Opinel No.08 Stainless Steel Folding Knife Review

Overview

The Opinel No.08 has been made in the French Alps since 1890 and is about as close to a “solved design” as knives get — it’s literally in MoMA’s permanent collection. At roughly $19, it’s the best choice in budget folding knives for tasks that require a sharp blade and barely-there weight. For backpackers, it earns its place as a dedicated camp kitchen knife: slicing salami, breaking down cheese, prepping vegetables, or cutting cordage in a pinch.

Key Specs

Spec	Value
Weight	45 g (1.6 oz)
Blade Length	8.5 cm (3.35 in)
Overall Length (Open)	19.5 cm (7.68 in)
Blade Steel	Sandvik 12C27 Modified Stainless
Handle Material	Varnished Beech Wood
Locking Mechanism	Virobloc Safety Ring
Origin	Chambéry, France
Price	~$19 USD
Comparison	See how Opinel No.08 compares to similar gear

Performance

Blade & Edge

Opinel has refined the blade of their knives for over 100 years, resulting in a thin, convex-ground, clip-point blade shape

that outperforms nearly everything else at this price.

All the Opinels I’ve seen over the years have come out of the box wicked sharp — Opinel, as far as budget knives go, punches above its price point at every step of its construction, starting with the blade.

The Sandvik 12C27 stainless is a well-chosen steel:

anti-corrosive thanks to its chromium content and requiring minimal upkeep, with a carbon content of at least 0.40% that provides an excellent cutting edge which is also easy to keep sharp.

The thin blade geometry is a double-edged sword (sorry). This knife is a dream for cutting food and other softer items — the blade virtually cuts under its own low weight. But 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. Know what this knife is and isn’t.

Handle & Ergonomics

The handle is one of the features that makes the Opinel — with its traditional beechwood, it offers more comfort than many other pocket knives for prolonged use like wood carving.

The ergonomic-shaped handle feels secure and stable, and the knife never tries to twist no matter what you do with it.

That said, there’s no finger guard, and

there is no finger guard and the handle is smooth, so your hand can slide onto the blade and get cut

if you’re not paying attention on a power stroke.

The Virobloc Lock

The Virobloc mechanism keeps the blade from folding closed unintentionally and was updated in 2000 to also keep the blade locked in place when the knife is folded closed.

In practice, the ring is simple and reliable under normal conditions. The catch:

the ring lock is hard to use with wet, slippery hands — it really ought to be knurled.

On a wet trail day or mid-meal with greasy fingers, you’ll notice.

The Two-Handed Opening Problem

This is the most common complaint, and it’s legitimate. All operations require two hands — opening the Opinel requires two hands, which is a little more primitive than some of the newer offerings. The nail mark tells you this will be a two-hand-opening knife. The blade buries deep in the handle, so there isn’t any place for your thumb to gain traction. For camp kitchen use, this is a non-issue. If you need fast one-handed deployment, look elsewhere.

Moisture & Wood Swelling

This is the No.08’s most practical trail limitation. The wood handle shrinks and expands with changes in humidity, which can make the blade stick slightly. In light rain or after washing up in a stream, a brief wait and a wipe usually sorts it out. However, a full submersion in water could kill the knife, as the blade would not be able to fold into the blade well and would likely warp or break the collar and pivot. Don’t soak it. Some users treat the wood with linseed or mineral oil to stabilize it — a worthwhile five-minute mod.

Weight & Carry

Among similar knives with blades this long, the Opinel No.08 is super lightweight — most models with such a long blade weigh twice as much.

At 45g it disappears into a hip belt pocket. The round handle profile does occupy more pocket space than a flat-handled knife, and

the main disadvantage is that it has no pocket clip or lanyard hole — the only viable way to carry it is loose in your pocket, though the low weight and smooth wooden profile make this a reasonable proposition.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Featherweight at 45g — hard to beat for blade length
• Arrives razor-sharp from the factory; easy to re-sharpen on any stone
• Sandvik 12C27 stainless is anti-corrosive and requires minimal maintenance
• Virobloc locks blade open and closed — genuinely safe to pocket
• Thin convex grind is superb for food prep and slicing
• Comfortable, ergonomic beech handle that improves with extended use
• Sub-$20 price makes it nearly consequence-free to own a few
• A genuine design icon with 135 years of refinement behind it

Cons

• Strictly two-handed opening — no thumb stud, no flipper
• No pocket clip or lanyard hole on the standard beech model
• Wooden handle can swell and bind the blade when wet
• Virobloc ring is slippery with wet or greasy hands
• No finger guard; smooth handle requires mindful grip technique
• Clip-point tip is delicate under lateral stress
• Not suited to heavy-duty tasks: batoning, prying, rope-cutting under tension

Who Should Buy This

The Opinel No.08 Inox is the right knife for the backpacker whose primary use case is camp kitchen work — it makes a perfect fruit and cheese companion, but can also handle a steak cooked on a campfire. For everyday carry and as part of your backpacking kit, the Opinel No.08 is perfect — and it’s affordable enough to have a few in different places. It’s not the knife for someone who needs fast one-handed deployment, heavy-duty cutting, or wet-weather reliability above all else. If you want the ultralight camp knife and are pairing it with a dedicated fixed-blade for anything serious, this slots in cleanly.

Verdict

The Opinel No.08 Stainless is one of the most honest pieces of gear in the backpacking world: it does exactly what it promises, costs almost nothing, and weighs almost nothing. It’s just five pieces — blade, handle, hinge pin, and the two metal collars that serve as the Virobloc locking mechanism — and this simplicity is lightweight and proven to be reliable. Go in clear-eyed about the two-handed opening and the moisture sensitivity, treat the handle with a little oil, and this knife will outlast most of the expensive gear in your pack. 8.5/10.