Opinel No. 08 INOX - Stainless Steel Folding Pocket Knife, Beechwood Handle

I've wanted an Opinel for a number of years, not sure why I never jumped on getting one before, it just didn't happen. But this past prime day I found one for a few bucks off its already reasonably low price and went ahead and got myself a No. 8. Its a wonderfully sized knife, it fits the hand well and isn't too big to reasonably slip in a pocket or so small it is hard to hold onto. I love the rotating ring locking mechanism. It is so simple, but effective. The blade is mounted in the handle at a bit of a downward angle in such a way where if you wanted to use the flat part of the blade for slicing it may not work too well, that being said, the downward angle makes using the curved portion of the blade and the tip easier. The blade itself appears to be a high quality stainless steel. I have no doubt it will hold an edge well. As far as blade sharpness out of the box, I would consider it "working sharp". Its sharp enough, it will do what you need it to do, cut rope, open packages, etc. But it is definitely not razer sharp. Now for some people this may sound like a bad thing, many people want a razer sharp knife. The problem with sharpening a blade to that level of sharpness is it will dull faster than one sharpened differently. I think this is sharpened specifically to be a working blade. I'm going to use it for awhile without taking out my sharpening stones and see how it holds up. I suspect it will hold up wonderfully.

I am very impressed with the quality of this knife. It’s incredibly lightweight, making it perfect for everyday carry. The stainless steel (Inox) blade is razor-sharp out of the box and very easy to maintain. I especially like the Virobloc safety ring, which feels very secure. For the price, you simply can't find a better combination of tradition and functionality. Highly recommended!

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.

Tried, trusted, and true. Beautiful knife that is extremely durable due to the stainless. Knife arrived pleasantly sharp and is comfortable to hold. I’ve used this knife from chores around the yard, to opening packages, or even cutting an avocado. Love it!

Every so often, I need to cut something, and there's the Opinel #6. Convenient size, sharp, sturdy, simple. Why 4? Because knives have come VERY far since the 1900's. Yes, this is a wonderful, enduring design. But opening and closing an Opinel requires 2 hands, and if you forget to rotate the cuff, the knife may end up being unlocked in your pocket. The knife feels good in the hand, but for heavy duty cutting, I'm not sure I trust the handle. I have to admit, I bought this for "old times sake" and just to have a classic knife that doesn't cost hundreds of dollars. So I'm satisfied and happy with the purchase.

Ever since I was a young guy, I've carried practical pocketknives on a daily basis. I prefer flat, small knives that don't take up a lot of pocket space, and that have one or two blades at most. I kept hearing good things about these French knives, but they always looked too big for my taste, so I never got one. When I lost my longtime carry knife, I came across this No.8 Opinel, and despite the width increase from my usual carried knives, I decided to give this one a try - for under $20, it's a no-brainer. When I received my knife, I was impressed with the quality and look of it, and it fit in my pocket pretty well too. It wasn't the sharpest knife I've ever owned, but out of the box it was plenty sharp, and after giving it a good cleaning and some lubricant, it opens/closes and the lock engages and disengages quite easily. After about a week of carrying this, I decided that I wanted to get a small belt sheath to carry this in. Here's the only area of disappointment for me with this knife - it's difficult to find a sheath that fits these for less than 2-3 times what the knife itself cost. I eventually found a handcrafted sheath on eBay, but it was $18, so roughly the cost of my knife, but it fit quite well. So to summarize - the knife is great. It's snazzy looking, people always ask me where I got it, where it's from, etc. And it's so much more polished and refined than those silly looking tactical knives that are out there. Sure, it's not for everyone - from what I hear, you shouldn't get the handle wet, or it could swell up. And the carbon steel requires a measure of care and maintenance that normal stainless knives dont, but then again, if that bothers you, buy a stainless steel knife. For the price point and practical usability, this Opinel can't be beat. Just be advised - if you carry your knife in a sheath, there aren't a ton of low cost options out there, so keep that in mind. Otherwise, buy one. Or 3-4. they're cheap, durable and a neat conversation piece.

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.

I bought a No. 9 Stainless Steel Opinel and have so far been loving it. It's a great choice if you want a cheap, stylish, and very functional pocket knife of a simple design with a good feel to it. Many reviews complain of poor durability when exposed to water or shoddy craftsmanship, but I say that, for a 20 dollar knife, it's hard to beat. For this price point, you're usually dealing with garbage Chinese-made crap that sharpens like a graham cracker and holds an edge just like one too. An Opinel smokes its direct price point competition in feel, function, and aesthetic. Just remember that, for a price this low, you wouldn't be hurting too much if you had to buy a replacement. If you're looking for a knife you'll never have to replace ever and take through hell and back, then maybe an Opinel isn't for you. It's a great light duty knife, but don't be surprised if, at some point, you gotta buy a new one because the old one got messed up somehow. You get what you pay for. It's hard to find a knife of a decent size of decent quality, and the Opinels fill this spot. I will say that it's nigh impossible to open one-handed. The wood handle gives a fair bit of resistance and there's no thumb hold to open the blade with just one hand. That said, if you find that you're fumbling a bit with the blade to unseat it from the wooden handle, try the Savoyard's Tap: open the lock and hold it with your thumb and index finger, the handle pointing outwards from your hand. The little lip at the bottom of the knife (opposite side of the lock) is for you to physically bang on a hard surface to unseat the knife easily. Look up a video tutorial if you need it. This is a fun way to open a knife and it feeds into the unique style of an Opinel when put next to typical pocket knives today. All in all, a good knife for a low price, but it's not perfect. Great for light duty stuff (I use it to cut packaging materials frequently), and it has a neat style to it with a cool history behind it all. Highly recommended!

Good folder, no complaints.

アウトドア用の調理ナイフと言えばOPINELが定番らしいので、購入してみました。 今のところ切れ味は抜群ですね。 木の風合いもなかなか良くていい感じです！

Fijn mes

Superbe couteau, de très bonne qualité.

جميله وحاده جدا