Opinel No. 8 Review

Our overall scoring matrix rewards the all-purpose product. With a long, well-reputed history and decades of subtle refinements, the Opinel No. 8 knife design brings a very high overall performance, given its low price.

Performance Comparison

Blade and Edge Integrity

On some level, you get what you pay for with blades. However, in an economy of scale and with careful materials selection and design, a great blade can be made for a low price. Opinel has refined the blade of their knives for over 100 years. With patience and an eye to value and all-around function, the result is a thin, convex-ground, clip-point blade shape. The stainless steel, straight-edge blade we tested (they also sell serrated and carbon steel designs) holds an edge but responds well to attentive resharpening.

The blade grind is so narrow that the final edge bevel is virtually indistinguishable. Again, this blade's most salient characteristic, especially compared to the more “contemporary” designs we test, is its narrow profile. This knife is a dream for cutting food and other softer items. The blade virtually cuts under its own low weight. For tougher tasks, like cutting rope and webbing, the narrowness of the blade, the friction-hinge, and the natural give in a wooden handle feel a little flexible. It does the job, but it sometimes feels as if you are pushing harder than the knife is designed for.

Ergonomics

Open and in use, the Opinel No 8 is similar in dimensions to a small steak knife. (Opinel makes this same general design in a whole range of sizes. You can get an Opinel blade from 3.5 cm to 22 cm. The “No 8” we tested is the most popular size and has an 8.5 cm blade). The blade opens with a traditional fingernail slot and locks with a proprietary “Virobloc” safety ring. The Virobloc is a rotating steel collar with a slot for the blade.

With the collar slot lined up with the blade, you can open and close the blade. The blade cannot be opened or closed with the collar slot turned aside. This is elegant in its simplicity. The disadvantage of the opening method and locking collar is that all operations require two hands.

Most knives with a more “modern” design can be opened and locked with one hand. Assisted opening springs in our favorite knives make deployment easier. The top-scoring knives in our review have assisted opening function and one-handed thumb stud blade deployment. The Opinel No. 8 doesn't stand out quite as much compared to the other inexpensive knives we reviewed.

Portability

With the wide range of sizes available, you should be able to fit an Opinel knife into any part of your life. As the “standard” size, the No. 8 is fairly “average” regarding portability. At 1.5 ounces, the weight will be barely noticeable. The round profile handle takes up more pocket space than a flatter-handled style. The main disadvantage of the Opinel No. 8 knife is that it has no pocket clip or lanyard hole. The only viable way to carry it is loose in your pocket. Thankfully, the low weight and smooth wooden external profile make this a reasonable proposition.

Among similar knives with blades this long, the Opinel No. 8 is super lightweight. Most models with such a long blade weigh twice as much as this knife. The only knives coming close in weight have much shorter blades. We wish the Opinel No. 8 had a pocket clip, though that would interfere with the classic, simple design appeal.

Construction Quality

In a field dominated by sturdy, stiff “tactical” tools, the lightweight and wooden construction of the Opinel No. 8 feels a little underwhelming. When pressed to cut rope or whittling, the flex inherent in the wooden handle, friction-fit hinge, and narrow blade profile is noticeable. That said, our long-term testing and the thousands of Opinel knives still in use after decades and decades proves that the simple design, though lightweight, holds up to heavy use.

Something is appealing about wood and steel construction. We can easily tell that the Opinel No. 8 is just five pieces; blade, handle, hinge pin, and the two metal collars that serve as the “Viroblok” locking mechanism. This simplicity is lightweight and proven to be reliable.

Should You Buy the Opinel No. 8?

Somehow, Opinel is selling this well-made, functional, and stylish piece of equipment for about what you'd expect to pay for a mass-produced, low-quality “gas station counter” pocket knife. It has limitations, but the overall value relative to performance is worthy of your consideration. For many OGL readers, the Opinel No. 8 will be an excellent value and all you need for camping and household use.

What Other Pocket Knives Should You Consider?

Even though the Opinel No. 8 falls at the bottom of the barrel, you must understand that we are reviewing some of the best knives on the market. This knife only scored low relative to the stiff competition it was pitted against. Our favorite knife is the Benchmade Mini-Barrage 585, and it runs nearly ten times the price of the Opinel. If you are looking for a strong knife with a dirt-bag price tag, then the Petzl Spatha is well worth your consideration.