Keeping it simple: Opinel & Peasant knife

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I got an Opinel for my nephew this year, I hope he likes it. He catches way more fish than I ever do, so he needs it.

I like the looks of that peasant knife a lot.

Have you guys used these for any heavier work?
Click to expand...

Oh yeah. An Opinel will cut a leather-tough dog salmon in chunks like a cube of butter. I wouldn't use it for carving hardwoords but it will take and keep a razor edge with great ease.
 
Checked SMKW site and all Opinels were listed as being "out of stock". The Opinel USA site looks to be geared toward dealers, as all the knives I looked at were only offered in boxes of 10 or 12.

Guess I'll have to browse through EBay, etc. and see what turns up.
 
Be sure you know what your bid covers. Many eBay listers have a flat shipping charge of $5-6; you could ship a #7 for less than $1.50 first class and that includes the padded mailer so they are making $4 or so on the shipping. The last one I bought I think I bid approx $6 plus shipping.
 
Opinel Wood Handles

The wood handles on an Opinel are not stabilized.

Could someone please remind me what the treatment is for those handles so that a) I don't have to take the knife apart, b) the wood will become water-resistant and won't swell (or at least not as much) when working around wet materials or when rinsing the blade with water?

 
[Could someone please remind me what the treatment is for those handles so that a) I don't have to take the knife apart, b) the wood will become water-resistant and won't swell (or at least not as much) when working around wet materials or when rinsing the blade with water]

With the knife open, take a toothpick or end of a paper match, and smear some Vasoline around in the pivot area. Leave on for a while then fold a paper towel in half and gently wipe out the excess gel. Do this once a week for a while, then once a month. I've taken my number 6 oak and dropped it in a glass of water to experiment, and left it in for 20 minutes, and had no opening problems. My number 8 is my kayak and canoe knife, and gets wet on a very regular basis with no problems. In a pinch, Chapstick can be used as well, but it's harder to get good penitration into the joint area.

I was told to do this by a real French guy named Pascal, who was born and raised in Paris. It works. It may sound weird, but then Opinels are kind of weird anyway.

For the exterior of the knife, I use Helmsman Spar Urathane satin finish. This is a very durable and water proof finish.

Carl.
 
The only negative aspect that I can say from my experience using wooden handled Opinels is that they will swell if you get them wet, and not dry off completely. Once the handle swells, it is impossible to lock the blade. However, lately I've been playing around with a few of the smaller ones, can't recall their number at the moment, without a lock ring. Just for light duty stuff, don't want the sharp as hell carbon blade to go through my fingers. Sometimes I get worried that there is no choil, but I just try to be safe.
 
Are you guys going swimming with your knives?

I can see where it could be a problem with a wood handle Opinel. But, I have carried one of them for over 15 years and have never had an issue with the wood swelling. I clean my blade when it needs it and keep it oiled. Although, I'm not one to soak a pocket knife in a sink full of dishwater either.

Only thing I have ever done was put several coats of polyurethane on the outside to protect the knife.


The knife at the bottom of the picture was bought in 1995 and you can see its had some use. Compare it to a new blade and you can tell where some the blade has been sharpened away over time.

The top Opinel is my latest, Olive wood and SS blade. I really like it, but, still carry my old carbon steel Opinel when I know I am going to be working with a blade a lot. It's been around the barn and back, I really don't worry about hurting it.
 

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Every once in awhile an Opinel of mine gets hard to open or close, I'm assuming from water swelling the wood.
I liberaly spray the "joint/hinge" with WD-40 and it helps imensly.
 
Got my Opinel #8 INOX tonight. I really like this knife.

I fixed the edge on it with some ceramic stones and then stropped it a little. I also put some White Lightning in the joint because the blade motion was initially pretty sticky/stiff. Now the blade glides open smoothly and it's scary sharp. It's refreshing to work with a blade designed primarily for cutting after messing around for so long with "tactical" blades which are apparently designed primarily not to break if used as screwdrivers.

After looking it over a little, I'm fairly impressed with the strength of the design. The inside steel collar reinforces the hinge joint. It may not seem strong at first glance, but I doubt you could get enough leverage on the joint to mess it up without ruining the blade in the process.

Finally, I have to admit that as an engineer, I'm tickled with a folder design that can be locked either open or closed, that uses no springs and has only 3 parts besides the blade and handle.
 
I bought a Svord a while back, and while I enjoy having it, I don't particularly like it. It works as advertised, and I have no issues with it in terms of quality or construction, it's really just that I find it awkward to carry around. YMMV, but it isn't really anything more than an interesting part of my collection.

Opinels are something that I have little experience with, but I really have nothing bad to say about them. Thinking about it, next time I have some spare money, it's time to buy a couple. They aren't expensive, and there isn't a good reason I shouldn't have one or two stashed about.

While on the subject of "cheap" knives, I will point out that if you don't have a Mora, get one. Certainly not the sexiest knife out there, but they are a darn good knife that I have become surprisingly attached to.

Edit to add: I did sharpen my Svord on my Work Sharp, and the edge is scary.
 
Svord Tang

The protruding tang on the Svörd Peasant knife pretty much begs for a belt pouch.

I've considered how I would carry one, and concluded that it would need a dedicated snug pocket or a pouch on the belt.

That little tang sticking out would likely be something of an irritant.


Perhaps someone here has a better idea? More experience with carrying the Svörd?

 
Every once in awhile an Opinel of mine gets hard to open or close, I'm assuming from water swelling the wood.
I liberaly spray the "joint/hinge" with WD-40 and it helps imensly.
Click to expand...

My Opinel recent made a trip thru the washing machine, and after drying out again the hinge is now too loose. (I'm glad I can lock it closed) I think the wood expanded enough to crush the fibers, then it shrank back smaller as it dried out.
 
Arfin,
I had the same thoughts but have been carrying it loose, tang-up in my jeans pocket for the last couple of weeks. It has not bothered me at all. The tang doesn't dig into me when I sit down or protrude out of the pocket and is actually quite handy to grasp when taking it from the pocket. The friction fit of the handle seems to be fine for when the knife is closed and it has not opened in any way while in my pocket.
 
I've only had the carbon steel versions. (the corrosion is part of their charm) How does the Inox compare? I have Victorinox and Russell-Dexter stainless steel kitchen knives that are as sharp as any carbon steel...
 
"I've only had the carbon steel versions. (the corrosion is part of their charm) How does the Inox compare? I have Victorinox and Russell-Dexter stainless steel kitchen knives that are as sharp as any carbon steel..."
__________________

Until very recently, I've only had the carbon. But I was given a stainless number 6 in oak about 5 months ago, and have been using the heck out of it. Much to my surprise, it holds an edge better than the carbon. In 2000 or 2001, Opinel switched from a French stainless steel to Sandvik 12C27. I suspect they are taking the Sandvik up a couple points in the RC scale. The stainless blades are harder now than they used to be.
 
Inox ~ if you are talking about the Opinel SS. I bought mine because I wanted the Olive wood handle. I have carried the carbon steel Opinels for years and comparing the two ~ I would say Opinel is spot on with their quality. I have no issues at all with the inox's ability to take and hold an edge. I will miss the nice patina the carbon blades acquire.
 
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Just what I needed, another knife! But that Svord Peasant knife was too tempting. Got mine a couple of days ago and I REALLY like it. A couple of minutes with my finest stone and a strop and it's as sharp as I'll ever need. The grip is rather rough finished (not that I care in such an inexpensive knife) but I plan to refinish it anyhow. Don't know what kind of wood is used but mine looks like a very nice piece of Honduran mahogany, except harder. It should refinish beautifully.

One thing I didn't expect was just how completely comfortable the grip is in my hand. Like the feel and balance of a Colt 1860 Army, I just don't want to put it down.

To my surprise, it isn't a problem for pocket carry despite that extended tang. I just make sure the tang is up in the pocket. I prefer my jeans on the baggy side so that may help. A pair of cargo pants or shorts would work as well.

I like "basic" knives that do a good job for a bargain price. The Svord is now added to my Opinels and Mora Classic fixed blade knives.

Thanks for starting this thread.

Jeff
 
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