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My first Opinel, so simple yet so sophisticated Login/Join 
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Picture of GarandGuy
posted
Maybe because it's French, I dunno? But I'm loving this little Opinel folder. It was gifted to me at Christmas. It's razor sharp and just so different from my daily carry Benchmade's or Spyderco. I just feel kinda fancy when I'm carrying it, especially in its factory leather sheath.


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What's the sense in working hard if you never get to play?
 
Posts: 1073 | Location: On the outskirts of Richmond | Registered: September 10, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I LOVE my Opinels! I have a 6, 8, 10 slim, and now a 12. They are wonderful in the kitchen. Thin, sharp, and just plain useful. I usually carry a Benchmade, Spyderco, or ZT. I was very surprised at how much I love my Opinels.
 
Posts: 248 | Location: Salt Lake City, Utah | Registered: January 30, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Opinels are just cool. They sharpen quickly and easily and get razor sharp. The rolling collar makes for a very strong knife too. Light to carry. Inexpensive too. What's not to like??


Remember, this is all supposed to be for fun...................
 
Posts: 4123 | Registered: April 06, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Dies Irae
Picture of Opus Dei
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quote:
Originally posted by GarandGuy:
I just feel kinda fancy when I'm carrying it, especially in its factory leather sheath.
Treat yourself to one with a figured-wood handle for the times you wear a suit.
 
Posts: 5750 | Location: Fort Heathen, Texas | Registered: February 25, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Great, inexpensive knives that cut way above their price point. I keep a #8 & #9 in carbon steel handy in the house for a bunch of cutting needs be it a letter, package, an apple or a loose thread. Always handy though I could have easily gone with a smaller model these fit my hand well if and when I slip one beside my wallet on the way out the door.
 
Posts: 90 | Location: SW VA | Registered: January 25, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of msfzoe
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Based on the thread comments, gonna get an Opinel.
My EDC Spyderco Endura will spend some time in the drawer.
 
Posts: 2422 | Location: newyorkistan | Registered: January 06, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Little ray
of sunshine
Picture of jhe888
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Opinels are good knives, and at the price, are tremendous knives.

They have a solid lock, good steel, great blade geometry (very thin and are great cutters). They sharpen up nicely.




The fish is mute, expressionless. The fish doesn't think because the fish knows everything.
 
Posts: 53117 | Location: Texas | Registered: February 10, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Frangas non Flectes
Picture of P220 Smudge
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I had noticed this thread and a few others praising these knives and decided to try one out at some point. Some point came today. We went to the farmer's market in town and wandered in an antique store. Next to the bowl of smashed up pocket knives was a little gift box like so:

They wanted $12 for it. So I looked it over, determined it had never been used or handled, and paid the lady for my first Opinel, an olivewood No 8 Inox. I'd have preferred carbon steel, but hey, $12.

I quite like it so far. It's a nice looking knife, feels great in the hand, impressive cutter, locks up solid, lightweight. The grain on this olive is nice. I need to oil it, though. The blade and lock are quite stiff.

I want to try a No 8 Gardening type next. It's got a spear point instead of a saber point.


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Carthago delenda est
 
Posts: 17055 | Location: Sonoran Desert | Registered: February 10, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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That's a beauty for $12.

I need to pickup an Opinel and also a Douk-Douk.


____________________________________________________

The butcher with the sharpest knife has the warmest heart.
 
Posts: 13386 | Location: Bottom of Lake Washington | Registered: March 06, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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That's a great price for that package! Some like to pop the locking collar off, warm up the handle so it will soak it up better, then work melted paraffin wax into the pivot area. This will lubricate the action a bit and help to waterproof the open end grains for a bit better use in food prep or wet conditions. Nice grab!
 
Posts: 248 | Location: Salt Lake City, Utah | Registered: January 30, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
eh-TEE-oh-clez
Picture of Aeteocles
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by P220 Smudge:
I had noticed this thread and a few others praising these knives and decided to try one out at some point. Some point came today. We went to the farmer's market in town and wandered in an antique store. Next to the bowl of smashed up pocket knives was a little gift box like so:

They wanted $12 for it. So I looked it over, determined it had never been used or handled, and paid the lady for my first Opinel, an olivewood No 8 Inox. I'd have preferred carbon steel, but hey, $12.

I quite like it so far. It's a nice looking knife, feels great in the hand, impressive cutter, locks up solid, lightweight. The grain on this olive is nice. I need to oil it, though. The blade and lock are quite stiff.

I want to try a No 8 Gardening type next. It's got a spear point instead of a saber point.


I've heard that petroleum jelly is the preferred lubricant, mushed in there with a matchstick. My understanding is the wood just sucks up lubricant oil and swells, which messes with the pivot tension. I don't have an Opinel to confirm.
 
Posts: 13046 | Location: Orange County, California | Registered: May 19, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by P220 Smudge:
I had noticed this thread and a few others praising these knives and decided to try one out at some point. Some point came today. We went to the farmer's market in town and wandered in an antique store. Next to the bowl of smashed up pocket knives was a little gift box like so:

They wanted $12 for it. So I looked it over, determined it had never been used or handled, and paid the lady for my first Opinel, an olivewood No 8 Inox. I'd have preferred carbon steel, but hey, $12.

I quite like it so far. It's a nice looking knife, feels great in the hand, impressive cutter, locks up solid, lightweight. The grain on this olive is nice. I need to oil it, though. The blade and lock are quite stiff.


Nice find, but you need to go to confession; you stole it.
 
Posts: 2687 | Registered: November 02, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Tinker Sailor Soldier Pie
Picture of Balzé Halzé
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Amazingly I only just noticed this thread.

Got my first Opinel last Christmas in France while I was with my wife's family. The knife was a gift from my brother in law. It's some kind of limited edition. I quite love it.

Observe:









~Alan

Acta Non Verba
NRA Life Member (Patron)
God, Family, Guns, Country

Men will fight and die to protect women... because women protect everything else. ~Andrew Klavan

"Once there was only dark. If you ask me, light is winning." ~Rust Cohle
 
Posts: 30297 | Location: Elv. 7,000 feet, Utah | Registered: October 29, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Frangas non Flectes
Picture of P220 Smudge
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That’s cool! Have you used it at all? I find I keep wanting to use mine with food, just because. Damn fine cheese or apple knife. Big Grin

There’s something different about your lock, the indent in the last picture isn’t present on mine.


______________________________________________
Carthago delenda est
 
Posts: 17055 | Location: Sonoran Desert | Registered: February 10, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Tinker Sailor Soldier Pie
Picture of Balzé Halzé
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by P220 Smudge:
That’s cool! Have you used it at all? I find I keep wanting to use mine with food, just because. Damn fine cheese or apple knife. Big Grin

There’s something different about your lock, the indent in the last picture isn’t present on mine.


Haha, like you, only food. Mostly cheese when the wife and daughter and I are picnicking, camping, or hiking but fruit too. Yes, it's the perfect little knife for such. And it's so lightweight that it's nothing to carry.

As far as the indent, I can't tell if it has any specific purpose.


~Alan

Acta Non Verba
NRA Life Member (Patron)
God, Family, Guns, Country

Men will fight and die to protect women... because women protect everything else. ~Andrew Klavan

"Once there was only dark. If you ask me, light is winning." ~Rust Cohle
 
Posts: 30297 | Location: Elv. 7,000 feet, Utah | Registered: October 29, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Telecom Ronin
Picture of dewhorse
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Thank you for spending more of my money, I had put off buying one of these for years but this post pushed me to buy a #8 with the olive wood handle.

Received it yesterday, for the money it's quite nice. I have been looking for a folding steak knife and this will fill the bill nicely.
 
Posts: 8301 | Location: Back in NE TX ....to stay | Registered: February 12, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
The cake is a lie!
Picture of Nismo
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What size or sizes do you all recommend?

I just ordered a #8 carbon.
 
Posts: 7415 | Location: CA | Registered: April 08, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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quote:
Originally posted by Nismo:
What size or sizes do you all recommend?

I just ordered a #8 carbon.


I think the 8 is the perfect place to start, especially if you want to carry it with you. They also make a gardener knife that has more a drop point, if you want something other than the standard clip point.

My current favorite is the 12. I use my 12 in the kitchen quite a bit and it really works well.
 
Posts: 248 | Location: Salt Lake City, Utah | Registered: January 30, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
PopeDaddy
Picture of x0225095
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Just pitching in here ... I got an Opinel for my birthday last year. Neat little #8.

Searching around today. The #8 Khaki (olive) is out of stock. Going another direction, I found this ... what a great all-weather utility tool!

Opinel Outdoors Series
https://www.opinel-usa.com/col...riant=13651457441882


0:01
 
Posts: 4200 | Location: ALABAMA | Registered: January 05, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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