Photos Unusual Olivewood Opinel

[brandonc]

I got an Olivewood opinel as an early christmas present for myself, and to me the wood looks unusual with 2 way different grains. It looks like it is 2 different woods.

My question is this normal for olivewood?

I'm disappointed because this is my first opinel.

It's also my first olivewood knife so I don't know if this is normal but the whole handle doesn't look like other olivewood I've seen online.

 

[BDubbs]

Grain looking down at the top of the blade seems to match to me....

 

[brandonc]

Grain looking down at the top of the blade seems to match to me....

And way different from the other side. To me it looks like the handle was made from two split dowels of different wood.

But again, I just don't know if it is normal for a single piece of olivewood to look so different.

 

[BDubbs]

I see what your saying, but I didn’t see any kind of line where they would have joined them together and the wood color seems consistent. It’s an extremely popular knife so you won’t have any issues moving it along if you can’t return it. Good luck.

 

[Prester John]

I got an Olivewood opinel as an early christmas present for myself, and to me the wood looks unusual with 2 way different grains. It looks like it is 2 different woods.

My question is this normal for olivewood?

I'm disappointed because this is my first opinel.

It's also my first olivewood knife so I don't know if this is normal but the whole handle doesn't look like other olivewood I've seen online.

I think that is a beautiful knife. Olive wood may be my favourite wood.

 

[sitflyer]

It's a natural material and natural materials can have wide variances in appearance. I really like the looks of your knife. It is unique, and that is part of the appeal of natural materials usage in constructing things that people want or need...

 

[Bigfattyt]

Looks lovely. Honestly, what are you disappointed about??

I'd be stoked to get that handle.

Tell you what, I'll send you a plain normal looking opinel....you send me that one!!

 

[Arathol]

Mix of heart wood and sap wood? Sometimes the difference can be quite striking.

 

[MolokaiRider]

That looks great! Personally I admire that uniqueness.

 

[meako]

Could be from the centre grain or maybe a knot....imo looks great....

 

[Will Power]

Can't see the pix unfortunately But Olive wood like Pistachio is very varied and can be striped, it's not a uniform wood like most Oak or Ebony for instance, this is its attraction. Juniper is similar, plus it has a wonderful scent

 

[Jolipapa]

And way different from the other side. To me it looks like the handle was made from two split dowels of different wood.

But again, I just don't know if it is normal for a single piece of olivewood to look so different.

I see what your saying, but I didn’t see any kind of line where they would have joined them together and the wood color seems consistent. It’s an extremely popular knife so you won’t have any issues moving it along if you can’t return it. Good luck.

People in the valley where Opis originated (Maurienne) are, say, very "money conscious" (other valleys say they have urchins in their pockets ). So it would be a waste of time or money to glue two halves (and in the wrong way) when a single kerf does the job.
Imho the guy who did it took time to make it even and give unique personality to the knife.

 

[Chui]

.......what gorgeous Olive Wood..! Yes, this wood has the characteristic of changing grain like that.

I hope you grow to love it.

This is a part of an Olive serving platter we bought in the Med a few summers ago........you can particularly see in bottom left hand corner how the grain suddenly changes

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Looks like the natural intersection, in one piece, of heartwood and sapwood, as per the image of olivewood above. That's the beauty, quite literally, of natural wood materials.

Image above is from Woodcraft's site, in the article linked below:
https://www.woodcraft.com/blog_entries/woodsense-spotlight-on-olivewood#

 

[Horsewright]

Yes that is normal and its all one piece. I find it very attractive wood and I use to use it a lot. I had a cool source that has kinda dried up so I don't use it as much the last few years. I would agree that you have a piece of sapwood/heartwood.

Same deal on these guys:

 

[kamagong]

It's wood. Those idiosynchracies are what make it beautiful.

 

[brandonc]

Thank you all for such kind comments! Great pictures
.

 

[BDubbs]

Thank you all for such kind comments! Great pictures
.

So it’s a keeper?

 

[brandonc]

So it’s a keeper?

Undecided right now. Also undecided on getting a premium wood no. 6

 

[The Zieg]

Undecided right now. Also undecided on getting a premium wood no. 6

Keep it. Use it.

Zieg