| Project by mpounders | posted 01-25-2022 05:01 PM | 981 views | 1 time favorited | 9 comments |  |
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I keep thinking I would like a pocket knife that would be good for wood carving. I am not sure why, since I seldom have an opportunity when I am out and about, and I use my fixed blade knifes and tools when carving at home. But I always carry a pocket knife and use it for all kinds of things and I keep thinking I might carve if the opportunity presented itself and I had a proper tool. I saw where a guy had modified the blade and handle on an Opinel pocket knife and thought I would give it a try. You can get different sizes and some come with carbon steel blades, so I picked up a couple of #7s with carbon blades. It is a single 3” flat ground blade with a wooden handle, that locks open and closed with a ring. I used a sander to grind it down to a 2” blade of the style I like and carved on the handle a bit. The handle is beech and pretty tough so I resorted to power carving it. Very easy to sharpen to a carving edge and it locks in place with no wobbles. The wooden handle also makes it very light for the size, which is about 4 ” closed. There is plenty of metal for an up sweep blade if that is what you prefer and the cost was only $15 per knife. It really cuts well. Thanks for looking!
-- Mike P., Arkansas, http://mikepounders.weebly.com
9 comments so far
oldrivers
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3111 posts in 3025 days
#1 posted 01-25-2022 06:04 PM
Looks like you have winner there good for you.
-- Soli Deo gloria!
mafe
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#2 posted 01-25-2022 06:06 PM
Super fine pocket carver you made your self, the pattern will also give a good grip on the knife.
The carbon Opinel blades a wonderful and takes just seconds to sharpen, so a good choice, I agree.
Well done.
-- MAD F, the fanatical rhykenologist and vintage architect.
pottz
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25817 posts in 2443 days
#3 posted 01-25-2022 07:59 PM
cooll knife mike that will never slip in your hand.
-- working with my hands is a joy,it gives me a sense of fulfillment,somthing so many seek and so few find.-SAM MALOOF.
Phil32
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#4 posted 01-25-2022 09:29 PM
Mike – Your mod has produced a beautiful & portable carving knife. I’m not convinced it’s the most comfortable carry knife. I bought an Opinel #7 while traveling in Europe a few years ago. I was not planning to use it for carving. When it came time to fly home, I left it behind because I was travelling without checked luggage. It will be interesting to read your feedback when you have used it for an extended time. Phil
-- You know, this site doesn't require woodworking skills, but you should know how to write.
therealSteveN
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9987 posts in 2033 days
#5 posted 01-25-2022 11:04 PM
I’ve had, and often carried an Opinel #7 for over 40 years. The swiveling stop takes it from a disaster waiting to happen, to open blade on a secure basis. Changing the blade angle will likely get you a good carver, at least a portable one.
Thanks for posting, and best of luck with the carver version.
-- Think safe, be safe
swirt
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#6 posted 01-26-2022 01:51 AM
Very nice transformation.
-- Galootish log blog, http://www.timberframe-tools.com
ClaudeF
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#7 posted 01-26-2022 03:08 PM
Nice work, Mike!
Claude
-- https://www.etsy.com/shop/ClaudesWoodcarving
mtnwild
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#8 posted 01-27-2022 02:55 AM
Pretty cool experiment…Think you’ll find plenty to use that on…Looks like a good gripper…Love the leaf idea…Well done, great idea…
-- mtnwild (Jack), It's not what you see, it's how you see it.
flintbone
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217 posts in 4615 days
#9 posted 01-28-2022 12:50 AM
Nice work. I have a number 8. I may do something like that to it. Keep up the good work.
flint
-- If I had only known, I would have been a locksmith. - Albert Einstein
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