Opinel No. 08 Carbon Steel Folding Knife

The Opinel No. 08 is a French pocket knife with a design so simple it looks old-fashioned, and that’s the appeal. It has a varnished beechwood handle, a 3.28-inch blade of X90 carbon steel and it weighs 1.6 ounces. It’s made in France and costs about what a nice lunch does. The No. 08 is the most popular size in the line, big enough for real cutting and small enough for a pocket.

The clever bit is the Virobloc ring at the base of the blade. Twist the metal collar and it locks the blade open. Opinel invented it in 1955, and since 2000 it also locks the blade closed so it can’t swing out in a pocket. Carbon steel takes a keen edge and comes back quickly with a few passes on a stone.

It’s a fine first knife, a picnic knife for bread and cheese, or a stocking stuffer for someone who likes old designs that still work.

The catch is the carbon steel. It will rust and stain if it’s left wet, so wipe it dry after use, and expect the blade to darken with age. Plenty of owners like that patina; the tidy-minded may prefer a stainless knife.