Opinel No. 12 Carbone - Carbon Steel Folding Pocket Knife, Beechwood Handle, 4.82 in Blade, Virobloc Safety Locking Collar, Made in France since 1890

These knives are awesome. Not designed to be cool, but to be functional. This design is probably the best general function knife that's ever existed, or ever will. I have many of these, and lost many. They're inexpensive, high quality, easily maintained, I've honed far beyond razor sharp. They're even good for precision whittling, which demands extremely sharp knives. The only downside, if you can even consider it such, is they're not "sexy". Nothing tactical, or high tech. Just amazing design from before anyone was thinking about marketing. The design is well over 100 years old, and still going with very little change. They're even on the list of best engineered products in history, from the queen. Given it's a French knife, and the Queen was English, that's a very big deal.Research prices though. Amazon sellers like to price them WAY above what they're supposed to be. Sometimes triple. Make good choices.

I’ll start by saying that I am a knife collector, but not of fancy, super-expensive knives that simply sit around and are never used so they maintain their appearance and “value.” A valuable knife is one that is usable and high quality. Every knife I have is used, although some are used far more than others because of how good they are.I purchased this No. 10 Opinel carbon steel knife with certain expectations, and almost all of them were met. I gave this knife a 5-star rating because it is an excellent quality knife blade that will see quite a lot of use from me, but not **heavy duty** use some of my other knives are used for.First, some design facts about this blade:--The wood handle is comfortable, but is one of the points that make this a **moderate duty** knife. I will not be applying a lot of force on this handle.--The ring supporting the blade is right at 3/32”. There is no side-to-side play in the blade, so the ring seems to support the blade very well. With the locking ring (which is much thinner) is closed, that extra support gives the knife an even more solid feel.--The knife blade is made from xc90 carbon steel, which is pretty comparable to 1086 steel. That means it will wear a little easier some other common carbon steels like 1095, but are very easy to sharpen/maintain. More on sharpness and sharpening later.--The blade is 1/8” thick on the spine before the clip of the blade. The blade grind is NOT FLAT, but a slight convex grind (think magnifying glass lens shape). That’s actually just fine with me, because that helps add supporting strength to the edge and take away some of the edge-retention disadvantage the xc90 steel has. Still pretty thin, though.--The locking ring, while manually-operated, allows you to lock the blade in both the open and the closed position. Its design looks and feels very secure.--This is a CARBON steel, not STAINLESS. You’ll have to keep it dry, maintain it, or it’ll be rusty trash. If that’s not your thing, get the stainless version. 12C27 Sandvik is a good comparable quality steel.So, now the pros and cons:Pros:--The fit of everything on this knife is tight. While I don’t know if it will loosen over time, there is resistance when you open and close the blade, which is nice.--Once properly sharpened (more about this later), this blade is hair-whittling sharp...for those that don’t understand the significance, that is far beyond hair-shaving sharp. Far beyond. I barely touched the edge after putting a proper edge on this knife and cut a couple layers of skin. Feather-touched. Didn’t even feel it; noticed it when I touched my thumb with my finger.----This level of sharpness is what makes this knife really usable. With its sharpness and convex grind going all the way to the edge, it’ll slice through things easily...which will help with retaining that edge longer. Cutting into wood for detail carving or for whittling...will probably be like cutting warm butter.--The xc90 may not retain edges as well as higher carbon steels, but it’s tough. Unless you abuse it on purpose or for things knives AREN’T designed for (like as a screwdriver or pry bar)--The COST. For the quality of this blade, and its tight fit and finish, it is a tremendous value.The Cons are not enough to detract from my rating.Cons:--The factory edge sucks. Saw someone comment here it didn’t feel sharp but still cut a tomato with ease...that’s because whatever sharpening method they use leaves a bur...which means you literally SAWED through that tomato. Also, the edge was ALMOST one-sided like a chisel. I had to reshape the edge bevel. Once I did, though, and properly sharpened it and stropped it, I can almost let it sink through a tomato with its own weight. Annoying I had to do that. Morakniv I’ve ever only had to strop to refine...their factory edges are better than anyone else.--The blade thickness and handle keep this from being a heavy duty knife. That’s actually OK, as with this being a pocket folder I’m not going to be carrying it while needing to do something heavy.

For anyone seeking a reliable, lightweight, and effortlessly charming pocket knife, the Opinel No. 6 is an absolute winner. This unassuming little knife has become an indispensable part of my daily carry, and for good reason.Firstly, the simplicity of its design is its greatest strength. The classic beechwood handle, warm and comfortable in the hand, paired with the high-carbon steel blade, creates a tool that feels both timeless and practical. The iconic Virobloc locking ring, a testament to Opinel's ingenious design, provides a secure and reliable lock, ensuring safety during use.The blade itself, while slender, is remarkably sharp and holds an edge beautifully. Whether I'm opening packages, slicing fruit, or performing delicate tasks, the No. 6 handles it all with surprising precision. The carbon steel version, while requiring a bit more care to prevent rust, offers a superior cutting experience.The compact size makes it incredibly easy to carry. It slips effortlessly into a pocket or bag, and its lightweight nature means you'll hardly notice it's there until you need it.Beyond its functionality, there's a certain rustic elegance to the Opinel No. 6. It's a knife that evokes a sense of tradition and craftsmanship, a refreshing departure from the overly tactical designs that dominate the market.In short, the Opinel No. 6 is a testament to the power of simplicity. It's a reliable, affordable, and beautifully designed pocket knife that exceeds expectations. If you're looking for a dependable everyday carry, look no further.

I don't do too many product reviews, but this knife certainly deserves one.When I received this thing and got it out of the packaging, I was initially not very impressed; I thought: cheap, light-weight balsa wood with a a cheap thin blade held on by some kind of a funky ring.After messing with it a little bit, I realized that was NOT the case. This was a nicely-made knife.....and sharp! Mine had a slight edge burr on the blade that I honed off, then stropped. Talk about crazy sharp! It's one of the sharpest, if not thes sharpest, knife in my collection.The old style design is quite unique, and the wood is NOT balsa wood, but a nice beechwood.I did a forced patina on the blade and i's been in my pocket ever since.Yeah...it definitely grows on ya. I really like it. Only downside that I can see is that the handle is wood and moisture-prone. I plan on eventually sanding it down and putting the tung oil to it to help make it moisture-resistant.Other than that, it makes for a nice pocket knife...not fancy, not fast, but nice!!