Apply a drop of melted candle wax on the end grain (collar end) of wooden handle and then run a heat gun or hair dryer until wax will absorb into wood and disappear. This is an effective way of sealing wood from water and lubricating blade without the need for oil. It's well known to woodworkers who use hand planes to rub candle wax on sole to reduce friction.
@@lennaertsih7434 Wood cells are hydroscopic and expand mostly against the grain when water is absorbed into cells and this causes knife to bind. Wax fills the voids only within the wood cells but do not fully absorb into the cell membranes which is why wood when saturated with wax doesn't expand. Candle wax has a low coefficient of friction which makes it an ideal material for self lubrication.
I had an an opinel knife when I was a Boy Scout camp counselor 35 years ago teaching wilderness survival and pioneering. Great knife, except when it became soaked in a massive storm. It swelled shut and could not open it for a week
Love this, you gave some very good pointers on how to mod your Opinel. Maybe yours is not perfect........ but it has got a lot of soul, seriously! Thanks.
Howdy, I'm in France, if you spend good money on an Opinel, make sure it is an original as there are Chinese copies that are almost imposible to spot. Buy from a reputable outlet. Cheers !
You know, I'd never even heard of Opinel knives till recently on RUclips. Growing up in Idaho, it was nothing but a buck 110 and a Bowie knife with an boys axe.
blackoracle69 Well, I'm going to get one just to modify it and have fun with for sure. At this price point, there's really just no reason not to. 👍 Thanks for a great video!
Oh my goodness. I was looking up opinel mods since i have ordered one just to see what i could do. Nice video by the way. As soon as I saw your face I was like crap I talked to him before. You have done an outstanding job at your employment and looks like you do the same on your videos. Thanks again and keep up the good work.
Probably the best, quickest mod you can make to your Opinel is a couple of coats of Tru Oil on the handle. Waterproofs it so it doesn't swell, and leaves a protective oil finish on it.
Nice mods you did. Good explanation also. I do like to modify Opinels but never made them a two bladed option. I have the Robinson for that. But one thing. When open rotate the ring the other way to lock. It's stronger that way.
Thanks for putting this up mate! I think people can learn a whole lot when we take the time to share what has not worked for us. Much appreciated. Subbed and a thumbs up!
I never had trouble with handle swelling ever with my Opinel. I've had it for over 20yrs. I carried it through swamps and mountains but I just waterproofed the handle recently.
most of the knives i have had were not a problem..but i have had 2 at different times that would swell and make opening the blade nearly impossible..but you are sorta at the mercy of the wood it was made from some trees will be more absorbing than others
ha, opinel should make a double bladed model with the normal blade and then a sheepsfoot blade. I prefer a sheepsfoot blade for general cutting. I been thinking about buying the billhook/mushroom style knife and buzzing it flat on the cutting edge.
Blackie, i recon you should make a traditional style trapper next with the smaller opinels (like 5, 6 or 7), would be nice as you have showed great skill and learned a lot from this one. Just a though. :)
kook je OPINEL in olie of frituur vet bij 160 graden Celsius, staal en al voor ongeveer 15/20 minuten ,hij kan er uit als er geen belletjes meer verschijnen op het hout het hout wort wat donkerder en is beschermt tegen vocht ,en zwelt dus ook niet meer!!!!! ik heb een NR 10 . OPA
I just bought one and wondering what to do about the swelling ? Did I miss something ? I don't carry it,because as soon as the humidity is up, I can't get it open.
OPINEL KNIFE ?? I never really understood what a OPINEL knife excelled at ! I'm a pocketknife person myself I like nice pocket knives ! Eye brand sodbuster for instance ! I like them ! No I didn't say I was going to be chopping trees or splitting logs ! before I can go off on a tangent let me just say I got no clue why anyone would even buy one of them opinel knives ! I an sure you can do better with a garage sale old hickory paring knife !\ A good pocket knife and a decent cane knife and that is it ! I really think that is all you need ! I am not looking to be a lumberjack or build a log cabin ! I recon some people just like collecting ! I try not to collect junk ! There are lots of really expensive junk these days ! Anything made in France not really my first choice ! Scratch your head think about it awhile what the french do well ! Okay maybe this OPINEL not expensive knife !!!! Maybe it has a really good blade ?? The manufacturer didn't have sense enough to a mount it well ??? Back to what I was saying earlier about French engineering !!!
itsa design that goes back several hundred yrs..and i enjoy mine they blades are good steel as long as you know they are thin and are for cutting and slicing..not a pry bar..thanks for the comment safe journeys
France has an incredible history of knife making, to the point of rivalling Germany, so making a point of how bad French engineering is, their knife making history notwithstanding, might just be one of the worst arguments I've ever heard. The Opinels are cheap, incredibly sharp, easy to maintain, non-threatening, and durable. Even if they were to cost twice or three times as much it would be worth it.
Frank Artieta:The French are time honoured knifemakers!! Calling Opinel junk is a very ignorant statement, especially considering the great variety of cultures involved in knife making. And no, i'm not French.....lol
Just because you don't understand doesn't make Opinel bad knives. It just makes you stupid. Opinel are inspired by Nontron knives, a brand way older than the USA. The house I live in is older than the USA. The Sodbuster is a German design. You have the French trade knives that Dave Canterbury sells. I'm Dutch and don't like France but they do make some good knives. You are just an idiot.
OK then ! A OPINEL might be something the french did well ! But still ! The French have a long not so illustrious history building things ! Never been known for being the best ! Or even second or third for that matter ! I'll stand by my original thoughts and stay away from most everything that comes from France ! I agree once in awhile French do something really wonderful but for the most part it's not where you get your gear !
![ARGENTINA vs. CHILE [3-0] | RESUMEN | ELIMINATORIAS SUDAMERICANAS | FECHA 7](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/De3AWmXzhuA/mqdefault.jpg)
Apply a drop of melted candle wax on the end grain (collar end) of wooden handle and then run a heat gun or hair dryer until wax will absorb into wood and disappear. This is an effective way of sealing wood from water and lubricating blade without the need for oil. It's well known to woodworkers who use hand planes to rub candle wax on sole to reduce friction.
Won't that make the wood expand, so the blade becomes difficult to move?
@@lennaertsih7434 Wood cells are hydroscopic and expand mostly against the grain when water is absorbed into cells and this causes knife to bind. Wax fills the voids only within the wood cells but do not fully absorb into the cell membranes which is why wood when saturated with wax doesn't expand. Candle wax has a low coefficient of friction which makes it an ideal material for self lubrication.
@@googlesbitch Ah allright now it makes sense! I'll have to give it a try, thank you!
@@lennaertsih7434 did it work?
@@stonedape3285 It did! The blade did become a little bit harder to move, but because of the wax it also had less friction, so it's smoother overall
The way you speak and address the viewer is very calming. Thank you for sharing your knowledge, i had a real pleasure
Wow, thank you!
Great mod! The two blade concept should be expanded to a saw blade and a standard carbon blade. Pretty good bushcraft option.
I had an an opinel knife when I was a Boy Scout camp counselor 35 years ago teaching wilderness survival and pioneering. Great knife, except when it became soaked in a massive storm. It swelled shut and could not open it for a week
Love this, you gave some very good pointers on how to mod your Opinel.
Maybe yours is not perfect........ but it has got a lot of soul, seriously!
Thanks.
Howdy, I'm in France, if you spend good money on an Opinel, make sure it is an original as there are Chinese copies that are almost imposible to spot. Buy from a reputable outlet. Cheers !
You know, I'd never even heard of Opinel knives till recently on RUclips. Growing up in Idaho, it was nothing but a buck 110 and a Bowie knife with an boys axe.
i was much the same.. but once i did find them i found them to be very good knives..not for prying mind ya..but they do great for slicing
blackoracle69 Well, I'm going to get one just to modify it and have fun with for sure. At this price point, there's really just no reason not to. 👍 Thanks for a great video!
Oh my goodness. I was looking up opinel mods since i have ordered one just to see what i could do. Nice video by the way. As soon as I saw your face I was like crap I talked to him before. You have done an outstanding job at your employment and looks like you do the same on your videos. Thanks again and keep up the good work.
+peacekeeperz81 thank you very much i try..safe journeys to you
Thanks billy bob.
Probably the best, quickest mod you can make to your Opinel is a couple of coats of Tru Oil on the handle. Waterproofs it so it doesn't swell, and leaves a protective oil finish on it.
Here in Argentina, some people replace the wooden Opinel handle with stag horn. They look great.
+RobertoDonatti i have thought of that too..a nice well figured bit of maple or black walnut would look great..safe jounreys
RobertoDonatti can you show some pictures of the stag horn mods
They sell these at Opinel
I shortened a Opinel no9 one inch! Carved the handle with a small Douk-Douk and redrilled the pin. It is compact and easier to carry in my pocket!
13BRAVO REDLEG why not just buy one of the smaller Opinels?
Should have bought a number 6 lol
Nice mods you did. Good explanation also. I do like to modify Opinels but never made them a two bladed option. I have the Robinson for that. But one thing. When open rotate the ring the other way to lock. It's stronger that way.
In the French Pyrenees and the Alps , all the shepherds have a No. 7 ...
Greetings from France
Kind of like making a Volkswagen Beetle into a pickup. 🤣
Thanks for putting this up mate! I think people can learn a whole lot when we take the time to share what has not worked for us. Much appreciated. Subbed and a thumbs up!
+Machete Bushcraft Australia thanks!... glad to hear from the land down under!!..safe journeys
Nifty.
thanks
I never had trouble with handle swelling ever with my Opinel. I've had it for over 20yrs. I carried it through swamps and mountains but I just waterproofed the handle recently.
most of the knives i have had were not a problem..but i have had 2 at different times that would swell and make opening the blade nearly impossible..but you are sorta at the mercy of the wood it was made from some trees will be more absorbing than others
I did. Some 30 years back probably while canoeing. I've seen others have the problem. It's not a fake problem. It's true.
Your a genius!, thank you so much!, I added the much needed saw blade.
awesome mods Thomas
ha, opinel should make a double bladed model with the normal blade and then a sheepsfoot blade. I prefer a sheepsfoot blade for general cutting. I been thinking about buying the billhook/mushroom style knife and buzzing it flat on the cutting edge.
Thumbs up!!!
Clark
Wow 😮. I didn't even think about this mod, tu put 2 blades on one opinel
I would love to see you do a new take on the Opinel
opinel is te best folder.
Interesting. Thank you for sharing your experience.
Great idea regular blade, and saw blade in an Opinal. Thanks for the instructions.
Blackie, i recon you should make a traditional style trapper next with the smaller opinels (like 5, 6 or 7), would be nice as you have showed great skill and learned a lot from this one. Just a though. :)
i was thinking of getting another and do a follow up project i gave the one in the video away at the southern bushcraft rendesvous..stay tuned
blackoracle69 100% do it then mate. A trapper woild be very much your style.
kook je OPINEL in olie of frituur vet bij 160 graden Celsius, staal en al voor ongeveer 15/20 minuten ,hij kan er uit als er geen belletjes meer verschijnen op het hout
het hout wort wat donkerder en is beschermt tegen vocht ,en zwelt dus ook niet meer!!!!! ik heb een NR 10 . OPA
⭐❄🌟🎄
Awesome mod!!
Remember guys measure twice cut once.
Why not buy an opinel saw and add a #7 blade to it? That would be the mod I would go for. Might just have to make one for myself.
What's your favorite size opinel?
Those knives last for ever.
good vid blackie but tell me did you make the copper bangle on lefty arm?
yes made it from a bronze grounding rod
blackoracle69 brilliant . i just done a opinal n9 and i too have bangles but copper conduction . google tomrusbridge87. brilliant vidio mate
glad you liked it..safe journeys
hi
What is the point of having 2 very similar blades on the same knife?
long blade better to fillet fish short blade for woodscraft carving
Thanks
What's up with that copper bracelet? Not trying to sound nasty, just curious.
my wrist was crushed by a 600 lb roll of cloth in a cotton mill when i was 8..the copper helps numb the pain..and it shows when my blood sugar is off
great mods blackie opinel made better nice my 8does the same thing with the swelling ..tom
I just bought one and wondering what to do about the swelling ? Did I miss something ? I don't carry it,because as soon as the humidity is up, I can't get it open.
victor castle try soak it in oil to seal it from humidity
Rubbing the handle with olive oil will help with the moisture problem.
Looks like a lot of work for a marginal gain
I am convinced that any effort I made along these lines would come out A LOT worse. Appreciate the heads up.
mini mag light holder? nice idea!
Gut gemacht..........ruclips.net/video/fWXpxqdu9EY/видео.html
OPINEL KNIFE ?? I never really understood what a OPINEL knife excelled at ! I'm a pocketknife person myself I like nice pocket knives ! Eye brand sodbuster for instance ! I like them ! No I didn't say I was going to be chopping trees or splitting logs ! before I can go off on a tangent let me just say I got no clue why anyone would even buy one of them opinel knives ! I an sure you can do better with a garage sale old hickory paring knife !\
A good pocket knife and a decent cane knife and that is it ! I really think that is all you need ! I am not looking to be a lumberjack or build a log cabin ! I recon some people just like collecting ! I try not to collect junk ! There are lots of really expensive junk these days ! Anything made in France not really my first choice ! Scratch your head think about it awhile what the french do well ! Okay maybe this OPINEL not expensive knife !!!! Maybe it has a really good blade ?? The manufacturer didn't have sense enough to a mount it well ??? Back to what I was saying earlier about French engineering !!!
itsa design that goes back several hundred yrs..and i enjoy mine they blades are good steel as long as you know they are thin and are for cutting and slicing..not a pry bar..thanks for the comment safe journeys
France has an incredible history of knife making, to the point of rivalling Germany, so making a point of how bad French engineering is, their knife making history notwithstanding, might just be one of the worst arguments I've ever heard. The Opinels are cheap, incredibly sharp, easy to maintain, non-threatening, and durable. Even if they were to cost twice or three times as much it would be worth it.
Frank Artieta:The French are time honoured knifemakers!!
Calling Opinel junk is a very ignorant statement,
especially considering the great variety of cultures involved in knife making.
And no, i'm not French.....lol
Just because you don't understand doesn't make Opinel bad knives. It just makes you stupid. Opinel are inspired by Nontron knives, a brand way older than the USA. The house I live in is older than the USA. The Sodbuster is a German design. You have the French trade knives that Dave Canterbury sells. I'm Dutch and don't like France but they do make some good knives. You are just an idiot.
It would make a good Loaner knife. So u don't have to sacrifice one of your "Good" ones.
OK then ! A OPINEL might be something the french did well ! But still ! The French have a long not so illustrious history building things ! Never been known for being the best ! Or even second or third for that matter ! I'll stand by my original thoughts and stay away from most everything that comes from France ! I agree once in awhile French do something really wonderful but for the most part it's not where you get your gear !