Opinel has a global reputation for making pocket knives that are affordable, widely available, efficient, and versatile. Many years ago, I admittedly did not care much for the design. Opinel knives seemed to me to be cheap, crudely made, and flimsy. Oh, how wrong I was! These days, I feel sorely under - equipped if I do not have an Opinel of some description in my pocket. They sharpen easily, slice effectively, and perform almost any normal task within reason. Just not prying. Not a good idea for any pocket knife with a fine blade. A locking pocket knife is perfectly legal to own, and to use in one’s own home, of course; and outdoors, for purposes such as camping, field craft, fishing, and so on. But not to carry about in town, or some large public venue. A non - locking folding pocket knife, with a blade no longer than three inches, is permissible to carry without any particular reason in many places, but not all. Common sense must prevail. Heinnie’s website indicates which models are “UK friendly,” that is, compliant with current legislation. The smaller Opinels have no lock, from sizes 2 through 5. From number 6 upwards, the well known Opinel rotary lock is standard. However, removing the lock with external circlip pliers - the best way, so as not to damage the joint and make the action unnecessarily loose - immediately makes a No 6 into a UK friendly pocket knife (be sure to leave the lock at home!), because the blade, as correctly measured in the open position, is less than the legal limit of three inches. A No 7 or even a No 8 can also be made lockless, and shortening the blade to just under three inches, to be on the safe side, will also yield a perfectly useable pocket knife that complies with current laws. The locking feature was not introduced until 1955, so for many decades, an Opinel pocket knife had no lock, and generations of users simply got on with it. A friction folder is a pocket knife that relies upon the snug fit of handle and blade to give a suitable amount of resistance to opening, and, very importantly, to closing. Remove the lock from your Opinel, shorten the blade, if needed, to be a little bit less than three inches, and you will have a good friction folder, ok for EDC. If you haven’t used your Opinel for a few days, the joint may seem to be loose. The wooden handle simply has dried out. Wash, rinse, and dry your Opinel (not in a fussy way - “good enough” will do just fine), and you will notice that the action quickly improves. If the action is very stiff, just keep using it and things will get better. A little patience will lead to greater appreciation. These knives are made to be used, and I often find myself returning to an Opinel when another make or type is in some way simply not quite as good for the job at hand. The Effile range is much slimmer and lighter than the ordinary Opinel models. My No 8 Effile is really a No 7 at the joint. The ferrule beneath the removed locking ring says so; “No 7” is clearly stamped into the small metal band. The blade is now shortened, as described above. The edge is fine, and frequent honing and / or stropping keeps it so. The action does tend to slightly loosen if the Effile is not used for a while, but readily firms up: just wash, rinse, and repeat from time to time. The narrow curving blade on the Effile range is flat ground with a secondary angle for the actual cutting edge, rather than the usual Opinel convex grind. Closed, this model is slim and trim, and only weighs 22 grams, without the locking ring, or 0.78 of an ounce. A tiny bit of file work was needed to tame the sharp square base of the spine of the blade, so that when closed, everything is smooth and comfortable in the pocket. Mind you, removing the locking ring exposed this sharp corner at the bottom of the back of the blade. But it’s all right now. Really, everyone is entitled to their own opinions, and there are other makes and models that I often use. But if you want to try an old world style pocket knife, and are willing to make just a little effort to make it acceptable for everyday use away from home, then no doubt Opinel’s No 8 Effile will suit you. Cheers to HH for stocking this one.
