Has Opinel messed up ???

SwiftDream said:
Maybe they are tweaking the ramps for locking the blade in place. When I ordered my slim #8 in olive I noticed that I got the last one and they were on back order after that. They got a new shipment soon but could be the newer runs have better working lockrings. All they have to do it just reconfigure their machines that cut the ramps in the lockring just a bit. They way mine came was a lawsuit waiting to happen. They didn't do what they were supposed to do.

Does your knife also lock closed well and does not pop open any when you gently tug on the blade? The lock ramp on my #8 did not even contact the shoulder of the blade when the stop hit the side of the blade if that makes sense, just poor quality control that had a very easy fix. Perhaps they are addressing that now.
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Yes it seems to be tight when it is in the closed position although, if you pull the blade out firmly enough it tends to remain slightly out (the tip of the blade being exposed slightly). All in all it appears you are right about the issues being addressed by the maker, or else maybe I just lucked out.
 
So I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. I ordered a No. 10 off Amazon Saturday and it arrived today. This one still locks both left and right. No difference from one I ordered a couple of years ago. Failed to prove anything to me. :)
 
Yeah, at this point there seems to be plenty of old stock around still. Don't know if I want to get an old one to hoard it or look for a new one to see for myself. :rolleyes:
 
I'll keep my old ones, as mutilated and used as they are, just in case this bad change is really happening

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Fodderwing said:
Yes it seems to be tight when it is in the closed position although, if you pull the blade out firmly enough it tends to remain slightly out (the tip of the blade being exposed slightly). All in all it appears you are right about the issues being addressed by the maker, or else maybe I just lucked out.
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Yours sounds pretty good. Sounds more and more like they are addressing the problems. Enjoy! I do like that bubinga too. The slim #8 is one of my favorite knives. While it is not up to the harder use that a regular #8 can do, you will not find many blades that slice like a slim 8, kind of scary actually but beautiful in action. It only weighs near one ounce but has a good length handle unlike the shorter #6. A bit of beeswax melted into the joint with a hair dryer and you are set.
 
I have one with a nub, but the lock ring is tight and doesn't move unless you want it to. I might would suggest taking the lock ring off and bending it a little to get a tighter fit and less movement if that's a problem.

Edit: I misunderstood the design change. I don't have the divot in the lock ring groove.
 
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Woodrow F Call said:
I have one with a nub, but the lock ring is tight and doesn't move unless you want it to. I might would suggest taking the lock ring off and bending it a little to get a tighter fit and less movement if that's a problem.
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I tried that with the #7's I got at the end of the summer (as well as their replacements), didn't have any luck. The "nub" does not allow the locking ring to turn beyond the angled "ramp" section of the ring on the ones with the re-designed lock rings and ferrules. This gets worse with wear, since one can't just twist a bit farther and take up any slack as one automatically does with the original lock ring. Bad re-design.
 
Just skimmed this thread, so I'm not sure whether anyone pointed this out. Perhaps one of the reasons for the change in the design is to secure the security ring from flying off should someone open the knife when in the closed and locked position. This led many owners to have to ask for replacement rings. For some of us, this was not a problem as we were carrying versions which only lock open, not closed. But as the locked closed rings took over the old stock, they began to fly off the knives, some getting lost under furniture or in the grass or down drains.

Since I haven't handled the new version, though, maybe I'm overestimating it. Does the new lock hold on this way? Oh, and isn't this new design reminiscent of the Cold Steel Twistmaster?

Zieg
 
Bartleby said:
I tried that with the #7's I got at the end of the summer (as well as their replacements), didn't have any luck. The "nub" does not allow the locking ring to turn beyond the angled "ramp" section of the ring on the ones with the re-designed lock rings and ferrules. This gets worse with wear, since one can't just twist a bit farther and take up any slack as one automatically does with the original lock ring. Bad re-design.
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I see. That is a bummer.
 
The Zieg said:
Just skimmed this thread, so I'm not sure whether anyone pointed this out. Perhaps one of the reasons for the change in the design is to secure the security ring from flying off should someone open the knife when in the closed and locked position. This led many owners to have to ask for replacement rings. For some of us, this was not a problem as we were carrying versions which only lock open, not closed. But as the locked closed rings took over the old stock, they began to fly off the knives, some getting lost under furniture or in the grass or down drains.

Since I haven't handled the new version, though, maybe I'm overestimating it. Does the new lock hold on this way? Oh, and isn't this new design reminiscent of the Cold Steel Twistmaster?

Zieg
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The only reason I could come up with as I pointed out above, is the accidental removal of the lockring. It could possibly be resolved by changing the angle of the "ramp" portion (it would need more metal there, not less, so not possible to fix with a little file work).
 
Sorry to wake up an old thread.

But as a fresh Opinel fan I was shocked to hear about this. You have a perfect design, time proven since 1955(the lock ring), and then they go ahead and do something like this?

I saw the vid from page 2 and wanted to share the response he got from the factory:

"These new rings boast a wide range of benefits: → The rotation of the rotating lock ring is smoother and more reliable → Better rotation guide→Ejection-proof system when closed blocking the blade is now only possible from one side.

The stop frees the groove to fold the blade intuitively, without needing to look at the knife.→Consistent workmanship qualityOur new rings are entirely produced in our factory in Chambéry, using top of the range machinery developed specifically for Opinel® and manufactured in France.

This guarantees a higher production rate and better cutting and shaping quality. This new equipment demonstrates our commitment to continuous investment in modernising and improving our industrial facilities in Chambéry, as was also the case with our 1500-m² extension in 2015.

We are confident that this new ring generation, which has also been patented, will meet the expectations of all our Opinel® enthusiasts and have a career as prestigious as the one created in 1955. These new rings will be available from February 2016 on the following No. 07 models: stainless steel and carbon traditional knives, My first Opinel®, No. 07 Outdoor Junior. It will then be gradually available over the next two years on all knife sizes."

This is very bad news IMO..
 
353 said:
wanted to share the response he got from the factory:
This is very bad news IMO..
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It is quite acceptable to wake a thread if one has new information about the topic.

I share your opinion. I don't see that the factory response addresses the issue of the "lock" failing under pressure.
 
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knarfeng said:
I share your opinion. I don't see that the factory response addresses the issue of the "lock" failing under pressure.
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Hope they go back on this, and not let "pride" ruin a good traditional design.

I would also like to add one more thing.

On my opinel I always lock it in open position by turning the ring the opposite way from the closed knife position. It locks open stronger this way because the lock ring is wider on that side(not having the cutout for locking the knife closed) so it takes more to bend it when you get spine pressure on the blade, if that makes any sense..

The new design makes it impossible to turn the ring this way.
 
My last Opinel purchase still had the “old” lock ring, even though the new system had appeared on some knives. The old way was good enough for me, and this “improvement” sounds like the answer to a question that nobody has asked. A large part of the appeal was the classic simplicity of the original lock ring. The notch to lock the blade closed wasn’t really necessary either, but it did not change the fundamental character and operation of the lock ring. Although I haven’t seen it, I would guess the new one would diminish the appeal of the knives to me.

Most users will probably never notice the difference. In any event, it sounds easy enough to defeat with a file or Dremel, which should be a trivial exercise for anyone who is planning to modify the knife anyway.

If I ever buy an Opinel with the new lock ring, it will be purely to satisfy my curiosity, as I have more than enough Opinels to last me the rest of my life.
 
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Maybe this is a move to up the sales, hell I instantly ordered 3 more of my favourite size just to have them with the original(and superior) lock ring!

Now I have 4 to go with me for the rest of my life!

:D
 
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