Thread: Opinel folding knives

I have a few sheath knives. But I'm on the look out for a small folder to replace one that was stolen. Not many at a reasonable price and hard to find out anything about the blade steel.

I see they have a 3" folder No 8 they call it. Dam cheap. Use will me mainly light gutting, skining, like rabbits perhaps fox. Unikely but perhaps bigger stuff.


Who has had one?

Q1 are they any good and hold an edge?
Q2 do they lock and how?
Q3 should i get a stainless or carbon steel?

i would rather have a buck knife, own a few. great at holding an edge and great backup service

The opinel blade holds a good edge, and more importantly, is very easy to sharpen. They’re not a tough blade, and can break/chip if you’re rough and twist them in a joint. They lock by rotating the stainless ring at the hilt, simple but effective.
For the money, they’re pretty good.


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I bought an Opinel ‘Inox’ (stainless) in Paris years ago. An ok knife but I prefer my Svord Peasant, esp with the shoulder reduced a tad.

Originally Posted by Oldbloke

I have a few sheath knives. But I'm on the look out for a small folder to replace one that was stolen. Not many at a reasonable price and hard to find out anything about the blade steel.

I see they have a 3" folder No 8 they call it. Dam cheap. Use will me mainly light gutting, skining, like rabbits perhaps fox. Unikely but perhaps bigger stuff.


Who has had one?

Q1 are they any good and hold an edge?
Q2 do they lock and how?
Q3 should i get a stainless or carbon steel?

Q1 are they any good and hold an edge? Very good, high carbon steel blades, hold an edge well and respond very well to a light tickle on a sharpener - stone or diamond/carbide
Q2 do they lock and how? The collar twists round and follows a ramp profile until locked
Q3 should i get a stainless or carbon steel? Both, one for acidic/salty work - gutting fish or fishing and a carbon steel for freshwater/dry land. They are cheap enough to get one of each.

Back in the old country, Opinels are a staple, they are usually sold next to the till in most outdoor/sports shops but due to the great butter knife crackdown in England, they will probably be shackled to the floor.

Be aware they can lock up if the wood swells when they are wet. Some say you can still open it by tapping it on something hard but my one proves to lock up solid if wet and no amount of tapping frees it. I keep it in my range bag now nice and sharp but not great for the field.

svord peasant knife gets my vote...either size work well but the bigger version is EASIER on deer,you can dress out a sheep with the wee version,does a deer too,just a bit slower than the longer version.

I have the svord peasant too just the small one fluro handle easy to see when you put it down

I've got one , so far I've dressed out two deer with it . I'm happy with it, would but another one if I lost it.

I keep mine dry so I've never had an issue with the handle but if I came across one with a synthetic handle and full blade rather than the half serrated ones I'd buy that.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

svord peasant knife gets my vote...either size work well but the bigger version is EASIER on deer,you can dress out a sheep with the wee version,does a deer too,just a bit slower than the longer version.

I have a puma pal for deer etc.

These look interesting. I like the bright coloured handles. What's the go with the long tang?
What's it for?
Blade very hard?

the long tang,swings back into handle to semi lock it in place...your hand keeps in in there of the wee bit of string you have attached hole in tang wrapped around handle means no way can it swing shut..personally Ive never had one try to shut on me...plurry clever design that just works. stell is easy enough to get razor sharp and keep that way..DO NOT put in dishwasher.

Pull the knife apart, soak the handle in water, then sand the blade slot so that the blade fits in with just the right about of friction, then reassemble. Handle swell issue fixed.

I have the large Opinel as my main hunting knife, really light, works well.
Easy to sharpen and will hold an edge.
Can get a bit sticky to open if left wet and not oiled. Locking ring works well.
You do need to treat it as a knife, it's not an axe or a screw driver.
I always clean and sharpen after each use and it lives in my bum bag. (Not that it's been needed much lately but that's a different story)

Yes, yes and yes

There are so many great classic folding knives.
Have a look at:
The mercator from Germany (I wouldn't pay the price they want for them in NZ now though, no where near good enough to justify the price)
The douk-douk and opinel from France.
The Higonokami from Japan

One I've recently brought and proved very good and extreme value for money is the QSP parrot which has a D2 tool steel blade and is a solid inexpensive knife. I've butchered several animals with mine and didn't even bother getting the main knife out. I've got about 3 spares still in the box in my cupboard just in case. It makes the retail price in NZ of Mercators a hysterical joke.