1. How should I take care of my Opinel Penknife ?
Avoid leaving it in damp environments for too long.
Grease the metal parts regularly.
Dry the blade using a dry cloth after each use.

2. Why is my Opinel folding knife sometime difficult to open?
Humidity, atmospheric condition and the wood used for the handle can all affect the folding mechanism of your Opinel. As wood contract and expand due to humidity it will hold the blade tighter or looser, this is why the function of your Opinel is not always consistent. Please review FAQ #10 to solve your opening difficulties. 

3. How do you sharpen an Opinel knife ?
Use a fine-grain natural stone on a dry, degreased blade.
As if you wanted to cut the stone, move the blade from the base towards the tip, at an angle of 18/20 degrees. A wide angle will thicken the cutting edge: it will be more resistant but less sharp. A small angle will thin the cutting edge: it will be less resistant but sharper.
A burr forms on the opposite side of the blade. Remove this by passing this side over the stone, without pressing. To finish off, pass both sides over the stone, twice.

4. Can I put my Opinel in the dishwasher ?
Folding knives are not designed to be washed in the dishwasher. You can wash them by hand, being careful never to leave them soaking in the water and to dry and grease them properly afterwards. Fixed-blade kitchen knives with stainless steel blades can be place in the dishwasher.
Make sure you use washing and rinsing products from the same brand.
Place your knife in the cutlery basket with the blade downwards.
Once the washing cycle has finished, dry your knife and put it away.

5. What is the difference between a carbon blade and a stainless steel blade ?
The carbon blade has an unparalleled cutting quality and sharpens very easily. However, it must be regularly greased and dried after each use to prevent the formation of rust.
The stainless steel blade does not rust. The stainless steel used for our blades is Swedish steel of excellent quality, guaranteeing an impeccable cutting quality.

6. The blade of my Opinel has rusty bits on it, what's happening ?
Please visit our "Steel" page.

7. I have a retail store,  where can I buy Opinel wholesale in the US ?
Please visit "Opinel-USA.com" to start retailing Opinel products in your store.


8. What is the "Crowned Hand" stamp ?
In 1565 King Charles IX of France had ordered every master knife-maker to place an emblem on his products to guarantee their origin and quality. “In order to prevent counterfeits, the stamps had to be registered in a ‘safe place’, in the Police Lieutenant’s registry for Paris , at the guild headquarters or the home of the oldest Master or Juror for knife-making centers. They had to be stamped on a slab of copper, lead or silver, as proof of registration and in order to keep an imprint in the event of dispute”. Respecting this tradition, Joseph Opinel chose as his emblem "The Crowned Hand”. This right hand, known as a hand raised in blessing, with three fingers straight and two fingers folded, figures on the coat of arms of the town of Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne . "A silver hand raised in blessing, on an azure background, clad in the same". Since the 6th century, the cathedral has housed a shrine, where the faithful may worship, containing three fingers from the hand of Saint John the Baptist, brought back from Alexandria in Egypt by a young girl from Maurienne, named Thecla. The crown placed above the hand recalls the fact that the Savoie region was once a Duchy.

9. Where does the wood used for the Opinel knives' handles come from?
95% of the wood used comes from France. For further information see "The woods"

10. What is the "coup du savoyard" ?
The blade unfolds easily thanks to its groove. However, those practiced in the art can tap the heel of the handle hard on the table once and the blade will come out of the slit slightly.

11. What is a Opinel Slim knife?
The blade & handle of the slim models are very different from the "Classic" Opinel models. The handle is tapered to a point for a comfortable fit. The blade is flexible like a "fillet" knife, this knife is not recommended for heavy duty usage. If you like the shape of the handle but need a stiff blade you will like the No 8 Garden knife.

11. Why don't you have Opinel "Pearwood" Handle?
Opinel stop making pearwood handles in the 1950s. However, some retailers are using "Pearwood" instead of "Beechwood" in product descriptions.

Opinel Pearwood handle don't exist. Why are some retailers using this "keyword" in their listing? Ask Google....

12. I noticed that the beechwood handle of the Opinel Carbon and Stainless steel models look different, is it the same wood?
Yes, Opinel use the same wood, the difference is that the carbon models have a varnished handle and the Stainless steel models are left untreated / natural.