From his workshop at the foot of the French Alps, Opinel forged a cult classic. A word of caution , be careful to not pry too much so that you bend out that collar and , my Opinel is razor sharp , be careful of that blade when working on it. It was an extremely easy process and involves baking your opinel in the oven at 350 F with a light coating of olive oil. To fix this issue, I did not want to disassemble the entire knife nor sand the original finish off of the handle, so I sealed the entire handle. and yes: you can take apart an opinel. Sanded the whole handle, re-stained, and buffed with carnuba wax. I wanted some ideas or pictures of things you’ve done as gift to other people! Opinels also have unsurpassed aesthetic appeal. Is it possible without destroying the knife… I peened my No 9. to tighten it up a bit, modified the ring and knife blade to more of a drop point, I sanded and rasped handle to remove stains and then drilled and added a lanyard hole, sealed it up with boiled linseed oil. An 8$ knife turned into a knife of hierloom quality. Do not disassemble OPINEL knife forcibly Prepare and arrange work room and take time for break. While we do provide tools for you to maintain your knife, we don't necessarily recommend taking your knife apart for curiosity's sake. This particular knife was monogrammed with my monastic name and symbol (Anselm, Oblate of the Order of St. Benedict). Started with an Opinel #8 Oak Inox, made it a spear point, trimmed the handle a bit, and installed a lanyard. The only real competitor with the Opinel in terms of ease of slicing is the Victorinox Swiss Army Knife. I’m asking this because anyway I’m gonna go for a blade length near 2 inches. you pop the ring off (which is the hardest part) then get rid of the axis (grinding and pushing it out with a nail). Only to a degree, open it, take two flat screwdrivers and pry apart the ring and then up as you move the ring over the hinge pin. The only reason I do not carry one is that I get a lot more utility for the same pocket space with a SAK. | Joseph Opinel designed his first folding knife in 1890, creating a tool that is as robust and functional as it is simple and beautiful. My second question was - is it easier to disassemble a locking or a non-locking Opinel? Keep applying until the wood stops soaking it up, then wipe off excess. Designed in 1890 in Savoie, France, the Opinel stands unflinchingly in the face of modern faux-tactical fare. I bought an ebony Opinel a few months back but I can't use it cause it's too stiff. When you slice cardboard with an Opinel, you hear angels singing. Official website of Opinel USA. :thumbup: If I can get my camera setup later on today I'll post some pics in a new thread , of my latest projects and acquisitions. Using the tools provided, we recommend tightening the screws from time to time and cleaning the inside after extensive use. I was thinking of customising an Opinel to give to my friend. if you feel tired and bored, it do not bring you nice result Do not trust internet information completely including this … saw this a few times, when one of the modders in another knife-forum did some deep-etching on a carbon-steel-blade. When it gets a little wet it becomes dangerous to open or close. Our knives are made to last for years, but like any tool, knives require occasional maintenance. Has anyone else modified their Opinel. Below is a "before" picture. Apply generous coat of 100% tung oil (available at woodcraft) thinned by half with mineral spirits. Disassemble knife, lightly sand off orange-y finish with 220 grit paper. I want to take it apart and maybe sand it down to make it easier (and safer) to open and close.