OPINELNo.06-No.09 Premium Woods, Stainless Steel Folding Pocket Knife, Made in France (No.08/Oak)

These are an incredible value. While they are not expensive, it’s not really possible to buy a better knife at any cost. With over 100 years of manufacturing in the same factory, it’s just really cool history too. The locking mechanism is clever and easy to use, stainless resists rust (carbon steel gets a great patina), they are very sharp and keep an edge, comfortable to hold and overall just work perfectly as a knife for any use. Really great. Classy and tons of utility.

We bought this as a first knife for our 8 year old son who is currently working to earn his whittling Badge in Cub Scouts. I was obsessively researching the perfect first knife for scouting - Benchmade Mini-Griptillian, Spyderco Delica 4, Buck 110, Leatherman Wave, Victorinox... And then I happened upon a review for this knife, and I knew this was it. Simple, safe(relatively, with the bonus that it locks in the closed position for pocket carry), and best of all, it is inexpensive so that when he loses or breaks it, no worries! I also liked the fact that it is all about the blade, no other stuff to focus on. Knife safety and knife skills are primary for a scout. The other things like the can opener, screwdriver, pliers, all that is good, but I want my kids to learn about the BLADE. I bought the No8 Carbone for myself, and for him, this Opinel No8 Luxe with Bubinga and polished 12C27M stainless steel blade - it is stunningly brilliant. This knife is lightweight ,fits in his pocket, the lock is bomb proof, and the handle fits his hands comfortably. We have not had to sharpen it yet, as it came cutting paper out of the box, and all he has done so far is open boxes, carve bars of soap, and sharpen a few sticks. I have sharpened my Carbone, and it was stupid simple with a diamond hone which a friend of mine showed us how to use. The Opinel Luxe stands out from the tactical crowd, which is refreshing to me. It is a reminder that this is tool for cutting, not combat - it does not pretend to be anything but what it is - a timeless tool, with superb functionality and a fantastic value. As I understand it, there are more Opinel No8's in the world than any other single knife. There is a reason for that.

I mainly needed a good cactus knife in case of emergency surgery on my plants, and having never owned this kind of knife a friend pointed me at Opinel. I'm completely in love with it! The size 6 is lightweight and fits nicely in my pretty small hands, and the security lock feature makes me feel safe about my fingers (and the inside of my purse if I take it out with me). It arrived very sharp, in good condition, opens and closes easily even if I trim my nails, and the lovely dark walnut handle was well worth the added cost. When I have cacti large enough to need to add a bigger knife to my kit, I'll be back for sure!

Before the disposable utility razor blade knife this filled the slice task with aplomb. Ultra light weight and no frills build the Opinel is the Timex of classic affordable precise slashing/slicing. Just as you would never expect a disposable razor to cut a nail head off a board it will disappoint quickly if used outside the slim blades field of expertise.A large cross section ranged by number, this pertains to the handle size chosen to mount various blades. Other choices Carbon vs INOX blade material, slim line and specialty blades and wood selection. For my use I would limit my choice to the No 6 and larger as the locking twist ring is not on the 2-5 in the size range. Long story short, the number 6 is still palm filling and easy handling for modest sized hands.This No 6 with a Walnut handle would make an excellent ladies EDC utility knife. From cutting up a impromptu lunch apple to opening a package despite being a one trick pony the size/weight kicks it.

A decent pocketknife is an essential tool and the Opinel 8 is a classic. My first impressions. The blade is sharp out of the box. This a light duty knife only, standard day to day. The blade locking system works well but a tiny drop of light lubricant helps. It is light, has a good feel and well balanced. For heavier duty use, turn to a Buck or a more contemporary knife. It isn’t the best but it feels good, gets the job done, is classic cool and, at $20, is a gotta have tool.

A fine knife. It has an unusual and interesting look. The blade takes on a nice edge. I bought the walnut handle and before use I put on a coat of mineral oil. This is not my first Opinel and I really like them. A folding knife can easily get debris in the folding mechanism but is easily cleaned, sort of. This time I purchased 2 extras for gifts and they were much appreciated.

Love it. Very light, thin sharp blade, size is perfect and works as intended.

I love the Opinel! I was very impressed by how sharp it was out of the box and how easy it’s been to maintain that. The blade is a little thinner than I expected, though that’s not a bad thing. There is no primary and secondary bevel, but rather a smooth, almost flat taper from the spine of the blade to the edge; while this adds to the visual appeal and probably helps in maintaining a razor edge, you wouldn’t want to use this knife for heavy-duty applications. But I have used it mostly for whittling and for cutting rope (it effortlessly cuts through 1/2” hemp cord in one slice!) Unfortunately the walnut handle already has some small dents in it, I don’t know from what. It could be that I’ve unwittingly closed my toolbox lid on it. Mostly, if I could change one thing, I would make the locking band a little thicker and perhaps put a shallower angle on the top part. As it is, the band allows the blade to flex slightly when open; I think making the band a touch sturdier is the best fix. Swapping out the relatively steep angle cut into the top edge for a shallower one would allow the band to slide farther around to get a better grip, and probably alleviate the situation a little more. But really it’s not bad how it is, and doesn’t effect use in the least. Overall, it’s a perfect complement to my larger, heavier Camillus knife (“Hustler” I think, another fantastic model, sadly discontinued).