help me choose opinel
- Thread starter Gcckoka
- Start date
I'd personally go number 8, but that is purely based on my hand. as to carbon or stainless, tough one. I like the convenience of SS, but prefer the edge and sharpening of carbon. With opinels, i tend to go with carbon as the benefits of stainless are slightly mitigated because of the wooden handle (in that stainless or carbon, you still have to keep that handle dry unless you want it to swell and become a complete pain to open and close)
I'm pretty much on line with Hughlle. I usually carry a #6 or a #8 as their size is good for the pocket and the tasks I want it for. Larger models I'd keep for a bag rather than pocket.
Much prefer the carbon blade as it sharpen quickly & beautifully. Yes it marks easily but if you keep a blade clean & maintained then it shouldn't be a problem.
Great little knives, especially at the money they cost.
Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.
Much prefer the carbon blade as it sharpen quickly & beautifully. Yes it marks easily but if you keep a blade clean & maintained then it shouldn't be a problem.
Great little knives, especially at the money they cost.
Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.
9 1/2 glove size here and No. 8s have always fitted me fine, never had a problem with their stainless steel either. Since I use it for kitchen tasks I lean towards SS . These days I prefer the drop point ( if that's the correct term ) Jardin versions, the grips a little slimmer at the butt which I like.
ATB
Tom
ATB
Tom
...even if you abuse a carbon Opinel, they are cheap as chips and do exactly what they say on the tin.
A carbon custom knife for £200 - care and clean, a carbon Opinel for less than £20 - use hard until it's done, bin and replace
Carbon - better edge, easy field sharpen, no worries if lost, scratched, etc, etc
A carbon custom knife for £200 - care and clean, a carbon Opinel for less than £20 - use hard until it's done, bin and replace
Carbon - better edge, easy field sharpen, no worries if lost, scratched, etc, etc
I am with tombear on this one. I own a number 8, however I modified it doing a number of things to make it how I preffered it. A short while after I finished the modifications my brother turned up with the Number 8 Garden knife. It's almost identical to my carbon steel knife in all respects apart from the fact that it's stainless and unlike most of their stainless knives they actually tell you what the steel is they have used, Sandvik 12c27 which I like as a steel.
My brother has had his knofe for a long time now and it's served him well, it has also retained its edge well.
Oh and you can pick up the Garden knife for just under £7 if you look about online.
My brother has had his knofe for a long time now and it's served him well, it has also retained its edge well.
Oh and you can pick up the Garden knife for just under £7 if you look about online.
Personally I like the Carbon 9 - I find the 8 just a tad short for my hand and have always preffered Carbon to S/S.
No. 8 EFF (slim) for me - the small one shown
Opinel by British Red, on Flickr
Super little bird and trout knife
Opinel by British Red, on FlickrSuper little bird and trout knife
No. 8 EFF (slim) for me - the small one shown
Super little bird and trout knife
I received the no 12 effile yesterday from Robbi on this forum, and yup, they area really cracking knives. I'll definitely be considering a smaller companion like the no.8
I got a Carbon no.7 a few months back and after reprofiling the blade, I couldn't be happier with it. It's so sharp and light and I don't think you can buy a knife with more character; especially the carbon ones because you have to look after them.
They are cheap but don't treat them as disposable. They will last years if you take care of them.
My worry with carbon is that my hands sweat alot (hyperhidrosis), but it hasn't been an issue with either the blade rusting or the handle swelling. It's my favourite knife.
I'm sure you'll be pleased with whatever choice you make.
They are cheap but don't treat them as disposable. They will last years if you take care of them.
My worry with carbon is that my hands sweat alot (hyperhidrosis), but it hasn't been an issue with either the blade rusting or the handle swelling. It's my favourite knife.
I'm sure you'll be pleased with whatever choice you make.
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today i recived opinel carbon no8 overall I liked it , but I should have bought no9 , it fits my hand well but I think it would be better if it was slitely bigger also the blade needs sharpening it has few bad places on the blade , I would like to sharpen it , is it a convex or full flat grind? I never sharpened this type of blade will it be better to sharpen it or to leave it that way?
You're better off using a stone. Unless you intend to only sharpen with a pull through type sharpener you'll basically be cutting a secondary bevel onto it. Personally I don't mind that, but they only give you a usable edge not truly razor sharp. Love opinel knives I've had loads over the years
If it's a pocket knife I would personally be thinking about blade length and what is legal. But carbon blade on an opinel every time for me. The edge is better and easier to maintain. Shove it in a lemon get a patina going and don't worry about it
Its a really thin blade as you now know. This means it takes little time to sharpen. Try both ways.
I am completely over "vanity sharpening" (making things stupid sharp because Idon't have enough things to do). The angle you sharpen it at and the grind you prefer will depend upon what you are doing with it and the tools you have to hand. Think more about will you want to dig the stones out when it needs sharpening? I have to sharpen my pocket knife weekly because I use it for horrible tasks so I just put a Lansky over it
Thanks to the OP for asking the question. I was going to do the same but searched first and lo and behold my question has been answered.
