Opinel advice please...

[Neil1]

I have had one of the garden knives for about six months and its a great bit of kit, excellent for food prep and whittling, and just handy to have around.
The stainless (sandvik) blade holds a superb edge and casts good sparks with a firesteel.
Neil

 

[JDO330]

Hey Celt Ginger,

I know what you mean about the blades being stiff - both of the Eff's I bought have really stiff blades. I must say since buying it its really, really growing on me. Especially for food prep. I would imagine it would be brilliant for filleting fish as well.

The No.8 spearpoint doesnt feel anywhere near as still though although this could be because there is more metal to get hold of when opening.

Two things I really like about all Opinels - 1, they are really light weight so nice in your pocket. 2, I love the simplicity of the locking ring both in the open and closed position.

Neil 1, know what you mean about the sparks off a firesteal. Tried it the day I got it - very impressive.

It was weird watching the video in the museum "cinema" (a room with plastic garden chairs, a CRT telly and a DVD player on repeat!) in French, it was showing how the knives are made start to finish. I was slightly upset to see the the blades being sharpened on a grinding wheel and chucked in a big plastic box and then moved on to have the handles added. In my head I thought there would be a room full of little old French men with sharpening stones!

Anyway, we will be going back to the same place in France next year so I may well pay another visit to the shop and make some more unnecessary purchases. Wish I had bought a pouch for the no.8 now.

ATB, Jon.

 

[Celt_Ginger]

My blade is so stiff it makes the knife basically unusable. You have to open it with a pair of pliers.

 

[ForgeCorvus]

My blade is so stiff it makes the knife basically unusable. You have to open it with a pair of pliers.

Have you tried opening it by using a 'heel tap' (you know what I mean, hold the locking ring a tap the heel end of the handle on a hardish surface, I used to use my boot, and then grip the back of the blade with your fingers), thats the way I always used to use as I never had any fingernails.

The only way I've found to loosen a blade is to get the handle wet (with the blade partly open) and then work it backwards and forwards, you're trying to wear some of the wood away to reduce friction. Needless to say when its dry again you'll need to spend some time cosseting the steel (especialy if you've gone for Carbon)

The Effs look like some of the really old styles of folders that I've seen in the Fitz....or somewhere like that

On a sidenote, in my youth (like late teens/ early twenties) I once shaved with my Opi for a bet, the other guy (because he lost) had to then shave himself with his hoof knife (he was an apprentice farrier), it wasn't me who was bleeding afterwards. I should point out that this was one of the most stupid things I've ever done for beer, and not something I'd recommend