Opinel locks: yea or nay?

Like jackknife I too grind down the collar to get a better lockup from it.

Absolutely amazing compared to how it operates from the factory, will it ever fail with how I use it? Nope, not a chance.

Love the Opinel, like the viro bloc or whatever it's called.

Now I want to stick mine in a vice and see how much torture the ring will take before it pops off. :)
 
I rarely use the lock on mine but I always leave it on just in case I did want to use it.
 
I'm sort of enamored with the Virobloc , I think it helps make the knife. It's super simplistic, and so as long as you're using it within reason it should prove to be quite reliable. My dad, has used his for skinning Coons for close to four years now, and claims it's safe as any slipjoint, for skinning that is. I like the fact that you can combat the loose blade syndrome with it, but then again you can snug up the non-vibroloc ones seeing as the pin is exposed that holds the blade. I've used Opinels for a few years now, and feel that they're safe locked or unlocked, as long as the user is in tune with his or her surroundings, and not misusing the knife. I'll keep my locks, but to each their own.
 
My first and only Opinel liked to come open in my pocket. It had a locking ring, but the ring only locked the blade open. The second time it bit me, I gave up on them.

I understand the modern locking ring can also lock the blade closed. I might pick another one up to see if the improvement is real.
 
Thanks to cancer I'm down to one usable hand/arm, so I'm kind of protective of it. :) I like the added safety of a lock on some folders. My Opinel has gotten used on a few Scout outings to make tent pegs, and different woods carving use. In some of the rougher manipulation I appreciated the rotating lock. That said, growing up with slipjoints I treat all folders as a knife that folds in the middle.
 
Raymond1000 said:
My first and only Opinel liked to come open in my pocket. It had a locking ring, but the ring only locked the blade open. The second time it bit me, I gave up on them.

I understand the modern locking ring can also lock the blade closed. I might pick another one up to see if the improvement is real.
Click to expand...

Exactly why I never bought one back in the day. But once they tweaked the design so it would lock CLOSED, well then I got more interested.

-- Mark
 
I use my #6 daily and never use the lock except when sharpening it or showing it off to people and demonstrate how simple and effective the lock is. I don't put any pressure on the blade other than against the blade edge so as not to cause it to close on me unexpectedly. If I need a knife for heavier duty, then I grab one of my heavier duty knives. (which is seldom) Most of my knife duty now is limited to opening mail, packages, and the occasional food duty. Any other knife duties such as carving etc. calls for my special duty carving knives.

The last time that I cut myself with a knife was with a traditional slip joint that I was using as a make shift leather hole punch to cut a hole in my son's belt. Knife slipped and closed on my finger, and 5 stitches later I was ok and wiser.:eek:

Blessings,

Omar
 
I never had one open in my pocket; mine happen to be tight enough to stay closed. Though I carry them pivot up if I remember to worry about it.
I like the lock not so much for keeping the knife open, as for the extra strength it gives to the pivot area. These guys aren't going to develop any vertical play in any one lifetime.
 
Raymond1000 said:
I understand the modern locking ring can also lock the blade closed.
Click to expand...

I too have been bitten by the old Opinel lock ring and have found that the new style is a huge improvement in this regard. Huge win.


jackknife said:
To my way of thinking, there's only two kinds of knives. Folding, or non folding. Locks are a false sense of security.
Click to expand...

There is a larger phenomena at play here called "risk compensation".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risk_compensation

The short version is that we (humans) have a tendency of engaging in riskier behavior when we have access to "safety" equipment. Anti-lock brakes have the effect of raising the amount of aggressive driving. Ski helmets are associated with higher skier speeds. And as US climber Paul Petzhold noted, climbers who wear a helmet are more prone to climb in the face of rock fall hazard, as opposed to retreating.

I find myself fairly inconsistent in terms of the use of safety features. For example, despite actively doing winter backpacking and ski touring, I refuse to carry an ice axe (self arrest) or an avalanche beacon and instead, I really entirely on avoiding routes that have "slide of life" or avalanche danger. I don't wear a ski helmet and rely on choosing uncrowded ski areas and skiing very slowly. But, I tend to wear a bike helmet when fitness riding and I like anti-lock brakes. I also like locking folders and just rely on staying well within their limits.

Point being that the "helmet wars" have strongly divided the skiing and cycling forums I'm on. People of good conscience will come down on different sides of safety tools pro or con and the discussions I've been apart in on other forums have gotten really heated, really fast.

Carl, in general, I very much agree with you about the danger of "safety" devices.
 
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