Traditonal Folder EDC Crisis - Opinel, etc.

[davek14]

I don't buy them anymore. Many reasons have been mentioned above.
I do have 5-6 of the old ones still hanging around since I used to mod them (a little) for gifts.

Some people are not affected by the new design, some are. If you are, that's fine. If you're not, that's fine.

It is not just because someone does not like change.

Iviverito1, I wouldn't worry about it. They are still a good knife. I really like their 12c27 and you can't find too many knives in a decent stainless for the cost.

****

IMO, the problem they were trying to fix was having to get the peening on the pivot pin just right. If you look at this picture, you will see that one end of it is not even peened anymore.


There is a formed "groove" in the ring that the peened end of the pivot pin fits in.



Before the modification to the locking ring, both ends of the pivot pin were peened. The peening then prevented the locking ring from riding up when you locked the knife closed and also helped prevent the ring from popping off when you opened the knife if it was locked closed.
It held that tapered ring down on there.

I imagine that peening was hard to get just right. Sometimes it wasn't just right.
The new mod to the ring prevents the ring from riding up and makes it harder for it to pop off if you open the knife when it's locked closed. Holds the tapered ring on, as said.

It simplifies and idiot proofs the peening of the pivot pin.
They actually could not peen either end of the pivot pin and it would work now.
I imagine that retooling the locking ring that much would have been more difficult, though.



I have actually had the new ring wear too much on me and prevent tight lock up.
I smoke a pipe and used to cut tobacco at least daily. After many months of opening and closing the knife a lot, the ring wore and the little dent reached the end of the slot and prevented tight lock up.
I also prefer to file the top of the ring for a more gradual transition into locking and a tighter lock up and I can't do that anymore.

Other than that, still a good knife, though.

 

[lviverito1]

Be careful when you start thinking about locking mechanics.

Be even more careful about the impulse to modify knives.

Because if you're not careful, you'll find yourself taking knives apart, to see how they go together. Then, you may notice that they seem pretty easy to modify. Without ever looking around to see what's happening, you'll find yourself in front of a milling machine, making customs of your own.

I likely won't be modifying many pieces, if any. That being said, as an artist/designer and architect in training, the goal has always been to fabricate "traditional" customs of my own once the means are available to me. Are there any ongoing threads here that might showcase original customs (including some of the folding/pocket variety)?

 

[lviverito1]

I don't buy them anymore. Many reasons have been mentioned above.
I do have 5-6 of the old ones still hanging around since I used to mod them (a little) for gifts.

Some people are not affected by the new design, some are. If you are, that's fine. If you're not, that's fine.

It is not just because someone does not like change.

Iviverito1, I wouldn't worry about it. They are still a good knife. I really like their 12c27 and you can't find too many knives in a decent stainless for the cost.

****

IMO, the problem they were trying to fix was having to get the peening on the pivot pin just right. If you look at this picture, you will see that one end of it is not even peened anymore.


There is a formed "groove" in the ring that the peened end of the pivot pin fits in.



Before the modification to the locking ring, both ends of the pivot pin were peened. The peening then prevented the locking ring from riding up when you locked the knife closed and also helped prevent the ring from popping off when you opened the knife if it was locked closed.
It held that tapered ring down on there.

I imagine that peening was hard to get just right. Sometimes it wasn't just right.
The new mod to the ring prevents the ring from riding up and makes it harder for it to pop off if you open the knife when it's locked closed. Holds the tapered ring on, as said.

It simplifies and idiot proofs the peening of the pivot pin.
They actually could not peen either end of the pivot pin and it would work now.
I imagine that retooling the locking ring that much would have been more difficult, though.



I have actually had the new ring wear too much on me and prevent tight lock up.
I smoke a pipe and used to cut tobacco at least daily. After many months of opening and closing the knife a lot, the ring wore and the little dent reached the end of the slot and prevented tight lock up.
I also prefer to file the top of the ring for a more gradual transition into locking and a tighter lock up and I can't do that anymore.

Other than that, still a good knife, though.

Makes sense, corporations will find ways to over-engineer a commodity to please a committee instead of the consumer. As much as I wish they hadn't made the change, I don't see much of a point in forsaking a 12-20 USD knife with critically acclaimed carbone or stainless steel. Either way though, like Henry Beige and jackknife said, I probably won't be using the locking ring in the first place, using them as the friction folders they originally were; I may be a young man but I often prefer the old ways.

 

[Tyson A Wright]

I prefer the newer version. I have 2 of the 8’s and a 7 with the old lock and a 10 I just recently got with the new lock. I never really cared for the lock twisting both ways on the old version. I prefer not having to think about a knife’s mechanism or grip when I’m using it. I just want to use it. The limitation the new lock puts on the amount it rotates makes knowing where the lock is predictable without having to look or feel around for it.

If you were to look up the post history of those who objected to the new lock you’ll realize that they were mostly people who object to any new thing. They’re on the internet talking to people across the world but somehow think 50’s tech was the end all be all. Sorry, “the bees knees.”

Exceptions being people like oldmanwilly above who use or modify their opi’s a certain way. But then again, they had another project to meditate with and show off so...

I have only ever had the new version of the Opinel, and I love it. It's a great knife, and if you don't have the muscle memory of using the older version to overcome, you'll do fine with it.

But I strongly object to a blanket dismissal of those people on this thread that don't like the new version. These are some of the best posters on Blade Forums, people who have had, used, and thought about knives for a long time, and it would be a big mistake to simply write off their opinions because I disagree with them about this one thing.

-Tyson

 

[Henry Beige]

Mam knives are as good as opinel,maybe even better....

I don’t know that I would agree with that. They are lighter. They won’t roll off the table, and pocket more easily without modification. But the do not come in carbone, and they lack the subtle convexing of the Opinel blade.

 

[lonestar1979]

I prefer thin blades on mams,pretty good steel,and excellent for food cutting,they have few different handle variants....opinel is good too,but handles are too round...i like both along with victorinox,theyre food cutting knives mostly...but are ok for other tasks too if you know how to ise the knife properly.

 

[lonestar1979]

Thwres mam hunting knife stag handle,carbon steel ,about 6 inches long....looks nice,and not too expensive,am wandering rc of their carbon steel....very nice knife

 

[Henry Beige]

AMam knives are as good as opinel,maybe even better....

No, they... Never mind.

 

[nhobo]

Crisis … really?

 

[dogstar]

I've always been a fan of Svord Peasants. They are my favorite friction folders.