Opinel INOX No.5 Non-Locking

Excellent unobtrusive pocket knife. If you are new to using Opinels, don’t be put off by the thinness of the blade, or the simple design. Yes, it is best not to use it for a prying tool, because why break the blade and spoil an otherwise perfectly good pocket tool? If the action seizes up sometimes, just keep using it and have a little patience; the action will smooth out with use. I don’t oil mine, not these days. Just give it a quick wash and rinse if needed. An old toothbrush is ideal for cleaning. The No 5 makes an excellent companion to a SAK, with hardly any noticeable weight or bulk in your pocket. Saves wear and tear on the SAK knife blade(s) by using the Opi for the usual little tasks like cutting, trimming, opening packages, etc. An Opinel, even a small one, is ideal for cutting up cardboard boxes, despite the abrasive nature of cardboard. The convex blade surfaces translate into a very effective slicing tool. It helps to occasionally strop the blade on the cardboard as you go along. This makes a noticeable difference and keeps the edge sharp. Stropping is a good practice, in any case. Stropping brings the edge to a very sharp condition, and once sharp, stropping helps keep the edge keen. Cardboard smeared with a little buffing compound makes an inexpensive and very effective strop. Wish I had discovered this years ago. Quick and very easy. The back of the blade makes a great scraper for certain things, with the appropriate grip. Over the years, I’ve come to appreciate Opinels more and more. Despite having a collection of traditional and modern pocket knives, an Opinel is, in my opinion, indispensable. HH, thanks yet again.

Very sharp

Very old style knife, basic but extremely sharp out the box, no micro bevel so great at whittling, be careful can’t stress how sharp these are

Awesome little blade. Very lightweight and holds a decent edge.

Opinel no5 is a small model that is the largest non locking aversion thus making it uk legal ! This non locking model is a good edc knife but serious care is needed for this lethal folder ! The problem is there is no back spring ! It is purely friction that stops the blade coming back on your fingers and with the kind of edge these can have would spoil your day ? I am a big fan of opinel knives but I am uncomfortable using them without the viroblock lock ring I really wish this model had one as it's so cute ! That's why I recommend the no6 Service from HH was swift as always......

It's so small! I have a locking No8 that is a great knife, so I added this to my recent order. It's the largest Opinel a UK resident can carry, so I thought, why not? Well, it arrived today. It's as great as any other Opinel, but tiny! It was the first thing I opened in my delivery today, and it did a great job, but how small? It is amazing that in this country all a grown adult can be trusted with is this toothpick! You couldn't make it up!

This simple no-frills friction folder is a real piece of old world craftsmanship,having a total parts count of 4-5 (depending on the model) means that each part has more care put into it. As simple as this knife is, it's certainly nothing to be sneered at in terms of cutting ability, after only a few strokes on a lansky turn box fine ceramic stones, I was able to easily push-cut through thin receipt paper and shave my arm hair with no effort at all. This knife is very sheeple friendly and gloriously non-tactical looking, making it perfect for EDC in the UK at under 3 inches with no locking mechanism, for the price, this is a great add on item that everyone should consider.

every 1 should have 1

Good simple knife. Worth having for the very easy-to-sharpen blade. The larger models lock, but you can remove the locking collar on the slightly bigger No.6 which you can then carry within the law. However this one is perfectly fine for small tasks and avoids the ridiculously thin and fragile blade of the very smallest models.