opinel 8 is the number one for me, collected knives for years (very expensive ones) and came to the conclusion that the opinel was my most used one. thanks for this video
I have had an Opinel in my tackle box, in my truck glove box for as long as I can remember. It has been my main EDC blade since I was a scout (going in 30 years). Yes, It has been moved out of my main pocket carry, but it is always available and an invaluable part of my life
Opinel knives are great because they're cheap. And that's pretty much it. They're built horribly with cheap materials and they can do a fraction of the word that pretty much any other knife can, but they only cost a few bucks so you can use the fuck out of one and mess it up, then just chuck it in the trash.
@@HotCoco_yes they are cheap, I wouldn’t say horrible build rather very smart build, for sure they have been used as hell from millions of people for 3 reasons, first they are more sharp than the 95% of the most expensive knives out there so they serve knives purposes extremely well, second you can get a keen edge more easily than the 95% of the very expensive knives out there and third THEY DO ALL THESE BY COSTING NOTHING. Although I have seen, hear about, experience all these as above time after time for over 50 years, there is only one thing I have never seen or even heard about, yet and this is someone to discard his opined to the trash because he used it so much that became unserviceable and useless. They only buy a new one either because they lost one or because they just want to add another size or model to their collection, or for specific use.
Good to see a #9 being showcased, normally it's a #8 (not that there's anything wrong with a #8!). Walnut swells less than beech when exposed to moisture, so I use an Opinel #9 Walnut with 12c27 stainless as my outdoors/fishing folder. Incredible knife, does everything so well.
You really could use pretty much any other knife ever made and it would do a better job than an Opinel lol but the advantage of an Opinel is how incredibly cheap they are. You can buy one for like ten dollars and use it once and throw it in the garbage after.
@@HotCoco_ You may have tried "pretty much any knife ever made" but I haven't. I have, however, used quite a few others, all more expensive, and the Opinel outperforms most of them in many respects. The price is irrelevant - I care for mine properly and they keep on going.
Hi Jon, great video. I think you hit it on the nail when you said a combination of both would make the best knife. I own both and I also love the Old Bear handle and you can't beat that brass touch on the handle. However that blade on the Opinel is far superior. I didn't notice the smoothness of the cuts on the Opinel. Thanks again for the video comparison.
8:15 if you have any difficulty to open one (if it's wet for example), just hold it by the lockend and tap it on a surface, this will push out the knife end.
I'm in a high humidity environment just like you mentioned the video and yes it's Wells to the point where sometimes my knives are unopenable luckily I mostly keep them open all the time in a knife block as I've modified them and I use them regularly as state knives
As i'm french i thought i might be biased, i was under the impression while watching you work that it was easier with the Opinel. Glad that it was proper judgement 😋 I've had, at least, one my whole life amongst other knives and as basic/plain as it is it remains one of my favorite
The Old Bear isn’t a knife I have seen before this video, so it was good to see how it performed. That being said, I have several Opinels which I do love. I’ve always been a fan of its simplicity of design and innovative lock.
Just purchased the old bear today from a knife shop in Carmel Ca. Knew nothing about the brand before today but just liked the simple elegance of it. Now I'm watching reviews. Never seen this knife at home in Georgia. The blade on mine is carbon however.
Just picked up 2 Opinels today, a No8 and a Mushroom Foraging knife, and you're right that they get a bit stiff if the handle gets wet, but put them in a hot spot to dry like on top of a radiator or even in oven if you want and it dry's out again, some people sand the wood where the blades held in just a tiny bit also to really prevent the wood from pinching the blade if it swells. The nice part of only having 5 pieces is it looks easy to mod/mess around with.
Bonjour il existe aussi le coursolle très robuste qui est un couteau de paysan français très ancien il est tout en métal avec des personnages gravés sur le manche moi j adore opinel mais j ai mon petit coursolle avec tire bouchon pour le vin content qu un couteau français vous plaise j ai un buck mais je reste fidèle à opinel il existe beaucoup de couteau fiable en France 1 modèle par région Cordialement
Hello I‘m from Germany and I like your reviews. They are very factual and informative. Today I bought the same Old Bear knife just because I was interested in how it does perform against my edc Opinel No. 10 carbone. The first thing I noticed is the handle, it feels kinda rough because it is just wood and untreated. So I applied tea oil carmellia, which also protects the blades of my collection of archetype pocket knives with carbon steel blades as well. The Opinel blade is a convex grind blade and the Old Bear blade a flat grind blade. To me the Opinel handle is the perfect handle for my hand and I love the feel of it in my hand. I am as well excited how the Old Bear performs. I have a lot of archetype knives: Opinel, Douk-Douk, Otter Mercator KKK, Higonokam and the Case Sod Buster. The latter knife is kinda the same as a German Hippekniep. Same handle and blade shape.😊
My no9 S/S is always with me and enjoy using it. Edge holding is terrible but it is easy to run on the leather strop. It is not the best steel but for general use is fine and of course is not expensive, here in AU you can buy them for under $30.
I find that my Opinel does take and keep an edge better than my Old Bear, but the locking ring has a tendency to work loose. So my EDC is the Old Bear. I saw somewhere that Antonini does have carbon steel models that might be worth looking into. My other Old Bear has an olive wood handle that does swell in the summer humidity. Over all I give both brands high marks for an economy blade.
I have had an Opinel going on 15+ years that I have kept in my pack, for a smaller, more maneuverable blade for those lighter chores. It has never let me down. Although, that Old Bear is looking mighty fine too. Thank you for another great vid!
Where I'm from Opinel has always been known as a good light duty camp knife, good for basic wood use as well as being a good option for camp cooking prep. My first one was used on many hikes when I was a kid
You went like "the opinel is high carbon and the old bear is stainless steel".. this information is misleading, as both knives come in both.. so now how does one know whether the opinel slices better because of the knife steel choice, rather than the blade shape?
As someone else already mentioned, I also enjoyed seeing a No. 9 showcased. The 8 is great (lol, I'm a poet and didn't know it), but the 9 just fills my hand a bit better. I didn't even know the Old Bear even existed. Enjoy the channel. Sub'd. 🤙
I have a lot of knives and I bought an Opinel No. 8 a few days ago for 15 bucks. And it's gonna be my EDC 100%! And the handle isn't that nice out of the package... So I'm customizing the handle. But I have a rule... no powertools!!😂 So I'm changing the shape with small files. Make a notch for my index finger, make the sharper edges and shapes more round. And I'm gonna give it some profile for even more grip. And after that I'm gonna burn the outer layers of the wood so it looks a bit like aligator skin and put some finish on it. And after that I'm gonna order more Opinel No.8 knives because I found a new hobby.... customizing Opinel handles!!😂
You like the old bear handle over the Opinel..just round the Opinel handle with a file and finish with sandpaper.I have both the Opinel carbone is as you say has a way better blade.Good video,thanks for sharing 👍
I did not like the round shape of the Opinel no.9 handle so I reshaped the handle with a wood rasp, flattening out the sides. Then I sanded it smooth and applied several coats of Danish oil. Super easy way to improve the ergonomics of the Opinel.
I own several Opinel NO.8 stainless steel nice knives work well for food prep I also own an Old bear extra large version carbon steel it is a great slicer for food and other cutting tasks I have no problems with it in use I never used it for wood I use my LT Wright knives Next Gen , Frontier valley and Patriot for more all-around use since they are really tough well-made and are full tang fixed blade knives.
If you want to really compare ............. Take the Opinel with inox blade ... It's a sort of 12C27 steel ... And you have Opinel in walnut (for a little more price ) ... ;-) N° 9 is perfect for me . Sorry for my bad English . Best regards from France .
Opinel has stainless model with 12C27 blade with better hardwood handle so you should get comparable model for comparison. But I kinda think 12C27 is better than 420 anyway.
@@Wingman115 What wood are you carving on? I have gotten my son's scout troop together and we've used branches we've found in the woods or have collected for try sticks but sometimes all you end up with is hardwood and inexperienced kids getting frustrated. Is that just a basswood dowel?
I keep wanting one just for the nostalgia but I know I’ll never carry it. I feel like it should come with some good stinky cheese and a baguette to fully appreciate it lol.
I know there are some serious Opinel fans but I'm not one of them.I use mine for cook and thats about it.The Old Bear looks more vintage and wander what the price difference is on the two?
Opineal an excellent dove filet knife. Opinel carbon steel is great for fire steel. I pintaed with walnut juice, boiled vinegar and mustard. Boiled vinegar was best. The walnut juice was great for touch ups. Mustard is shotty. Opinel is to wobbly for me. I prefer stronger lock mechanism or fixed blade for critter peeling and wood chored.
8:10 l'Opinel est toujours dur à ouvrir pour des raison de sécurité. La lame reste bien dans le manche en toutes circonstances (si ce n'est plus le cas il faut l'ouvrir et le resserrer. Ce que vous sembler ignorer c'est qu'un Opinel s'ouvre en le frappant. Vous le tenez entre le pouce et l'index coté de la virole et vous frappez l'excroissance du manche à l'opposé sur n'importe quoi d'un peu dur ou même le talon de votre chaussure ... et la lame sort suffisamment de façon à pourvoir l'ouvrir facilement. 3:30 th-cam.com/video/d26rZStWtTQ/w-d-xo.html
The knife you look for then is an Opinel no 9 with a walnut handle. a bit harder to find and higher priced if you find one. I ordered mine with the stainless steel blade
opinel 8 is the number one for me, collected knives for years (very expensive ones) and came to the conclusion that the opinel was my most used one. thanks for this video
I have had an Opinel in my tackle box, in my truck glove box for as long as I can remember. It has been my main EDC blade since I was a scout (going in 30 years).
Yes, It has been moved out of my main pocket carry, but it is always available and an invaluable part of my life
Thanks for sharing my friend.
Opinel knives are great because they're cheap. And that's pretty much it. They're built horribly with cheap materials and they can do a fraction of the word that pretty much any other knife can, but they only cost a few bucks so you can use the fuck out of one and mess it up, then just chuck it in the trash.
Ci vorrebbe la funzione traduttore per tradurre i commenti 😊
@@HotCoco_yes they are cheap, I wouldn’t say horrible build rather very smart build, for sure they have been used as hell from millions of people for 3 reasons, first they are more sharp than the 95% of the most expensive knives out there so they serve knives purposes extremely well, second you can get a keen edge more easily than the 95% of the very expensive knives out there and third THEY DO ALL THESE BY COSTING NOTHING. Although I have seen, hear about, experience all these as above time after time for over 50 years, there is only one thing I have never seen or even heard about, yet and this is someone to discard his opined to the trash because he used it so much that became unserviceable and useless. They only buy a new one either because they lost one or because they just want to add another size or model to their collection, or for specific use.
I now have a large Old bear and comparing it with an Opinel No 9 is exactly as you say. Bang on. 👍
I was given an Opinel #8 by my Grandfather in 1971. I still have it, put aside for safe keeping, and EDC a #9.
Good stuff my friend. Thanks so much for sharing.
Good to see a #9 being showcased, normally it's a #8 (not that there's anything wrong with a #8!). Walnut swells less than beech when exposed to moisture, so I use an Opinel #9 Walnut with 12c27 stainless as my outdoors/fishing folder. Incredible knife, does everything so well.
No.9 all the way
You really could use pretty much any other knife ever made and it would do a better job than an Opinel lol but the advantage of an Opinel is how incredibly cheap they are. You can buy one for like ten dollars and use it once and throw it in the garbage after.
@@HotCoco_ You may have tried "pretty much any knife ever made" but I haven't.
I have, however, used quite a few others, all more expensive, and the Opinel outperforms most of them in many respects. The price is irrelevant - I care for mine properly and they keep on going.
@@davids9549 I'm really surprised by that, my main usage for Opinel products has been as palette knives when doing artwork.
I have had the same opinel #9 for 45 years and she has never failed me
Good. I too prefer opinel as my primary knife. I use a No.8.
Hi Jon, great video. I think you hit it on the nail when you said a combination of both would make the best knife. I own both and I also love the Old Bear handle and you can't beat that brass touch on the handle. However that blade on the Opinel is far superior. I didn't notice the smoothness of the cuts on the Opinel. Thanks again for the video comparison.
👍🏻👊🏻
I have been carrying the #10 carbone on my belt everyday for about 2 years now. Wonderful knife, no complaints.
👍🏻👊🏻
8:15 if you have any difficulty to open one (if it's wet for example), just hold it by the lockend and tap it on a surface, this will push out the knife end.
Opinel knock is what it's called
I'm in a high humidity environment just like you mentioned the video and yes it's Wells to the point where sometimes my knives are unopenable luckily I mostly keep them open all the time in a knife block as I've modified them and I use them regularly as state knives
As i'm french i thought i might be biased, i was under the impression while watching you work that it was easier with the Opinel. Glad that it was proper judgement 😋
I've had, at least, one my whole life amongst other knives and as basic/plain as it is it remains one of my favorite
Great to hear you point of view on the knives. Thanks for commenting.
The Old Bear isn’t a knife I have seen before this video, so it was good to see how it performed. That being said, I have several Opinels which I do love. I’ve always been a fan of its simplicity of design and innovative lock.
Old school still rules. Thanks for watching Bob.
I, like many others, have Opined knives in handy locations. My favorite is the Opinel # 8 Garden because it is a true drop point.
I will check it out.
yeah i have one, too bad they dont makea carbon steel version of the garden model.
Just purchased the old bear today from a knife shop in Carmel Ca. Knew nothing about the brand before today but just liked the simple elegance of it. Now I'm watching reviews. Never seen this knife at home in Georgia. The blade on mine is carbon however.
Just picked up 2 Opinels today, a No8 and a Mushroom Foraging knife, and you're right that they get a bit stiff if the handle gets wet, but put them in a hot spot to dry like on top of a radiator or even in oven if you want and it dry's out again, some people sand the wood where the blades held in just a tiny bit also to really prevent the wood from pinching the blade if it swells. The nice part of only having 5 pieces is it looks easy to mod/mess around with.
Excellent comparison Jon, but I love my Opinel as well!! Thanks for sharing brother!!
They both are pretty knives.
Bonjour il existe aussi le coursolle très robuste qui est un couteau de paysan français très ancien il est tout en métal avec des personnages gravés sur le manche moi j adore opinel mais j ai mon petit coursolle avec tire bouchon pour le vin content qu un couteau français vous plaise j ai un buck mais je reste fidèle à opinel il existe beaucoup de couteau fiable en France 1 modèle par région
Cordialement
Hello I‘m from Germany and I like your reviews. They are very factual and informative.
Today I bought the same Old Bear knife just because I was interested in how it does perform against my edc Opinel No. 10 carbone.
The first thing I noticed is the handle, it feels kinda rough because it is just wood and untreated. So I applied tea oil carmellia, which also protects the blades of my collection of archetype pocket knives with carbon steel blades as well.
The Opinel blade is a convex grind blade and the Old Bear blade a flat grind blade.
To me the Opinel handle is the perfect handle for my hand and I love the feel of it in my hand.
I am as well excited how the Old Bear performs.
I have a lot of archetype knives:
Opinel, Douk-Douk, Otter Mercator KKK, Higonokam and the Case Sod Buster.
The latter knife is kinda the same as a German Hippekniep. Same handle and blade shape.😊
👍🏻👊🏻
My no9 S/S is always with me and enjoy using it. Edge holding is terrible but it is easy to run on the leather strop.
It is not the best steel but for general use is fine and of course is not expensive, here in AU you can buy them for under $30.
I find that my Opinel does take and keep an edge better than my Old Bear, but the locking ring has a tendency to work loose. So my EDC is the Old Bear. I saw somewhere that Antonini does have carbon steel models that might be worth looking into. My other Old Bear has an olive wood handle that does swell in the summer humidity. Over all I give both brands high marks for an economy blade.
Thanks for the comment. Each knife has it's merits.
Opinel is a class above!
I have had an Opinel going on 15+ years that I have kept in my pack, for a smaller, more maneuverable blade for those lighter chores. It has never let me down.
Although, that Old Bear is looking mighty fine too. Thank you for another great vid!
Thanks for commenting and watching.
I have never heard of the old bear but the Opinel is a food knife really and wasn’t designed to carve wood.
🧐🇬🇧
Where I'm from Opinel has always been known as a good light duty camp knife, good for basic wood use as well as being a good option for camp cooking prep. My first one was used on many hikes when I was a kid
I have a couple of Opinels. Really like them. I’ve never seen the Big Bear but I like the look of it. I think I’ll get one.
For the price it's worth a look at.
Love me some Opinels! Never had an old bear.
You went like "the opinel is high carbon and the old bear is stainless steel".. this information is misleading, as both knives come in both.. so now how does one know whether the opinel slices better because of the knife steel choice, rather than the blade shape?
I use a #10, but I'm going to be picking up an old bear in high carbon to check out.
They are fun Inexpensive knives.
As someone else already mentioned, I also enjoyed seeing a No. 9 showcased. The 8 is great (lol, I'm a poet and didn't know it), but the 9 just fills my hand a bit better.
I didn't even know the Old Bear even existed. Enjoy the channel. Sub'd. 🤙
I carry an Opinel No. 8 as my EDC knife. It´s cheap, it is easy to sharpen and the No. 8 fits easy in every front pocket.
I'm quickly becoming a fan of Opinel. Thanks for watching.
I have a lot of knives and I bought an Opinel No. 8 a few days ago for 15 bucks. And it's gonna be my EDC 100%! And the handle isn't that nice out of the package... So I'm customizing the handle. But I have a rule... no powertools!!😂 So I'm changing the shape with small files. Make a notch for my index finger, make the sharper edges and shapes more round. And I'm gonna give it some profile for even more grip. And after that I'm gonna burn the outer layers of the wood so it looks a bit like aligator skin and put some finish on it.
And after that I'm gonna order more Opinel No.8 knives because I found a new hobby.... customizing Opinel handles!!😂
Adding your own touch to a blade makes it a special piece.
Opinel's are hard to beat. I keep one in my fire kit, the spine rips sparks off of a ferro rod like nobody's business! 🔥
True that! Thanks for stopping by.
Awesome video! Great job on the the sticks! Bbq looks tasty too!
It was! LOL
You like the old bear handle over the Opinel..just round the Opinel handle with a file and finish with sandpaper.I have both the Opinel carbone is as you say has a way better blade.Good video,thanks for sharing 👍
I did not like the round shape of the Opinel no.9 handle so I reshaped the handle with a wood rasp, flattening out the sides. Then I sanded it smooth and applied several coats of Danish oil. Super easy way to improve the ergonomics of the Opinel.
Thanks for sharing.
I own several Opinel NO.8 stainless steel nice knives work well for food prep I also own an Old bear extra large version carbon steel it is a great slicer for food and other cutting tasks I have no problems with it in use I never used it for wood I use my LT Wright knives Next Gen , Frontier valley and Patriot for more all-around use since they are really tough well-made and are full tang fixed blade knives.
Never held the Old Bear, but have a No. 6 and 8 Opinel, my No. 6 is my most used knife hands down. Dedicated daily cheese knife:)
👍🏻👊🏻
Great comparison Jon!
Thanks for stopping by Steve.
If you want to really compare ............. Take the Opinel with inox blade ... It's a sort of 12C27 steel ... And you have Opinel in walnut (for a little more price ) ... ;-)
N° 9 is perfect for me .
Sorry for my bad English .
Best regards from France .
Opinel has stainless model with 12C27 blade with better hardwood handle so you should get comparable model for comparison. But I kinda think 12C27 is better than 420 anyway.
Stainless of any kind sucks.
What are you carving and what is it for??
A try stick is a Bushcraft knife skills test.
@@Wingman115 What wood are you carving on? I have gotten my son's scout troop together and we've used branches we've found in the woods or have collected for try sticks but sometimes all you end up with is hardwood and inexperienced kids getting frustrated. Is that just a basswood dowel?
@@RobBernhard Just a dowel from Home Depot. Not sure what type of wood. Maybe aspen.
@@Wingman115 thanks! Going to see if I can get a bunch for the troop and try again. :)
Si vous voulez un petit couteau sympa il y aussi le coursolle avec lame au carbone
The older I get the more I love old school knives.
Me too. Brings back great memories.
I keep wanting one just for the nostalgia but I know I’ll never carry it. I feel like it should come with some good stinky cheese and a baguette to fully appreciate it lol.
Put that bad boy in your just in case kit. Weighs next to nothing.
Antonini is One Hand lock and Unlock!!!!
While Opinel is used often in a kitchen environment the Antonini in at home in the Pocket environment!!!!!
Why didn't you compare a carbon steel Opinel to a carbon steel Antonini?
Reviewed what I had.
Comparing stainless with carbon steel. what the heck you'r doing?
The first knife with this type of construction was commercialized by Marietti (Italy) in 1860, unfortunately they closed the factory
I know there are some serious Opinel fans but I'm not one of them.I use mine for cook and thats about it.The Old Bear looks more vintage and wander what the price difference is on the two?
Both are priced pretty close to each other.
Opineal an excellent dove filet knife. Opinel carbon steel is great for fire steel. I pintaed with walnut juice, boiled vinegar and mustard. Boiled vinegar was best. The walnut juice was great for touch ups. Mustard is shotty. Opinel is to wobbly for me. I prefer stronger lock mechanism or fixed blade for critter peeling and wood chored.
Thanks for watching Dutch.
The Opinel 9 is also available in Inox / Stainless
Thanks for sharing.
8:10 l'Opinel est toujours dur à ouvrir pour des raison de sécurité. La lame reste bien dans le manche en toutes circonstances (si ce n'est plus le cas il faut l'ouvrir et le resserrer. Ce que vous sembler ignorer c'est qu'un Opinel s'ouvre en le frappant. Vous le tenez entre le pouce et l'index coté de la virole et vous frappez l'excroissance du manche à l'opposé sur n'importe quoi d'un peu dur ou même le talon de votre chaussure ... et la lame sort suffisamment de façon à pourvoir l'ouvrir facilement.
3:30 th-cam.com/video/d26rZStWtTQ/w-d-xo.html
The knife you look for then is an Opinel no 9 with a walnut handle. a bit harder to find and higher priced if you find one. I ordered mine with the stainless steel blade
👍🏻👊🏻
They are both good, but for quality traditional knives I prefer MAIN KNIVES
Personalmente preferisco l'OPINEL
The opinel's win. But I'm seriously considering your idea swap the blades
The handle is nice on the Old Bear.
I'm happy you are doing more knife reviews . Please do more as time presents
Opinel secondo me è superiore...
Mafia coming for you.
I'm ready.
makes no difference in the end. Actually, the best knife is the only one you happen to have on you when you need it
True but it does make for fun videos.
@@Wingman115 if you say so
Great video I have the opinel no 7 knife which I use when I’m camping and it’s a very good knife . Save the world please don’t vote Trump please
Ah, the good old Opinel. The "use it once then throw it in the trash" knife.
😂
@@Wingman115 They're surprisingly useful for art applications actually, I've used them a lot for messy requirements involving pastels and such.