Opinel No.08 Stainless Steel Folding Pocket Knife vs Ka-Bar Dozier Hunter Folding Knife

If you really want something lightweight that you can trust but isn't expensive, I would spend a little more on a Kershaw or CRKT, or if you really want to be able to trust your knife go for a Spyderco or Benchmade. These are probably knives I'd pack in a picnic basket, or use to teach someone some basics about handling knives, but I wouldn't really trust them for more of an application beyond that. I don't think I would use a blade with this shape to teach someone how to sharpen though. The value is okay for the money but they're definitely overrated compared to the actual quality/quality control you receive

This KA-BAR Dozier is a bit larger, a bit heavier, but nicer quality. It came razor sharp with the clip and thumb stud. I never use the clip so I removed it to make it lighter and easier to carry in dress pants. This is my new daily-carry knife that is ideal for carrying while wearing dress pants

The locking ring is extremely gritty. It feels as if it was used at the beach and got full of sand. Sometimes it can't be moved all the way round in one go. The grit will make it bind up, and it has to be worked back and forth to loosen it

5 inches, which is the legal limit in my area, that it be under 3.oz in weight and be relatively thin. This knife meets all those requirements. Then I look for build quality including blade steel and this knife for being ~$20 is very well made and steel is quite decent

It also locks shut, which is nice. For the price, you won't find a better pocket knife. Elegant comfort and simplicity.

Recommendation: Skip this knife. Yes, it will do the job, but I doubt you will enjoy using/owning it in the long run. I'm sure you will be happier with Kershaw's Oso Sweet, Valmara, RJ Tactical, Chill; or an Ontario RAT II in AUS-8. Gerber's LST or E-Z Out might also be a nicer choices

As a matter of fact, my only complaint is that it is too difficult to open. I have short finger nails and engaging the groove on top of the blade to lift it out of the body is not easy. The groove should be higher and deeper. I find myself using my teeth (yuk) or a coin to lift the blade out of the body

It took a good day or two or use of opening and closing it to get it to loosen it A LITTLE BIT. Opening the blade with the thumb stud still totally sucks and is not recommended for opening. I’ve had better luck opening the knife like a traditional pocket knife (by gripping the blade at its halfway point) than with any other method, as it’s by far the easiest and least painful on my thumb. (In fact, I have a feeling the version of this knife with the Spyderco-like blade hole would be the better bet, as at least the pain associated with using the thumb stud would be substantially lessened

I used my Idahone V-type ceramic rod knife sharpener to put a real nice paper-cutting edge on this - it may not be quite as sharp as carbon but it's plenty sharp, and it's pretty easy to sharpen. It's still holding that edge well after a few weeks. Most people focus on the blade when they buy a knife - what kind of steel is it, etc. That's important, but what's equally important and often overlooked, especially with folding knives, is the handle

Con: poorly finished. The backs of the blade and lock had sharp edges. The corners of the plastic handle had sharp points. The knurling on the thumb stud was rough, making it painful to use

BAD: The blade is thin and won't stand up to heavy-duty tasks. It also has a clip-point profile (like a Bowie knife) which tends to make the tip delicate and easy to break off. The wood handle shrinks and expands with changes in humidity, which can make the blade stick slightly. It also is less durable than FRN, G-10 or other common handle materials

Same with 8cr13mov blade. It is a sacrifice that is made giving it higher carbon content which gives it better edge retention. Thank you for reading.