Opinel keeps sticking

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slasha9

Forager
Nov 28, 2004
183
3
54
Cannock
woodlife.ning.com
Hello all wise ones! I need to ask for some advice, I have a few Opinels that I use for slicing food but they aren't in constant use and I find that after a while of not being used they get stuck in the folded position and I need to use pliers to open them and work them loose.

HELP!!!

Thanks in advance

Also I use an Opinel saw and that seems to suffer the same problem, what am I doing wrong
 

Kepis

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 17, 2005
6,689
2,104
Sussex
Take the ring off and clean out all the crud that lays beneath - simples :)
 

Buckshot

Mod
Mod
Jan 19, 2004
6,466
349
Oxford
In the past i have found scorching the wood around the blade to shrink it a little and then oiling has helped keep mine loose.
Humidity is the killer on these i have found
 
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Mowmow

Forager
Jul 6, 2016
237
130
Nottinghamshire
I have an opinel 7 or 8 cant remember and i lost the locking collar using it as a throwing knife one day (alcohol) does anyone know how i could easily make one or buy one.

I could just get another knife but nowt wrong with this one really

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
 

Paulm

Full Member
May 27, 2008
1,089
183
Hants
Hold the non-pivot end of the knife and whack the other end on the heel of your other hand, or on a firm surface, the blade will pop up whether stiff or not. Or maybe it's the other way round, but one way should work as I recall ! :)
 
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Dark Horse Dave

Full Member
Apr 5, 2007
1,739
71
Surrey / South West London
Someone showed me the Savoyard’s tap years ago at Bushmoot (anyone remember them?). It certainly does the job. These days when I take out my Opinel I tend to use a little neck sheath so it's warm and dry and doesn't bind anyway. I do occasionally use a drop of Balistol oil too.
 

Stew

Bushcrafter through and through
Nov 29, 2003
6,446
1,284
Aylesbury
stewartjlight-knives.com
Be cautious of the opposite issue as well. Prior to them having the locking closed function, I’ve had one dry loose enough that when I put my hand in my pocket the blade had dropped open and I sliced my finger open.
 
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Erbswurst

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 5, 2018
4,079
1,766
Berlin
Yes, I prefere by far the tight fit of the patina on an Opinel Carbone over a inoxidable version.
 
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