All About Pocket Knives

My first Opie a no.6.
Saw one posted on the cCc forum.
Decided I could afford $14 to cure my curiosity.
Wouldn't have been that much but I splurgiated
for a deeLuxe version in Walnut.
Definitely a candidate worth consideration if one
needs a lighweight no worries toter. Or if you keep
showing up at the airport with your S&M in your pocket.

I bought a No. 6 first (Inox stainless), then went for a Slim Bubinga No. 10 with the nice leather sheath (mirror finish stainless). Recently I picked up an old No. 9 with the carbon steel blade for $10.00 at a gun show. I have some questions about this one. It is one of those old enough so that it does not lock when closed. Does anyone on this forum know when Opinel changed the lock ring so that it would lock when in the closed position? Also, this No. 9 has the words "La Main Couronnee" under "Opinel" on the handle. These words do not appear on the newer ones. "Made in France" is above "Opinel". This is not the case with any of the newer ones either. Does any of this help to date this No. 9 as being made prior to a certain year?

Thank you for any light you can shed on this knife.

I had an Opinel several years back but I can't remember what happened to it. I think I gave it away but just can't access that memory cell. I've seen several online lately and have been going back and forth with myself, trying to decide whether to buy another or not. I kind of like to have one of everything I can afford and the Opinels certainly fit into the affordable category.

Here's the only one I own;a Nr.17.The squares behind it are 1 inch.The finish on the blade is beautiful.

John T. Jeffery wrote: I have some questions about this one. It is one of those old enough so that it does not lock when closed. Does anyone on this forum know when Opinel changed the lock ring so that it would lock when in the closed position?

I am not sure which patterns they are, but I know some did not have locking rings on them.

Dale

My favorite is the Olive Wood the standard model is nice also : )

orvet wrote:

John T. Jeffery wrote: I have some questions about this one. It is one of those old enough so that it does not lock when closed. Does anyone on this forum know when Opinel changed the lock ring so that it would lock when in the closed position?

I am not sure which patterns they are, but I know some did not have locking rings on them.

Dale

JTJ,
from what I've read on one of the Opinel Store sites, the lock ring modification to also lock blade when closed occurred in 2000.

Dale, the pics indicate No.5 and down have no lockring, No.6 and up do have the lock ring.

knife7knut wrote:Here's the only one I own;a Nr.17.The squares behind it are 1 inch.The finish on the blade is beautiful.

knife7knut: That is one big, beautiful Opinel!

woseyjales wrote:After my first one in walnut, I got the no.6 in Olivewood.
$2 more for the 'exotics' I can afford.
My Physical therapist wanted one so when I ordered hers
I got a carbon No.6 to tote instead of the walnut ss.
Then self convinced me I needed a No.7 too. (4" vs 3 5/8")
I did a little faux Pocket Wore treatment on the #7, I like the results.
Comparison pic with the No.6 carbon below.
I like 'em, simple & functional and still have some style too.
And as mentioned before, they're cheap enough to have fun with.
If it falls out of the boat or into your mother-in-laws' airport luggage
by accident...well stuff happens.

woseyjales (I like that handle, by the way!): Beautiful pictures! Makes me want to add some more of these to my own collection! Thanks for posting them!

woseyjales wrote:JTJ, from what I've read on one of the Opinel Store sites, the lock ring modification to also lock blade when closed occurred in 2000.

woseyjales: Thank for the information. A response I received to this request on KnifeForums indicated that the early logo on this knife "was used until 1985". This same response also confirmed what you posted, i.e. that "the current double locking Virabloc was introduced in 2000". Apparently the best I am going to be able to date this knife is 1985 or earlier.

JTJ,
I had to get some more after a fellow Opieite
sent me his source's link. They had more variations
than the other sites I visited. I thought about it
overnight then first thing this a.m. made my choices.

Then to kill some time before they get here,
I 'Pocket Wore' my No.6 carbon.
Lost it's orangeish tone and the grain shows better.
Here's the PW #06 & #074 with factree original #064.


Same type 06 07 comparison shot as previous post, but now both pocket wore, not just the 07.


Hmmmm, I wonder if this is how Orvet & Elvis got started?
I hope not....for their sakes!!!

woseyjales: You really do take the most remarkable knife photos! And the result is at least one appetite whetted for more Opinels in the collection! Thanks for posting those!

JT, glad to hear you enjoyed the pics.
Koduck does the hard part, I just set
'em up centered in that lil window &
try to hit the clicker button before they
roll away.
Then upload the pics, save the best 4
into the photobucket and delete the other 50.
I know it ain't much of a system, but it's all I got.

Enjoy your new Opies, look forward to seeing them here.

Just got computer back from the shop,
blew a head gasket. WindowsXP reinstalled,
now if I can get all the peripheral stuff working I'll be all set.
Anyway, here's a 'test' Opie Nell pic, see if it loads right.
Stand back, this is only a test.

woseyjales wrote:Just got computer back from the shop,
blew a head gasket. WindowsXP reinstalled,
now if I can get all the peripheral stuff working I'll be all set.
Anyway, here's a 'test' Opie Nell pic, see if it loads right.
Stand back, this is only a test.

woseyjales: How about running down the handle materials from left to right for us? I am guessing from the second one to the left: walnut, olive, bubinga, oak, cherry, beech. I am not sure about the first one. How am I doing so far?

I like the Cold Steel version, the Twistmaster which can still be found online...sometimes at a bargain price. Their blades are heavier than an Opinels and being made of synthetic the handles don't swell when gotten wet. They had 4 blade choices as well...clip, drop, bowie, and tanto.



Here is the large and small next to each other...bear in mind the large is the same size as a #12 Opinel



I like the Opinel too...I have the large and the small...now just need all the sizes in between!

Absintheur wrote:I like the Cold Steel version, the Twistmaster which can still be found online...sometimes at a bargain price. Their blades are heavier than an Opinels and being made of synthetic the handles don't swell when gotten wet. They had 4 blade choices as well...clip, drop, bowie, and tanto.

YO! Absintheur, thank you for posting that! I just got an education! I never knew that Cold Steel ever made such a knife. Do you know what years they were produced? Thanks again!

Cold Steel made those in the eighties...they weren't a very popular series unfortunately. These knives, much like the Opinels, cut very well.

I do not have many Opinels, but I like these inexpensive and lightweight knives. Great slicers too!

I believe they have available oversize handle shafts that are unfinished so that you may carve and finish as you wish. I found this on an Opinel seller's site, but don't remember the site name. If I can find it, I'll let you folks know.

Here is the model number designation for the unfinished walnut. Opinel No8 RAW / Ebauche Walnut handle for carving. Opinel Knife Part Number: 1023. They also offer it in olivewood which is very pretty. I'm not a wood carver by any means, but it is interesting that they offer these oversized, unfinished handles. The rest of the knife parts are assembled to the unfinished handle.

Ed

I like my Opinels. They have served me well.

Nice working knives you've got there!