Opinel No.06 Stainless Steel Folding Knife with Beechwood Handle

I own all kinds of knives. Benchmade, Bark River, Spyderco, Kabar, Cold Steel etc in steels ranging from 1095 to magnacut and s90v. Lately I’ve developed a taste for traditional slip joints by Buck, Case, Rough Rider, Old Timer, Marbles. There is something to be said about carrying a knife that millions of Americans have carried for over a century. Before their were knife nerds and knife steel nerds and modern tactical folders with fancy super steels, this is what the working man carried. They are inexpensive, pretty to look at, easy to sharpen and they cut things. The Opinel No. 8 is one of these. Cheap, simple, classic. I deliberately got the most basic version of their most popular knife for this very reason, and it is a beautiful knife, and much like a Buck or Case I can feel the history in the design. That’s not to say it’s perfect. Opinels are known to be… finicky. Being an all wood handle with no metal liners, they have a tendency to swell up and cause the blade to stick when exposed to water or humid conditions. I live in New York, not overly dry and not overly humid. Not long after taking it out of the package it started to stiffen. It would still open, but at about the halfway point the action got very tight. There are many reports of people not being able to open it at all when the blade gets trapped by the swelled wood handle. Not ideal for a blade that is ideal for food prep, since simply washing it off could inhibit the basic function of opening and closing. I saw a trick on YouTube where a guy baked it for about an hour at 180 degrees Fahrenheit on a piece of parchment paper and it worked like a charm. It now opens smoothly and easily, though I suppose it could just swell up again next time it gets wet or the weather gets humid. Using stabilized wood would eliminate this issue, but since Opinel sells literally millions of these knives every year I don’t see them changing it anytime soon. People go to great lengths modding and optimizing these cheapies, sanding finger grooves, sanding the pivot area, DIY wood stabilizing, soaking the whole thing in paraffin wax, filing a groove into the inner metal ring so that the blade opens completely straight (typically the blade is angled a couple of degrees downward when fully open as it comes into contact with this ring. Does not affect its cutting ability). I don’t suppose Opinel would have sold hundreds of millions of these knives over the last century if they didn’t work, and I don’t suppose people would go through so much trouble trying to make them perfect if they didn’t love them. Modern super knives are cool, and collecting them can be fun, but knives like this are a throwback to a simpler time when a man had one trusted knife because that was all he needed. The Opinel No. 8 makes a great Old Trusty.

I like the Opinels, especially with stainless blades, but this one is my favorite by far.The No. 8 knife is a very useful size, but the ones I've had have been hard to open, and the locking rings are hard to turn. It takes strong fingers and fingernails, it takes time, and it leaves my fingertips feeling raw. In short, it's a pain.For whatever reason, the No. 9's I've had have been MUCH easier to open, close, lock, and unlock. They are only slightly larger than the No. 8, and they are still a very useful size-- not too big.Like all the Opinels, they lock solidly in the open or closed position. They are lightweight. They take a fierce edge and they cut beautifully. The handles are comfortable and I find the knives good-looking too. For the price, they are one of the best bargains in the world.I have found that all my Opinels have needed some sharpening when new. No big deal. I draw them across a diamond hone. In a few minutes, I have an excellent edge. These knives have a convex blade profile, and for best performance really should be drawn across the hone, rather than having the edge pushed across it. No doubt, it is the convex grind that helps give the Opinels their great cutting ability.For use in the great outdoors, or indeed anywhere else, a lanyard is extremely useful. Most modern folders have pocket clips that keep the knife secured but accessible. The Opinel has none. I have found that the wooden handle is easy enough to drill through, and once you have a hole, a short length of nylon cord makes a dandy lanyard loop. Tying the knife to your person keeps it from getting lost when you are in the woods, on a boat, on the farm, or wherever, and attaching a cheap carabiner from your local dollar store (or Amazon) lets you clip the knife to a belt loop to keep it secured but accessible, just like with a modern tactical folder.One-handed opening is easy, despite the lack of a thumb stud or thumb hole. Unlock the blade by turning the locking ring, get your fingertips on either side of the blade, and lever the end of the handle against your body (say, the side of your leg). Pull on the blade and the whole thing will hinge open. Once it is about half open, you can shift your grip to get more fingertips on the blade, and get a better angle to lever it completely open. When it is open, shift your grip to hold the handle, and then turn the ring to lock the blade.Closing it one-handed is even quicker and simpler, as you only need unlock, press the back of the blade against your body to close it, and then lock again (optional).Obviously, this procedure is not as convenient (or safe!) as using a modern tactical folder, but it does work, and with the No. 9, it works quite well. Using two hands to open the knife is recommended, but if you only have one hand free and you need your knife NOW, it will work.For those who've read my other reviews, you know that I will generally withhold one star in my rating if the product is not made in the USA. I am making a rare exception. This knife performs so well, and is such a wonderful value, that I am giving it my highest recommendation, in spite of the fact that it is made in France. I hope the French are proud of this knife. Despite their reputation for wonderful cheese, wine, literature, etc., this knife may be the best product they have ever exported.

it is wildly unique in our neck of the woods. And if you're tired of people cringing away or looking askance at you when you employ your pocket knife for any of the many daily tasks for which it is so well suited, get one of these unique tools. Your OPINEL knife will change other people's skeptical looks into admiration. Pleasant conversations might even ensue. Available in a wide range of sizes, I find the Number 6 the best fit in my daily pockets, a Number 5 in dress pants. Apart from its' unique design/construction, it is a well made knife and suitable for any pocket knife task. The carbon and stainless steel versions seem to retain their edge sharpness equally well. I promise you won't regret this purchase and it's also a terrific gift.DOUG out