Reddit mentions of Opinel No.08 Carbon Steel Folding Pocket Knife with Beechwood Handle

I carry an Opinel No 8 everywhere i go. i use it to cut food and light gardening work (trimming, pruning, cut twine to tie up tomatoes, etc). "everywhere" includes backpacking, and any kind of travel. it's short enough and no spring assist, so it doesn't conflict with local laws when i travel.

when i'm backpacking i also carry a small wire key ring with the following:

Key Ring

Leatherman Micra

Gerber Shard

Streamlight Nano

if i'm doing any kind of campfire, then i bring a mora companion to do any processing that i'll need.

$100 to spend? Lets get him started out right!

Fixed blade knife and Saw for Bushcraft tasks:

Bahco has a combo kit with a Mora fixed blade knife and a folding saw for $28.50 at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Bahco-LAP-KNIFE-Laplander-Folding-Multi-Purpose/dp/B008ZG8S0A

Folding Knife for food prep:

Add an Opinel #8 for $20: https://www.amazon.com/Opinel-Carbon-Blade-Folding-Knife/dp/B002SCUO04/ref=sr_1_4?crid=3OVY093ZE8FB9&keywords=opinel+no+8&qid=1573841922&sprefix=opinel%2Ctools%2C152&sr=8-4

or an Ontario RAT 1 for $25: https://www.amazon.com/Ontario-8848-Folding-Knife-Black/dp/B0013ASG3E/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=ontario+rat+1&qid=1573842093&sr=8-1

Axe for fire prep:

Cold Steel Trail Boss fo $32: https://www.amazon.com/Cold-Steel-CS90TA-BRK-Trail-Boss/dp/B001CZ9UY4/ref=sr_1_1?crid=21DD9KF7WOYCB&dchild=1&keywords=cold+steel+trail+boss&qid=1573842210&sprefix=cold+steel+trail%2Caps%2C154&sr=8-1

Total

That pretty much covers all things pointy and sharp to get him started in bushcraft for a grand total of $85.50

As he learns and develops more bushcraft skills he can upgrade when needed but this will get him started out with some solid gear.

Knife: Opinel Blade no8 ($14)

Flashlight: Streamlight pen light ($20)

Pen: Pilot G2 Limited ($9)

Mechanical Pencil: Pentel GraphGear 500 0.7 ($7)

Wallet: Recycled Firefighter ($9)

(Nearly) hard mode completed. $59 total.

I just ordered myself an Opinel no. 8 for my ropes. The only thing is since its carbon and not stainless a bit more attention has to be given to it so it doesn't rust up

Ah the classic Opinel http://www.amazon.com/Opinel-No8-Carbon-Pocket-Knife/dp/B002SCUO04/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1459123049&sr=8-1&keywords=opinel+8&linkCode=sl1&tag=addourscom-20&linkId=cb7f541450dae33b9704c46d7db36738

Because of this, I just bought one on amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002SCUO04/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Check out the Mora Companion HD Carbon for fixed and Opinel #8 Carbon for folding knife.

Both should be OK importing into Canada.

Not too far from the sticks though. (It's a joke, I have and like this knife, but down vote away.)

Cocoon Grid-It organizer. It's rather cheap and especially useful if you use different bags like a messenger bag for school and a backpack for a bit longer travels. You can easily attach stuff you need once in a while to the grid and just throw it to another bag.

Currently my grid-it contains a USB-stick, couple cables, one of those Victorinox card multitools, a powerbank and a pen. When I'm traveling overnight I add a toothbrush and a small tube of toothpaste. 5/5 would buy again.

Edit: Pilot G-2 pen and Opinel No 08 knife are another fantastic pieces of equipment I carry everyday

if you only have $14 to spend on a knife

Well I have two knives. One an opinel 8 that I EDC. Then a Condor Nessmuk. A Silky Gomboy Saw and a Hults Bruk Torneo Axe. And an actual multi tool Leatherman Signal. That's my full load out on tools.

Well heres a list of some from amazon.

• Opinel No8 Carbon Pocket Knife | $12 | 4.6 Stars
  
  
• Kershaw Chill Serrated Pocket Knife | $21 | 4.8 Stars
  
  
• Kershaw Brawler Speedsafe Knife | $23 | 4.5 Stars
  
  
• Ontario RAT Folding Knife | $27 | 4.8 Stars
  
  
• Kershaw Cryo Speed Safe Folding Knife | $30 | 4.4 Stars
  
  
• Spyderco Ambitious Plain Edge Knife | $33 | 4.5 Stars
  
  
• Spyderco Tenacious Plain Edge Knife | $34 | 4.7 Stars
  
  
• Camillus Carbonitride Titanium Folding Knife | $37 | 4.8 Stars
  
  
• Kershaw Ken Onion Leek Folding Knife with Speed Safe | $39 | 4.7 Stars
  
  Hope that helps!
  
  PS if you aren't sure about your knife laws check out this PDF just scroll to your state and check. Also /r/Knives can probably help you if you have more specific questions about knives. Although going to that sub-reddit will also probably mean spending more than $30 so be forewarned.

A RAT, a Tenacious, an Opinel, or a Cryo are the usual choices. What's wrong with 8cr13mov steel? It's not the best but for sub $30, it'll get the job done.

Opinel no.8
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002SCUO04/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492285903&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=opinel+no+8&dpPl=1&dpID=41FnDjkEEiL&ref=plSrch

As /u/TheUseOfWords said, it's a cool looking shape but uses 420 stainless steel (shitty, in other words). If you want it to look at or are willing to constantly be sharpening it, go for it, but I'd otherwise get an Opinel which looks similar (if not as pretty) and is a lot more utilitarian- though you'd have to take care of the steel a bit to prevent it from rusting.

Posted this in another thread: http://bit.ly/TWNlLd

You could also check out the Tenacious or Opinel

Under $50? Oy, so many choices.

Opinel knives. Any of them. Sharp as hell, thin blades, cheap enough that if you break one, you don't care.

Nemosine Singularity $20, but a simple and nearly bulletproof fountain pen. Makes my life much easier and my hands hurt much less after a long day writing.

Old Hickory kitchen knives. They're carbon steel and will rust if you don't clean and dry them after each use, but the thin blades and good geometry made a $12 butcher my favorite knife in the block. Mine took some work with a file to get the point sharp, but for $10 it was worth it.

Estwing tools. My hammer has kept grinning through 15 years of work, and still is in excellent shape. One reviewer complains of a ringing noise- never heard it.

This answer assumes 1) you want a few knives to cover different uses and 2) you can dig in the couch cushions for $3.53 or you can wait for Amazon's prices to fluctuate just a little bit. The price on the Kershaw jumped $3 just while I am typing this up...

EDC: Kershaw Blur, $54.17. I'm a little goofy, and I like the serrated tanto even though it looks like ass. I assume for most people, they'd prefer the straight blade. I've had one for a few years, and it works great. Just the right size, comfortable grippy handle, and I love the opening mechanism.

Camping knife: Condor Tool and Knife Bushlore 4.375-Inch Drop Point Blade, $36.41. The QA on fit and finish is apparently an issue with this company, but I didn't notice any problem on mine. It's not going to win a beauty competition, but its a hard worker. One of the comments on Amazon says it's the AK-47 of the knife world. I'm inclined to agree.

Inconspicuous Folder: Opinel #8, $12.95. I don't actually own one of these, so caveat emptor, but they come highly recommended by the hive mind. It's a classy looking folder that you could carry around in your suit's jacket pocket or your briefcase.

Considering he kept mentioning self-defense even when you said that's not your intention...sounds like they were just messing with you (why, idk).

You probably already found a pocketknife replacement, but I had the same idea as you and found the Opinel no. 8. It's cheap, sharp, and doesn't look too threatening. If anything it's just a picnic knife but it can cut through boxes & zip-ties just fine.

If he had been carrying a Swiss Army knife that's probably the style he prefers, Opinel makes single bladed knives that open in the same way his old SAK did, and leatherman makes amazing multitools, I would recommend checking all these brands out.

Opinel knives are usually extremely cheap and run about 20$/£, their most popular knife is the No. 8 for about 12$/£, it comes in other colors and wood types as well. No. 8 is a bigger model and it might be a little bulky for someone use to a SAK, the small the number in the name ex. No. 7, No.6, get smaller as their number designation does. I have the No. 8 Trekking knife in slate and its a pretty great knife for its price (18$/£).

If he likes Swill Army Knives, there are quite a few more options to look at, they can get a little pricey for their size at times, I own the Tinker, this was my first knife and I have found that looking at the tools on these knives would behoove you. I do not need an awl in the knife I carry every day for instance. There are many many options to chose from, and through a little sifting you may find one that you feel suits him best. Victorinox (the brand that makes swiss army knives) also makes knives that are a little closer to the opinels I mentioned earlier, a few of their models (like this one) are simply one or two blades. I would look into local laws however, I know some places do not allow blades that can be opened with one hand like the one I linked you to.

Leatherman makes wonderful multitools and a few pocket knives. Nearly everything they make have blades that lock as a safety feature, although very few can be flicked open, so I would check the specifics of this law, I doubt a multi-tool is illegal. This is the Micra, it appears to be a smaller version of a leatherman I own that I cannot find on their site. This one has a blade that opens in a way that is legal for sure, its blade does not lock either. If you find that some locking blades are allowed, the Skeletool is a favorite of mine, it may look a little outlandish but it has always had the best combination of essential tools out of any of my multi-tools, and it is one of my favorites. The Style is a smaller version with slightly different tools ( I don't think it has screwdrivers), but it's blade does not lock. The skeletool is about 70$/£ I think, and their smaller tools like the micra and style are under 30$/£, this brand has quite a bit more I didn't touch on, if you think he would like something like this I would check out site, I hope you find something that works, I know I'm always thrilled when my girlfriend gets me a new knife.

There's the Shilin Cutter

Chambriard makes some cool ones

The classic Opinel or douk douk

[The Okapi knife](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okapi_(knife)

Higonokami

Sgian Dubhs

The Navaja

The German Mercator

Canadian Grohmann

Mora

Swiss army knife

Stockman

Also, here is a good website to find similar knives: http://www.worldknives.com/

If you want just a knife, I think you can go for a classic knife like a Buck model 110 (Link) or an Opinel (number 8 - Link) are safe bets.

Edit: Added Amazon.com links

Opinel makes good knives for hella cheap. I love 'em and think they're classy.

This is all you need. You could buy 3 with your gift card. Seriously, not all knives have to have military color schemes.

Here are some links to add to my comment.

Opinel Carbon Blade No8 Folding Knife https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002SCUO04/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_fVncBbP2RD1T1

Kershaw Kuro - Tanto Black Serrated Box 1835TBLKST https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F7FCJ70/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_nWncBb4XK20MR

Hi! Happy to respond!

Well the high cost is a bummer - I'm not sure about water purity in NZ but what is the cost of tablets? Usually they last forever and you only need one for a liter or so of water.

First-aid kit - you don't really need to buy a premade kit. You're going to want some first aid items in case of emergency: bandaids (do you guys call them plasters?), antibiotic ointment, anti-itch cream or bug sting relief capsules (if needed, I don't know NZ insects), some painkillers (aspirin, Tylenol, whatever), some benadryl (anti-allergy relief) at the least are things you should include in your kit. Those are the minimum items you should bring and you probably own most of them already. You don't need to bring a whole box or bottle of each, just a handful will be fine. If you were to add anything else to that I would bring some gauze tape for larger cuts or wrapping joints as well as some moleskin to help with any blisters you might get. Put all those items into a plastic zip-loc bag (waterproof!) and that's your budget first aid kit with everything you'll possibly need. And you should already know how to use all those items.

Rope - I'm a big believer in the many uses of rope. You can hang your food to keep animals from getting it. You can tie your tent or tarp down in bad weather. You can cut some off and tie your camp shoes (see camp shoes below) to your backpack if necessary. You don't need a lot of rope but for the cost and weight it's can be nice to have. I honestly use the cheap rope people buy to use on clotheslines. But this isn't necessarily a must-have, especially if you don't need to tie anything down. This reminds me that it's good practice to bring some duct tape (not a whole roll) in case you get a rip in your tent or something.

Torch - I personally like a headlamp best. The one I have is lightweight and cost about $25, it is bright and it has a flashing option. I like the headlamp because it keeps my hands free to do other things. I don't usually hike at night but it is easier for me to pee if I have both hands and don't have to hold a torch. But really any torch will do - the key is finding one that is bright (casts a wide beam so you can see around you), durable (in case you drop it), long-lasting (doesn't eat through batteries quickly), and lightweight (priority in that order). You'll mostly want it around camp at night - cooking, getting up to pee, pointing it in the direction of a scary sound. It doesn't need to be expensive or very nice.

Multi-tool - Your mileage may vary on multitools. A lot of hikers are rabid about them but I just carry a small knife. I carried a multitool a few times but the only feature I used on it was the knife. If I'm in the woods I have no need for a screwdriver or a pair of pliers or a can opener - that's just extra weight. Is there any feature of a multi-tool you think that you'll be using besides the knife? Think about that before committing to a possibly expensive and heavy multitool. You might be better off with just a small knife. Check your local laws regarding knife sizes though.

Camp shoes - I didn't remember it before but in case you hadn't thought of these, grab some lightweight shoes you can wear around camp at night. Your feet will be happy to be aired out of the boots for awhile and it'll be easier to put on in the middle of the night if you have to go pee. A pair of cheap rubber thongs is probably fine. Bonus if your camp shoes are waterproof - if you have to do stream crossings it's nice to change into them instead of getting your boots drenched :)

Rotary Tool- https://www.amazon.com/Professional-Woodworker-51832-Rotary-100-Piece/dp/B0065UXX08/ref=sr_1_19?s=power-hand-tools&ie=UTF8&qid=1482834981&sr=1-19&keywords=rotary+tool

Rat - https://www.amazon.com/Ontario-8848-Folding-Knife-Black/dp/B0013ASG3E/ref=sr_1_3?s=power-hand-tools&ie=UTF8&qid=1482835636&sr=1-3&keywords=ontario+rat

Opinel- https://www.amazon.com/Opinel-No8-Carbon-Pocket-Knife/dp/B002SCUO04/ref=sr_1_2?s=power-hand-tools&ie=UTF8&qid=1482835690&sr=1-2&keywords=opinel

Micro mesh - https://www.amazon.com/Micro-Mesh-Assortment-Pack-18-Pieces/dp/B00HJC156U/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1482835463&sr=8-9&keywords=sanding+pack

Opinel makes a very nice, high quality folding knife that is non-threatening in appearance and about $10. They've been making them for well over a century and your gramps probably uses one to cut an apple while leaning on a fence under the shade of a large tree.

It's a carbon blade, so wipe it down after using it, and occasionally rub it down with oil (I use coconut oil). They make stainless steel variants that won't rust and don't need to be oiled, but the carbon is higher quality steel.

http://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Companion-Sandvik-Military-4-1-Inch/dp/B009NZVZ3E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1382540279&sr=8-2&keywords=mora+knife

http://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Ambitious-Black-PlainEdge-Knife/dp/B004MMSDHO/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1382540355&sr=8-9&keywords=spyderco+tenacious

http://www.amazon.com/Opinel-No8-Carbon-Pocket-Knife/dp/B002SCUO04/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1382540386&sr=8-2&keywords=opinel

http://www.amazon.com/Svord-Peasant-Knives-Knife-Handles/dp/B004HV3A3W/ref=pd_sim_hg_15

All good quality knives under $30

How small of a knife would you be willing to purchase?
Any of the Spyderco Bug series would be a good choice. Priced right and come in different sizes.

[Bug](http://www.amazon.com/Spyderco-Slip-Joint-Plain-Knife/dp/B003788U9U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373555986&sr=8-1&
keywords=Spyderco+bug)

Honeybee

Grasshopper

All three deal


For opening boxes (cutting tape) any of those will suffice. If your cutting cardboard, then mostly the Grasshopper will do (although not efficiently)


Also an Opinel looks classy while still being functional. All different sizes to choose from too.

It's a knife brand from France

http://www.amazon.com/Opinel-No8-Carbon-Pocket-Knife/dp/B002SCUO04

That's an example of one of their knives.

Some company history

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinel_knife

I challenge anyone to find a finer pocket knife for this price. I adore mine.

Opinel 8 carbon blade is only $13.79 on Amazon right now.

Don't forget the Ontario RAT 2

There's also the Opinel Carbon series of knives which I hear nothing but great things about (and am actually about to buy myself an Opinel No 6 soon).

Personally, I'd recommend either:
An Opinel.
Simple carbon steel (although they do stainless as well, if you'd prefer) pocket knife with a solid lock, really useful blade profile & edge geometry, and heaps of class. Can't praise these little things enough. My one complaint is that they're not one-hand-opening.
Or a Svord Peasant Knife Mini.
Again, about as simple as you can get in a folder, with a carbon steel blade, and no real locking mechanism to speak of; when you hold the knife, your hand wraps around the tang and keeps the blade from closing on your fingers. Very useful for outdoorsy kinda stuff, as in a pinch, you can thwack the spine of the blade with a big bit of wood to split kindling and whatnot, without worrying about a lock failure. The tang also means you can use your thumb to open it one handed. Only problem with the Svord is that the fit and finish is pretty shoddy. The grind can be kinda wonky, but as a practical odd-job knife, it's not the end of the world.

Huh. I didn't really know. I don't live in NYC, but spend about 5-6 weeks a year there on average.

I'm usually carrying an Opinel. Definitely can't open one handed - sometimes I can barely open it with two hands and have to use my teeth.

There are plenty of "cheap" knives that function wonderfully. For instance there is the Mercator K55K, any Opniel, Case SOD Buster, Cold Steel Tuff Lite, Camillus Trench and many more I cant think of right now. There's no danger in a "cheap" knife if its well made.

Yea, looking at the individual retail prices for all the components:

Opinel Knife $12.95

Kaweco Pen $25.19

Godwin Bottle Opener $38

Poppin Notebook $9

That comes to a retail value of $85.14. I guess that's not so bad. However, while the bottle opener is cool, there's no way I would pay $38 for it. Without that bottle opener, the package is $47.14 at retail prices.

um key are key kinda stuck with em, but i got a phone/wallet protector i cant live without:

http://www.amazon.com/Speck-SPK-A0332-CandyShell-iPhone-Verizon/dp/B004PANZJY

um and a cheap pocket knife:

http://www.amazon.com/Opinel-No8-Carbon-Pocket-Knife/dp/B002SCUO04

Depends on many things... and once you get to high quality knives, preference is a huge thing.

I enjoy ESEE-3MIL

They have one of the best warranties, but the price also reflects it.
it's 1095 high carbon steel, easy to sharpen and maintain, but can rust if you don't keep it clean.


You probably don't need a large knife for most things.

If you want to spend more on something fancy you can get a BUSSE




as everyone said... can't go wrong with mora for the price.. i'm personally not a fan though. I wouldn't say overall it's high quality, but the blade, where it matters.. is.


It's not too difficult to find a good camp/hunting knife. Like I said, mostly preference.

Just make sure you go with a good knife company or maker.

You can even find some real nice custom fixed knives for cheap from up and coming knife makers if you search around a bit.

Also, you could just get a folding knife.


if you want a super inexpensive one that's as legendary as the mora there is opinel no 8 - also carbon steel



or the Ontario Rat


anyhow, tons of options.

I've got a few knives, but the interesting ones are an Opinel No 8 and a Mora No 2. They're not traditional, but they work fine as paring knives and are easy to keep very sharp.

This is great. I'm also on the search. I've heard terrible things about the BSA branded knives, so I'm looking elsewhere. I also know there's a 100% chance this knife will eventually get lost, so I'm looking for cheap (no $150 Benchmade yet!). I've found plenty of ideas from /r/knives, I've been going back and forth with these two:

• 285 Buck Bantam (check out this website: https://www.knivesshipfree.com/kids-first-knife) It says there are only two available at this price, but you may be able to contact the owner and work out a deal for your whole pack.
  
• Opinel (GREAT locking mechanism) https://www.amazon.com/Opinel-No8-Carbon-Pocket-Knife/dp/B002SCUO04

Needs more knife.

Ninja edit: Cheap suggestion that wouldn't look out of place with your stuff.