Below are some other folks opinions of the Opinel collar lock knives. If you have a video you'd like to share comment below or shoot me an email at knife.chats@yahoo.com Opinel Reviews Slick Slicers: UK legal: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-gtnLppHbdlI.html Nick Shabazz High Speed Low Drag: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-hgXZkxhZnt4.html Slicey Dicey, Antonini Old Bear VS Opinel No. 8 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-7811oDM9TZ0.html Logan Stout: 5 reasons Opinel makes a great EDC ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-zY1xeIwNNWA.html
Hello. Being in France, i have several Opinels. Both sorts you have in several sizes. The F stands for éffilé, (we don't prononce the first e) which means fine or thin. The size 12 might be a good filet knife but the smaller ones are basically steak knives and for eating in general. The standard blade is more a work or edc knife. The basic wood of an Opinel, exept specials, is beech. Excellent for carving and mods. They do have draw backs as you have said and the worst being if the wood swells from humidity the blade is almost impossible to get out. The big advantage is the price. Around 10$ for a no8 standard. And they last forever. The no12 saw blade is an excellent mini bushcraft folding Saw. As you say, there are pros and cons. For each to décide. All the best.
Hi Rhino. I just looked up effilé in a French/English dictionary. They define it as "Sharp, Slender" I agree that anthing smaller than four inch (10 Cm) blade would be too small for filleting but would still work great for cutting a steak or vegetables. Thanks for the info.
RHINO 54 , actually I thought The dictionary just confirmed what you had said. Fine is a synonym for sharp just as thin and slender have similar meanings. I also thought the word sounded very similar to the “fillet” when pronounced. It’s obvious that the fillet was borrowed from the French.
True, my terms were synonyms but the dictionary is more accurate. There are many English words derived from French and the young generation of French currently use some English words in French phrases. With internet the cultural différences are dissapearing.
The #8 is the one i threw in my lunch box . Its great for cutting up cheese , sausage , bread etc. I heard they are the go to picnic knife in France. Cant beat the price .
If you're going to do a review on a product then you need to learn something about it first. It's obvious you don't know anything about Opinel or their history. One example is your comment that the collar lock has been around for hundreds of years. The safety collar was added to Opinel No. 6 thru No. 12 in 1955 not hundreds of years. You also mentioned that you don't know the different model numbers or sizes. It's ok if you don't like them, they're not for everybody. I prefer them over my Buck and Case knives. The design of the regular Opinel pocketknife is the same now as it was when Joseph Opinel made his first one in 1890 except for the addition of the locking collar in 1955. In fact, that knife is on the list of Top 100 Product Designs of all time along with the Rolex watch and the Porsche 911.
Great review on the Opinel knife! I also have 2, one carbon and one Inox. I find they are superb slicers and excellent for food prep due to their blade geometry. It is a bit difficult getting accustomed to the collar lock and lack of back-spring, as you mentioned. They are certainly worth having in a collection and are useful tools. Thanks for another excellent video!
I've almost bought an Opinel on several occasions, but I haven't pulled the trigger yet. Maybe some day I will get one. I've seen some great handle modifications on Opinels! I always appreciate an honest opinion. Thank you for sharing, my friend. 👍
Opinel are just fine for fine work. Fruit, etc. I tried to trim flooring wood for a knife scale shim. With carbone 7. It curled the edge. I was scraping vigorously. 00ps! My collar lock is stiff and slippery for arthor knuckles. I broke my first 6 on an appliance crate! I know I should have used the Mora. Live and learn! Lol
Honestly, this is all *completely* fair. I love Opinels but why argue with someone who doesn’t? It doesn’t make sense. Blind brand loyalty and the inability to understand the individual preferences of others is a major issue in online discourse.
They are beginning to grow on me. I can definitely see why they are so popular. I see a lot of people who like them because they are so light and great for food prep when camping. That make perfect sense as many knives these days are not necessarily food safe.
Hi BigRed I make knife videos and people have said I "torture" knives or "pressure" them. I don't. The only knife I really put pressure on in my video review of it was an Opinel. I have been using them since I was a child and they are tough and will do heavy cutting.
@@vinniesdayoff3968 Right on man! I dont use mine as hard use I guess is a better way to say what I said! Not knocking them at all...I love my Opinels!!
I also have just 2 Opinels. A 5 and a 7. I like the 7, but the 5 was bought jut to show how silly UK knife laws aware. It’s the largest uk Legal Opinel (outbof the box). The 7 or 8 are great picnic knives. Super Slicers, but very simple, rustic and traditional.
Simple, Rustic, and Traditional! That really does sum up these Opinel knives. And to me that is high praise! You don't have to be a fan of the knife to appreciate its intrinsic value and its place in the history of folding knives!
You would think so. but I actually need to revisit this. While still not a knife a collect I've grown to appreciate their simplicity and have bought a few more of them. One of the cool factors is indeed their light weight and portability. I've also learned there are Opinel fans who love to do custom wood working to the handles! Another big plus for the knife!
Hey Tobias, I am curious if you have any Premiere lifetime brand knives in your collection. They were big in Canada at one time and have quite a history as well as good quality of their own.
Love the Opinel 7. Uses it every day to slice my breakfast bagel in two when landing at work, or doing an apple murder horror show just before lunch. So slicy and light weight. Round profile in the handle? Yes, but as been carried in a rucksack/backpack, or in the cargo pocket of a winter jacket, I could not care less :) Every Bagel or apple has had a swift demise, and felt no pain.
I have about 8 or 9 Opinels. I like them but not for my pocket. Too round (like a cylinder). But boy are they great in the kitchen or in your backpack for the campsite. Cuts food like a dream. Forget paring knives. Pick up a couple of these.
After owning a lot of knives with varying steels, blade types, handles, etc., I've come back to Opinels as my EDC (my others, Spyderco Chaparral, kBar Dozier, Esse Zancudo). Keep my no. 8 in a small belt sheath. My no. 6 INOX is in my carry bag, and my other 6 carbone lives in the kitchen.
Not quite right about the correlation between model number and blade length! No12 is 12cm No11 doesn't exist No10 is 10cm No9 is 9cm No8 is 8.5cm (but 8cm in the slim filet version) No7 is 8cm No6 is 7cm No5 is 6cm No4 is 5cm No3 is 4cm No2 is 3.5cm No1 doesn't exist Where's the logic or the consistency in that? Don't be silly - they're French of course! (Gallic shrug) I like Opinels and have several. The collar lock hasn't failed on me yet, and the No9 Carbone is the best fishing knife I have ever used. The No12 Slim is what I use to fillet the fish when I get it home. The No8s are great all-rounders (the Walnut's my favourite), and I take a No7 Trekking on my hikes because it barely adds an ounce to my pack weight and seems equal to any task I ask it to perform. No6 Olive makes a chic cheese knife for picnics. Both the carbon and stainless versions sharpen easily, and are better slicers than any of my more expensive knives. The only problem is the way the beech handles swell when wet, but I find that with a little care and a bit more oiling it's not much to worry about. With respect, I think you might be approaching Opinels in a way which misses their point - these are rustic knives, built of only five parts, designed by and for French peasants as working tools. There's a reason the Opinel No8 was included (alongside the likes of a Porsche and a Rolex) in the 1985 V & A exhibition of the 100 best designed objects in the world.
Thank you so much for compiling this information. I was afraid some would take my lack of enthusiasm as a negative. As I mention, while I can't really see myself buying more Opinels I also will not be getting rid of the two I have. The simple design of the knife was and is deserving of recognition as an excellent peasant knife and the collar lock is an especially ingenious locking method for a peasant knife. The fact that it doesn't work for me, does not mean the knife is flawed or or outdated. All it means is that it doesn't work for me. Again, thank you for all of this excellent information. I truly appreciate you taking the time to provide this all of this excellent information for me.
Nice knifes, I have 10f very high quality, light weight and simple design, I asume F stands for "Fine" in French and translate to "Slim", but thats my guess.
Thankyou for the impartial review I appreciate it. Regarding the slimline of f series of knives the one you have is in all fairness the smallest one you can get to be of the slightest use. I have several of the larger models and can say they fillet fish very well, the blade had loads of flex and is long enough to do decent sized fish. I did feel the need to cut and shape the tail to my own liking but my wife likes them in the kitchen as general purpose stainless blades. I did have to treat the wood to cope with regular washing though, my weird love of openel knives stems back to my number 6 carbon steel bladed version which was fantastic for hunting and paunching small game , in the uk that model sells around £6.00 and sharpens easy and lasts years, plus if it’s lost in don’t break the bank. It’s a great knife for the money x
David Carroll, I think your comments are spot on. The sharpen easy, are decent quality and priced fairly. I can easily see why people rave about them. They just aren’t my cup of tea but I can see why many people swear by them.
Well, 2 Opinels are enough especially the 2 you have, very historic and adds to your collection. I don't own one yet for the same reasons you've mentioned but I may buy one soon. Nice video.
I've got two number 8s. One in carbon steel the other in stainless. The stainless has s painted handle and is very smooth and sharp. The carbon steel has a plain wood handle that swells easily. As a result it can be hard to use. They're great light duty, picnic knives but not good for much else. I've heard in France they're kind of looked on as disposable knives. Use it until it's dull then pitch it the junk drawer and buy a new one.
I only have one, a #7 in olivewood. I like it, it cuts like a dream, super thin behind the edge, but admittedly, I very seldom ever carry it. I just have so many other knives I like better. I do throw it in the pocket every once in awhile, but those times are few and far between. It's great for slicing onions or tomatoes though! I sliced the tip of my thumb off while doing just that.
Ouch! No doubt the knives are great choices for food prep and the #7 would be just about the right size for a good paring knife! I think you pretty much summed up my feelings. It is a great little slicing machine but I just can't see me carrying it. I might toss my slimline in the tackle box as a back up fillet knife. On the bright side, it takes up less space than my Rapala and Buck fillet knives.
You are undoubtedly THE knife guru…….but a bit harsh. Opinel is the ultimate in sliciness, simplicity and economy - lose it or break it (both of which I have done through stupidity) and it is peanuts to replace. They have no sharpening choil which means they develop a recurve so you don’t even have to carry an additional pruning knife. Fantastic in the garden and for rope work.
Opinel's a great knives. I was probably a bit harsh. While they are not a knife for me; they have proven their worth time and and again with their fans.
The collar lock can be tempermental at times. I have had to modify a couple to get the blade to unfold all the way. I carry a No. 6 to use for eating and isn't as intimdating in a restaurant with dull steak knives the way a bigger knife is. Everyone is different. I have never liked Buck knives. I just don't like the steel. But, that may because I am used to cheaper brands. Imperial was all I could afford as a teenager and young adult, and at that time Imperial knives were made in Ireland. They were also carbon steel rather than stainless. But, even when I found SS that I liked I still didn't like Buck. Case, Rough Ryder, Solingen, and Swiss are fine, but I could never get comfortable with Buck. Kind of like the difference between cooking with cast iron, or stainless, or aluminum. I like my cast iron the best.
They are an excellent value for the price. They also seem to be a very popular knife among wood carvers who do amazing work carving the handles. While not my choice for an EDC, I can easily see why they have a loyal following. Excellent quality for the price.
I find myself using my Opinels for food prep in the field more than anything else. The blade is amazingly “slicy”, so I leave my Adventure Sworn Classic for wood processing and heavier cutting tasks, while the Opinel cuts up meat and veggies like a champ. It’s light weight, cheap and if I lose it, easily replaced.
I've owned a few and own one now, if anything I'd say these are the best cutting geometry knives out there and you'd be hard pressed to find anything that comes close in a folder especially considering the No 6. They aren't really a hard use knife but, they aren't meant to be, they're meant for cutting and they do it well. I'm not impressed much with them myself, they're what's considered a peasants knife like the Svord Peasant or any indigenous work knife is that's affordable and made for farmers and such and just solely meant for getting the job done. I guess I like something more substantial like a 34ot from Schrade that has a bit more durability in mind in the design and I will admit "pocket jewelry" has more anesthetic appeal like the bone handled Rough Ryders, GEC, and Case XX knives do. A careful amalgam of function and form is what I like the most when it comes to pocket knives.
@@KnifeChatswithTobias ok thé opinel number 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,12,13 Thé 1 and 11 have existed but retired in 1932 to similar with thé size 1 and 10 and thé number one IS generaly with and hole in thé handle for carry on chaîn this fonction it s for scratching thé pipe stove ! And this mini opinel they re an graal for thé collector
The fact that they fold up might make them ideal for like a picnic basket or for camping. It seems like several people use them for food preparation. I'm not sure I need folding kitchen knives.
