Inexpensive paring knives: Opinel 112 vs Victorinox ?

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As the title says, I'm curious about these two paring knives, and would love to hear others experiences with them.

I have a 8in Victorinox chefs knife, as well as their 7in santoku. Overall I've been happy with both, but prefer the thinner santoku for most tasks. I also have an Opinel #6 (carbon), which is a terrific slicer. So as far as I can tell either brands paring knife should be an improvement from what my wife and I are using now. I just would like to know if others have experience with either (or both). Also, comments about the grind and thickness of the blade would be helpful.

I also am curious if anyone has experience with the Opinel classic chefs knife compared to the victorinox. It's cheap enough that I might consider swapping the victorinox for the Opinel if I hear its substantially better.

Anyway, thanks in advance for any help :).
 
As it happens, I have both paring knives that you're asking about. There's very little difference that I can see. Both are very sharp, have acute points, and are easy to handle. The thicknesses of both blades are almost equivalent, though the Victorinox's has a little more flex. The only real difference is the carbon (Opinel) versus stainless (Victorinox) steels. The Opinel will definitely develop an oxidized patina, no matter how you try to prevent it. That doesn't bother me, but it might turn off some. The Victorinox has remained stain-free for years.

My suggestion: Since they're both so inexpensive, get them both and decide for yourself which you like better. You can never have too many paring knives!

Hope this helps.

-Steve
 
I have a couple of the Opinel paring knives and I haven't been that impressed with them. They have very small diameter handles that some people prefer in a paring knife, but I prefer more of a substantial granny knife handle on my parers that fills and sets in the palm well. Another complaint is that they don't have full tangs which leaves them very blade heavy. I actually find a #7 or #8 a better slicer.
 
Here is a detailed review I made of the Opinel Paring knife in 12C27: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1159202-Opinel-Paring-Knife-Inox-(Stainless)

I own an 8" chef's knife, 7" santoku, 6" utility blade, all cheaper Henkels models. The Santoku has Solingen Steel; the other two have Spanish steel. Now, since I've acquired the Opinel paring knife, I use it more than my other knives, because I prefer working with the smaller, deft blade. That said, I've noticed the Opinel has the worst edge holding of the bunch. I need to sharpen it every time I use it, and it struggles with bell peppers and eggplant. That's the one thing I wish was better about the Opinel paring knife; otherwise, it is stellar.
 
I have many Victorinox kitchen knives (mostly the cheaper ones). I just picked a serrated one yesterday. We tend to use the 4" serrated with the rounded tip the most and the smaller wharncliffe styled paring knife. But I have just about all of them in my kitchen in both serrated and plain edge.

I don't own any Opinel knives, but have handled them. They just never really grabbed my attention much.
 
I have both paring knives and prefer using the opinel much more, both are comparable, but I just like the opinel a little better.
 
I had both. I still have the Victoriox.

My whole kitchen block is Victorinox by process of elimination. The ones that didn't work well on an everyday basis, day in and day out, got given away. Someone at the Salvtion army store may have had some pretty decent knives to buy cheep. The Victorinox cut well, stayed sharp, and handled nice, better than the others. I settle on a Victorinox chefs knife, a Victorinox/Forshcner butcher knife, a Victoriox serrated edge bread knife, and two Victriox paring knives. One of the paring knives is the serrated edge that I end nice for some fibrous vegetables. The Victorinox serrations are the one step wavy edge that is v try easy to touch up with a diamond rod. The better half loves them.

The Opinel's lost their edge too easy, and if we had family over, I'd find the carbon Opinels in the dishwasher and then Ihad to go out back and count to a hundred. Plus I like the trouble free feeling when I hear the dishwasher going and I know it will not affect the Victoriox at all.
 
I have both, too. Opie in carbone. Besides the maintenance issue, I seem to have trouble indexing it well. Many times I've picked it up only to find i am about to try and cut with the spine, LOL. The slab handle feels the same in either direction, and the width of the blade is very little more than the handle, itself. I much prefer the Vic.
 
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