My first Opinel, so simple yet so sophisticated

January 29, 2018, 08:12 PM

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.

January 30, 2018, 06:41 PM

EssKayR22

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.

January 31, 2018, 09:59 AM

djpaintles

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??

January 31, 2018, 12:49 PM

Opus Dei

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.

February 03, 2018, 11:05 AM

Badhammer

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.

February 03, 2018, 12:54 PM

msfzoe

Based on the thread comments, gonna get an Opinel.
My EDC Spyderco Endura will spend some time in the drawer.

February 05, 2018, 11:47 AM

jhe888

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.

June 10, 2018, 01:38 AM

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.

June 10, 2018, 08:56 AM

braillediver

That's a beauty for $12.

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

June 10, 2018, 11:55 PM

EssKayR22

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!

June 13, 2018, 11:40 AM

Aeteocles

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.

July 07, 2018, 09:04 PM

amals

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.

July 23, 2018, 09:56 PM

Balzé Halzé

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

July 23, 2018, 10:12 PM

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.

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

July 23, 2018, 11:43 PM

Balzé Halzé

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.

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

August 10, 2018, 10:44 AM

dewhorse

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.

August 16, 2018, 11:03 PM

Nismo

What size or sizes do you all recommend?

I just ordered a #8 carbon.

August 20, 2018, 04:58 PM

EssKayR22

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.

May 30, 2020, 11:11 AM

x0225095

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