Simplicity at its most elegant and functional.
Opinel knives have been cutting meats and cheeses to be eaten on bagguetes in the French countryside for more than a century. Since 1890, this quintessentially french knife has been marketed out of Savoie, France as simple, yet elegant blades for every day use. See how they might factor into your next picnic or culinary adventure!
Design
Opinel knives are remarkably simple. They consist of three parts: a blade, a handle, and a metal clamping band with a locking collar and pivoting axle. Together, they come together to make a highly functional, lightweight, and sophisticated.
Materials
Handle: The classic Opinel sports a beechwood handle, although certain styles come with synthetic or rare wood handles. Depending on your blade steel, the beechwood handle will be varnished or raw. Either way, the handle will be susceptible to moisture content. On a humid day, the knife may be harder to open than others. Keep this in mind when before you dump the knife into a wash bucket…
Blade Steel: Opinel also offers two different blade steels. The original is a stainless steel (Sandvik 12C27), which has excellent edge retention, is resistant to corrosion, and create a tough blade. The other option is carbon steel (XC90). Carbon steels are heat treated, which makes them harder than stainless steels, but more susceptible to corrosion. Neither blade steel will disappoint.
Uses
Kitchen prep, picnic prep, every day tasks, classy functions, etc.
Note: These are not the most durable knives. They aren’t meant for batoning, bush crafting, or heavy cutting. It is not a fixed-blade. Opinel’s have very thin blades, which makes them great for slicing and dicing, but somewhat fragile.
Why Should you Buy One?
First of all, they cost less than $20. Why not buy one, give it a try, and toss it in your pack for your next adVenture? You won’t regret it.
Second, they are dependable, lightweight, and beautiful. Nuff said.
Third, they are customizable. Opinels come in many shapes and sizes. The No. 7 and No. 8 are the most popular, but the available sizes range from a 10 inch blade to a 1.25 inch blade. Plastic handles, wooden handles, and handles with corkscrews in them. Finally, Opinel does custom knives. They do engravings, laser etchings, you name it. Their work is beautiful.
The Bare Bones
Name: Opinel Beechwood Folder Knife
Blade Steel: Carbon or Stainless Steel
Recommended Use: Being classy, food prep, knife collecting
Weight: 1.2 oz (for the No. 7 stainless knife)
Price: $14.00
Leave a Reply