Opinel No. 8

The case

• Joseph Opinel made the first one in Savoie in 1890. They're still made in Chambéry, France.
• The Virobloc ring, added in 1955, turns to lock the blade open, or closed in a pocket. It's one moving part.
• The stainless version has an 8.5 cm (3.28") Sandvik 12C27 blade and a beech handle, and weighs 1.6 oz. It's big enough for bread and cheese and small enough to forget it's in your pocket.

For

Someone who cooks outdoors, packs a proper picnic, or would rather own one good tool than a drawer of gadgets.

Skip if

They want something that survives the dishwasher. The wooden handle won't. Check local carry laws, too.

Know before you give

Opinel makes the No. 8 in carbon steel and in stainless. Carbon takes a keen edge and darkens with use, while stainless shrugs off rust. For a gift, stainless is the safer call.

How we chose it

We built this from the maker's published specifications and documentation, checked on the date below. We haven't tested it in hand. Prices are the maker's list or a recent retailer price.

Sources, checked 2026-10-27: Opinel USA, No. 8 stainless · The Opinel story