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what do you think of opinel

For the price: beats any modern-style cheap knife. It's like Mora but in folders: "For the price" are the key words - not a magic super knife, but certainly a good deal if you are looking for a CHEAP knife that you will not be afraid to lose or lend to your not-to-sophisticated friend or relative.
 
Don't buy an opinel...

You won't be able to stop at only buying one. :D


Just finished this older version #8 Carbon last night:

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A love it or hate it weird #10 work in progress:

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My well loved newer version #8 and tactical #12:

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So, don't buy one okay?...

;):D
 
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I've have and have carried a carbon #8 for nearly 30 years, having been a millwright, fabricator, machinist, mechanic in the grass for even longer my #8 has seen a lot of use and has been a dependable friend the entire time.
 
A #8 was my very first EDC. Sure wish I still had that thing...as a matter of fact, I think I'll go replace it now.
 
Love them always carry a no6 with my strider nothing like building up a natural patina from edc gotta love that carbon steel.
 
Opinels are truly great. Not flawless, though. You should definitely try one out. Their carbon is very good. A lot if folks like their Sandvik stainless, too. Can't go wrong either way.

I prefer the Svord peasant knife. It's not flawles, either, but fantastic when you work out the kinks. Svord's L6 tool steel is excellent. The mini peasant, unlike the full size, is a great pocket knife. I've been EDCing it and using it to make dinner. No worries about it accidentally opening in your pocket if you adjust the screws correctly.
 
dogstar said:
Opinels are truly great. Not flawless, though. You should definitely try one out. Their carbon is very good. A lot if folks like their Sandvik stainless, too. Can't go wrong either way.

I prefer the Svord peasant knife. It's not flawles, either, but fantastic when you work out the kinks. Svord's L6 tool steel is excellent. The mini peasant, unlike the full size, is a great pocket knife. I've been EDCing it and using it to make dinner. No worries about it accidentally opening in your pocket if you adjust the screws correctly.
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A very different construction altogether and thus not exactly comparable IMO.
 
Honestly, and I may be the only one, I'm not that enamored with them. I have a #8 I think that I have used and sharpened and feel I have given a fair shot. It sharpens to a beautiful edge, and cuts well. But the pivot is too sensitive to moisture, is typically finicky. The lockring is a hassle that has resulted in a cut on occasion, and there is no heft to them at all. They just don't do it for me, especially when SAK's are so comparably cheap. Give me a Cadet or Electrician for another $5-$10 any day.
 
I do love Opinel knives but I can't carry them in my pocket, especially in summer cause when wet they are hard to open.
It has been over 20 years since I first tried them and I always have one in my toolbox and glove compartment.

They are excellent slicers and come in any size you can need.
My wife always carries a blue no.1 on her keys.

I have modded handles in the past but I want try to do some blade work sometime.
There are some really cool pics of customized blades and with such thin stock they should be fairly easy to work on.
 
I got my first opinel maybe a month or so ago. I like it quite a bit. Today, I put it to the hardeat use I generally put any knife through. I butchered one of my goats with it. Now, when I started, I was flabbergasted. It worked fantastic. But to be honest, it does not retain an edge like my sharpfinger, or buck 110 that I usually use. If I was better about not hitting bones, it would be awesome. I had to resharpen 3 times, then I gave up and finished with my case sodbuster jr. now, that was a pleasant surprise. I did not intend either knife for this purpose in the first place, but I decided to try. It works well if you have the patience to keep re-touching the edge. it was a no 8 in carbon. perhaps I will try a 7 inox.
 
It would work fine in construction. It's a knife, not a chisel or a hammer.
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With concrete the locking ring gets jammed up fairly easily, so it either wont engage or wont engage well causing your fingers to slip and possible cutting yourself on the blade.

Laugh if you will but the Cliphanger ive used for years never had any of those problems
 
Simple Man said:
Honestly, and I may be the only one, I'm not that enamored with them. I have a #8 I think that I have used and sharpened and feel I have given a fair shot. It sharpens to a beautiful edge, and cuts well. But the pivot is too sensitive to moisture, is typically finicky. The lockring is a hassle that has resulted in a cut on occasion, and there is no heft to them at all. They just don't do it for me, especially when SAK's are so comparably cheap. Give me a Cadet or Electrician for another $5-$10 any day.
Click to expand...
Yank the lock ring, it takes a second to do. The pressure on the blade regulating how easy it opens or closes, is easily regulated by a rap on the pivot point.



theAntihero said:
With concrete the locking ring gets jammed up fairly easily, so it either wont engage or wont engage well causing your fingers to slip and possible cutting yourself on the blade.

Laugh if you will but the Cliphanger ive used for years never had any of those problems
Click to expand...
Yank the lock ring, it takes a second to do. The pressure on the blade regulating how easy it opens or closes, is easily regulated by a rap on the pivot point.
 
For the money, why not buy at LEAST one. I have a No. 8, and it's a phenomenal slicer, easy to sharpen, and patinas very quickly. Worst case scenario you give it to someone, and they love it more than you. I like tactical folders, wedge fixed blades, and designer steels, but I love me some Opinel, too. I've only tried the one carbon steel so far...

YvG6xSu.jpg
 
Simple Man said:
But the pivot is too sensitive to moisture, is typically finicky. The lockring is a hassle that has resulted in a cut on occasion, and there is no heft to them at all. They just don't do it for me, especially when SAK's are so comparably cheap. Give me a Cadet or Electrician for another $5-$10 any day.
Click to expand...

willc said:
I do love Opinel knives but I can't carry them in my pocket, especially in summer cause when wet they are hard to open.
Click to expand...

As noted above, they require maintenance, which may not be to everybody's liking.

Friction is controlled primarily by the inner ring, which can be opened (flat head) or closed (peen the pivot or grimp collar with pliers). Moisture is managed with regular application of mineral oil or Vaseline.

IMO, the lockring locks better if the ramp on the top of the outer ring is filed a bit to allow the ring to spin about 1/4 of the way around. I used to be similarly frustrated by the lock ring but having learned to tune them, I find them easy, reliable and infinitely more durable than any other lock I've used (Buck, Schrade, CRKT, many others). Details here:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/28597626/tuning-opinels.txt

I'm not sure that heft translates into anything. I've busted several Victorinox knives and wrecked several Bucks. Never got an Opinel to fail.


W.M.B. said:
I got my first opinel maybe a month or so ago. I like it quite a bit. Today, I put it to the hardeat use I generally put any knife through. I butchered one of my goats with it. Now, when I started, I was flabbergasted. It worked fantastic. But to be honest, it does not retain an edge like my sharpfinger, or buck 110 that I usually use. If I was better about not hitting bones, it would be awesome. I had to resharpen 3 times, then I gave up and finished with my case sodbuster jr. now, that was a pleasant surprise. I did not intend either knife for this purpose in the first place, but I decided to try. It works well if you have the patience to keep re-touching the edge. it was a no 8 in carbon. perhaps I will try a 7 inox.
Click to expand...

Is your Sharpfinger an old USA Schrade? The old Schrades were hardened to 58Rc or thereabouts, both with their 1095 and their Schrade+/440A. I find the Opinel Carbone (1085ish at around 56Rc) to be tough but not great in terms of edge retention. Another problem is that if sharpened too thin, the edge on the Carbone can fold easily. If working hard, I keep mine at 25degrees per side. If you use a more accute angle and were hitting bone, that might explain it.

I have several old Schrade 1095 blades and have had many Buck 420HC blades. I find Opinel's Inox (Sanvik 12C27 at 58-59Rc) to be on par with (old USA) Schrade's 1095 and better than Buck's 420HC in terms of edge retention. That's not super steel by any stretch. Buck's old 440C will hold an edge for game cleaning longer.


theAntihero said:
With concrete the locking ring gets jammed up fairly easily, so it either wont engage or wont engage well causing your fingers to slip and possible cutting yourself on the blade.
Click to expand...

As we discussed in the pass-around, I think this is exasperated by how small the #8 is, compared to the #9 and #10. I find the #8 too small to operate with gloves on, the #9 just barely big enough and the #10 easy to use with gloves.

I was never clear if the ring totally jammed on you or just got real gritty. I've dragged mine through sand and not every had a ring jam on me. But concrete may be different.
 
Excellent geometry, cheap steel. Opinels in M2 HSS at 66 HRC would be unbeatable.
 
Opinel can't be beat for the $.

They are fantastic pocket knives in either steel, in any wood. I have both carbon and Inox.

I like the carbon for the fact that it ages and looks used and gets color.

I like the stainless for the ease of care, and the fact that it does not impart any taste to fruit.

If I had to pick only one, it would be a stainless 10. I do find that the stainless holds an edge noticeably longer than the carbon steel. They have the same angle edge. I can get the stainless every bit as sharp, and I feel even a bit sharper, honestly! It is just a great steel.

I have a Chologans (SP) slim handle in carbon. A #8 in both carbon and stainless, and two #10's in carbon. There are more on the list. I need a 10 in Inox, and 12 in inox and will probably get them both in stainless.

I feel like the swollen joint is not really an issue for me for opening. I have had my #7 sweaty, wet, rain, snow, and even swimming for hours. Literally, it was in a life fest pocket, while floating a river in the water. It was wet for hours, and still opened fine. It is easy to open one handed. Maybe that is a unique situation. I put a drop of oil on the joint now and then (sewing machine oil), and have never done a soak in any kind of oil, or sealed the end etc.

I also really need some in the premium woods. A #8 in Ebony would be perfect.
 
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Love them. :cool: I don't see much actual difference in use between carbon and inox, but I prefer carbon just for the nice patinas you can apply to them. As has been shown, they are also a blast to customize. The steels and heat treats they use, plus the wooden handles, lend themselves very well to the file and rasp. :thumbup:
 
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