late to party but wow opinels are awesome!

[WiSAKfan]

got my no. 8 carbon last week and been carrying it and using it, quite a good knife for the price!

every knife nut should own at least one!

anyone forced a patina on theirs?

i like this one:



http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/916712-PICS!-Modded-Opinel-Forced-patina-ergo-and-more-to-come!-Need-Advice!!

[Sazabi]

I have a love-hate relationship with Opinel:  they're nice and cheap, so I order one once in a while, only to give it away when someone comments on how awesome a knife it is.  At the moment I think I have two carbon Opinels, though I might be mistaken.  I do know I need to get another stainless one at some point, but I have so many knives and multitools at the moment, I need to concentrate on whittling down my collection, lest it take over my room. :/

[cbl51]

Pssst, hey WiSAK, it's better bing late to the party than to miss the party all together!

Aside from Victorinox, the Opinel has become my favorite knife to carry and use the heck out of. The low price is one thing, but the high level of performance these knives give is way out of proportion to the cost of them. I've had high end customs, costing hundreds of dollars in 1970's money. Very few of them cut like a sharp Opinel. PLus the Opinel can b e personalized with very little effort. Some sandpaper, some varnish, and some elbow grease, and you have a knife that is uniquely yours. And they are so easy to sharpen if the go dull on the job. A quick stopping on the bottom of a coffee mug, or the back of a legal pad, or any cardboard, and it's shaving sharp again.

Accumulating Opi's are fun, and cheap. As a result, they are easy to gift out to people who don't have a knife. They can be a little difficult to open if they get wet, but this can be remedied by greasing the joint with Vasoline once a week, and gently wiping out the excess with a folded up paper towel. And sanding them down and sealing the handle with a ggod spar urathane or sealer. But even when they get a little stiff from being wet, you can just treat them like a old style European friction folder.

Plus, find me another knife the size of a number 8, that gives me as much blade that locks open, for the light weight of the Opinel number 8. It's a bit bulky, but it is so light that you don't notice it in a pocket.

I could go on and on about Opinels, I love them so. But you'll find out yourself.

[Zed]

I love opies  although i have forced a patina before but tend to leave them as they age nicely by themselves  i was carrying my #5 with leather lanyard mod today 

[WiSAKfan]

[Q]Pssst, hey WiSAK, it's better bing late to the party than to miss the party all together! [/Q]

LOL, you're darn right 

we need an opie smiley icon!

yeah my no 8 is a charmer!

what a great combo: opinel's and SAKs.  SAKs always for tools but

give me the no 8 blade over the 91mm standard sak blades anytime.

the handle feels great and is sized perfectly for my hand.  For me it goes well in jean's 5th pocket with the end sticking out easy to grab.

thanks for the posts everyone.

i'll prob grab a few more for stocking stuffers and so i have one to start to work on, already have a couple ideas

[dks]

They are good, but I think most people would prefer the SS version, especially for cutting food.

[cbl51]

They are good, but I think most people would prefer the SS version, especially for cutting food.

 I've had both the carbon and stainless steel, and I actually prefer the stainless. In day to day use, I don't notice any difference, and the stainless does work out better for food use. The stainless seems to hold an edge just as well as the carbon ones.

[Syph007]

Yep I prefer stainless too. I have a number 8 and 10 and love them.

I bought a mix of stainless and carbon moras a couple yrs ago, and I really got tired of the carbon ones rusting, so Ive really lost interest in any steels that rust (easily) anymore.

I for sure want to mod out my opinels, but I dont have the tools for what I want to do yet.  Basically I want to do a textured hard anodized aluminum handle.  All one piece milled from solid 6061 Al, then hard anodized.  I just think that would look sweet.

[cbl51]

Yep I prefer stainless too. I have a number 8 and 10 and love them.

I bought a mix of stainless and carbon moras a couple yrs ago, and I really got tired of the carbon ones rusting, so Ive really lost interest in any steels that rust (easily) anymore.

I for sure want to mod out my opinels, but I dont have the tools for what I want to do yet.  Basically I want to do a textured hard anodized aluminum handle.  All one piece milled from solid 6061 Al, then hard anodized.  I just think that would look sweet.

Yeah, it may look sweet, but could you handle it in the winter up there without good gloves on? I was in Canada once in the winter, and it was cold as the beegesus.

[Syph007]

Yep I prefer stainless too. I have a number 8 and 10 and love them.

I bought a mix of stainless and carbon moras a couple yrs ago, and I really got tired of the carbon ones rusting, so Ive really lost interest in any steels that rust (easily) anymore.

I for sure want to mod out my opinels, but I dont have the tools for what I want to do yet.  Basically I want to do a textured hard anodized aluminum handle.  All one piece milled from solid 6061 Al, then hard anodized.  I just think that would look sweet.

Yeah, it may look sweet, but could you handle it in the winter up there without good gloves on? I was in Canada once in the winter, and it was cold as the beegesus.

With global warming, I still wear shorts in winter!

Seriously though the last few winters I only even had my snow blower out a few times, sad.  The anodizing isnt as heat conductive as bare metal, so I think it would be fine.

[Zed]

They did do a aluminium handled Opinel but I think there rare, the fun part of owning opies is modding them 

[WiSAKfan]

Yep I prefer stainless too. I have a number 8 and 10 and love them.

I bought a mix of stainless and carbon moras a couple yrs ago, and I really got tired of the carbon ones rusting, so Ive really lost interest in any steels that rust (easily) anymore.

I for sure want to mod out my opinels, but I dont have the tools for what I want to do yet.  Basically I want to do a textured hard anodized aluminum handle.  All one piece milled from solid 6061 Al, then hard anodized.  I just think that would look sweet.

Yeah, it may look sweet, but could you handle it in the winter up there without good gloves on? I was in Canada once in the winter, and it was cold as the beegesus.

With global warming, I still wear shorts in winter!

Seriously though the last few winters I only even had my snow blower out a few times, sad.  The anodizing isnt as heat conductive as bare metal, so I think it would be fine.

our wisconsin winters have been pretty mild during that time too.  I love snowstorms, and the winter in general....more places to put knives and multi-tools

i'll try a no 8 in stainless.  from the internet lore i have read that they switched stainless X number of years ago and it is comparable to saks

i really don't cut food with my edc or work knife but if I was going to cut food, then the SS for sure if carbon leaves a taste.

has anyone seen or done a micata handled opinel?

[kkokkolis]

Or an Opinel blade SAK mod?

[Syph007]

Or an Opinel blade SAK mod?

I dont see why not.  Ok who has the whole opinel set and can tell me which opinel number would fit a SAK. 

[WiSAKfan]

here is a nice chart:



http://www.knives4yourpocketblog.com/tag/opinel-knife/

[Syph007]

Hmm so maybe a #6 would fit?

[Zed]

Yeah 5-6 should be ok,wonder if the blade would work on ppp or powerlock   

[kkokkolis]

One problem is that their tang isn't extended, so the edge might hit the back spring and loose it's sharpness. Second problem the fact that the rivet section has different geometry. I hoped that a stainless #7-#8 would fit in a 93mm Alox giving a second clip point blade (yatagan they call it) or even one with serrations (outdoor model). I always liked the Mauser/ Walter 108mm, if someone finds a way to implement an Opinel blade to a 93 or 111mm Vic then anyone would have a two main blades mod option those rare today SAKs offered.

[Syph007]

Hmm if the pivot is very different it might be best to start with a bigger model like an 8 and grind a totally new pivot and hole.  I'll have a look around for a cheap inox opinel and see what i can find.

[New_World]

they are unique and cool.

[Zed]

3 of my most used opies 

[thebullfrog]

When I was living in Wisconsin, we wandered into some kitchen shop atone of the malls in Madison and they had a bin of random Opinels tossed in sitting on the shelf where they hide all the basically useless garbage trinkets. They wanted like $3 -$5 for them depending on the size. I still have no idea why I didn't buy one. Or 3.

[WiSAKfan]

When I was living in Wisconsin, we wandered into some kitchen shop atone of the malls in Madison and they had a bin of random Opinels tossed in sitting on the shelf where they hide all the basically useless garbage trinkets. They wanted like $3 -$5 for them depending on the size. I still have no idea why I didn't buy one. Or 3.

interesting, I'm in madison.  do you recall which mall, east or west?

how long ago was this?

[thebullfrog]

It was like 2 years ago now unfortunately. I'm pretty sure it was East side, but not 100%. I do miss Madison in a way.

[WiSAKfan]

It was like 2 years ago now unfortunately. I'm pretty sure it was East side, but not 100%. I do miss Madison in a way.

it's an interesting city that's for sure.

did you go to school here?

[thebullfrog]

No, my ex wanted to finish school there, so we lived there for a year. I'm back in northern Il now. I do need to head back up there and visit with some folk one of these days.

[WiSAKfan]

it's a nice place to come back to visit too, summers when the students are gone is a great time to enjoy downtown.

i'm avoiding the malls with the holiday season and all, but I might take a look afterward.

[stealth007s]

I'm still not part of the Opie party but hopefully soon I will be. Maybe Santa has one for me next week?¿?

[WiSAKfan]

been edc-ing my opie no 8. lately and combined with my sak rambler, i'm a happy camper.

"got" my svord, and my first alox, firstmate, for xmas but i'll be honest the opie has a hold over me.

it's just so light and such a beauty!

I will say the no.8 felt a little big for "sheeple" when i helped a woman at walgreens open her charger package, but i choked up on it.  she didn't even say thanks, what's up with that?

[kkokkolis]

Is it a regular no 8?
I think I'm going to get more of them. Have you seen this? http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=Mz6KHl5HbNk&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DMz6KHl5HbNk&gl=GR
Apparently there's no need to get an expensive full tang survival knife. A No 13 for wood, a No 8 for food and maybe an Opinel Saw make a full set. Even if the Outdoor doesn't satisfy somebody, they offer other options.