Fouled up - Help with an Opinel?

[Hullblazer]

Hi all

Fancied an Opinel for a while (love friction folders) and bought a #4 on a whim, from a well known and respected website (similar initials to my kids' fave TV show, "Horrible Histories").

ENTIRELY my own fault, it's too small (blade's 5cm) and I have meat-hook-hands. I want a legal one to carry in the UK but as large as possible, meaning 7.6cm at max. So, can people help with:
1) The locking ring can be removed, I know, but can it be done so in a fashion that means it'll go back on later?
2) What size? The #7 is quoted on two different websites as 7.7cm and 8.0cm.
3) I have no metalwork tools. Can I reprofile with a file?

I know this is a needy point but the #4 is now scalpel sharp and I love the simplicity and quality of this peasant's knife.

Thank you

P.

 

[hughlle1]

I have done this with a number 6 which is ideal for a legal pocket knife. Removing the lock was simply a case of grabbing and twisting the little protrusion in the locking ring with a pair of pliers and it pops over the rivet/pin. It can certainly be replaced as it is very tough metal that doesn't deform in the process.

 

[hughtrimble]

Bow opening pliers will really help with removal and replacement of the ring.

Considered a Svord Peasant? At least that one's designed not to lock

 

[oldtimer]

There is a potential problem that the blade can come open in the pocket when the knife gets older and loosens. The ring is designed to keep the knife locked shut as well as opened.

 

[Hullblazer]

Thank you all! I am now sold on a big one (fnar fnar) and will order the #6 as 7cm with no effort is almost as good as 7.5cm after sweaty-filing.

Thank you too, OldTimer, yes, I have a Svord (love that too), as well as an Higonokami (I collect, can you tell?). I love friction folders almost as much as I love my genitalia, so I only ever pocket-carry once I have hand stitched a leather pouch for them!

 

[hughlle1]

There is a potential problem that the blade can come open in the pocket when the knife gets older and loosens. The ring is designed to keep the knife locked shut as well as opened.

Why I keep it in a coin pocket. Perfect for penknives

 

[Janne]

Thank you all! I am now sold on a big one (fnar fnar) and will order the #6 as 7cm with no effort is almost as good as 7.5cm after sweaty-filing.

Thank you too, OldTimer, yes, I have a Svord (love that too), as well as an Higonokami (I collect, can you tell?). I love friction folders almost as much as I love my genitalia, so I only ever pocket-carry once I have hand stitched a leather pouch for them!

Your genitalia would not love a worn friction folder!

 

[C_Claycomb]

I think you are crazy, taking off the locking ring and wanting to use it, but they are your fingers and your blood.

I know a story about a chap who took an Opinel into the jungle, the handle swelled to the point that pliers were needed to get the blade open, and there was no way to get the ring to turn and engage. No matter, with the blade that stiff and hard to open there wasn't much risk in the thing closing during use...right up to the point when it did and chopped into the chaps finger :yikes:. He thought he was "careful" in how he used it too. I took several lessons from that story. Hope you don't end up the subject of a similar salutary tail.

 

[hughlle1]

I think you are crazy, taking off the locking ring and wanting to use it, but they are your fingers and your blood.

I know a story about a chap who took an Opinel into the jungle, the handle swelled to the point that pliers were needed to get the blade open, and there was no way to get the ring to turn and engage. No matter, with the blade that stiff and hard to open there wasn't much risk in the thing closing during use...right up to the point when it did and chopped into the chaps finger :yikes:. He thought he was "careful" in how he used it too. I took several lessons from that story. Hope you don't end up the subject of a similar salutary tail.

All UK legal to carry knives are non-locking and few seem to have an issue. When I was around 6 I made the mistake of taking an opinel no8 from the kitchen (this was before they had locking rings) and decidedd to see if I could impale a ball of yarn with it. I've still got the inch long scar on my thumb. And I still use non-locking opinels quite happily and without incident. carrying a penknife around town for this use and that is hardly the same as using one in the jungle. A lock will make absolutely no difference to safety if you're just slicing an apple etc

 

[hughtrimble]

All UK legal to carry knives are non-locking and few seem to have an issue. When I was around 6 I made the mistake of taking an opinel no8 from the kitchen (this was before they had locking rings) and decidedd to see if I could impale a ball of yarn with it. I've still got the inch long scar on my thumb. And I still use non-locking opinels quite happily and without incident. carrying a penknife around town for this use and that is hardly the same as using one in the jungle. A lock will make absolutely no difference to safety if you're just slicing an apple etc

Sightly apples with oranges maybe? The ones you're referring to are made to be non locking, whereas the locking ring Opinels are designed to be locking. The non locking ring ones have a collar that keeps consistent pressure on the blade at the pivot area, so they're rather different. I realise many of us use the locking ones routinely without engaging the lock, but it is there for when the handle becomes too dry resulting in the blade flopping about.

 

[Magentus]

You can easily remove the ring by closing the knife, and turning the locking ring , then carefully opening th eknife again. The ring will ping off. Replacing it is trickier, but doable.

reprofiling is quick and easy, even if you just want to make the blade into a spear point.

 

[hughlle1]

Sightly apples with oranges maybe? The ones you're referring to are made to be non locking, whereas the locking ring Opinels are designed to be locking. The non locking ring ones have a collar that keeps consistent pressure on the blade at the pivot area, so they're rather different. I realise many of us use the locking ones routinely without engaging the lock, but it is there for when the handle becomes too dry resulting in the blade flopping about.

I'm simply refering to the fact that there is nothing inherently dangerous about a non-locking opinel if it is being used for the correct task. I am refering to both kinds of opinel, the older ones my parents bought do not have locks, the newer ones do, and I've removed the lock on one because it makes a perfect pocket knife. I've used opinels all my life and never experienced an opinel who's blade flops around when too dry. And even if the blade did flop around a bit, for the type of task a non-locking opinel would be used for, it would make pretty much no difference with regards to safety. The user simply needs to be aware of what they and the knife are doing, no different to using any knife.

 

[Corso]

The Opinel Virobloc or safety twistlock mechanism was invented by Marcel Opinel in 1955

While the twelve sizes of opinel, numbered 1 to 12, have been around since In 1890's

The knives in their basic design have not changed since then so they were all around for over 50 years without a lock

 

[Corso]

incidentally the ability to lock it closed is fairly new

 

[C_Claycomb]

Hughlle1,
There is a difference between non-locking where there is a designed method of keeping the blade open, such as the back spring on slip joints, the tang protrusion on a friction folder, or a finger choil, and a knife that was designed to lock and has had that lock removed. I will admit I am not over familiar with using Opinels, the first I encountered was one of those that had dried out and the blade flopped around unless the locking ring was used. I agree that cutting an apple, some string or a bit of tape doesn't put much demand on a knife, but that is far from all I use my EDC slip joints for, and if they are what I have with me, they get used for making feather sticks, trimming brambles, whittling and carving up double wall cardboard boxes. It was carving wood that caused the gentleman in my story his pain. As your story of your ball of yarn illustrates, simply putting tip pressure with something soft on a knife without anything to keep it open can be risky.

The OP has not stated what he might use the knife for. Now he has both our views he is better placed to make his choice and decide whether a modded Opinel will work for him.

Chris

 

[Corso]

The opinel was designed as a friction folder, later it was given a method of locking improvement yes, nessesary no millions were sold befor the 1950's

 

[Hullblazer]

Hi all,

Well, that put a cat in the hen-house, didn't it?

My #6 arrived this a.m. and 30s with the surclip pliers had the virolock safely off. There is still a metal collar on the inside, with peened ends, just like on my #4. Being just sub-3" this is now UK legal and, after 5 minutes on my strop, is scalpel sharp.

My thanks to all, but especially to Hughlle1, who pointed me in this direction. I am "well chuffed"!

For those concerned about my skin keeping my blood inside, I'm a jobbing Bookkeeper/Accountant/Daddy-of-two. No Mangrove Swamps or trips to the rainforest for me, just fruit, pies, boxes of paper, envelopes and tricky drink-cartons or t--stiff-packets of Haribo. Oh, and the odd pencil.

;-)

 

[Janne]

Drink cartons are a devil to cut open. Be it milk or juice or the chemical drinks.

Enjoy your new knife!