Opinel vs. Laguiole

Does the etching on the Douk Douk have any cultural or religious meaning or does it just look good? It looks like an interesting knife design and a good cutter.
 
These knives were largely marketed in the French colonies, which is why the pictures represent a New Guinea sourcerer, a North African symbol , and a New Zealand idol. The blade design is just decorative.

The knives themselves are flat, strong, and of simple, reliable construction, and the thin, flat-ground, distally tapered blades are like razors. They tend to be stiff to open, like the Laguioles, with a half stop.
 
I knew the French had a history of knife making but I didn't know the details. This is interesting. I guess the details are fascinating because on most other knives in that price range from other places are often very plain.
 
Look through the www.cutlerytogo.com website and you'll see a variety of other French styles as well, like the Thiers of Goyon Chazeau and the Colibri and Vendetta knives of Arthaud Chosson.
 
For those interested in Laguioles, do yourselves a favor: stick with the brand "Forge de Laguiole." That company is the only one whose knives are actually produced in Laguiole (as signified by a small insignia and the words "LAGUIOLE ORIGINE GARANTIE" on the blade.) This means that an independent organization has certified the blade as being made in its native town, not in, say, Thiers. The scales tend to be crafted out of cow's horn (reflecting the farm industry of the Aubrac region) or different types of wood. In France nearly every tabac has Laguioles of some sort for sale. For the genuine article, check out the company's Paris stores at 1, place Sainte Opportune and 29, rue Boissy d'Anglas. You could also find them in any of the Grands Magasins.
 
Out of curiosity I tried my Opinel out in a different way tonight. We had steak for dinner and I had my Opinel in my pocket so I tried it and was very impressed. Made better cuts than the serrated steak knife in my opinion.
 
I wouldn't say that only knives made in Laguiole itself are necessarily superior. I do have this 9 cm horn tip from Forge de Laguiole which is in fact a beautiful knife. Mine doesn't have a brass cap, though.

I don't know if it's characteristic of the company's work, but it is much easier to open than other Laguioles I've handled. Excellent fit and finish, very fine filework on the backstrap.
 
Does the locking collar on an Opinel smooth up or should I do something to it? It feels a bit rough sometimes.
 
SpyderNoir_JHA said:
For those interested in Laguioles, do yourselves a favor: stick with the brand "Forge de Laguiole." That company is the only one whose knives are actually produced in Laguiole (as signified by a small insignia and the words "LAGUIOLE ORIGINE GARANTIE" on the blade.)
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Are you sure? Looking through the Laguiole Prestige website, I found, "All the items you will find here are 100% handcrafted in Laguiole village in France."

I have one with a 4" blade inscribed Laguiole de l'Artisan and stag horn handle slabs.
 
Bayoublaster said:
Does the locking collar on an Opinel smooth up or should I do something to it? It feels a bit rough sometimes.
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You can disassemble the Opinel, removing the ring, then the simple pivot pin, then the blade, which will fall out without the pin in place.

Once you have the handle by itself, you can sand it down, soak it in mineral or other oil, even carve it into a shape perhaps better suited to your hand.

I like to soak mineral oil into the pivot area without disassembling it. This preserves the area from water, especially when washing it, which would make the wood swell and the blade hard to open or close, until it dries. It should also make the ring action smoother, which use will do, anyway. It's also a good way to keep a high carbon blade from corroding.

Remember, these are cheaply made knives, with little attention to fit and finish beyond the care in design and production line efficiency. So some are smoother than others.
 
Bayoublaster said:
We had steak for dinner and I had my Opinel in my pocket so I tried it and was very impressed. Made better cuts than the serrated steak knife in my opinion.
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Why am I not surprised that a French knife works well cutting food? :D

Most knives for the general public seem to focus on either looks or quick, stamped-out, cheap utility. Knife knuts like us dig out the oddest creations of the knife world, and find them superior. I hope so! :)

I use almost anything in the kitchen except for "kitchen knives". I have a #8 and a #12 Opinel in the utensil drawer. In fact, I bought my first Opinel in a Williams-Sonoma store.

The very sharp Douk-Douks are great for bread and rolls and tomatoes and onions, where I especially want a clean cut that won't crush a delicate item.

There are fixed blade Laguiole patterns sold as steak knives, and the folders themselves are advertised as being made for bread, cheese, and sausage.
 
Pry it off.

I've never used Militec so I can't recomend it. I've only heard of it being used on metal parts, not wood.
 
I tried to pry it off but couldn't get it off with my multitool. In the few minutes I tried though, I think I may have loosened it up a little. I'll try again later.
 
Esav Benyamin said:
Are you sure? Looking through the Laguiole Prestige website, I found, "All the items you will find here are 100% handcrafted in Laguiole village in France."

I have one with a 4" blade inscribed Laguiole de l'Artisan and stag horn handle slabs.
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No, I'm not sure. The Forge de Laguiole website and the literature that came with my FdL knife indicates that the company is the only one producing knives in the eponymous city. Also, a salesperson in a Parisian knife store I visited said something to that effect. But none of those things were necessarily accurate then and might be even less so now.
 
kamagong said:
How do Opinels and Laguioles compare in terms of cutting efficiency? I know it's not exactly fair to compare the two knives since Opinel is a brand and Laguiole is a style of knife. I wonder if they compare favorably. I already have a Laguiole, but all the rave reviews of Opinels have piqued my curiousity.
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I have only seen a few Laguioles, but all of them were not up to Opinel as far as the blade usefullness (maybe yours is better). You really should try an Opinel with a carbon steel blade for $10 or less. You will be amazed how fast you can get a razor sharp edge on it compared to most stainless steels. Weighs nothing, costs nothing, cuts everything.
 
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