice and I use my knives around people, so Opinel hands down. (Though I do have a peasant around @ home that I convexed and put a mirror finish on...sometimes I open mail with it...that's about it.)
 
Size really isn't a concern as much as things like edge retention, and things like that. I like how tough the peasant looks. And I'm a fan of simple an ugly styling lol
 
flarp said:
They are very different knives. I like the Opinel more. The Svord is pretty bulky and awkward to carry in pocket. It certainly has a beefier blade, and it sharpens up very nicely (factory edge on it was pretty poor). That unfinished look of the Peasant's blade is pretty cool though, and the steel (L6?) does take on a patina very quickly, if you like that. The Opinel is just a good, simple, functional, compact knife that you can toss into your pocket. The No. 8 is about 1/2" shorter than the 9 pictured below and is just a little larger than a 3-layer SAK (about the same thickness, but the No. 8 is a little longer).

Here's a shot that has a Peasant and a few Opinels (No. 12, 10, and 9).

1059793_comparison2_800x552.jpg
Click to expand...

A not too long ago issue of Backwoodsman featured an article of (what the author believed) Best All Around Bushcraft EDC's under $50. He included among several, the Opinel 6, The Peasant, and The Sodbuster. Now the article was from his perspective as most do not equate a bushy with a folder but it is interesting that he grouped those knives together.
 
newguy93 said:
Size really isn't a concern as much as things like edge retention, and things like that. I like how tough the peasant looks. And I'm a fan of simple an ugly styling lol
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I wouldn't call it "tough", but it does have fewer parts. Its just a blade sandwiched between two pieces of plastic. Far from "fail proof" structurally.

That said, the Opinel is a slicer.

I wouldn't go hacking at a tree with either knife.
 
I've got both (carbon #6 Opinel, and a full sized and mini peasant).

I think of the svord as a short tanged fixed blade with a huge handle extension. Its pretty tough, and has a thicker blade stock, and a thicker grind. With some practice, you can easily open and close it one handed. I also find it fine to pocket carry (I rear pocket carry though). However, as others have said, they come pretty rough in the blade grind department. The Heat treat is solid though, you just have to clean it up some and then its great.

Here is my mini peasant, which I added some blujean micarta to (and IMO makes the knife feel 100% different).

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The opinel is much more refined, and compact. The svords extended tang is pretty long, and so is the handle, so it takes up a good amount of space. The opinel has almost no wasted space. And I agree that the opinel is non-threatening. I can use it here at work and no one freaks out (possibly because it requires two hands to open, and has a wooden handle). It does cut amazingly well (my preferred apple knife). It also locks open and closed, which can be quite handy.

They're both good, just different. The upside, is that together they might cost you $25, and while you might find that one or both of them isn't your ideal knife, you'll never be able to say anything bad about their performance.
 
marcinek said:
That, actually, is the most sensible solution. Knives don't come more inexpensive than those two.
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Its true. Sometimes when this response comes up, I find it somewhat amusing, particularly with more expensive knives. But with these two, that both usually run ~$12 a piece you can get both for less than most other "budget" folders like the RAT 1/2. Its kind of a win/win.

Now you just need a Mora and a Tramontina to round out the super valuable blade category :).
 
ocnLogan said:
Its true. Sometimes when this response comes up, I find it somewhat amusing, particularly with more expensive knives. But with these two, that both usually run ~$12 a piece you can get both for less than most other "budget" folders like the RAT 1/2. Its kind of a win/win.

Now you just need a Mora and a Tramontina to round out the super valuable blade category :).
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Agreed. And with that setup, you know it, I know it, we all know it...you'd really have all the knives you need to do anything. Not want of course, just need.
 
marcinek said:
Agreed. And with that setup, you know it, I know it, we all know it...you'd really have all the knives you need to do anything. Not want of course, just need.
Click to expand...

100% correct. Although, I'd throw in a kitchen knife for the blanket "everything" statement (use my kitchen knives more than anything else, so I've got them on the brain).

And like most people, I have some non Mora/svord/opinel/tram blades :D.

newguy93 said:
I have a mora companion hd, but haven't heard of a tramontina
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Tramontinas are the quintessential machete. They come in a few different sizes and shapes, but they usually cost somewhere between $10-20 and are quite the workhorses. Like the svord, they can be a bit rough (usually the handles), and come in need of a good sharpening. But, as Marcinek said, those few tools together would to just about anything you'd ever "NEED" to do in the woods. They all offer incredible value, and are truely good tools.

Oh, and about the peasants again, I hear that the versions with the metal handles are a bit less desireable, because the knife is louder, not as comfortable in hand, and gets the blade all scratched up. So if you're looking for one, I'd go with the wood, or plastic handles (I' m partial to the plastic ones, but love the micarta I put on my mini).

Good luck with whatever you do man :D.
 
Thanks for all the help! And I also heard bad things about th metal scales. I plan on custom cutting some stainless scales for it

Edit: that's after I test the plastic and decide if I'll EDC it
 
The Svord Mini gets my vote .
But as mentioned before it is a pain to carry in your pocket , so I made a belt sheath for it .

d2dbce2e68a2a3bc6d2ae0e0765327bd_zpsb7d18555.jpg
4c911b79e4ba6346e71420bc0663fa82_zpsd51a7590.jpg

Ken
 
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