I'm not sure if I'm coming to the right place for this topic, but I figure when it comes to a blade, others here would know far more than I do.
I'm looking to replace an old whittling knife and was curious as to what I should invest in. I'm not looking for very detailed work, just a hobby to pass the time, and had a couple others direct me to an Opinel No.7. I'm trying to find a smaller, folding knife rather than a fixed blade, but other than that I have no other requirements. Thoughts on this blade, or any recommendations for others?
>>28330908
Anything from Buck will be good
Kershaw is also good quality for the price, but I think they look kinda faggy
If you are willing to spend some money, both Benchmade and Case make very nice small folders, Case will give you big points with fudds too
>>28330908
opinels are cheap, lightweight, and well made for the price, but I'd personally prefer something like a Buck 110 or one of their smaller lockbacks for woodwork
https://www.reddit.com/r/knives/comments/1d12bz/lets_talk_about_value_heres_a_list_of_best_bang/ will give you some ideas (tw: reddit)
Also, lots of guys like Mora fixed blades for carving; they're cheap, durable, sharp out of the box, and not too hard to sharpen. See http://www.ragweedforge.com/SwedishKnifeCatalog.html
>>28330908
Check out the Buck 55. Small enough for some detail, pretty cheap, easy on the eyes, and traditional if you're into that kind of thing.
It also is very non-threatening and not faggy and tactical, which means normal people and especially women (if you live in a city) won't be rustled when you pull it out.
>>28330949
>Kershaws looks kind of faggy
;_;
Spyderco dragonfly
>>28331001
That's pretty sex, I may have to get myself one
>>28331014
>>28330908
I have an Opinel no. 6 that I carry when I want to carry something small. It's pretty light and not great for heavy cutting but it's so lightweight that I can easily forget about having it in my pocket. Sometime's I carry an old US demo knife when I want to have a screwdriver and other tools handy. Buck 110 for heavy work or camping.
If you are serious about your knife you ought to get a Lansky sharpening kit to keep an edge on it.
There's some old world charm in an opinel, takes twould hands to open comfortably, ergonomically pleasing wood grips, classic lock mechanism thst you don't see everywhere.
That said, buck, kershaw, spyderco all make good small folding knives Under 50$. If you want to spend more, still spyderco, benchmade, and zero tolerance, though ZT may cater more to "tactical" crowds.
Spyderco endura or delica won't do you wrong for carving and utility
Douk Douk would be a pretty solid choice, if you wanted something old school and tough
>>28330908
I don't know anything about whittling but I do love my Opinel No.7. It's very light, the locking ring is rock solid and it sharpens up very easily. That said, I have little girly-man hands and it still feels a bit small. If I was buying it again I'd get the No.8. Try them out in person before you buy if possible.
>>28331111
>>28331093
>>28331001
How do you not lose knifes without a pocket clip? I'm the guy who posted the buck 55, btw. It's always been one of my favorite knives, but I don't carry it day to day anymore because it's slipped out of my pocket in cars too many times.
The less the knife costs me out of pocket immediately, the better, especially given the recent holidays and my budget being nearly maxed. That being said, the reason I was considering the Opinel was due to the reviews of cost and quality for what you're spending. I had heard that there are now Opinel knives being made in the US, but had not found any information regarding any differences in quality control. Does anyone here have any personal experiences with the US versus the French made Opinel?
And Buck was my other option, given the amount I have used them in the past, but I had never used mine for woodcarving. I know they're a bit more costly than the Opinel, but do they still stand behind their lifetime guarantee? If so, for the quality of the knife and reassurance that I won't need to replace it for some time, I may reconsider those listed here.
>>28331600
You get a pocket sheath. Kind of like a pocket holster for a knife.
http://agrussell.com/knife/3528/
>>28331652
> I had heard that there are now Opinel knives being made in the US
Where did you hear that? They're still made in France as far as I know.
Do you want strictly non-locking folders or are locking folders okay? Do you want knives with the same aesthetics as the Opinel i.e. old world and classy or is any style fine?
>>28330908
literally have one sitting a foot away on my computer desk
great all around knife and the barrel lock is sound. they work great for anything from whittling to cutting cheese/smoked meats.
buy a good hard arkansas stone and a real sharpening steel with the money you save from buying a $14 knife.
>>28332425
Perhaps I had misread some of the information I read regarding the Opinel, and confused the manufacturer with a distribution company. I had read that others have had issues when purchasing them online and received some which were Chinese knockoffs, but I'll be sure to purchase directly from the manufacturer should I go that route.
As for locking, it isn't necessary by any means, and I was primarily going for something with that old world look, as you say. It wouldn't be a deal breaker if I found something with a more modern design if it works as intended.
>>28332525
>I had read that others have had issues when purchasing them online and received some which were Chinese knockoffs
I'm surprised people would even bother, since you can generally get Opinels for $12-13 dollars. As long as you buy from a reputable knife vendor, you should be fine.
I collect inexpensive ethnic working knives, so you're in luck.
The aforementioned Opinel is a solid choice. It has a very efficient blade geometry, which is why its known for its cutting ability.
http://www.baryonyxknife.com/no8carbon.html
The Svord Peasant knife also has a nice convex grind and is pretty easy to mod if you're into that.
http://www.baryonyxknife.com/pekn.html
>>28331232
Douk Douk is also a good choice from what I've heard, though I haven't gotten one yet.
http://www.baryonyxknife.com/doukdoukchrome.html
>>28330908
>I'm not sure if I'm coming to the right place for this topic,
No, the dimwits of /k/ know shit about knives for woodworking. ask in >>>/out/ they got whole threads about the topic.
>>28330908
I have the carbon N°O8 myself and it's been great. Sharp as anything and fits in every pocket. You can't go wrong with one of these for light work.
>>28331600
Huh. That has never happened to me. If it did I would probably look into knives with pocket clips.
My friend had an old opinel he bought for $5.
The blade was thin, and the tang/handle was a little bit flimsy for any hard work. But despite this guy knowing fuck all about sharpening knives, and the knife itself being used and old, it was on of the sharpest blades I've ever seen in a knife that cheap.
I love the old school looks. I would think these are perfect whittling knives.
>>28331014
>>28331029
ayy my ambitious came in today, I know it isnt a whittling knife but hey spyderco
Victorinox Swiss Army Knife Book of Whittling
buy Alox (aluminium handles) or Ecoline (nylon handles) as they have better grip and wear better
