Opinel knives

So I finally found a local store that carry opinel knives that doesn't want $30 for one, and picked up a #8 carbon blade.

Out of the box it doesn't cut at all, the edge is, well, it dosen't have one. Where edge is suppose to be it's basically flat. After spend over 30 minutes working on it and ground it to a 30° angle however... HOLY CRAP THIS THING GETS SHARP! It's probably sharper than my spyderco centofante, which is hollow ground and sharpened at 30° as well. It slices through paper like there's nothing there. Seriously, for $12 everyone should have one of these, it's simplicity at it's best.

Doesn't MEC sell Opinel? Reminds me, I have one in a drawer somewhere, should bring it out!

Edit: $15 at MEC, $17.5 for the stainless one.

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_...T<>prd_id=845524442419673&bmUID=1204149675708

MEC is on the other side of the island right through the whole metropolitian/traffic jam area, I don't have membership either since I never shop there.

I ended up not using any oil because it's messy. I applied a thin layer of wax to both handle and blade, now water beads up and slide right off, and pivot is much smoother.

I get my opinels from smokey mountain knife works for under $10...but you have to figure in shipping too...Hereis a vid I made on a #8 stainless with etched handle...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SQIm22ShwA

Yep I saw that video from your other thread, it's actually what renewed my interest in opinel and went to look for one. I went for carbon steel because I never had a folder with carbon steel, and people say how it's easier to sharpen and gets sharper than stainless.

jzmtl said:

Yep I saw that video from your other thread, it's actually what renewed my interest in opinel and went to look for one. I went for carbon steel because I never had a folder with carbon steel, and people say how it's easier to sharpen and gets sharper than stainless.

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And your right! with the little extra care carbon steel needs it will really treat you well! I too want another opinel in carbon, maybe a slightly bigger one?

Used to have a few. The carbon steel sure got sharp (like most any good carbon steel blade), but the round cross section made the thing too fat to fit in my pocket comfortably, compared to more conventional folders of the same blade size. Good workhorse knife if you want to play peasant for a while (I always imagine some old French farmer pulling one of these out and cutting shoots off his grape vines or something), I guess....

Ever tried to EDC the first one?

Lee Valley carries the #6, 8, and 10 as well as the filet knive.

I carry the #8 in a pouch because it would sometimes open in my back pocket.

This is a great knife in carbon steel; it takes a keen edge, and will develop a nice patina.

Joe

No.7 in carbon steel & no. 8 Inox, walnut handle

jzmtl said:

Ever tried to EDC the first one?

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Thought about, yes. You know, it is a folding machete. And, if you need a machete you need it. However, I don't want mothers to gather their children as I walk by.

It is a conversation piece for the display case. I am surprised at the number of visitors that have a European travel story which ends in "I wish that I had gotten more Opinels when I was there." They see the big one and laugh then launch into their Opinel story. I love it. Most don't know that they are available in the USA.

All the best,

oregon

They're good knives. Just not designed for heavy duty chores. I've popped the locking ring off of an Opinel more than once. Luckily, the blade never closed on my fingers.

Arg, my blade and collar is turning black I know some people like patina but I sure don't, I like my knives shiny.

I have this knive since at least 14-15 years! I didn't know Opinel was well known, but I did know they were good knife. This one went to the forest to cut a lot of wood to make kid camps (I was around 12-13 when I started to use it). It was also used a lot for food, it never lost it's sharpness! It was bought directly in France by my grandmother. At some point last year It was hard to open/close the blade so I left it open but I just noticed this thread and I wanted to share a picture. The blade became loose again!

The thing that people often don't seem to realise about Opinels is that the blade is so THIN! That's why it cuts so well - especially in hard foods like cheese, onions, potatoes, apples etc - where a thick blade (which sadly is the trend) tends to try and force the item apart rather than cut it . For this reason, Opinels are the ultimate picnic knife (which is probably why they're so popular in France - ahh, French cheese and sausage by a rambling stream in the south of France...sigh), and a heck of a good utility knife to boot!

Dr_Lumen said:

ahh, French cheese and sausage by a rambling stream in the south of France...sigh

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Take me away to Marseilles.

Thank you for that image doc.

oregon