OPINEL No. 06 INOX - Sandvik Stainless Steel Folding Pocket Knife, Beechwood Handle, 2.87 in. Blade, Virobloc Safety Locking Collar, Made in France

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 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.

As tactical as a brick. I love these knives they are simple and sharp. Take care of them and they take care of you. I use them for camp knives for whittling and also I have another that is my steak knife. Great product from a French manufacturer

The Opinel No. 08 is a true classic. Its timeless design and simplicity make it a standout in any knife collection. Right out of the box, the blade is super sharp and ready for action—perfect for everyday carry, camping, or just appreciating good craftsmanship. The stainless steel version holds up well to the elements, and the iconic beechwood handle feels great in hand. For under $20, this is an absolute must-have for any knife enthusiast. It’s proof that quality doesn’t have to come with a high price tag.

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.

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.

Good points: Super light, strong lock, stainless blade, non intimidating appearance Needs improvement: The blade had a tiny burr and needed to be touched up on a sharpener. The blade was fitted very tightly in the wooden handle and needs some effort to open. I expect the blade to handle fit will wear in over time and opening will become easier. On balance, this is a great little pocketknife and well worth the few bucks it cost. With a little care, this will last your lifetime. There is a reason the design has been unchanged since 1890. Thanks for reading.

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!