I bought an Opinel No8 pocket knife at a local store last weekend. I love this thing.
The thin carbon steel blade is wicked sharp. Thanks to that thin blade, the wood handle, and the general lack of anything heavy it’s the lightest 3″ lockblade I own even though it has the longest handle. Weighs about an ounce and a half.
The metal collar at the top of the handle twists around a rivet and blocks the blade from closing. You can even lock it closed so it can’t open in your pocket or pack. I can operate the lock one-handed with my thumb.
The mind-blowing part is that it only cost $12.95. And not to get all mushy, but there’s something very organic about the shape of the knife and the feel of the wood handle. It’s a big change from the usual parade of black tactical folders I carry. It’s opened my eyes to some different knives. I also bought a Scandinavian grind J. Marttiini fixed blade knife I like a lot. I can’t believe how good these traditional knives are full stop let alone how good they are for lunch money prices.
Now I’d like to have some others. The Opinel saw is cool, weighs 3.5 ounces, and it’s only $29. At that price it isn’t so much a question of why as why the hell not? The No13 with the 8.6″ blade is closer to a Benjamin, but that price guarantees you’d win any “that’s not a knife, this is a knife” encounters. I thought they were novelties until I saw this video of a German guy using one to chop down a forest.
Opinel No13 Outdoor Knife Test:
Opinel Links
- Opinel on Wikipedia - filthy hippies with their free encyclomopedium
- Opinel.com (I hope you voulez vous) – filthy French people with their awesome knives
- Opiknife.com- filthy capitalists who want your money and will trade you awesome knives for it
- Opinel One Hand Opening Modification – Filthy woodworkers making their knives sexier and more awesome
Quick Opinel Facts
- First made in 1890. The locking collar was added in 1955. It was later modified so the knife could be locked closed.
- If you have trouble opening an Opinel the sharp blade may be stuck in the wood handle. Tap the wooden end on a hard surface to free the blade.
- The models are numbered 1 through 13 or so. The 1 and 11 are no longer made.
- The model number roughly corresponds to the length of the blade in centimeters. The 13 is longer – 22 cm. There are 2.54 cm to the inch.
- If you pick up an Opinel and don’t know the model, check the locking collar. The model number is stamped on the back.
- Outside of a specialty knife store not many retailers sell Opinels. There are two places you may be able to find them locally. One is a camping store or camping section of a department store. Coghlan’s Camp Knife is an Opinel in a shrinkwrapped, carded package. I’ve heard that gourmet cooking shop Williams-Sonoma sometimes sells a stainless steel model as a steak knife, though I couldn’t find it on their Web site.
If you want to know more about Opinels YouTube is your buddy
- Cheap Knives : Part 3 – Opinel No 8 by Cutlerylover (short)
- Knife Review : French Opinel #8 by Cutlerylover (longer)
- Opinel disassembly (loud)
- Opinel forced patina using Tarn-X
- Opinel No. 8 Inox ‘Ergo’ mod
Adobe Lightroom note: I shot the photos on a white piece of paper and bounced the flash off the ceiling. The background looked more grey than white. Since I took the Lightroom oath I could only use Lightroom to fix that versus going into Photoshop and Magic Wanding my way out of my problems. I’ll have to learn the Lightroom way of fixing grey backgrounds before my class is over. Tonight I used the Adjustment Brush and jacked the exposure to Jesus, which is why the pics are overexposed.
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It’s fun to carve on the handles, too.
My favorite is the Number 8 “garden knife”:
http://www.amazon.com/Opinel-Garden-Knife-closed-Handle/dp/B0035HCLPC?tag=lejobl-20
Much more tactical.
I was thinking – you could make an Opinel out of anything. Wood, metal, stone, glass, acrylic, you name it. You just have to be able to shape it for comfort, turn the end on a lathe to accept the collar, drill a hole in the end for the rivet, and cut a slot for the blade.
I’m a big fan of the opinel’s. Their filet knife is good for camping food prep since it has the stainless blade. I’ve had a few different scandi knives. I never could get used to the scandi grind – I’ve always felt that cutting performance was never very good and sharpening wasn’t any easier than a normal grind.
One knife I never leave home without is my AG Russell woodswalker. I think it’s one of the best knives available at any price.
Try to source one or more Mora or Erikson knives, if you can find a local dealer. They are fixed blade, really utilitarian, and very inexpensive. You’ll also like the Scandi-grind…very easy to touch up with a stone.
Will: I’ve got a Woodswalker with the leather sheath and kydex sheaths. I like the knives and I love the sheaths.
tia: I’ve heard good things about those. I’ve sworn for years I was going to try a scandi ground and just never got around to placing an order at ragweedforge. When I saw the Marttiini in a local sporting goods store I pounced on it.
I don’t get much opportunity to use a fixed blade. Can’t carry one in TN even with a handgun carry permit. I’ve put the Marttiini in the kitchen knife butcher block to get some hands on time with it.
Les, your comment made me nervous since I carry my Woodswalker daily. I did some digging and couldn’t find anything online stating that fixed blades are illegal to carry in TN. As far as I can tell the only restrictions are blade length (4″), no daggers, and no gravity/inertia knives.
Do you remember where you heard the fixed blade rule? I’d hate to have to stop carrying my favorite knife.
Will, I’ve always been told that you can’t carry a fixed blade in TN in public, but I don’t have a reference handy.
I’ve been buying those things for probably 20 years, found them back when I was a Boy Scout. We keep them stashed around the kitchen.
Les – I can recommend Ragweed Forge to do business with, I’ve known Tom/Ragnar since I lived in Buffalo and used to hang out with him at SCA stuff. Top notch customer service and he’s a knowledgeable guy.
Where did you purchase the Opinel knife? I would be interested in getting one as well. Thanks.
John, I got this one at the Mast General Store in downtown Knoxville. Online, opiknife.com has the best selection.