Big Opinel knives, no10 and up?

L

lonestar1979

Joined
Mar 2, 2014
Messages
2,585
I just got no12,carbon,and am planing to get the same in stainless soon.Looks like excellent food prep kitchen and all purpose blade.My favorite opinels are INOX,and will get few more of these.Any stories,any pros,cons?Got this one at bargain price,need to sharpen it up as its dull LOL.These knives are straight razors,my INOx Opinels (newer ones,hold and take even better edge than their carbon models).
 
A No. 10 is my largest so far. I have had it for at least 35 years. It has not had a lot of use in that time. I may try the larger sizes out of curiosity. At the other end of the spectrum, I recently got a 3 and a 4. The No. 4 is about at the lowest end of the useful range for me. (I know a hipster girl who wears a No.3 on a cord around her neck, but I have never seen her use it.)
 
My biggest regular is a 12 that I do not use. My biggest Eiffel is a 15 and I don't use it. The only Eiffel I use is an 8 for a letter opener.

12 and 6 regular


15 and other Eiffels
 
I have a No. 10 Carbone that I bought for camping, but keep in the kitchen and use occasionally there as well. It's a great food prep knife and doubles nicely as a steak knife.

f8f3f4ffee9e4ac2034a5f4acf6f75d7.jpg
 
My buddy brought back a no. 12 from recent trip to France. He knew that I like knives. I have used it in the kitchen for the past few months. It works as well as my more expensive kitchen knives.
 
I use a #12 for food prep when motorcycle camping. The big Opinels are superb slicers!
 
I have a 10. Use in kitchen or minimalist camping. Considering a 12. Interesting that you say the inox is sharper. I have an inox 7 I won in a competition. Must see if I agree.
 
Inox takes a more toothy agressive edge and holds it.Carbon is fine,but Inox is more agressive for slicing ,and still easy to sharpen.Hopefully they will start making knives with plastic handles but with regular blades.The wooden handles swell and theyre hard to open-close when wet.My garden knife cuts like crazy but last night after bunch of meat and vegetable cutting ,I could hardly open or close it,because it got wet.
 
lonestar1979 said:
Inox takes a more toothy agressive edge and holds it.Carbon is fine,but Inox is more agressive for slicing ,and still easy to sharpen.Hopefully they will start making knives with plastic handles but with regular blades.The wooden handles swell and theyre hard to open-close when wet.My garden knife cuts like crazy but last night after bunch of meat and vegetable cutting ,I could hardly open or close it,because it got wet.
Click to expand...

That issue can be greatly lessened by soaking the handle in mineral oil.

To be truthful, I've not tried the carbon steel versions. When I can get a knife with a stainless blade hardened to a Rockwell 58, there's no incentive for me to try a carbon steel version.
 
I'm carrying a Mercator exclusively right now, but until it arrived it was a 10. I have a 12 but the handle is just too big around for me. I'll probably sand it to thin it down at some time. The 10 is outstanding, carbon, and swings open one handed with no problem. Just slim enough. Have a dozen or so Opinels and the 10 is my fave. Perhaps my fave folding knife of all.

Zieg
 
  • Like
Reactions: vba
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top