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Easy & cool Opinel mod - 10$ high-carbon steel knife with leather sheath!

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This is how I modify (mod) Opinel knives turning them into great little everyday carry knives (EDC) and perfect for working with leather.
Leatherwork starter kit : bit.ly/3vMoC5h
Vegtan leather: bit.ly/3oEWFbu
LOXX closing mechanism: bit.ly/3BsJmCI
Utility knife: bit.ly/3ODUPlz
Strap cutter: bit.ly/3baECXD
Metal ruler: bit.ly/3znnl5E
Saddler's needles: bit.ly/3cEkzRw
Cutting mat: bit.ly/3cPxkZR
Stitching chisel: bit.ly/3bckwfq
Mallet: bit.ly/3zQaZEB
Exotic wood slicker: bit.ly/3barcuM
Edge beveler: bit.ly/3Saj26g
Thread pack: bit.ly/3PHB3qB
Fiebing's Pro Dye: bit.ly/3binI9h
Skiving knife: bit.ly/3ziSxTg
Cotton gloves: amzn.to/3eQnxzz
Alcohol burner: amzn.to/3OHZ9QX
Stitch groover: bit.ly/3oFl0hc
Tokonole: bit.ly/3Jef1cF
Thread zap: bit.ly/3OIY5Mw
Saphir renovateur: amzn.to/3zkAxI6
Saddle soap: bit.ly/3zf0N6Q
Leather protection cream: bit.ly/3vo7x19
Revolving punch: bit.ly/3BH9yJZ
--------
I make and restore leather products in my spare time, mostly bags, backpacks and small items like wallets and card-holders. I am still learning a ton every time I take on a new project and always appreciate feedback on my creations.
For the moment I don't take orders as I like to spend too many hours getting the finished product as good as I can : this means that if I were to sell these bags, the selling price would be way more than the bags are worth due to the hours of work involved.
As always, do let me know what you think of this creation and this video. If you have any tips or comments about the techniques used, please let me know by dropping a comment below this video :)

Опубликовано:

29 авг 2024

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Комментарии : 175

@stratocactus 3 года назад

Be careful when cutting the blade, you heat it a bit too much, and the tip turned blue. That means the tip is not tempered anymore and won't hold an edge as much as the rest of the blade. Great idea nonetheless, I like modifying Opinel knives. They are dirt cheap :)

@JamesBerry 3 года назад

Thanks Julien for the message! Yes I noticed this on one of the 4 blades I was working on during the video and took steps to try and minimize this in the next ones. I'm afraid one of the 4 blades has a bit of a weaker tip now... Was using water and letting the blades cool down by intervals on the next ones. These knives are a steal for the price x)

@FrugalShave Год назад

I have converted a couple of Opinels into wood carving knives. One with a 3D printed replacement handle. They work great.

@JamesBerry Год назад

Oooh I would love to see the result in those!

@UltraMagaFan 4 месяца назад

They sell wood carving knives. You don’t even have to modify them.

@PKDoesStuff Год назад

Been doing leatherwork for a bit, and just picked up my first opinel a week or two ago. After seeing this, I think I may be grabbing a few more to mod! Thanks for sharing!

@JamesBerry Год назад

Glad I can be of help :) Be sure to clamp the blade on a wet cloth and to start cutting at the edge, not the spine - this will minimize the risk of overheating the cutting edge as I did.

@chris1309013600 Год назад

Had the same one in size 12 , this profile was find years ago by a french opinel’s knife modder 😊

@JamesBerry Год назад

Oooh I need to try this on some of their bigger knives :)

@user-mb1uz8up1z Год назад

Превратил полноценный нож в какой-то обрубок и радуется......

@IHamDogg Год назад

For anyone that doesnt have the money for Knife sharpening tools, grab a coffe cup or tea glassware, flip it over and that exposed bevel on the bottom is exposed ceramic, Small circular motions up and down the blade for about 5minutes on each side will do what an 80$ set of stones will.

@Akarnf2 Год назад

The best way not to mess the steel hardening is to cut it on a wet cloth

@Eralen00 Год назад

@@QuantumPyrite_88.9 it wasn't ruined, it was transformed for another purpose. For cutting leather its much more useful to have a straight blade with no curves and its a lot easier to sharpen too.

@DavyWayne13 Год назад

@@Eralen00 op was referring to the tip being over heated during cutting compromising the steels hardness, not suggesting the blade had been ruined by its modification.

@JamesBerry Год назад

Thanks Benny, I've indeed been using this trick since posting the video and have been able to keep all my knives at a decent temp since. I'm sad I can't change the video and share this new process once it's up on RU-vid.

@tornagawn 3 года назад

Love Opinel, so adaptable. My latest is a spear point mod blade with a flattened handle end, giving maximum blade length for handle size. Keen to do more radical mode like these, with such good steel, and so cheap....what’s to lose

@JamesBerry 3 года назад

Yeah these are great knives to play around with and so easy to customize!

@MrEdgy81 Год назад

Lol, that blue steel at the tip looks nice 👌

@JamesBerry Год назад

Hahahah yeah I messed this one up didn't I :') For the next ones I made sure to clamp the blade on a piece of wet cloth to avoid this.

@Bob_Adkins Год назад

I find a similar knife with a very thin blade and 30 degrees clipped point is the most useful bench knife by far. I make mine from a coil spring from an old air hose reel.

@pedroclaro7822 Год назад

Nice! I’m inspired and will be making a tanto blade shape instead. Less grinding and still making two flat surfaces that are also easy to sharpen.

@JamesBerry Год назад

Glad this video could inspire :) Hope you achieve a gorgeous result on your knife!

@bretts3046 Год назад

Pewdiepie and Michael Massbender had a baby and this is the man that baby grew up to be.

@TommyUtopia 5 месяцев назад

I love the personnalisation !! It reminds a mini-paintbrush ! It's just perfect in my mind ! 🥰 (J'adore votre travail sur d'autres réalisations en cuir et la pochette lui va à merveille ! Cela change des autres personnalisations ! Bravo !) ❤

@elchicharron9503 11 месяцев назад

You knock the bump at the end of the handle against a table to dislodge the blade. Mades for good one handed operation of the knife as well when it's humid and the wood swells tight against the blade.

@mattharvey8712 Год назад

Bravo.......my girl friend used my knife to try to take staple out.......broke the tip........great mode......cheers

@JamesBerry Год назад

Hahah, well at least these are cheap knives, so if you don't like the new look you should be able to replace it easily enough. I guess from now on, she'll always only be allowed to use the broken one ;)

@UltraMagaFan 4 месяца назад

I like the sheep’s foot blade mod. I’m totally gonna try it.

@JohnnyDoesStuff Год назад

Great video!! Thank you. I appreciated the sandpaper tip!!

@JamesBerry Год назад

Thank you John, glad this helps :)

@MrOrnix 2 года назад

Opinel handle, hygroscopic wood. Oil, wax do not save from moisture and difficulties in opening the knife blade. The panacea is only the integration of metal washers into the axial assembly between the wood and the metal of the blade.

@JamesBerry Год назад

Thanks you for your message. I still have a lot to learn in this field :D

@PaulBeetge Год назад

I love this. Its beautiful. Well done. Really awesome work. I hope you do more of these types of videos. I love knives❤

@JamesBerry Год назад

Thank you for the kind and encouraging words, glad you enjoyed it :D

@dreamwarriors979 3 года назад

The best 4 beginner is the boxcutter ! The best is the „Presch“ cutter is chipped (~25€) I use it EVERYDAY!!

@JamesBerry 3 года назад

I completely agree with this! A knife is only as good as the sharpness of its blade, so having a simple boxcutter with changeable blades will give you excellent results everytime.

@ferdinoh3704 Год назад

Just leave the Opinel alone, its a wonderful knife just as it is.

@JamesBerry Год назад

Agreed, I have a few that I won't ever tamper :) It's already a great knife as is, and at the price point it offers loads of fun customization options

@alexanderdemenev4020 3 года назад

I ordered an Opinel for my leather projects just yesterday, so I consider modifying it someway, your variant seems nice)

@JamesBerry 3 года назад

Thanks for the comment Alexander, glad you like this method :)

@alexanderdemenev4020 3 года назад

@@JamesBerry thanks for sharing;)

@richardc6269 Год назад

Wharncliffe blade is fantastic. Awesome transformation!!

@JamesBerry Год назад

Thank you, glad you like it :)

@deanoboland Год назад

Great job on the video

@JamesBerry 11 месяцев назад

Thank you, glad you like it!

@ratroddiesels1981 Год назад

great mod . i follow will stelter and alex steele great blacksmith's

@HeretikLeathercraft Год назад

For leathercrafting you better choose a sharper angle, like 30 degrees. Idea is great, thanks for sharing!

@JamesBerry Год назад

Thanks for the "tip" :D

@richardhatt6541 Год назад

You have a Dremel, use that instead of hand tools. It won't stress the blade or put too much side pressure on it.

@earlelzy9975 Год назад

I enjoyed watching and learning something. I am inspired to make it too.

@JamesBerry Год назад

Thanks for the message, glad you enjoyed this :)

@4godandcountry663 Год назад

Very beautiful design

@JamesBerry Год назад

Thank you, glad you like it!

@mikewood69 2 года назад

Have you tried using CA glue as a varnish. Just wipe it on and let it cure and then use very fine sandpaper to give it a shine. You can use a polish then to give it a shine.

@johnchastain4351 Год назад

This works!

@j.r7872 Год назад

Excellent! Thank you for sharing!

@JamesBerry Год назад

Thank you for your message :)

@marcd6228 2 года назад

Wow Great Idea! Will do it too! Thank you so much

@JamesBerry 2 года назад

Thanks, glad you like it :)

@LitoGeorge Год назад

These are about 25$ in Canada, and that's the best price available. They are normally 35, and up to 42 with shipping. How in the green world are you getting them for 10$?

@JamesBerry Год назад

I live in France (where they're made) so prices are a lot smaller. They can regularly be found for about 10 to 12€ and often much less at flea markets and garage sales.

@LitoGeorge Год назад

@@JamesBerry prices are a lot smaller? You sound like a Brit, but you write like a frenchman! haha. Do you want to start a business with me? Send me a bunch, I'll sell them here, and we'll split the profit. I have seen regular N08's listed at $85 each here! Seriously. You cant make this stuff up. I would start a business like I suggested in a heartbeat.

@gitman3486 Год назад

why the pocket/hand destroying sharp corner on the spine? surely rounding it would have been more practical

@user-fx2zr6iv6g Год назад

great work

@JamesBerry Год назад

Thank you!

@jacksonc.9308 Год назад

Congratulations now you have a utility knife with out a replaceable blade

@JamesBerry Год назад

Mostly it's a much heavier duty blade than utility knife blades.

@The_RC_Guru Год назад

Some of us enjoy and take pride in making something our own, sharpening, and maintaining.

@tonyfrancisco6739 2 года назад

Très joli design ! Merci pour le partage

@patrickentringer2724 Год назад

Take some vinaiger'heat them up and put the Blade into it,so it will preserve from Rust and the Blade will be black ^^

@tmuryn 3 года назад

Awesome idea! Still you didn’t show how to use it with cutting the leather? It’s a bit strange that having opinel modified for the leather work you used different knifes to do the job. Please don’t get me wrong, I love the idea and the result, but can I ask you to record short video with a demonstration on how this knife work on a leather, for example when rounding corners? Thank you for great video!

@JamesBerry 3 года назад

Thanks Taras for your message. Indeed, this Opinel is great if you're looking for a budget option and aren't afraid of a bit of work to get it nice and pointy. That being said, I made myself a knife like this a few months back but used the Opinel number 9 (not the 8 that are shown in this video) and I find the blad slightly too big for detailed work like this. I find it works best for cutting larger or thicker pieces of leather. Every day, when working on leather, I tend to vary between 3 or 4 different cutting tools depending on my needs (my modded Opinel, a scalpel, the Indispensable by Vergez Blanchard and a rotary cutter). Indeed I should have taken a bit more time showcasing this knife in use, especially as the long straight blade can be used in a few different ways. I thinking of starting a series dedicated to my leatherworking tools in which I'll be showcasing knives quite heavily. Hope this explains a bit about my thought process here :) And glad to hear you like the video and result of the mod!

@tmuryn 3 года назад

@@JamesBerry totally make sense) thank you for such a detailed reply. Good luck and stay safe😀

@DavidDiNatale 3 года назад

Excellente idée ! j'en ai qui traine, je vais tester ^^ L'étui est génial j'adore !

@JamesBerry 3 года назад

Merci David, effectivement on devrait toujours avoir un viel Opinel qui traine à la maison ;)

@DavidDiNatale 3 года назад

@@JamesBerry en tant que savoyard, l'opinel est forcément présent dans nos vies, soit de manière discrète (comme moi) soit bien plus présente (comme d'autres qui ont tous les modèles inimaginables lol)

@gaylordpantamime 3 года назад

Brilliant! Cheers from bristol!

@JamesBerry 3 года назад

Hahah thanks Billy :)

@simonepiergentili2953 Год назад

Fantastico

@GBLW 3 года назад

Hi James I really love the idea of this little gift and wanted to know if I could use it. I also wanted to know if you had the pattern for the leather sheath on hand?

@JamesBerry 3 года назад

Hiya, please send me an email at berry.james.christopher@gmail.com I'll send you a pic of the template I made for these.

@stephenhathaway269 Год назад

Why not use the other dremmel accessories rather than hand tools?

@Jib230181 Год назад

Hi there guys. I just bought two Opinel no 8 and do anyone know on here why they both have different stamps like one of them has a bigger broader Opinel Carbone and fingernail hole stamped in the blade and the other is a smaller crisper Opinel Carbone and smaller fingernail hole on the blade. I know weird question but is like one older version or something? Hope someone can help. Thank you.

@JamesBerry Год назад

I've never heard of this and can only assume they were made by two different machines :/ Sorry I can't be of more help.

@Jib230181 Год назад

@@JamesBerry ok no worries I just thought it was a little weird as bought from same place and at same time. Must be like a old & new model maybe.

@notabrit3025 Год назад

will stelter also has his own youtube channel

@JamesBerry Год назад

He does indeed and it's a great new channel to binge :D

@notabrit3025 Год назад

@@JamesBerry it sure is :D

@ricardoa6186 10 месяцев назад

Lo digo siempre,por favor no martiricen las opinel,son perfectas en origen,ke manía tienen ustedes

@almostsureimagamer274 Год назад

blacksmith tip for cuting it try and keep it as cold as u can so u don't ruin the temper of the metal

@JamesBerry Год назад

Thanks for the message! Since this video I've been clamping the blade on a wet cloth while cutting to keep the temperature down.

@TheMasonator777 Год назад

Make leather jaws for your vise. Or buy a luthier vise.

@The_RC_Guru Год назад

Oh leather jaws that’s a great idea.

@automaticenforcer9051 3 года назад

Would you ever make more to sell? I’d love to get one

@JamesBerry 3 года назад

Hahah if I ever have the time I hope to add some to my Etsy store.

@kamilkropki454 Год назад

I will never do that. I kinda get why you did it, I didn't like the way you did it, but if you're happy with results....

@JamesBerry Год назад

I appreciate your honest message here! Totally understand that this is not for everyone :)

@Josh_Luijsterburg 3 года назад

Wow James, the knife I was looking for. Which number is it an 7, 8 or 9? And it must be carbon steel. Not stainless? Second, the 45 degree edge, can it be sharpened as well? One sided, looks like a french skiving knife. Got the press myself as well, great tool 👍👍👍

@JamesBerry 3 года назад

Thanks for the message Josh, so glad you like the idea :) I would recommend an 8 as a good intermediate size - it will all depend what you want to use it for. They have all types of sizes so I would suggest checking the blade length you need and go from there (bearing in mind you'll be cutting off 25 to 30% of that length). I do recommend carbon steel if you know how to strop your knives: this retains its' edge much better but can require a bit more work to keep it from rusting (working in leather I often have the opportunity of dabbing a drop of neatsfoot oil on the blade to keep it from rusting). Of course, this would work just as well with a stainless steel blade but it would need sharpening more often - though they are much easier to find in stainless steel. You could sharpen the 45° edge but this would take more work to get a nice bevel going and a sharp edge as the spine of the blade is a bit chunkier. I have to test it as a skiving knife, this could work amazingly well! Hope this helps :)

@Samdawe1981 Год назад

I worry that the blade could open accidentally from that holder position.

@JamesBerry Год назад

If made correctly, the blade is trapped by the leather sheath towards the tip of the blade. Moreover, you should lock the blade in the closed position before storing it using the locking ring on the handle.

@user-pe4ce4ge8m Год назад

СВОИ ПАЛЬЦЫ ТАК ЖЕ ПОДПИЛИ

@SillyBearInc Год назад

@AlecSteele you hav lots of nice knives but not alot of leather sheathes i see a crackin colab for you both

@patricklantheaume3101 Год назад

Bonjour,une demande ,pouvez-vous me dire si vous avez la possibilité de me fabriquer le même bijoux , avec un numéro 9 ou 8 carbone ,merci de votre retour et bonne soirée

@JamesBerry Год назад

Bonjour Patrick, je suis flatté par la demande mais malheureusement je n'ai actuellement pas le temps de réaliser plus de couteaux.

@PaulBeetge Год назад

That holder seems a bit small and tight.

@JamesBerry Год назад

It is at first but leather tends to stretch a bit and I wanted it to be tight at first, so it could become perfect over time.

@Dr._Spamy 2 месяца назад

If the blade gets more than strow yellow/brown by heat (redish, blue or even grey) the steal has lost most of its hardness. Learn about temperature treatment of carbon steel and tempering colors.

@Tony29685 Год назад

What size Opinel, and have you ntried it with a Stainless steel blade?

@JamesBerry Год назад

I believe this was a number 8 - yes this works well with stainless steel blades also :)

@bigDbigDbigD Год назад

I think I would have cut a “blood grove” into to blade to assist opening the knife

@JamesBerry Год назад

I've tried that since making this video but my skill is not good enough for this... made a real mess on the blad I tested this with :/

@bigDbigDbigD Год назад

@@JamesBerry very cool reply. Thank you and respect.

@synniala Год назад

To open an Opinel just 'tick' the back of the handle on a hard surface and the blade jumps out. That's how the French farmers do it.

@McGowanForge 3 года назад

Neat idea man, I can really see this as a carving knife but with a longer handle, I think I'll make a video one day but I'll credit you for the idea

@JamesBerry 3 года назад

Very pleased this could inspire you to make your own :) I would love to see what you make - please let me know when I can check it out!

@pedrogrimaldo8095 Год назад

Buena forma de estropear una buena y bonita navaja.

@peteraugust5295 Год назад

why exactly would you go that?..

@JamesBerry Год назад

Needed a different style blade & point to help in cutting leather precisely. It's also cheaper than buying a specialized knife for this purpose.

@peteraugust5295 Год назад

@@JamesBerry but why as a folding knife?

@milladazadi Год назад

Do you sell these leather pouches??

@JamesBerry Год назад

No I don't, sorry!

@milladazadi Год назад

@@JamesBerry okay. I Think you could make Good money for making custom opinels with sheeth

@justin00ish Год назад

Why tho? It looks worse now

@JamesBerry Год назад

Sorry to read you don't like it. I'm very happy with the look and feel :)

@briang530 Год назад

I'm not gonna watch this, but an 18 min video to tell you that you can reshape/profile the blade, and hammer the collar to pinch the blade into a not so sturdy fixed blades?! Next up: you can smash a douk-douk into a pour man's fixed blade?

@JamesBerry Год назад

TL:DR the first part of the video is modifying the blade and handle (including staining the handle and waxing it), the second half is about making a leather sheath for the knife. I know it's supposed to be ironic, but if you want to send me a douk-douk I would be happy to give your suggestion a go :)

@user-pe4ce4ge8m Год назад

НЕ ПРОБОВАЛ СВОЁ СОЗДАТЬ, А НЕ ЧУЖОЕ ИСПОРТИТЬ

@AlexanderMason1 2 года назад

You’ve messed up the temper on that blade.

@80trois45 Год назад

Joli.

@fbourgoin88 3 года назад

Do you sell these?

@user-uy9co2jp6q Месяц назад

А зачем так портить ножи?

@kmusial Год назад

Nie rozumiem, dlaczego ludzie niszczą takie fajne noże?🤔

@jameswinterbottom245 Год назад

10$ knife... here in Ontario they are over 45$.... lol

@JamesBerry Год назад

Oh wow, that's a big markup :o Maybe not such a great option for you then ...

@plumbum4291 Год назад

Так сделать можно, если нож ты сломал, Специально пахабить, я бы не стал.

@zeb5158 Год назад

this guy looks like pewdiepie, no?

@JamesBerry Год назад

I prefer thinking that Pewds looks like me ;)

@Robert_Thomas832 Год назад

Seemed sacrilegious to deform a beautiful thing. Until you explained the rationale. I've had a carbon no 8 since the 1980 s

@user-um8zt9vo1w Год назад

Хорошую вещь испортить - ума не надо 🤭☝️

@user-dn8kg1yk6x Год назад

Or just get a smaller Opinel 😅

@JamesBerry Год назад

Wouldn't work, I needed the drop point for cutting leather.

@michele8313 Год назад

Come rovinare un opinel

@zapa1pnt Год назад

Hi, James. In your first few sentences, you referred to the Opinel knives as "cheap". That sounds negative. Did you mean to say inexpensive? 😁✌🖖

@JamesBerry Год назад

Absolutely, they are great little knives and are found everywhere in France. They're very basic and amazing bang for the buck here in France. Cheap is not meant to be negative, simply a statement of their price :) They're great knives and, depending on where you are and the price you can find them at, worth picking up!

@bushratbeachbum Год назад

I bet you're fun at parties.

@cooperman8850 Год назад

Bizarre! Sheath is a terrible design and if the knife was any good you'd have used it on your leatherwork. I'm not even gonna start on the staining and waxing fiasco 😂

@willowufgood1254 Год назад

Simple modification, pas une création. Garder " opin el " origine. Créer à l'image de l'opinel, Yes

@duartesimoes508 Год назад

How to ruin an innocent Opinel knife... 🙁

@JamesBerry Год назад

No Opinel is truly innocent :D This way I can more easily cut leather so it works for me.

@arthurdeleniq Год назад

do you people actually thing the knife looked cool ?

@JamesBerry Год назад

Esthetics are a personal opinion, I made the tool I needed to cut leather.

@arthurdeleniq Год назад

@@JamesBerry actually no , is actual posaible to quantify and objectivly define pretty and ugly , the excuse "ItS PeRsOnAl BrO" don't work , is just a lazy way to not explain why the desire final object is not plesant to LOOK at !

@JamesBerry Год назад

@@arthurdeleniq Thank you for educating me on my bad taste. I should have known better and will gouge my eyes out before I commit another such crime.. I feel sad now because however much I know you are right (as the clearly superior being that you are), I still like the design. Live long and prosper.

@arthurdeleniq Год назад

@@JamesBerry dude lol i only said that pretty and ugly are measurable things and you get offended lol