It largely depends on your needs. If, like most people, you are looking for a day to day simple pocket knife that gets the job done, you can’t go far wrong with an Opinel knife. Opinel make inexpensive, reliable knives, made from high-quality materials.
If you are considering an Opinel knife for day to day use, I recommend the Opinel No 6 Carbon Steel Folding knife. The No.6 is an excellent general pocket knife that gets the small tasks done. The blade is made from a durable carbon steel, it is very sharp (and easy to sharpen) and the handle is made from beechwood. It is only 3 5/8″ when closed and weighs just 1.2 ounces. When it’s in your pocket, you hardly know it is there. It is hard to understand just how light Opinel knives are, until you hold one, this is mainly due to the light weight beechwood handle.
The other USP for Opinel knives is the Virobloc double safety ring. This is the ring you can see which sits between the handle and the blade. With a flick of your thumb, this swivels round and locks the blade open when in use. It can also be used in reverse and lock the blade in the closes position for additional safety when in your pocket.
What else do you want for your $10? Timeless design and heritage? Opinel knives were first manufactured in 1890 by Joseph Opinel, they have since sold over 200 million knives worldwide and they are still 100% made in France.
All in all, for the quality for material and design and the price it costs, the Opinel No.6 is highly recommended.
I’ve had an Opinel No. 8 for a few years now, not a bad knife. Perhaps it is because my model is a lot larger, but the blade seems a little thin/flexible to me. I would never use it for whittling or anything of the sort – a fantastic addition to my mess kit, though. I prefer a good Stockman’s knife for regular carry.
I’ve always had a number of Opinel knives kicking around the house and shed since I was a kid and my grand dad gave me one on the condition I kept it at his house and didn’t tell my mother that he had given me one. I found that about 3 years ago when I was clearing his old workshop out and it now lives in my draw. recently I bought this Opinel no 8 knife. (http://www.aboveandbeyond.co.uk/.opinel-no-8-outdoor-knife_3123840015786.htm which is absolutely crazy in contrast to any of the knives i’ve had before, however I do like something about it, a bit like old art or classical pieces given a modern remake. It comes with a whistle too which is good it you are carrying it away from the house.