ah the good old Opinel: you buy them, use them without raising eyebrows, lose them without losing too much money, use them on you firesteel without regrets, sculpt them without powertools (since you can use another opinel to do th job) and gift them with a lot smiles in return. Great pieces
Hello, I have been in France many times but I dont see opinel knives in your knife shops? Just me that is looking from my toes or are they just not there?
I love my No. 8. Had it for 40 years and it still does everything it should. I drilled a hole for a paracord loop and give it a coat of oil every year. Use it for hunting, camping, fishing and never wanted to change. Classic design that just works.
@Ralph Reilly I do use it often, but to be fair, the Opinel is not the only knife I own and mostly fills a secondary role. I love the Triggers Broom reference, nice! (My medal would only be for somehow not losing the thing over all these years)
I don't think there is realy an other design that give the same feeling as an Opinel. It is the original, like the Mora classic nr 2 or Buck 110. It is not only the design but more the feeling that It gives you
Well, one could argue about it being "the original". There's something made since at least 1422 in a small valley in austria that looks like the predecessor of the opinel. The channel swiss bianco has an old video about them: (although he has a stainless one which i have never seen before) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-bwZ89a3FKic.html
Hello from France. I agree with you about the n°8 jardin : It's not the original (historical ?) shape but it is as efficient as the n°8 "classic", a little bit lighter, and ... much more elegant !
I didn't discover Opinel until a couple of years ago. The stainless Number 8 has a permanent place in my camping gear, specifically when it comes to cooking and firestarting. The locked collar works perfectly with the spine dragging along a firesteel and the blade is thin and works great for cutting up onions or as your eating knife. It's truly an ingenious design and will be there the rest of my life.
Yes! They really fit that niche like no other knife! Essential for camping as they’re like a folding kitchen knife (and more). I’ve had friends who have kept them in their kitchen for everyday use
You have an Opinel in your camping gear? Dude you could have basically any other knife ever made and it would serve you better lol Opinel knives are a joke.
@@FromRussia_With_Love Yes, it's like a folding kitchen knife, really good for food prep. The larger ones have a decently thick blade as well, I've got an Opinel 10 that I was gifted 26 years ago that is still going strong. There are some things it's probably best to use a heavier knife for, and I do, I take more than one knife camping as I'm usually going away for weeks or months at a time.
I have a number of stainless number 8's lying here and there including my glove box alongside a Victorinox rescue tool, but my edc is a number 8 carbon, it's much easier to keep sharp and is in practice better for eating and food prep.
I got my first Opinel while taking a French course in Savoie when a local student saw my Victorinox, and have had several Opinels since. It's become my standard EDC knife because other than cutting fruit for lunches and the occasional jerk chicken (those plastic utensils are totally useless), I don't need anything fancy. It's sharp, it's comfortable, and it's safe. Very low maintenance compared to larger multitools and the design is unintimidating in comparison with other single-blade folding knives. An opinel will rarely be mistaken for a weapon instead of the amazing useful tool that it is! Absolutely love it and recommend wholeheartedly.
Hello from France. I currently have in front of me my Opinel n°6 and my Case Knives Sod Buster Jr. In my opinion, the Sod Buster is to the Americans what the Opinel is to the Frenchs: a little endearing traditionnal knife made for working. In France, some remember their grandfather with an Opinel in his hand and i think this is certainly the case in the United States with the Sod Buster. Their stories have been written not by their makers but by their owners over the decades. And this is one of the reasons why i am very happy to have them and others traditionnal knives in my collection: they are not luxurious knives but knives with a history, a past that much more recent knives do not have. Goodbye.
Cool topic. I take the Laguiole as a "gentleman's" steak knife with me sometimes for use in restaurants (sometimes the knives are terrible), as was common in France. Another classic in this category is the Higonokami knife. Cheers!
haha yes good idea to bring your own knife! no doubt some steak restaurants do not provide decent steak knives. Either because it is an old restaurant that just did not replace silverware as regularly expected but still has decent menu and quality or one of those low class chain restaurants that has bad food and bad cutlery.
@@nozrep such as so many American restaurants that give me a (gasp!) serrated knife for cutting my steak or chicken. At home I use silver and pearl inlay steak knives from 1955, long thin plain edge blades; both beautiful and efficient.
A good Higonokami will take even a finer edge, but its geometry and grind make it less slicy. Slice up an apple with both and you will feel the difference immediately.
I remember eating in the countryside in France. People brought their own knife to the table, lots of Opinels (I had mine too), and a few Laguioles too, both excellent choices for cutting saucisson and cheese. Also many Laguiole knives have a built-in corkscrew, an important accessory in France.
I moved to France from the UK in 2004. I now have a collection of different sizes, colours, wood type, blade shape. On your point I once had a Citroen Dyane. Designed for the French countryside, a suspension that coped with unmade roads without breaking boxes of eggs..... and both front door pockets designed to hold a bottle of wine. The French have things figured out 😂
I have several Opinels but my first was free. There was an advert in the Beano offering a free knife for the price of a first class stamp -6d (2 1/2p) in 1965. A few weeks later I got a package containing a no. 10 which in my 8 year old hand looked like a carving knife. Brilliant. I kept it right up to the second my mum saw it. ;0)
Laguiole knives also have a lot of history that I think you could have delved into a bit. Also mentioning how popular they are in the steak knife class. That folder could very well be a pocket steak knife 😀
Bought the set of Laguiole steak knives. Not a fan. Impressive. Slim. Sharp w/o being dangerous. Laguiole fail on the tableware in the hand where they roll easily and struggle in deep cuts of beef that shows they’re dainty-ness.
@@rr6013 With regards the " Laguiole" steak knives there are many knives marked "Laguiole" on the blade and with the iconic "bee" on the back of the handle. I stll have some of these copies with nasty green plastic handles from way back! The " Laguiole" trade mark was not recognised untill 2019 and is still contested by knifemakers in Thiers France whose argument is that Laguiole is a style of knife; not a knife exclusevely made in the village of Laguiole. In a resturant here nearly everyone eating meat will use their own folding Lagouile. Lagouile has a nice Bonus in that take it to the factory or factory shop and they resharpen it for free. For general outdoor use the Opinel is the bees knees.
I wish more companies would sell knives with the geometry of Opinels. Something that thin behind the edge is an automatic buy for me. Because I buy knives to cut things
Then look into Pallares. Old Spanish brand, their main model is the "navaja comun", and arguably the edge geometry is even better than the Opinel. Square heel slipjoint instead of the locking ferrule, and a slightly slimmer handle, but a banger of a knife. Even though I'm French, I actually prefer the Pallares.
I believe in France they are known as 'Tap Opinel'. The heel of the handle can be struck on a hard surface to start the blade out in the event that the wood has swollen and made it stiff to open. Neat feature.
@@duartesimoes508 Nah, I've tapped many Opinels, the handles can handle it just fine. You just need a swift short tap, you could use the bottom of your shoe, absolutely no need to hammer them into a concrete wall or something.
A knife that should have made the list is the Higo No Kami. I recently purchased one and it is definitely a good knife for around the same price as the opinel. And the fact that it is made in Japan and has a rich history behind it makes it a good alternative
Really no reason not to get an Opinel, unless it just doesn't meet your needs. It's got the elegant traditional design, simple yet refined, and inexpensive. Ticks all the boxes.
Even the ones with "nicer" wood handles are still inexpensive. I have one with walnut and it was less than 20€. The opinel definitely deserves its place in the best tool designs ever, and not just for knives.
I'm originally from Solingen, Germany. A city world famous for knifes and baldes. My father threatened to disinheritance my because my edc knife is an Opinel ;). My tip: fry them in a high temperature cooking oil. It darkens the wood and gives it a unique look.
@@moritzlaszlo3115your father clearly has more sense than yourself 😂. Any random aliexpress folder made with a decent steel is better than that French overhyped piece of crap.
They are great knives but i just wish they made the exact same thing but with a plastic handle so it doesn’t get stained with oil and grease (i’m a industrial maintenance mechanic) and with one hand opening,might just make that one day with their outdoor series and a regular opinel for the plain edge and add a thumb stud
@@moritzlaszlo3115 mine fell next to the hotplate and got almost burned, it's now dark on more than half but no real damage at all. I wasn't even mad when it happened it looks cool as hell
I bough my Opinel no8 in November 2022 for 8€ in a gun shop here in austria. Then again American knives are like double the price here cause of taxes and shipping.
About the wood swelling issue, there's a technique called "Coup de Savoyard" or Savoyard's Knock to easily solve that problem. There's a nice little demonstration video here in RU-vid. Great knives Opinel.
I've owned and used an Opinel for over 35 years and I've only ever had swelling bad enough to impact on use once. I left it in a wash bowl overnight while camping one time. After drying it off and playing around with it I actually got it 'working' again - well good enough to use in the garden anyway. Have a great day.
An even better technique is to strip the varnish coating and give the knife an oiled finish. Then you can wash the whole knife in soap and water and not worry about the wood swelling the knife shut.
Stripped one. Soaked in Watco Danish Oil. It took some time. But what it does is soaks in then polymerizes. Like linseed oil but faster. Nice durable finish.
For me, the Opinel is my camping food prep knife. Stainless, easy to clean, disposable (I've misplaced a couple) and about as slicey as you can get. It can even carve would reasonably well with that convex grind, say if i'm on a daytrip and want to make feathersticks for a small fire to brew a round of tea but I didn't bring my jääkäripuukko.
I'm with you. Despite having a range of more modern and more expensive knives my Opinel remains my camping/hiking/picnic food prep knife. It weighs almost nothing and can be easily tucked away in your gear so it's out of the way when not used. Love it. Have a great day.
Opinel is a special knife, same with Mora, Wenger and Victorinox. I first came into contact with Opinel number 8 42 years ago. I don't remember which book it is, but the book describes how two men meet in an alley and prepare to settle a fight. And one of them says something like: "...je vais t'apprendre à danser avec mon Opinel..."
The K55 is surprisingly comfortable if you use a chef’s knife pinch grip. The simple steel scales are very thickly enameled. And it is sharp out of the box and sharper still with a nice stone.
I have the Opinel number 6 and 8, and I own probably 40 other knives, and the No. 6 Opinel I use more than any other knife. I eat with it every day, it's my dedicated cheese knife something I consume daily:)
The Douk-Douk is one hell of a knife. Very strong and brutal, yet very light. This is a real outdoor folder. The carbon blade is easy to maintain and you can make it razor sharp.
i was in the French Foreign Legion in 1980's and this Opinel number 8 was issued as part of our kit from day 1 ! and i still have mine, with a 13dble carved into the handle !
@lee_masters= You could have added, for the non-french readers, that the 13° DBLE (Demi-Brigade de la Légion Étrangère) is one of the most famous regiments in the French army - having served with great distinction in WW II (Narvik, Bir-Hakeim, El Alamein, the Campaign of France) then in Indochina and Algeria and other campaigns in Africa. A great honor to you, Sir, to have served in such a unit.
I always appreciate the comparisons and especially the history behind many classic knives. The Laguiole is also very well known for their classic wine keys.
5 месяцев назад
I have three that I bought in New Orleans, But I use my Opinels daily.
The Opinels typically have a wire edge when they come from the factory. But once you strop that off, they are lasers. The one thing that is not good about Opinels is the wood swelling. Many people are turned off by the "stuck" blade when that happens. Their Outdoor No8 with the synthetic handle eliminates that completely. I would love to see Opinel make the No8 or No9 with the synthetic handles or the No8 Outdoor with a plain edge blade, now that would be the bee's knees! thanks for the review.
I did not know about the wire edge "tradition "? I have several opinel knives bought new, carbon blades, all were perfectly sharp out of the box, no need to strop. The factory tour shows the blade being sharpened between to angled wheels, I do not see how this sharpening technique would create a wire edge?
I own way too many Opinel knives at this point and I got to say one thing I appreciate about them a lot is how easy it is to modify or repair them due to their extreme simplicity, without special tools or much experience. Easy to take apart, easy to fix or modify, easy to adjust the tightness of the Virobloc. I would even go as far as saying it encourages experimentation (there are many videos online about Opinel customization) because even if you mess up it doesn't break the bank to get another one.
Just got one today and I love it way more than my Spyderco, reminds me of the knives I've been making since I was a kid. Definitely going to keep it on me from now on
G'day mate, I'm a Opinel convert, didnt think I'd like 'em all, I like robust, but these are so fit for purpose, (and of course inexpensive). I will say; now having the 8.9 & 10; the top rear handle needs rounding over on all sizes for me. But @ least you can EASILY. A few minutes work = an outstanding design even better IMO & and as a bonus, ...... what a fantastic "steak knife" without needing serrations. Cheers Duke.
Love my no. 7 Opinel. It’s a rather old version without the close notch, but it’s perfect for my hand and is great for whittling and lives in my pocket for whenever I stumble across an interesting piece of wood. I do want to get or find a classic no. 8 to see how it feels. The Old Bear and Mam are cool looking too, I’d like to get one of each some time
I would not suggest it now, but when the closed notch ring came out I only had one Opinel; I popped the ring off, cut a notch, then put the ring back on. 30 years later it is still going strong!
I think we lost it after the sentinel 😂. Opinel is a cheap simple knife that does what a knife was supposed to do. Slicing! No batoning no prying no unscrewing flathead screws. It’s as if you carry a pairing kitchen knife that folds in your pocket. I would call it almost a disposable knife.With that being said I don’t believe a $150 or $200 knife has any place in this list. Or any of the modern looking knives that even though they are cheap, they have the profile of a construction type knife like a Milwaukee. I could see a 93mm alox soldier from Victorinox or wenger, a friction folder japanese that i can’t recall it’s name but it looks like the german black cat,or the Greek traditional lapithiotiko that is basically a friction folder but with handle made of goat or ram horn.
I love my opinel No. 8. I used to carry it often. Because of this video it's going back to rotation! Edit: I used it yesterday and almost cut my finger off. I forgot how sharp it is!
I went on pilgrimage in 2013, walking the Camino De Santiago. At the end of the journey, there washes guy holding out a box of Opinel knives. It was a box quantity of 10 knives and there were about 2-3 left. I thought he was selling them, but found out he was giving them away, so I took one for myself. A simple yet awesome knife.
For traveling: In a lot of countries most of the shown knives can get you in very serious legal trouble. In Germany for instance only such knives are legal: Folding knives that can be opened with one hand and do not lock the blade. Folding knives that ca be opened with two hands only and lock the blade. No limitation on the length though exept for fixed knives. For fixed blade length must be under 12 cm (4.72 in.) Meaning, if you carry any knife that can be opened with one hand and locks is considered to be a lethal weapon and can lock you in, seriously. Therefore, knives such as Opinel and Mercator are legal in most countries but not the modern flippers.
I am a chef. I bought my opinel sometime in the 80s for my field cooking kit and I have not found a better solution since. The only mod I made was to flatten out the left scale for a D cross section for😊 improved controll. The Cat was the knife the opinel replaced.
If you want a close competitor for Opinel, take a look at Verdier Manufacture. Their model l'Alpage is probably as close as it gets. The knife manufacturer has been around since 1859 and rumour has it that there is debate over who invented the Viro bloc, some voices claiming that it actually was Verdier and not Opinel. The similarity to Opinel is uncanny, even closer than any Antonini.
Love my opinel carbone. Stays sharp for what seems like forever (if you're using it for light duty or food prep like I do). And I love that they have a carbon steel version.
Are you serious? Carbon blades are terrible at food prep, everything tastes like the steel - and acidious food quickly turns it into rust. Try their stainless version.
@@mannihh5274 I've had mine for years and it's never rusted, because i carry it with me everywhere i can maintain it regularly. It does turn black from the reaction but as long as you wipe it off after you're done and don't let it sit on the blade its fine. I put a drop of mineral oil down into the pivot every once in a while. Not a single spot of rust. Food tastes fine too. All my stainless kitchen knives seem to get dull after a few months but i haven't sharpened my opinel in almost a year and it still cuts like a beast
It’s hard to have this comparison without including the Buck 112 slim. I’m a tradesman and use my main blade hard. I carried the 112 slim for a few years as my main/working blade and it was a great working man’s knife. I carried an Inox Opinel #8 a few years before that and they compare very well. Sometimes I would miss the slicey nature of the #8 but then other times I would appreciate the toughness of the 420HC.
This has been my choice for a first camping knife for kids. The locking mechanism is easy for small hands to use (and a locking blade is a good idea when kids are using it) It's not too expensive when the kid breaks or (more likely) loses it. But best of all the simple wood handle is easy to sand down/ stain/ paint/ carve, to customize it for whoever you're giving it to. If you've ever had to hunt for sibling gifts where they each want the same thing but in a different color you'll appreciate that. My niece has one that was stained purple with berry juice from the woods and my nephew has one painted bright orange (his favorite color). My wife also loves the aesthetics of the Opinel and carries one that I stained the handle light green as her EDC.
It was my first knife, I got it when I was 8 or so. Still got it in one of my EDC jackets. Been putting off for ages getting a size 10 stainless as a camp knife. The 7 is a little small in my big hands these days..
5 месяцев назад
I do have one cation, too easy for the hand to slide forward to the blade if hands are wet. As sharp as they are, kids must be alert to this mistake that has happen to the careless.
I worked renovating a farm house in Brittany in 80 At the end they gifted me an Opinel #12, which was the standard length of all the workers and farm hands Still have it An amazing work knife
Opinel is over estimated (too expensive for that type of knife) Say NO to Opinel! Yes, I use ColdSteel Cudu Lite (I would like to buy Cudu Eland but, I cant find)
I think that if you have the possibility of getting a Spanish "Navaja cabritera" in the USA, it is an incredible option, especially if it is from Albacete or Andalusia. On the one hand, they probably have the oldest tradition of manufacturing folding/pocket knives, coupled with their know-how with steel, which enjoys world-wide fame and are made by hand, by blacksmiths in an artisan way with prices equal to or less than any industrial "brand". I got an "albaceteña" in a hollyday and now have a pocket knife for life.
I have their mushroom knife. It's sharp but that's about all I like about it. It feels cheap to me. I don't like the sliding sleeve. I've dropped it in the woods before and had a hell of a time finding it. My sister got me a yellow handle fixed blade mushroom knife that I tend to grab way more often.
Nice review. I like to mention the difference between the "summer Opinel" and the "winter Opinel". Not living in a desert environment, we have a lot more humidity in the summer months, and during that time, I need to use a lot more effort to open the knife due to the swelling of the wood as it absorbs moisture. It won't be loose in the winter, but it will swing with almost negligible friction. I've heard of folks taking them apart to sand out a bit of wood in the pivot to make them easier to open in humid weather, but I don't think I would like the result in the winter months. It's the character of the knife, if you can't embrace it, get something different.
I just hose it down with mineral oil so the wood swells permanently and it is kinda stiff all year round which I prefer since I can use it without bothering with the locking ring if I wanna just slash something open real quick and I don't have to worry about it falling closed by gravity on my finger!
To prevent the blade from jamming, it is customary to "fry" your Opinel. In a small saucepan, add cooking oil (I use canola oil) until the knife is completely covered. Heat the oil slowly until the wood begins to release small air bubbles. The temperature of the oil should be kept as low as possible. After 30 minutes, the wood has stored so much oil in its structure that water can no longer penetrate and jammed blades due to swelling wood are a thing of the past. You should also open the blade at a 90 degree angle and leave it sticking out of the oil so that it doesn't get too hot. A pleasant side effect is that the higher the temperature and the longer it is in the oil, the more the wood darkens. They are simply great knives for little money!
Benchmade is so overpriced for what you get because you simply don't need a "supersteel" for this application (and I'd argue that you *never* need "supersteel"). For that kind of money I'd go for the style, fit and finish of the Laguiole.
It's cheap and light, but definitely not the best metal. If you just need a cheap knife they're perfect. If you want something high quality you're barking up the wrong tree.
Oh yeah, here in France, it is in every pocket ! What's incredible is that you can use them to sculpt wood, open bottles, scrape stuff, cook, attack bony meat... They will chip (though not that much, being a soft steel 1075/12c27 type), they occasionally loose their tips, they can't stay sharp. But even dull and chipped, they will glide through anything because they are so thin! I systematically reshape them to drop point and round handle heel (like the garden model) and personalise them with pyro-pen (what's the American for pyrograveur?). Hate them, because they are not supersteel knives, they fidget like a grandma and they are so cheap. My brother has another approach, he keeps the shape intact, but spends hours making precious wood handles and mirror polish those piece of crap steel blades. And he makes fun of me, with my super expansive supersteel, always too thick for apples and daily stuff blades. Need the new Magnacut CF Taggedout ASAP!!!
Amazing blade as its thin and sharp, cut anything as butter when its sharp. Cheap and easy to use. Simple and small. BUT... its more of a backup knife or knife for people that use knife out of the kitchen only when they are in a garden as its just tad to thin, and it can break easily and wiggle side to side after some time if you really use them. Still I have two of them and will probably buy more in my life time as anyone else :D
I bought my No.9 Opinel in about 1979. It was heavily used hiking and climbing for about 20 years. It's excellent! It's light; cuts fruit or rope well; spreads things on bread; has served as a piton on a few occasions; the round handle is very comfortable and makes a good toilet-roll holder; and it's narrow enough to push a cork into a wine-bottle if you need to open it. The only downsides are that it doesn't have a lanyard hole; the handles swells when (even slightly) wet and jams the knife completely; and you can't open it one-handed. I made a lanyard hole with a friend's drill, but the other two I couldn't solve. I therefore set out to replace it. 24 years on, and my Opinel is still in my backpack, and I have drawers full of other knives I've tried, including a few you've shown here. Nothing else combines the light weight, comfortable handle, and blade long enough to cover a slice of bread in one swipe. Maybe I should try the synthetic Opinel, and get someone to put thumbstuds on the blade, and a knob onto the locking collar for one-hand opening. I'll think about it.
About the wood swelling issue, there's a technique called "Coup de Savoyard" or Savoyard's Knock to easily solve that problem. There's a nice little demonstration video here in RU-vid. Great knives Opinel.
@@jotade2098 Thanks for the info. I'd never heard of this before. Sadly, my one seems to jam up too tightly for this. I can't open it even with pliers until it dries!
@@jotade2098watched a guy on utube giving his opinal a couple coatings of Danish wood oil on the front part of his opinal knife, just where the blade comes out from the handle, and he said this solves the swelling issues with the handle.
Had an Opinel. It was poorly constructed, difficult to open and its blade lock is hard to use. Its great if you want a little whittling knife. if you want a utility or combat knife. keep looking.
The Opinel's are great, the no10 is perfect man hand size and shape, it's one of my main go to's, the number 8 is a good gift or kids first knife, the black cat is a good knife, had many of them, had a lot of issues with the back spring breaking. The Ruike 801 is a good slicey modern replacement. Can we get someone to make an Opinel replacement blade with a modern steel like magnicut?
I know there was one guy online selling m390 and s90v opinel blades a while back. I have not seen them for sale recently, but they may be worth looking into as a start.
@@FromRussia_With_LoveYou do realise that your (completely unfounded and unexplained) opinion doesn't carry any weight against more than a century experience and millions of people that actually dó know how to use a knife, right? If you keep cutting yourself where others don't, you are the problem, not the knife. And yes, you are probably just a troll, but still.
Excellent episode. Very well done. Have almost all those knives in the „classic“ part of my collection. So it is highly interesting for me to see what you think about them.
we always called these picnic knives, and I believe the reason we have so many in Europe is that workers (back in the day) needed something for slicing dried sausage, cheese and ham for lunch, the slim blade allows for really thin slices of sausage (which are often bought whole and cut at the table.) My wife and I have one each, and they get their most use when eating outside, it makes a great steak knife at a bbq, and nothing can give you a fine slice of salami like an opinel. Love the video, love the knife. Get one in carbon steel and you will be able to shave with it as well if you want.
A very excellent segment of alternatives to the legendary Opinel with some good old classics. We carry heavily mod Opinel for urban & outback usage. It cuts & slice with a fillet action on game & fruit etc. Great show DCA & Thomas. More of this kind of show will be appreciated mate. Cheers from Australia.
No the Opinel clearly wins. For a low income worker who needs a knife to do his work, his choice is a knife that will do the work and last over time, but also is cheap enough for him to easily afford.
A couple of years ago I went on amazon because I just wanted a basic foldable knife and the first thing that popped up was an opinel no.08. I knew nothing about knifes but saw that it was fairly cheap and nice looking with good rating so I bought it. It was quite fun to a year or so later of thinking I had some basic amazon knife to learn that what I bought had an iconic status in the knife community.
It's amazing to see someone in the knife trade honoring the inexpensive classics. I've got knives from the very cheapest production knives to custom knives of $1000 and more, but the cheap ones are the ones that get used and loved every day. I was interested to see you include a Deejo - I was given one and it's better than I would have imagined.
I have a opinel #8 sold by colghgans .. years ago it has a carbon steel blade.. what I like is the life is so lightweight and the handle fits my hand well
Thank you for talking about one of our better pocket knife. It is a knife than everybody have at least two or three at home . You can get a number 10 to have a real adult sized knife. he's good for many many task when you know it well. If you spedn 5 mn on the blade with a fine stone, you will get a razor sharp blade for real. There is many versions now, and are always more clever than the precedent. If you wish to try an other French knife, try the Nontreon, you will be amazed. The Douk Douk is redoutable when sharped.
Opinel really is a knife of choice. As a french person, this knife has been around me for all my life. My grandma used it to cook, my dad use it in the garage, I use it in the bush... Simple yet efficient. But the main reason I think the opinel does not have an alternative is its cultural importance. Reading the comments, you will get a glimpse of how everyone in France has a story with an Opinel in. Only the Laguiole may have a similar cultural importance in the South West of France. There is a legend saying that the cross shaped dots on it were used by the shepherds on the Causses (plateaux in the Massif Central) to pray before eating. They did not have any crosses to use so they stabbed the Laguiole into the wooden table and used its handle... Don't know if it's true but love the story !
Great video! Not sure any of them, other than the other Opinel’s really hold a candle to the original. I will say that I think you could do one of these videos on the Case Sodbuster by itself. Personally, I think it’s the only one that comes close to “beating” the icon. I think it’s more “battle of the icons”. Love the Sodbuster and Opinel. Thanks for the video.
I have always had Opinel No8 I have broken a few, the blade is brittle and will snap. It is the lightness in the pocket and the blade will sharpen on a kerb stone
Some say you never truly own an opinel pocket knife, it only stays with you until it feels you no longer need it, then it disappears to serve the next needy soul.....
The opinel is just so slicey and easy to maintain it’s a no brainer as a companion knife and a must have in the backyard, camp, and kitchen. The Benchmade tagged out is a very interesting comparison that I never would have thought of, I’ve taken many opinels out as a backup knife for deer camp and an amazing bird and trout knife
! Important notice! : the french say something like "One closes a Laguiole silent!" Meaning: don't snap it shut, as this will impact the edge! Apart form thatWe have folding knives similar to the Opinel in austria. They are made by the same families in the same valley since the 15th century. (the first written mention of these pocket knives is frm 1422) What they lack compared to the Opinel (and the reason i prefer to use an opinel instead) is the turning lock. They too are great slicers and were used for centuries but to keep them open or closed you ahve to tighten the rivet that connects the blade to the handle, and that means they get hard to open or close, and if the rivet is less tight, they are easy to open and close, but can open in the pocket or close during use... (I find it sad that they never changed to a lock of whatever kind with those highly traditional knives. I would instantly buy and use one again)
Hello there. I think the natural upgrade from the opinel would be a nontron : the oldest knife in France. Quite a bit more fancy and expensive though. You should check out their grand duc. I think it's quite special.
Regarding the “Siciliano” (not sure why thats stamped on the blade as it is not a sicilian pattern) its called the Zuavo. Lunghezza just means length. Probably a mistake in translation as her in Italy many times they label knives with the name and then legth (total, not blade length) so maybe that would be an 18cm knife (while open). Its a pattern from the town of Scarperia in Tuscany (close to Florence) which is one of the main bladesmithing poles in Italy. Its actually a great pattern. I have one with a 2.5” blade and yellow handles with black dots. It has a good half stop and great geometry, especially for the price. I may be biased but I love it. Ciao from Italy!
Hard to say if others compare. Opinels are pretty great for cutting. If you need a knife to get started in life or just to keep going Opinel will get the job done.
Opinel, whittle a stick, eat an apple, release a hay bail. Grind the spine to a drop point if you need a tougher tip. Simple, sharp, functional, I just like it. Not a fidget knife, but a fondle knife.
