Some tools stay famous because they keep getting redesigned. The Opinel No.08 stayed famous because it barely did. A beechwood handle, a simple carbon or stainless blade and a rotating collar that locks the knife open or closed: that formula has been enough since Joseph Opinel shaped the first ones in Savoy in 1890.
Here is what the No.08 is, why it still earns a pocket, which steel to choose and where to buy one.
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What it is
Opinel USA calls the No.08 its most iconic size, the knife that started it all. The pattern dates to 1890, when Joseph Opinel created a simple, robust tool for everyday work. The handle is traditionally beech. The blade is either stainless (Inox) or high-carbon steel (Carbone). The signature detail is the Virobloc safety ring, a rotating collar that locks the blade open for cutting and closed for the pocket.
Closed, the No.08 is small enough for a jeans pocket or the bottom of a bag. Open, it is large enough for food prep, packing tape, garden twine and the dozen small jobs that make a heavier knife feel like overkill. Opinel notes that the size has been a favorite of explorers, artists, farmers and chefs, which is another way of saying it is a generalist by design.
Where it came from
According to Opinel's own brand storytelling, Joseph Opinel was 18 in 1890 and working in the family's edged-tool workshop when he developed the folding knife that still carries his name. The company remains tied to Savoy, and the Opinel Museum in Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne keeps the tools, models and industrial story on public view.
The No.08 became the reference size in a numbered range that still runs from small key-ring knives to larger camp blades. Stainless and carbon versions, colored handles, olive and oak woods, and special editions all branch from that same silhouette. The point of the line is not novelty. It is a single good shape repeated until people trust it.
Why it is still worth buying
- It is honestly simple. No spring assist, no pocket clip race, no blade steel marketing essay required. The knife opens, cuts and locks.
- The Virobloc ring works. Twisting the collar locks the blade open for safer cutting or closed so it stays put in a pocket.
- You can choose the steel. Stainless for low maintenance, carbon for people who like an edge that sharpens fast and develops patina.
- It is light. After a day of carry, the No.08 still feels like a pencil case tool rather than a brick.
- It is easy to replace and easy to keep. The design is so stable that finding another one, a sheath or a stone later is never a problem.
Stainless or carbon
The two classic No.08 blades are the ones most people should choose between:
- Stainless (Inox). The No.08 Stainless Steel Folding Knife is the low-fuss daily option. It resists rust better in kitchens, near salt air and in damp pockets.
- Carbon (Carbone). The No.08 Carbon Steel Folding Knife takes a keen edge quickly and rewards basic oiling. It will darken with use, which many owners like.
Both use the Virobloc ring and the same essential handle shape. If you want one knife and hate maintenance, buy stainless. If you enjoy sharpening and do not mind wiping the blade after wet work, carbon is a pleasure.
How it fits next to other carry gear
The No.08 sits in a different lane from heavier American lockbacks and multitools. A Buck 110 Folding Hunter is a bigger, brass-bolstered work knife. A multitool from our multitools guide covers pliers and drivers the Opinel will never touch. The Opinel wins when you want a light blade for food and odd jobs without dressing like a toolbox.
It also pairs cleanly with the rest of a quiet everyday carry kit. See our everyday carry essentials guide for bags, lights and notebooks that match the same unfussy mood.
Where to buy
Opinel sells the classic No.08 through its United States store and the main Opinel site, including stainless and carbon versions plus sheath kits. You can also pick up the Opinel No.08 INOX stainless folding knife, the Opinel No.08 Carbone carbon folding knife or the No.08 stainless knife with sheath. Check current finishes and handle woods before you order, since special runs rotate.
For more pocket tools that earn their place, see our Japanese chef's knives guide. More in our desk and everyday carry hub.
