Which Lionsteel to remember my time spent in Italy? (Opera, Daghetta, or Skinner)

Macchina

Macchina

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Apr 7, 2006
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As I have said elsewhere, I am a few weeks into a 3-month stay in Italy. I am working in Northern Italy with a branch of my company. It's been quite the transition and I would like a knife to remember it by. I searched through many sites looking for a special Italian knife and all I could come up with were $150 420 Stainless horticulture knives. The Stiletto is not really sold in country anymore.

Just before despair, I remembered that LionSteel is made in Italy! I look up the factory and it's less than an hour from where I'm living! Looking through their models, they have a lot more knives than the folding bricks I always thought they specialized in! They have 2 sizes of the Opera and the Skinner and Daghetta. I have decided to go there and get one of three models:

The Opera D2/Olivewood:
8800_ul.jpg


The Skinner 440C/Olivewood:
8901_ul.jpg


The Daghetta D2/G10:
8700_g10.jpg


I am tempted by all of them and would love to hear from anyone with experience. I would like to get Olivewood handles, but the Daghetta (cool design and cheapest price) only comes in G10... The Skinner looks great but I don't know if that handle would be comfortable. I am leaning toward the Opera with the Olivewood handles. It looks classy and conventional (the Skinner just looks cool).

Any advice or user experience?
 
I own a Big Opera and it's a beautiful knife. Large, comfortable, and well designed. I wish I could give you advice on the other two, but of the three, I'd go Big Opera. That Skinner would be my second choice. I wouldn't give the Daghetta a second look.
 
I lived in Italy for a year and a half, also in various cities in Northern Italy.

First choice would be an aluminum SR2, that knife screams Lionsteel design and Italy for me.

Second choice would be the Daghetta.

The Skinner and Opera are beautiful, but much less likely to be carried in urban environments, IMO. Get something you plan on carrying so slipping it into your pocket will put a smile on your face. Also, carry it your entire time in Italy, should help solidify the connection!
 
I would say the Daghetta. The Opera is just a plain old lock back, the skinner isn't really an EDC, and the Daghetta fits all the EDC criteria (general blade shape, pocket clip, easily operated lock, good steel).
 
austonh said:
I lived in Italy for a year and a half, also in various cities in Northern Italy.

First choice would be an aluminum SR2, that knife screams Lionsteel design and Italy for me.

Second choice would be the Daghetta.

The Skinner and Opera are beautiful, but much less likely to be carried in urban environments, IMO. Get something you plan on carrying so slipping it into your pocket will put a smile on your face. Also, carry it your entire time in Italy, should help solidify the connection!
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I'm guessing that when he says that he didn't realize LionSteel was more than just "folding bricks", he was specifically disparaging the SR series and thus wouldn't be interested in one, as misguided as that may be. ;)
 
The folding brick comment was more of a joke, especially because the SR series appears to actually be designed to be knives (vs. many of the .2"+ folders we see in this field): just very large knives. I am not really into larger knives right now and the SR1 knives appear to be quite large.

The only folders I brought to Italy are an Opinel and Victorinox Farmer: I care a bit about opening a knife with two hands ;)

Several years ago I would have been all over a Tactical knife as a memoir, but I'm really into smaller lightweight knives right now...
As far as needs, my Opinel #9 is meeting then quite well by itself. Here it is after a couple days of awesome White Peaches:
IMG_20140804_130614289_zpse8a8379d.jpg
 
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dkb45 said:
I would say the Daghetta. The Opera is just a plain old lock back, the skinner isn't really an EDC, and the Daghetta fits all the EDC criteria (general blade shape, pocket clip, easily operated lock, good steel).
Click to expand...

Eh, I hear the Daghetta is kind of like a slipjoint itself, looks like an Axis lock but not so easy to open. They only have Daghetta in G10? It's also advertised in aluminum and carbon fiber.
 
I'd go with the opera, it looks friendly, is well made and is different from other Lionsteel knives.
Their D2 is a great steel as well
 
I have the opera in cocobolo and it's beautiful. I highly recommend it.
 
I got the Daghetta AL/CF and it was really stiff and the lock mechanism sticky. I exchanged it for another one and it's much better and functional but not buttery smooth. So, try one out in person.

Maniago, Italy (70 miles northeast of Venice) with a scant population of 12,000 is world famous for knifemaking since the 15th century. LionSteel, Fox, Viper, Maserin, Fantoni, etc. are all headquartered there. I'd check them all out if I was there.
 
I had a CF Daghetta and sold it because I didn't like the lock. From the looks of the skinner (I have no experience with it) it looks to use the same lock. So I would pass on those two. YMMV but I would second what Ramzar said and try one out firsthand before you buy one. I would recommend the Opera out of your choices. Fantoni also makes excellent blades.
 
After a bit of research, the Daghetta looks like a cross between a tactical knife (that giant false back-edge) and a slip joint (the lock locks in both open and closed). No problem with this kind of lock, but I might as well go with a Gentleman's knife if it opens like a slip joint.
I have decided to go with the Opera in Olivewood. It's elegant and will go great in the pocket with that leather pocket sheath. I emailed Lionsteel about a possible tour as well and will be buying a knife direct from their factory if this is possible. It will be worth it to pick out a knife by hand. I'd also like to check out some of the other factories in the town of Maniago, if anyone has been there I'd love to hear a story or two. I was actually just there (in the foothills of the Dolemite Mountain Range) at a vinyard. It's some of the most beautiful landscape I've ever seen.

My wife took this picture last week about 15 minutes from the Lionsteel factory:
 
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Remember August is a month of holidays in Italy. I think LionSteel will be closed starting this Friday for two weeks. So, call ahead and find out for sure from each knifemaker in Maniago.

maniago.jpg
 
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RamZar said:
Remember August is a month of holidays in Italy. I think LionSteel will be closed starting this Friday for two weeks. So, call ahead and find out for sure from each knifemaker in Maniago.

maniago.jpg
Click to expand...

Believe me: I'm extremely aware! We have 4 loaves of bread in our freezer :) just when I was getting used to the fresh baked bread here. This country is preparing for Christmas Break X 4

I'm hoping to get in any the end of August.
 
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