Thoughts on Opinel knives?

They are great, cheap enough to mod, or give away, super friendly. i carry one as a "picnic" knife. there was a guy on here about a year ago I think with a tutorial of batoning and such with his #8, beat the hell out of it, and it looked fine, just unlock it, and put the handle 90deg to the blade. great value, considering how little you can get for a much higher price.
 
They are cheap and have good geometry for cutting. I find them too bulky for pocket carry (#7), and the steel doesn't hold an edge very long for me. I haven't had a problem with the handle swelling, but I'm in a dry climate.
 
A #7 too bulky?!? I've got a #8, and it's so light and unobtrusive that I find myself patting my pocket to make sure it's still there! I love it for EDC at home and work, tho as has been pointed out already, they tend to swell and bind when in high humidity (which should be happening any minute now, where I live!). My solution to that was to shave out a little of the handle where the blade rests against it, to widen the notch a hair, so it won't bind there, and keep it oiled.

Matt in Tx
 
Hard to beat for the price. I think, as far as bush knives go, this and a Mora would be about all anyone really needs. Maybe in addition to a SAK/multitool for the extra tools, an axe/big chopping knife and saw for serious wood processing, or a machete-type tool for clearing brush. They can cut and be batoned about as well as any other folder that I know of, not to mention that their price makes batoning with a folder much easier to stomach, as opposed to other pricier options. Comfortable handle for carving too. As mentioned, they're a tad bulky for edc in a pants pocket...but their light weight kinda makes up for that. Throws sparks off a fero rod (assuming it's a carbon steel one), sharpens easily. Liberally oiling the pivot area will allow the wood to absorb some of the oil and help discourage the handle swelling shut. If they do get swollen shut, a whack on the bottom end of the handle, blade facing away from you usually helps to get them open. Even if you've got nicer/tougher knives, these make a great lightweight backup, as well as a knife to lend to someone, or use for the more mundane/abusive woods-tasks.
 
I agree with the above, except that even stainless will spark a fero rod. Glass will too. It's just carbon that's needed for use with flint.
 
Always got one in my pocket. You never know when it might come in handy. :)


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jeff_c said:
What do you think about Opinel as a bushcraft folder?
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Sometimes for food prep you want a good slicer - Opinel use fairly thin blades with a full flat grind = excellent slicers. I have a #4, #6, #8 Stainless w/walnut handle & a #9 - they all slice like you wouldn't believe. I keep 'em sharp - a few minutes on a strop and they start to scare me. My favourite tomato slicing knife is my #8 stainless, it is kept super sharp and the food acid doesn't bother the stainless. I think it cost be 12 bucks.

I really like Opinel knives - they cut well and cost little, what's not to like!

Joben said:
But if they observe me performing a cutting task and ask why I have it I don't know wether to scream or start laughing. It's like asking someone why they have a coat when it's cold out.
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It's raining and there is a guy using an umbrella, what's up with that? Why is he carrying an umbrella? That is the sort of mentality of the person wondering why someone would have a knife on them. Sometimes you need to cut something and a knife can be pretty useful for such a task, almost like it is 'the' tool to use for the task.
 
Joezilla said:
The problem with asking it on this forum is that even though it is a great user, hardly anyone carries it because they have a billion other folding knives that they use. They are great, worth the pawing, but seem to always end up more or less, at the bottom of the knife box!
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Good to see you proved wrong!!;)
 
Opinels are great. Light weight, inexpensive and very sharp. I have a nr. 7 in my EDC rotation, a few in the kitchen and a nr. 8 is always with me when I go camping. It is also very sheeple friendly, at least here it is. A lot of people here spend their summer holidays in France or other southern European countries. Many have seen the Opinels being used there and many take one home as a souvenir.
 
To respond on Joezillas statement, the reason why Opinels don't see that much pocket time for me is that for some reason I don't like them in my pockets. There's just something about the shape of it I guess. SAK for instance, is complete opposite.

I use my opinels mostly in kitchen and for that use they are superb!
 
I bolded "hardly anybody carries", yet there are a good number of people who do carry them and it seemed to disprove your assumption.
 
Sort of, there were alot that said they had them at the bottom of the box too. Don't think that I was bashing them, I'm just surprised that many edc them on a regular basis.
 
Bernie Garland said:
I think there the best available for price, have had them for years,skinned and butchered many a deer with one,take a wicked edge, and like i said cheap as chips :thumbup:

Bernie
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What he said.

I carry a No. 6 quite a bit. For actual everyday usage, I prefer that thin little blade to almost anything else. Sure I can't beat it through a car hood or pry with it, but I can slice a tomato paper thin in the blink of an eye. As a bushcraft blade, they can't be beat if you're carrying a good hatchet or machete as well.

I do tend to carry one open in a sheath sometimes as well. Also got half a dozen Opi paring knives in the kitchen, which along with a 12" Tramontina makes up my entire "kitchen knife" collection.
 
Since this is back in W&SS... ;)

As a "woods" knife, I am not a fan of them. I'd just want something stouter when I'm depending on it for heat, cooking, and possibly shelter.

Now as a knife to give to a boy scout or throw in a picnic kit or something similar - a cheap beater that you don't mind losing and don't care if it breaks, I think they are an excellent value.
 
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