What are Opinels like?

[Wayland]

Good knives but I've just found one of these which is good, cheap and UK legal.

 

[Highbinder]

I wouldn't pop the lock off altogether - it detracts from the esthetics of the knife. Much better just to superglue it in place.

I never have less than three. Number 6 is my favourite.

Yep the 6 is the best too IMO. I wish I could get an olive wood handled 6 with a C blade.

I've always wanted to take a larger model and regrind the blade down into a smaller wharncliffe shape. Project for the summer maybe!

 

[shropshirelad]

Carry one with me all the time, used daily,sharpened every now and then,great little knife !!!

 

[Asa Samuel]

Cracking knives, the tip is well known for being easy to break but a lot of people re-grind them to make the point stronger. As has been said if you want it UK legal you could always glue the lock in place.

 

[silentpaddler]

I hate to be the only one with a bad review, but I was fishing with a buddy of mine who had one--and we had to use MY knife to pry his open.
The darn wooden handle swelled with humidity and made the blade bind. Anyone else have this happen?

 

[Highbinder]

I hate to be the only one with a bad review, but I was fishing with a buddy of mine who had one--and we had to use MY knife to pry his open.
The darn wooden handle swelled with humidity and made the blade bind. Anyone else have this happen?

Yes all the time. Comes with the territory with unstabilized wood I suppose. The opinel is a friction folder of sorts so when the wood swells it can be a real pita to get a good grip on the blade with the finger nick they have. Only other negative for me is the lock works loose on mine, but it is about 12 years old so that's understandable

 

[mrcharly]

Yeah - the wood isn't sealed, so it will swell up.

Dry it out, soak in oil with blade half-out. Work blade back and forth to loosen it a bit. Job done.

 

[slowworm]

I use mine a fair bit and yes the very end of the tip has broken off so it's on the list to be slightly modified. I was pleased to see Opinel make a couple of UK legal non-locking ones but they're too small for me with a 1½in blade.

 

[disconeil]

Hi Gotte,
I have owned an opinel for 5 years and used it exclusivley for gutting rabbits, it did this job brilliantly until I got it out of my bag and the end had broken off, I reground the end but it was never the same.
I'd have another tommorrow though,they are great to sharpen i find.

 

[Melonfish]

Opinel, bloody good knives! nuff said.
mines still pretty stiff to this day, it never seemed to have loosened up.

 

[kINGPIN]

I have an 7, 8, 9, and 12. they are great cheap knives.

 

[crowman]

i have carried one of these in my pocket for years and have used it everyday i have been through a couple and when my latest one dies i will be buying another the only trouble i have had is that it needs to be kept in a dry place as the damp makes the wooden handle swell and the blade is sometimes to stiff to get out easily, i left it outside over night once and when i needed it in the morning i couldnt open it but other than that i find it a very handy knife and easy to keep sharp and i dont leave the house with out it .

 

[Captaincrash]

I have a few #8s and a couple #6s and a little #4 for my glove box......love them and carry one all the time (#8 since I am in Canada).....

 

[michiel]

I agree what has been said here. Cheap, thin, holds a decent edge and perfect to learn to sharpen (both convex as V)

 

[shortyman]

It doesn't have to be an automatic lock. No grey area, unfortunately.

Thanks for setting me straight!

 

[Tinweasle]

I took one to sri lanka with me a couple of years back, used it one evening and left if open on the table (yes I know) and couldnt close the thing intill I got it home a couple of weeks later

 

[Gotte]

Thanks for that, guys. I got one yesterday and it looks great. I was going to oil the handle with a bit of linseed oil. I'm assuming from a previous comment this will stop the handle swelling and shrinking.

 

[bushwacker bob]

Thanks for that, guys. I got one yesterday and it looks great. I was going to oil the handle with a bit of linseed oil. I'm assuming from a previous comment this will stop the handle swelling and shrinking.

Probably not unless you get the oil right into the groove at the blade end, It may well prove counter productive and make it a bit sticky for a while. The outside of the handle already has some sort of varnish on it.

 

[Highbinder]

I read elsewhere someone was modding an Opinel with washers at the pivot point to stop the effects of the wood swelling. No idea if anything came of it

 

[flexo]

world best knife ever. fair enough?