The folding knife I scoffed at 5 years ago is now my daily carry

Back in 2019 a buddy handed me this cheap-looking Opinel No. 8 at a campsite near Lake George. I laughed because it looked like something a grandpa would use to whittle sticks. Then I actually used it to slice through cordage and prep food for three days straight. That simple carbon steel blade took an edge better than any $100 knife I owned at the time. Has anyone else had a tool they dismissed early on that won them over with pure functionality?

2 comments

2 Comments

mary46211d ago

Look I get that it cuts well but people act like an Opinel is some kind of life changing revelation. Its a carbon steel blade with a wooden handle that costs like 15 bucks. Of course it takes an edge, carbon steel is way easier to sharpen than stainless. The trade off is it rusts if you look at it wrong and that locking ring is annoying to use with one hand. Ive owned two and they both eventually got loose and wobbly. They work fine for carving marshmallow sticks or opening packages but lets not pretend its better than a decent modern folder with actual lockup and pocket clip. Its a fun old school design for sure but I wouldnt call it a serious daily carry tool.

the_cora11d ago

oh man you hit the nail on the head about the locking ring. I love my Opinel but trying to open it one handed is basically a party trick that always ends in me dropping the thing. And yeah the blade rusts if you even think about moisture near it. But I think people hype them up because its like holding a piece of history in your hand, not because its actually the best tool for the job. Still though, for 15 bucks it makes me feel like a French woodsman for about an hour before the novelty wears off.