***** I guess I'm coming to it from the viewpoint of having used a lot of woodworking hand tools. When you buy a chisel or a hand plane, there's generally zero expectation that it is going to be ready for use. Even the very best ones require honing before you would expect to get perfect results. And with those kinds of tools, you'd be sharpening them on a very regular basis. Daily or multiple times daily if you're using them a lot. I guess a knife is a somewhat different story. Still, I wouldn't count on any knife being 100% before I honed it personally. And once it is 100%, I know that's only a very temporary condition.

Agreed. Many - if not most - knives perform well after personal sharpening AND yes, you'll eventually have to do it yourself. However, I do feel they could be sharper and for people considering and inexpensive pocket knife, it's more of a heads up so you know what your (or at least I ended up) getting. I've not tried a ton of inexpensive blades, but did feel these would require a bit of help to get where folks might enjoy them. Again, Moras are about $15-30 and are significantly sharper. Obviously they are scandi and non-folding. I had an Eka once that wasn't super expensive - more so than these - and it too was unpleasantly dull. I was just surprised about how sharp the come vs how sharp they can be. Wider gap than some other knives IMO, but again, just my experience.

Keith Peters it's an anal thing.

+LightAdrenaline I would add that an opinel knife is traditionnaly the first knife you get as a french kid. So, that may explain why Opinel don't sharpen their knive too much (?)

Could be, or mine could just be such a sample - though others have said the same about factory edge. I agree, they would be WONDERFUL starter knives, esp. if the lock isn't too tight or loose which could be a safety issue. Thanks for the comment!

in many ways I see no reason to have a pocket clip on an Opinel

Just preference. Glad you see it differently.

Jamie Robbins and its very sharp out of the box too!

and very east=y to keep sharp

+khelil salhi Ya, I mentioned in the few videos that I was trying them out for the first time. They do get razor sharp as I show in one of them, esp. after some stone work (rod as well I'm sure). They are great for the price. Cheers

LightAdrenaline :)

+LightAdrenaline mine is holding it's edge so good sharpened it about 2 years ago and still cuting paper with ease

+khelil salhi Mine came sharp enough to shave hair from my arm with just a bit of pressure. #8 Carbone. But, the great thing about carbon steel is that it's easy to sharpen yourself. Even a knife steel or a strop will do wonders.

I guess a lot of us have been jaded by Moras.

LightAdrenaline moras have a lower rating

@@leeschmitz993 Mora has an incredible rating??

@@roughroosterknifesharpenin5531 still lower than Opinel

@@leeschmitz993 lol whatever dude

Thank you

Jack Rabbit same. The factory grind looks shit but it's still a razor

Same when i got my No.8 maybe the Carbon is so perfect holding an edge. I it to shave hair thin curls of wood off ruff indoor paneling when cutting out doors after using a router and it comes out better then brush it away with sandpaper.

Glad you guys are enjoying your Opinels. After sharpening them I found them to be pretty good for the price, again, mine just weren't stellar out of the box - and they could be because the steel - though thinnish - will sharpen well. Personally, I found them too "delicate" (at least in this size) for my outdoor preferences, but many will find them excellent as you have. As a general pocket knife, they aren't too bad and I keep them around. For the price, I much prefer the Moras, but they aren't folders so everything isn't equal. Cheers guys and keep loving them!

I agree. Unless you're doing surgery, or doing Sushi this is sharp enough right out of the box. The carbon model is the way to goo

They are certainly capable of doing certain tasks, but I'd only subject them to certain levels of use if it was all I had to work with. Better something than nothing. I'd simply never do some of the things I'm accustomed to in the outdoors with other knives. I'd likely reserve this to cleaning food in a true survival situation or trying to get a spark off a stone with carbon, making a bow drill, etc. Of course, this isn't ever going to be the knife I carry as a just in case honestly. I'd go with Mora as a minimum, but that's just me. Interesting companion knives IMO, esp. around the office and in a fishing kit or such. Cheers

Chris Davis that's because they were smart and knew how to the right tool for the job. People are so lazy now they want one unbreakable knife that can chop like an axe, saw timber and fine carve

Same. They're a despicable company now too with disgusting executives.

Yes, I think there are some inconsistencies with original edges. Some people are reporting great sharpness. I used to live in Arizona and the environment is very metal-friendly for the most part. Cheers

+BennyCFD Depends, Opinels are not really tactical knives, meaning that you will likely use it for food cutting. Carbon leaves a taste behind in food, you need to season before using it. Specially with acidic foods (apples,orange,lime,lemon ectra) cutting. If you use it for food i would suggest the stainless steel version...

+Michel Linschoten That can happen. I do like these for basic food prep and my buddy enjoys them for fish cleaning. Very keen edge. Great input!

+Michel Linschoten I have used carbon steel knives on beef for years. they are an accepted norm in our industry

I did not say they are not accepted, reading is a skil. To use them properly you need to season them specially when cutting ACIDIC foods.

Hmmm....I kinda agree and disagree. I always carry my NO. 9 carbon Opinel. However, I do a lot of things outdoors, like bushcraft, camping, practicing wilderness survival, etc. Often, that means I’m going to be out in high humidity, rain, and quite possible (more often than I’d like to admit) falling into a water source. The Opinel is small enough that I can dry it out fairly well, and quickly, and not have to worry too much about the red damaging kind of rust. But, my fixed blades, that’s another story. Non of my fixed-blades have scales that can be removed, or removed without a special tool. So, I can get the blades dry and oiled easily, but the tang under the scales, moisture will just sit in their for days, eating away at the steel. Even stainless knives aren’t completely immune. “Crevice Rot” is a danger to stainless steel. It’s when you get a corrosive substance on the stainless, but the stainless does not come into contact with air. This prevents a protective film from forming on the stainless (as it does when it’s in contact with air), and it begins to slowly corrode the stainless steel. Now, it’s not nearly as bad, or fast of a corrosion process as carbon steel, but if you let it happen frequently, your knife deteriorates. So, maintaining my stainless knives is pain enough, but maintaining a carbon knife, in those same outdoor conditions.....forget about it.

+Tony P Good points all around

Wow, thanks brother!

If you want to learn to sharpen, visit my channel, this is crap.

Thanks for the kind feedback! Though I'd love to do more videos ASAP, my job demands about 15 hours a day from me this time of year. The camera has changed some over time, but the latest videos were shot on an Olympus EPL5 with either the kit lens (most of the time) or the 12-40mm 2.8 if the light is lower. I like the EPL5 because it gives better depth of field from time to time, allows me to take pretty good stills when needed and the LCD flips up over the top so I can see myself and what I'm focusing on. It's not perfect and focus can be slowish at times, but it's good for now. My audio is recorded on a Zoom H1 (used to be an H4, but big, bulky and 4 batteries did it in) and a simple Azden lav mic from Amazon. I usually clap slate the audio/video before I begin and sync the audio waves visually in Final Cut Pro. I have to do some video editing at work and I've done a few documentaries - nothing super major - so now using audio right in the camera (unless the batteries die, ha) is not an option. I also have a Sony camcorder, but I had NO control over exposure and it really became problematic in certain light conditions. Hope this helps! Cheers and I hope to get more videos up in the coming weeks/months when things slow down (and cool off!)

+oAPXo Thanks! I've tried a belt on a flat surface as well and it seemed to work. Thanks for sharing!

oAPXo Nah. No.9 is the best

+tom jackson True. One of mine came that way from the factory. I ended up having to remove the collar, loosen the clamp force and reinstall it. All is well now.

+harnamthandi Love it for finer tasks. Plan to try it out on cleaning fish soon. My friend loves it. They sharpen easily for sure. Thanks!

+Atsujies Reiz Very cool. Stropping is now great on them all, however, OOTB they weren't taking easily, so I hit the stones first to "prime" them. Cheers

James Jensen Glad you're liking them!

van hill Good tip. I'll probably consider something like it just for fun since I have a 7 and 8 that aren't actively being used all the time. Can't hurt to keep it along for fun in the outdoors. Others might be able to capitalize on this as well. Cheers

+w delakas I prefer it in general as well. We'll see how the Elmax I'm about to try holds up, though not on an Opinel

egyptian316 Good observations. Yes, it's an interesting knife for the price for sure. Personally, if I don't NEED a folder as backup in my pack, I'm going with a Mora. I have a $20 Buck in my truck - fixed blade. It wasn't awesome OOTB, but better than the Opinel. I like folders for EDC. My current carry is a basic $40 Spyderco VG10 I got on Amazon. Good lock, easy one-handed open and close, flat in the pocket, textured handle and good blade. I removed the V edge it came with and convexed it. Much sharper, but it was good new. VG10 is a bit soft IMO, but it's good for everyday use and I prefer it to the Opinel. My wife carries the Survival 8 as a just in case and for the whistle and it's the best constructed of the 3 I've tried. I agree with everything you said. Yes, my OOTB idea might be a bit higher than others given some of the experiences I've had with more expensive blades, but I do try to keep a level head based on investment - that's why many of the Moras have been so surprising to me through the years. For me the sharpness just wasn't what I expected, but it can indeed be sharp if you luck out with a good copy or are willing to put them to the stones. Again, they don't suck, but I did think the sharpness, esp. of the 7 could be better. Again, I'm thinking if someone want's a cheaper knife, they might not be ready to put the sharpening in that brings out the best in the steel. But maybe others won't expect them to be as sharp as I did and simply won't care. I suppose no matter how hard we try to be objective there's always a bit of subjectivity that leaks in.

Paula Bean Sweet. I may look into that. Appears I can get one for around $16. Maybe on my to-get list. Cheers!

AWSOM OUTDOORS same

+Michel Linschoten For this one, I don't recall actually. I've picked up and tried numerous different small cameras for taking into the woods, quick travel, etc. This MIGHT have been my wife's Olympus EPL5 with kit lens. Again, not sure - but this seems like a very good candidate given the time frame.

+Habana Some when trying to just strop the edge the first time through. After stone sharpening, not really, just a polish.

I did it on my Chosera and Shapton stones. They are much sharper than OOB. Cheers

Thanks for sharing!

everybody keeps saying that opinels never come sharp but my no.8 came razor sharp (except for the last 2mm of the tip) ... i got a leatherman (154CM blade) and while i love it i wouldnt say it is more of a "real knife" than my opinel, they are just different....

Sir Galahad I have to agree, only ordered one no. 6 (carbon steel) that came while not truly "razor sharp" out of the box easily did the job on the typical paper cutting things people always do (both straight and non-straight cuts) and it did okay on thinner paper too. That said it wasn't perfect but for the price? even if it came in a relatively poor state I could forgive it based on the package you do get a nice traditional basic but functional knife. Oh and about Leatherman I find their out of the box sharpness to not always be totally great either. I own a Charge TTI, squirt PS4 and Juice S2 and I've touched up the edges on some owned by others (even two new ones). Sure its usually at least adequate but it always left something to be desired (except on my Charge TTi). However all of those edges (when new at least) were good enough to get the job done and while ideally you want it to be sharper than that I considered the edges "fit for purpose" which is usually the extent I'll go to for sharpening and finishing when the time comes. I want my delicate kitchen knives as sharp as possible and maintain them well. Strop them when they seem a bit dull and when the strop fails to deliver a bit of sharpening is in order, really isn't too bad if you don't let them get out of shape terribly. An outdoor knife or the blade on a multitool I'll typically sharpen at a larger but still functional angle (don't ask me what angle, I either go by "feel" and find the angle it has or if thats unsuitable/needs a lot of fixing go with what I'm accustomed to sharpening freehand over the years and know to work for most typical steels in rougher use). And I see not as much value in getting a very finely polished edge on them, sometimes when bored I'll put in that extra effort but it really comes down to mood and available spare time. It must be said however that I do highly appreciate it when a manufacturer actually delivers their product sharp. It shows they have some dedication to their product quality and respect for their customers as sadly the amount of people that know how to sharpen a knife properly or even know what a sharp knife truly is in this day and age are rare. They tend to know how to use a steel properly at best, worst case they use it wrong and inbetween would be not using it at all. If only they knew the miracles a leather strop without any compound could do for them (and what can be used as a strop! any random old leather belt would probably do). The reason I got my Opinel knife is that I got to use an abused Opinel once in a camping environment (borrowed from a friend) and found it to be pretty dull but a nice that I really liked the look feel and weight of. Not satisfied with that edge it took only a few minutes to put a good working edge on it that was reasonably polished and held up well for the duration of that trip. I used my two coarse/fine and extra fine/extra extra fine DMT diafold thingies, relatively expensive but they do the job in the field and can be used dry/with water depending on what you want to do. It was far from a perfect grind but and with benchstones I'd get a lot better results but it was good enough to do the job with little effort which was what mattered to us at the time. So yea based on that I feel they're okay knives if you're willing to put in some maintenance work, which anyone with an interest in knives and actually using them should have really. And for the price they are definitely great value, can't speak about the stainless steel ones though from own experience but the carbon steel ones have been good knives to me (for the price, obviously there's better stuff out there). I've not really abused my No 6 much, it has seen some moderately hard use and did okay and now mostly sits in the desk drawer or on the bookshelf if it has recently been used to open a package. tl;dr Good material and quality value for the price, little bit of maintenance required to use them is acceptable to me. But beyond all it looks great and really basic.

woah, such a long comment, wasnt expecting that. I dont remember the original edge on my charge Al, but i think i was good enough, i sharpened it as soon as i got it. I sharpen everything myself always, freehand, never used any of those sharpening devices. I think anyone relying on a knife should know how to sharpen by hand, but sure... that its no excuse for manufacturers to hand dull knives. It gives the impression that they dont care.. My opinel its a no8. inox with bubinga wood, it works just as fine, no complaints. About Opinels in general, i agree, may not be the best, but they are worth their price, good value...

I think a knife that is of good quality sharpness, even if not crazy sharp, is a nice tool in the woods, as I think most would agree, esp. since any cutting activity will reduce sharpness in the process, thus starting dulling the blade. If one means razor as in thin and super fine - like a real razor blade, then no, that would be a horrible tool in my view and wouldn't last long under even normal use. If by razor one simply means exceptionally sharp, without being too fine, then sure. Unfortunately, the utter thinness of the Opinels I've tried, aside from the Survivel rendition, lend themselves to the first definition all to easily. The blades are very thin so if one uses them out of the box or with a sharpened edge I feel that the level of usability is only so high. Most folks that go camping, esp. with family and friends, tend to be rather low key in chores so these knives would be fine. Opening packages, cutting paracord or fishing line and maybe playing with some thin green wood would be ok, but cutting heavier rope, hacking on sticks and other activities are things I wouldn't subject these knives to ever, regardless of edge. If they are brittle, they are brittle in nature, not in just the sharpness. One should consider one of the much, much larger blades as an outdoor tool IMO if he or she is determined to use Opinel. I feel there are far, far too many other quality knives in the affordable category - Mora for example - that deliver stellar outdoor performance, albeit not in a folder. I didn't feel that they were even well suited for opening packages with plastic tape without some touching up, so heavier use isn't an option for me. Even the Survival model, though much better built and with a thickish blade, isn't the best outdoor knife - still rather have a Mora - but it's further up the ladder. It was sharp enough out of the box for doing some chors, but nothing serious. The biggest drawback for ME is the half and half blade. A full straight edge would make it a much better option, esp. when it comes to resharpening - whenever that is. Some folks like the serrations and for them it's a very cool knife. Again, this one isnt crazy fine after stone sharpening. The profile was maintained, just fine tuned. My wife caries this in her purse now because it's got the whistle and is pretty loud. In a nutshell, a big No. 12 version might be best for anything outdoors. For me, the folding mechanism doesn't scream heavy use so for me they are a no-go outdoors. If it tossed one in my packet for fishing, but had something else at my disposal if I knew I was going heavy, then this tandem would work well - after sharpening of course ;) If the question/point is simply about edges and less about these knives, then it's kind of open territory. I think well done V edges like on the ESSEs are very, strong indeed, but not impervious to chipping. They are a strong cutting line, but in my experience, dull quicker and the V drag style sharpeners leave much to be desired in my experience and doing Vs on a Sharpmaker isn't real easy either. If it's too shallow, you start to run into the same "potential" issues as with a solid convex. I prefer the later IF the blade will take it - the think Opinels don't they're just crazy thin to start so there's nothing substantial to work withe or "steepen" if desired. Everything I mention is simply based on experience and preference. I'm not trying to argue anyone into or away from anything they adore. That would be stupid and just trying to buck the system. At the end of the day, my experience as proven that a good steel, with a good geometry that is convexed on stones will hold up very well under abuse while being very sharp to boot. If I ever start to feel that highest sharp starts to result in weak durability, I will stop. My knives have to function. Yes, I do a bit more to my knives when I review them for study purposes, but that's to know what they can handle. 3V, A2, most O1 and good 1095 all handle sharpness and retention well and in that order for me. 12c27 hasn't been stellar yet for heavy use, but I'm still trying other knives. Sorry for the long answer, but I didn't want to be too short and risk being narrow in scope since I didn't exactly know how the question applied. Hopefully you can find an answer in here. Again, just my view. Your always better with ANY knife than NONE. But I firmly believe that a great knife CAN perform equal too or at least exceptionally well as compared to a general edge. Depending on force applied due to level of sharpness, a very sharp knife may easily outlast a sharpish one. And paper cutting is always just a way of demonstrating nicks and smoothness. I cut paper tape and camp food packaging with knives and that's the only thing relatively close to paper. Ha. It's just a cheap, decent visual aid since the viewer can't hold the same knife being discussed. Regardless of your preferences, I hope you're enjoying your blades! They can be a real joy and last one years. I know guys that won't separate from their "Rambo" blades while others love their Chase folders. It is what it is. Enjoy

LightAdrenaline I think you did a really good job on the of showing that you're tampering with the knives for the sake of seeing how far you can push them. You did a great job reviewing the knives, and a great job responding to me. ^^^ I had a camping buddy of mine tell me that Opinel is the crem de la crem of knives because of the twist lock. He felt very comfortable that this wasn't going to close on his hand while using the back of this knife to strike a fire. I never got to see the knife, personally, but wondered what other people thought of them. Ultimately, I'm open to suggestions for about a 8" knife that won't close on my hand and will keep a good edge. Serrated knives aren't my thing either. Also, I'm a cheap bastard. :) Chances are really good that the only TLC this knife will receive is a 2 step electric sharpener that I have (Chef's Choice). Thanks!

Christopher William Hogan Hahaha, I got ya. Well, in all honestly, if you don't need a folder - not my first pic for outdoors although VERY handy in general use - I feel you'd be very hard-pressed to beat something like a Mora HD Companion. I love my Mora Black, but it runs about $50-60. Heck of a deal for it's ability, but it's not the least expensive. In my day pack I keep a hunter orange version of the HD and it's under $16 on Amazon: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009XDR0NK/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Because it's a scandi, it might do better in a Chef's Choice sharpener, not sure. Ha. It's got a great handle with rubber coating, easy to find when you drop it (unless you get the green of course), it's got nice steal and comes very sharp. Not much more you can ask for in a knife of that price. In fact, it offers as much, if not more, than knives of higher dollar amounts. I love most of the Mora's I've tried. This ranks second only to the Black coated one I reviewed in my 3 Days 3 Knives series. It's right up there, but has now fire steel or sharpener. It also doesn't have a sharp spine like the black, but just take a dremel grinder to it for 1-2 seconds or use a file to rough up a 1/2" section and you're good if you need that use. My Opienls averaged about $12-14 without the Outdoor version. That one runs in the mid-$20s. For that money it own't touch the ability and durability of one of these Moras IMO. You just sacrifice the folding. Hope you find something that will work for you man! I ADORE my GSO 4.1 and my BRKT Camp and Trail for the overall quality and durability. But I NEVER tire of just how darn good my Mora Black and HD are. They are simply outstanding for the money. I do admit, I often wonder if a knife 4-15x the cost is really worth it. Ha. Cheers

If you're asking what the model number is on the green it's the No. 7. Check out my other Opinel video. It's listed there as well. Cheers!

+thelongslowgoodbye If I don't plan on using it for food, I coat it with Tuf-Cloth. Some folks use chapstick on a finger or even animal fat. There are other products as well I'm sure. Typically, if it's a very high carbon steel blade that I don't want to put chemicals on, I just try to keep it as dry as possible and then clean it with some Flitz, etc., after my trip. I pretty much always have chapstick and use it in a pinch if I'm hiking in a down pour, etc. Nothing super gunky, just coat my finger and then the face of the blade, etc.. Tuf-cloth works good, but I'm not sure I'd want to prep food with it on there. I'm sure there are many other great methods I'm not award of. Many bushcrafters on KZfaq may have better answers than these. Take care.

I use mine a fair amount, and I use olive oil. It keeps rust at bay and is not harmful if you use the knife for food prep. Don't use it for long term storage as it will go rancid.

I use Flitz to polish the blade to, honestly, almost a mirror shine. Then, put just a tiny amount of mineral oil on, as mineral oil is food-grade safe, and won't go rancid like olive oil, etc.

I have used flitz to get out rust and remove some blemishes. Good comment on oils as well. Cheers

+thelongslowgoodbye Just use the knife - never rusted on me.

Raylon Opinels had never been produced in China. Exclusively French made in Savoie (French Alpes).

+Tane Gurnick Yeah, but all these "knife guys" are idiots. One person thought it was impressive, everybody else just jumped on the same bandwagon. They're going to have to work WAAAYYY too hard to keep those edges like that. But it makes them feel good and/or accomplished. And then they can keep up with Jones.

It really does depend on the steel and heat treat. I have knives made from 01 sharpened to a true 0 scandi that will not roll, while others made from 01 need a micro bevel. They are awesome on wood, not so much for butchering. I also have knives in A2 and 3V that have a convex grind that are shaving sharp and have extremely durable edges. The knives in 3V can go through two white tail deer and BR brought back to shaving on a leather strop.

Don't you mean BONER?

chipcromer Nope, no surgery. Was just surprised at the thinness and dullness OOTB. Compared to most knives I've tried it wasn't really that sharp - and I'm talking sub $30 knives of many kinds. Just an observation when considering a pocket knife. Yes, as I mentioned in one of the vids it's good for cutting threads and opening boxes, but not a ton else - also do to blade thinness. Comments are based on general pocket knife use which might be more extensive and b/c I know lots of folks like these in the outdoors, on fishing trips, etc. I picked them up after seeing other comments on them since they were cheap, and offered my comments. Not OCD, but I did kind of expect them to be sharper given experience with even $9 Winchester blades from Wal-Mart. QC seems to be off as well given the mass production, so other variations are likely better.

LightAdrenaline Opinels are also known as a picnic knife. They were made for food prep and eating. That is why they are so thin. Thin slices well. They were never intended for heavy cutting and aren't built to take that kind of use. Every blade design is a compromise. Thinner slices better than thick but thick is much stronger. You don't need an axe to slice a pickle. Mine stays in the kitchen were it is used daily.

Yep, I can see it being great for that.

It came from an "authorized vendor", but you never know.

Opinel has been around since 1890 there 130 years old this year (2020)

@@automaticenforcer9051 check the makers mark... trade mark if you will. It is documented hundreds of years and I believe in France. Now the knife is recent but the family mark goes back a long time to when they made mostly dining utensils... let me see if I can get you the search page.

@@automaticenforcer9051 okay, I just checked the French registry... the family can be traced to the 1560s. While this knife is relatively new in the family, around 1890, the family has been making products for a far greater time than you suggest... not to be smug but I do my homework. I personally opened a wall that had been constructed in the 1850s in butte Montana, it is there that I found my treasure during a remodel. So what did I find? The previous model? If it is, then the value just went up. Because of the dated age of the building and the builder being from france... my idea is that this man had one of a series of prototypes previous to the reintroduced twist lock of the 1950's. This is of course conjecture but I can tell you that I have recreated many of my own great grandfather's tools from Denmark, I think they did the same. So, what you have for historical information can change with the introduction of new, or in this case older, information. Please don't take this as an attack, just new material to follow to update your information. I'm sure that the company would like to see someone follow their endeavors back in history as I have.

Because it wasn't sharp.

+Will Hawkins Hahahaha. Polar opposite.

+schooder Agreed. They are a bit of hit and miss, but do have a loyal following. They are so inexpensive - well, most of them - that many people enjoy giving them a whirl. Such was my case. May still look at trying a "beefier" model in the future, just because. I agree with "so many knives out there". Take care

+schooder Got a Zip lock bag + full of the things and never had a miss. You guys have fun. Only thing that bugs me is they get damp and they lock up until they dry out.

GREAT mention on the dampness! I've tossed this in my pack as a quick/backup blade, but have not used it in humid/damp/wet conditions and given the not-stabilized wood running under the metal cylinder lock I can CLEARLY see this as being a potential tight situation. Great insight, thanks!