Opinel mod ideas | Show me your modded Opinel's

Here is my latest customized Opinel knife... started out as an older No.10 carbon steel blade.
This is my first one to add a top collar ring... I added it to compliment the pummel end.
After doing this one, I went back and re-did my past projects to add a collar ring... I'll post a photo of those separately.
 

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  • Opinel No.10 Before & After pano-2.jpg
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  • Opinel No.10 with Leather Sheath.JPG
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Here is a group shot of my past projects with Sambar stag roll handles that I added the top ring collars.
A No.10 stainless, a No.9 stainless, a No.8 stainless gardener, and a regular No.8 stainless.
 

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  • Opinel Knives Sambar Stag Rolls Ring Collars-1.JPG
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  • Opinel Knives Sambar Stag Rolls Silver Francs-1.JPG
    Opinel Knives Sambar Stag Rolls Silver Francs-1.JPG
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Obsessed with Edges said:
You can also use a photo-hosting site, like imgur. So far as I know, there aren't any size limitations doing it that way. I use it for posting images here.

And on that note, here's a pic of three of mine (No. 08 size):
9C16sUd.jpg
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That top one is the prettiest opinel I ever saw.
 
LimpCroissant said:
airmojo airmojo Good god, those sambar stags are just amazingly beautiful!
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Thanks Limp !
I think I got addicted to smelling burning stag... I was also making some custom Victorinox Swiss army knives with Sambar stag scales at the same time.
My wife forbade me to do any more sanding in my basement workshop... said the smell was making her sick !
It was winter and early spring at the time... So I had to go do it in my outside garage (away from the house).
I showed her and bought a couple of extra sanders to keep out there for those projects because I wasn't hauling stuff back and forth ! HAH !
 
airmojo said:
Thanks Limp !
I think I got addicted to smelling burning stag... I was also making some custom Victorinox Swiss army knives with Sambar stag scales at the same time.
My wife forbade me to do any more sanding in my basement workshop... said the smell was making her sick !
It was winter and early spring at the time... So I had to go do it in my outside garage (away from the house).
I showed her and bought a couple of extra sanders to keep out there for those projects because I wasn't hauling stuff back and forth ! HAH !
Click to expand...
Haha, yea those antler/horn/bone materials are no joke in smell department! Sounds like you have a nice workshop there though. I can't wait to get my own garage again. Space is limited at the moment. Those stag SAKs sound sweet too!
 
JM2 said:
That top one is the prettiest opinel I ever saw.
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That handle was a limited offering from Opinel called 'Chaperon', using various woods in combination. Quote below from the dealer, about how it originated. It was originally shaped per the usual Opinel handle style. I drilled it for the lanyard tube, reshaped it and sanded to high-grit (600+) and then refinished it in polyurethane (Gorilla Glue rubbed on with a clean rag in very thin coats).

"Wood worker in France for the last 25+ years, Bruno Chaperon was trained at the famous French "Arts Décoratifs" and "Beaux-arts de Paris". Mr. Chaperon has developed and patented the intricate "sinusoidal" marquetry design you see on the knife. Each handle is unique and made in our woodshop by hand using a variety of wood: Brazil, Cocobolo, Rosewood, Zebrano, Amaranh, Cordia, Kingwood and Santos Palisander Woods. The Stainless Steel blade is polished for an elegant result."
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Does anyone have suggestions for a wood stain or lacquer that matches (or at least mimics) the factory coating on the Carbone handles? I just bought (another) carbon No 7 and I want to sand off the back point of the fishtail (my default mod for Opinels). I don't want to leave the sanded spot bare on an otherwise coated handle, but I also don't really want to sand off and recoat the entire handle as I've usually done previously.
 
hsherzfeld said:
Does anyone have suggestions for a wood stain or lacquer that matches (or at least mimics) the factory coating on the Carbone handles? I just bought (another) carbon No 7 and I want to sand off the back point of the fishtail (my default mod for Opinels). I don't want to leave the sanded spot bare on an otherwise coated handle, but I also don't really want to sand off and recoat the entire handle as I've usually done previously.
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Opinel USA, on their FAQ page, describes the finish on their Carbone model's beechwood as 'stained varnish'. So, shopping for options there might lead to something most similar and hopefully compatible, in terms of bonding with the factory finish. Color-wise, I'm thinking some variation on 'amber' color is what I'd be looking for.

( Quote below from site: https://www.opinel-usa.com/pages/opinel-faq )
"I noticed that the beechwood of the Opinel Carbon and Stainless steel models looks different, is it the same wood?

Yes, we use the same beechwood for both series. However, the carbon models have a stained varnished handle and the Stainless-steel models have a natural clear stain."
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I took my #7 apart and rounded over the top of the fishtail and sanded it all down. I slightly sanded the blade boss slot and soaked the boss in boiled linseed oil thinned way down with mineral spirits and dried it in the sun. Did this several times progressively adding a little more BLO. I doused the whole knife with thinned BLO, then moderately stained it with cherry stain, then slightly thicker BLO, repeat repeat repeat. I apply a blend of neatsfoot oil and beeswax every now and then.
 
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