Why all the Opinel rave?

Wow! What a thread! Things got far too complicated for a simple knife like the opinel.

Back to the original question:

I'm a big fan of opinels. You might not like them and that's fine. I like them because they are qwerky, are a fresh canvas where you can modify them in endless ways, they cut very well for what they are, and as they age they grow character. The wood and blade darken with use. Modern knives are great, but they are a bit boring really. They just stay the same as time goes by.

Their old world charm gets me too. I love sitting by a lake with a cane pole in my hand, freshly gutted fish on the grass with an opinel next to them and thinking of how that is how it was 100 years ago. Its timeless. It just has its own special feeling to me

I have many opinels but if I had to pick one for life it would be a no.9. It just does everything I need it for so well
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
With all due respect, it sounds like you're using them REALLY wrong for that to happen...
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You're not the first to tell me that, and I'll even admit to the slim possibility that I got 4 straight QC problem with otherwise great knives (no matter how far the odds are.) However, with the same kind of usage, I've never broken a Benchmade. I've never broken a Spyderco. Victorinox, Cold Steel, Sog, Schrade, CR Sebenza, etc.

To each their own. It's obvious I'm in the minority, but there's at least one person out here with a series of bad experiences with them.
 
skmo said:
You're not the first to tell me that, and I'll even admit to the slim possibility that I got 4 straight QC problem with otherwise great knives (no matter how far the odds are.) However, with the same kind of usage, I've never broken a Benchmade. I've never broken a Spyderco. Victorinox, Cold Steel, Sog, Schrade, CR Sebenza, etc.

To each their own. It's obvious I'm in the minority, but there's at least one person out here with a series of bad experiences with them.
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What size Opinels have you broken? Where on the blade did the blade break? What were you doing to break them?

I could see busting the tips off them using them to pry, as I would with any clip point. I often modify the tips depending on use. I was gifted a #8 redone as a sheepsfoot that I use for scoring cuts in my shop. I have another #10 movified to a spear point also used for shop use. Produces a very stout tip. My woods #10 is modified to drop point. Tougher than the clip.

If you've been busting tips, I would chalk it up to learning experience with the clip point. All clip points are susceptible to that. Never bothered me with an Opinel cause I have files and pretty much plan on dropping the points anyway.

Here's a 10 and 9, both drop point modified, next to an unmodified 8.
Opinel by Pinnah, on Flickr
 
I have been EDCing my No.9 since I got it but it now rides in a belt pouch.
And, I just received my No.8 Outdoor model, in Red & Brown polymer... love it.
rolf
 
pinnah said:
What size Opinels have you broken? Where on the blade did the blade break? What were you doing to break them?

I could see busting the tips off them using them to pry, as I would with any clip point. I often modify the tips depending on use. I was gifted a #8 redone as a sheepsfoot that I use for scoring cuts in my shop. I have another #10 movified to a spear point also used for shop use. Produces a very stout tip. My woods #10 is modified to drop point. Tougher than the clip.

If you've been busting tips, I would chalk it up to learning experience with the clip point. All clip points are susceptible to that. Never bothered me with an Opinel cause I have files and pretty much plan on dropping the points anyway.

Here's a 10 and 9, both drop point modified, next to an unmodified 8.
Opinel by Pinnah, on Flickr
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Man I like those blade mods sweet.
 
I'd love to see them come out with a non-serrated version of the Outdoor model with a standard nail nick. The blades on those are thicker than their usual. Would make a good model for rougher use. The bottom one in this mockup is unaltered, the others are digital alterations.

opinelNo8outdoorcollection.jpg
 
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The cutout in the blade is for a shackle key, or something. I threw the box out.
 
Oh I know what it's for. I just like it better without. Personally I think the plain edge, nail nick, wood handle variant depicted would sell like hotcakes. It's a subtly different shape than the standard Opinel blade in addition to the increased thickness.
 
I wish they would do a plastic handled version without the stupid whistle thing. It would prevent all the worries about wood swelling and make them more idiot proof users (being an idiot this appeals to me).
 
I've gotten 2 Opinels now, a No.12 and a No.9 DIY, and they both came out of the box about as sharp as Jell-O. Sharpened up nicely, but man, they had burrs on the blade so large you could see them. I guess for ~$20 I can't really expect a completely perfect product, but it would be nice if someone had actually finished them.
 
Give the blade cutout a chance. I think you will like it.
As far as the whistle, dunt blow it. lol!!
rolf
 
I have an Inox No. 8. It's a neat, lightweight knife. However, the blade steel is pretty poor. Cuts well briefly, but dulls very quickly. Hopefully the carbon models have better blade steel. My Inox dulls faster than some cheap Chinese knives I own.
 
What are you cutting with it? Their steel has low abrasion resistance, so if cutting a lot of stuff like cardboard then you're not gonna' have a good time, but if using it on materials like wood, plastic, food, etc., then the edge should hold up fairly well.
 
I didn't care for mine - I gave it away
[video=youtube;rI3NXKjVUSo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rI3NXKjVUSo[/video]

wtlj said:
So I'm pretty new to knives and only have a few. Every time I open another thread someone mentions an opinel. I had to know what it was. So I jumped on amazon and looked up the opinel #8, $12.95 what!!! Then the picture popped up and I thought no way is this cheap funky looking thing that popular! So what's all the rave about and what are you guys using this knife for?
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I've used my #8 a lot. It has a large blade for the weight. Cuts great, easy to sharpen, easy to replace if I ever wore it out. I see a lot of butthurt over Opinels, which is pretty funny.
 
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