I recently needed to buy a knife for box cutting and household chores. So being me, I binged on reviews and YouTube videos covering everyday carry (EDC) knives, survival blogs and other sources. And it turns out that one of the best, and cheapest options was designed in 1890, with some minor improvements in the 130-odd years since.
The Opinel is a folding pocket knife manufactured in France in various sizes. It was created at the turn of the century, when Joseph Opinel combined his family history of hand-crafting tools with the modern manufacturing techniques of the time. Available in 12 sizes, the only update has been to add a rotating collar system to lock the blade open or closed.
The result is a knife that is made of just 5 parts, and costs around £10 direct from the factory in the most popular No 8 size. I actually ended up ordering my No 7 along with some other items from Amazon.
And it’s made chores like cutting down delivery boxes much more pleasurable than when I used a modern Stanley FatMax, and saves me from burning through replacement knife blades. All I should need for years is the Opinel, and a fairly cheap whetstone sharpener.
Using rhe knife might not turn me into a woodsman or carpenter, but it makes me appreciate simplicity and investing my time in tasks that get me away from a computer screen. And from the constant pressure of both modern life, and the need for the latest gadgets.
Old tools aren’t always best, but a lot of the designs that lasted were down to their performance, and the fact they could be repaired to continue working rather than being thrown away. I like the idea of them outlasting me, even if they might become Triggers Broom (it’s ironic that when I looked for a definition of the term, one of the first results is from Adam Bowie, who I worked with many years ago).
They bring back old memories of helping my dad work on cars and DIY as a child, and recent attempts to teach my son how to cut vegetables without removing bits of his fingers. Using tools reinforces the idea that idea that most things are fixable if you put in a bit of effort, adventures are accessible in the local countryside, and you can build things for yourself rather than just consuming them.
It’s something missing from so many modern products and services. Everything has converged to look the same, and become disposable after a short time. Most modern cars look identical because air tunnel efficiency helps fuel economy, but takes away all the emotion. And I suspect that it will only get worse as we allow AI to create a recursive loop of the most optimised results.
Incidentally, if you’re looking to buy a knife in the UK, it’s worth knowing that it’s illegal to carry a locking pocket knife in public without a good reason (for instance, if you’re taking it to work and use it as part of your profession). It’s why I’ve also picked up a non-locking Victorinox Bantam for camping and roadtrips, etc. And it’s illegal to use any knife in any threatening way.
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