Anyone like opinel,

[Colonel26]

Great Opinels!

I have a 12 that I’ve highly modified (reshaped the handle, reprofiled the blade, relieved the pivot area, smoothed and polished the inside of the locking ring, etc...) to make it a one handed knife. I use it for a heavy chopper in the back field.

But I have this little #8 on me today.

[Benton629]

Good looking knife.
I love Opinel.

[Reverand]

I recently bought my first Opinel, a used #8.
I like it more than I thought I would!
I keep wanting to do something different with the handle, but I am not sure what, yet.

[treefarmer]

Just reading through the posts concerning Opinel knives and realized I had never posted in this thread. I have posted concerning leaving my Opinel in my pocket and running it through the washing machine a few years ago. Got good advice on drying it out, too.
I first noticed these years ago when looking for Christmas gifts for the maintenance crew. I bought maybe a dozen of them from SMKW and at that time they were quite affordable. I kept one, gave one to my son and the rest went to the crew. My son used his to dress a deer, he was still in high school. He still has his, he's 42 so it's been a while. I carry mine off and on but never got hooked on it. I like the carbon steel and the lock is fine but getting them soaked in the washing machine is a different story. It's not like runnin' your old Queen Trapper or Stockman through the laundry and have your wife say, "Found another knife in the washer"! Sometimes the knives even make it to the dryer, they apparently sound the same as a pair of bib overall fasteners beating around for 40 minutes.
I bought a pair of stainless bladed ones for my grandsons several years ago. I figured they could use them when they were fishing. I think they just put them away in a box like most of us do when we get a new knife.
The colorful handles are eye catchers.
Keep on posting your Opinels!
Treefarmer

[carrmillus]

.........after spending nearly 2 years in france, I don't want ANYTHING that is made in france or china!!!!........... ............................

[edge213]

.........after spending nearly 2 years in france, I don't want ANYTHING that is made in france or china!!!!........... ............................

carrmillus, I love your post and your honesty.
It is quite refreshing in this PC world.

[carrmillus]

....I'm glad the army paid for my trip and not me!!!.............. ..........

[Vit_213]

Opinel No 8 Grey Birch (002389)

[cudgee]

[Vit_213]

Opinel No 8 130th Anniversary (002399)

[doglegg]

Cool one Vit.

[jerryd6818]

Hornbeam handle. I must confess I was not familiar with Hornbeam and had to look it up. Interesting wood.

[Ridgegrass]

If I may horn in on this thread about French knives. I bought this Sabatier chef's knife/clever in a junk sale about 25 years ago for a couple bucks.(12' overall, 7"blade.) It caught my eye because the edge temper line was plain to see and it looked like a quality piece. Well, it turned out to be a really quality piece. The edge is phenomenal. It will slice meat and vegetables darn near thin enough to read through, No kidding. It's the only knife I use for all food prep, except a paring knife for little stuff.
I like Opinel knives but I rarely see any in my wanderings. I saw about a two-footer one time but it wasn't for sale.

By the way, I know how folks feel about French made stuff but we can't forget, Chablis '59, their food, Brigitte Bardot, Kathrine DeNeuve, Capuchin, bicycles, bikinis, the Riviera, and the Tour de France . J.O'.

[Quick Steel]

Well observed Ridgegrass.

[jmh58]

My latest. No. 8 Outdoor Sport.
John

[treefarmer]

John, looks like I could run that one through the washing machine without any problems.
Treefarmer

[jmh58]

John, looks like I could run that one through the washing machine without any problems.
Treefarmer

I would call it washing machine safe!!
John

[GSPTOPDOG]

I carry one in my EDC line-up

[Reverand]

I have a #8, and while I don't really care to carry it in my pockets, I love using it in the kitchen. I have considered buying some larger versions to keep and use as kitchen knives.

[cudgee]

For anyone starting out to learn the sharpening process, skill, technique involved, Opinel are one of the best knives to learn on. They take a wicked edge, you can really hear the stone working and for new comers to sharpening getting a result counts for so much. If you start on hard steels and are not getting results it is very easy to become disheartened and give up. This aspect of them is very rarely mentioned.

[Vit_213]

Opinel No 8 125 Anniversary

[dlr110]

I have a few. This is a set I purchased several years ago.
I also keep a No. 8 at my workbench.

[ThatWeirdKnifeGuy]

I have a few. This is a set I purchased several years ago.
I also keep a No. 8 at my workbench.
20200905_104931.jpg

Do you customize the handles? I see that you're an artist, I've seen some great carved handles. I imagine you could burn something pretty cool into them. I had a #8 carbon steel at my bench as well. I loved it.

[dlr110]

I have a few. This is a set I purchased several years ago.
I also keep a No. 8 at my workbench.
20200905_104931.jpg

Do you customize the handles? I see that you're an artist, I've seen some great carved handles. I imagine you could burn something pretty cool into them. I had a #8 carbon steel at my bench as well. I loved it.

I won't burn anything on this set but I have thought about getting their #8 that comes with a big round handle and you carve your own shape. Then I could combine it with some woodburning on it.

[ThatWeirdKnifeGuy]

I have thought about getting their #8

They're definitely priced right for experimenting on. The laguiole style handles are interesting too. Not necessarily my style, but I have one now and it's growing on me. Im rubbish with wood, but im going to practice blade mods on mine because, again its cheap so i won't feel bad when I make it nice and ugly, but also the steel is very easy to sharpen. I assume this means working with the steel in other ways will be easier as well.