Opinel Paring Knife, Inox (Stainless)

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Manufacturer: Opinel. Savoie, France
Model: No. 112 Paring Knife
Blade Material: Sandvik 12C27-Mod
Design: Fixed blade
Blade Length: 3-3/4" (95mm)
Blade Width: 5/8" (16mm)
Blade Thickness: 0.039" (1mm)
Handle Length: 3-3/4" (95mm)
Handle Thickness: 3/8" (9.5mm)
Tip Design: Spear Point
Grind: Full Flat with taper at tip
Handle Material: Beech wood
Tang Length: 2/3 length
Weight: 7/8 oz. (25g)
Price: $10, including shipping

Summary: It's a slicing demon. Get one. If you prepare food, you'll appreciate it. I don't recommend this anymore :(

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Performance - The purpose of this knife is to cut up food. In that, it excels. The thin blade glides through fruit and vegetables. When I use it to make dinner, I can't say I miss my full-size kitchen knives, unless I'm cutting up something large, like a melon. It is a smooth, efficient cutter.

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Blade Geometry and Steel - Gotta love a simple, full flat grind (with secondary bevel, of course). At the last inch of the tip, the blade tapers so that it flexes like a fillet knife. The point is so fine that it is impossible to avoid damaging it. The spear point makes for effective draw cuts on a cutting board. I really like the Sandvik 12C27-Mod. I'm a person who values ease of sharpening over edge retention. I touch up the edge before I use a knife. With a few swipes on ceramic rods, this knife is shaving sharp. NOT! After 9 months of use, it needs a bit of work to get razor sharp, and doesn't hold its edge for long.

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Ergonomics - The one gripe I have with this knife is the small handle. It doesn't fill the hand, which is not a problem most of the time. I cut up and skinned a butternut squash with this paring knife, and the base of my index finger got a blister. For everyday cutting of fruit and vegetables, the handle is perfectly adequate. The wooden handle is not slippery at all. The tang is a bit sunken into the handle, but it does not cause discomfort. A strange but rare occurrence, due to the symmetrical spear point, is I once held the knife with the blade UP. Now, I look for the exposed tang before I cut.

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Construction - The blade is solidly fastened to the handle with two rivets. The tang is 2/3 the length of the handle, which is perfectly adequate for light cutting chores and kitchen work. While an excellent paring knife, I would not use this for a bushcraft knife.

In conclusion, this is a very useful kitchen knife. Its look and feel are quite similar to the familiar folding Opinels. There's a lot to appreciate about a simple knife that just flat-out works. For $10, it's a no-brainer if you need a paring knife or are the slightest bit curious. After long term use, the lack of edge retention is a deal breaker for me. This is coming from a guy with only knives less than $40, so I'm not really picky.
 
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I have a few of the carbon steel versions of the knife. The thin blade and the carbon steel are very easy to keep sharp. Great little no frills paring knife.
 
Thanks for your comment, D2FB. I might have gone carbon, but there is no way my wife would have taken proper care of it.
 
We had an "adjustment period" as well. I have put handles on a lot of green river knife blades for use in the kitchen and elsewhere so my wife has learned the drill now. After a good deep natural patina, the carbon opinels can actually be hand washed and put in the dish rack without rusting. Had the same learning curve on cleaning the carbon steel skillets.
 
I've never had a flat grind, but I hear they drift to the flat side when cutting. How did this one cut in comparison to a v or hollow grind?
 
Actually I find the v-grind (I'm assuming that is a saber grind) and the hollow grind tend to drift when cutting, i.e., the cut is curved. This blade, being so thin, cuts straight.
 
I might have to try these out, I love the simplicity of Opinel. I imagine the flat grind would be easy to touch up between uses too.
 
I find that I prefer a #8 in the kitchen over their paring knives. I find the paring knives handles too small/dainty and for me a #8 even cuts apples (my test subject) with less effort even though the paring knife has a thinner blade. Just my observation.

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roosterscrow said:
I find that I prefer a #8 in the kitchen over their paring knives. I find the paring knives handles too small/dainty and for me a #8 even cuts apples (my test subject) with less effort even though the paring knife has a thinner blade. Just my observation.
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I understand your point, but the fixed blade keeps me from worrying about debris in the joint and wood swelling.
 
Blues Bender said:
I've never had a flat grind, but I hear they drift to the flat side when cutting. How did this one cut in comparison to a v or hollow grind?
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I think the grind you are referring to is a chisel grind. A flat grind is flat from spine to edge on both sides symmetrical, with a secondary edge grind.
 
Excellent knives, I bought one from a gun show several months ago, they have a very sharp, very thin blade, that is excellent for use around the kitchen from slicing a steak to slicing a tomato... The blade is carbon steel, and the handle wood, so you can't leave them lay in water or wash in a dishwasher or they'll rust up...I coat mine with a thin layer of lard on the blade between uses to prevent rust. I LOVE THIS KNIFE!!!
 
Just got the carbon version of this knife. With a little use, it's now occupying the 'small' slot in my knife block. I retired the folding carbon #9 into the drawer, LOL.
 
Well, folks, I figure I owe you an update.

Since I got the knife last March, I've been using it a lot, more than my other kitchen knives by a long shot. At this point, I'm ready to move on. The knife still is a good user, but the steel... I literally have to sharpen it every time I use it, and then I can't get it all that sharp without an honest effort. I'm not sure what happened since my initial impressions.

Anyhow, if I could give this knife away with a clean conscience, I would. I'm ready to try a Victorinox paring knife. Needless to say, I do not recommend this knife anymore.
 
Thanks for the update. Would you be up to a comparison-review? This knife is worse than X but better than Y?
 
chiral.grolim said:
Thanks for the update. Would you be up to a comparison-review? This knife is worse than X but better than Y?
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I don't really have anything else to compare it to in this size; before this I've been using an old serrated steak knife. I may pick up a Victorinox, which is a real competitor in terms of price and performance. Whatever it is, I would have to use it a while before I reached any conclusions.
 
I love their inox. I find the edge on mine lasts fine. I wonder if you are simply dealing with a wire edge?
 
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I have a Victorinox
I have no expectation of it holding its edge more than one cooking session of cutting vegetables for salads on a plastic board
So after each use, I touch it up with a couple of swipes on a DMT E Fine
As these steels are so soft it will not need anything more than light passes to being it back
It comes up very sharp to slice tomatoes cleanly with minimal juice

(cooking session might be 1000 cuts on vegetables)
 
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