[rocketfoot]

Schrade Divergent folder for under $18

[Ironbutt]

Speaking of budget knives, here's an Opinel. I've been seeing these things in camping, backpacking, and outdoor magazines & catalogs for years, but never paid much attention to them until recently. I have three of them now. A #6, 7, & 8.

They've been making these things for over 130 years. You can get them with either stainless or carbon blades. They consist of a wooden handle, blade, a pin to hold them together, and a lock ring to hold it open or closed. They're super light weight. You hardly know they're in your pocked & they come in 12 sizes, with #8 being the most popular. The one shown is a #7 & cost $16. If you bend the blade, straighten it with a pair of pliers. Break it or lose it? Just get another one. They're cheap, and there's nothing fancy about them. They just do a hell of a good job of cutting stuff.

[rocketfoot]

Speaking of budget knives, here's an Opinel. I've been seeing these things in camping, backpacking, and outdoor magazines & catalogs for years, but never paid much attention to them until recently. I have three of them now. A #6, 7, & 8.

They've been making these things for over 130 years. You can get them with either stainless or carbon blades. They consist of a wooden handle, blade, a pin to hold them together, and a lock ring to hold it open or closed. They're super light weight. You hardly know they're in your pocked & they come in 12 sizes, with #8 being the most popular. The one shown is a #7 & cost $16. If you bend the blade, straighten it with a pair of pliers. Break it or lose it? Just get another one. They're cheap, and there's nothing fancy about them. They just do a hell of a good job of cutting stuff.

I have been seeing them a lot too!  I just might have to add one or 3 to the collection! 

[Ironbutt]

What amazes me about these things is how super light they are. The #7 shown weighs only 1.4 ounces. And they are all great slicers. 

Opinel offers the entire boxed set, from #2-#12, in stainless or carbon for $169.  Visit their website sometime. They have a lot of knife stuff, from kitchen, to gardening, to camping.

[tommag]

I've seen them since I was a young boy but never handled one. They struck me as cheesy and I never paid any attention to them.
This thread got my attention, particularly the light weight part. As I looked around on the web I see a lot of favorable reviews. I like carbon steel for it's ease of sharpening but it rusts easily. I just ordered 2 #8s in carbon steel. 6% discount for 2 plus free shipping. I posted a question on artful bullet where there are several very knowledgeable metallurgists about phosphating as a rust preventative. If one of the guys tells me there's no downside I think I'll try that on one of them.
Since I lost a fair portion of my left thumb I'm not a fan of fingernail grooves but that's not a deal breaker. I can turn it over and use my index finger or open it left handed. Flippers have really spoiled me.
The low price and 1.6 oz. makes it attractive as a backup or something to hand to a friend when they need a knife.

[Ironbutt]

I've seen them since I was a young boy but never handled one. They struck me as cheesy and I never paid any attention to them.
This thread got my attention, particularly the light weight part. As I looked around on the web I see a lot of favorable reviews. I like carbon steel for it's ease of sharpening but it rusts easily. I just ordered 2 #8s in carbon steel. 6% discount for 2 plus free shipping. I posted a question on artful bullet where there are several very knowledgeable metallurgists about phosphating as a rust preventative. If one of the guys tells me there's no downside I think I'll try that on one of them.
Since I lost a fair portion of my left thumb I'm not a fan of fingernail grooves but that's not a deal breaker. I can turn it over and use my index finger or open it left handed. Flippers have really spoiled me.
The low price and 1.6 oz. makes it attractive as a backup or something to hand to a friend when they need a knife.

It's a little hard to notice in the pic, but on all my Opinels I sand a notch in the handle where the nail nick is to make the blade easier to get ahold of.

When you first get them they're usually very tight. Oiling may help a little, but to really fix it: Remove the lock ring & spread it apart to make it easier to turn. While you have the lock off, you'll see a heavy steel ring that's holding the pivot pin. Take a large standard screwdriver & pry that ring apart until the blade opens easily. You can also use a hefty pair of lock ring pliers to remove the lock & spread the pivot ring. All this takes about five minutes, but makes the knife much easier to use.

[tommag]

I'm glad I asked. It turns out I was wrong about phosphoric acid.

[tommag]

Mine arrived today. Lightweight doesn't begin to describe them. They both still had a burr on one side, but what can you expect for $19? I'm not finding the lock ring to be a problem, just a little stiff but that'll insure they don't unlock accidentally.

[tommag]

I discovered a flaw in mine. After using it to open a little packet of sauce, I wiped the blade but it needed more cleaning so I used a soapy paper towel and rinsed the blade. Evidently I got a drop of water in the handle. Within 5 minutes it swelled up in the hinge area enough to make it difficult to open and close.

[rocketfoot]

I discovered a flaw in mine. After using it to open a little packet of sauce, I wiped the blade but it needed more cleaning so I used a soapy paper towel and rinsed the blade.  Evidently I got a drop of water in the handle. Within 5 minutes it swelled up in the hinge area enough to make it difficult to open and close.

Interesting...did it go back to normal after it dried out or will it require some modification?