Opinel Animalia America Buffalo N°08 closing knife 8,5 cm, 002629

Opinel Animalia America Buffalo N°08 closing knife 8,5 cm

The Opinel closing knife with a handle made of beautiful oak wood is part of the Animalia collection, dedicated to the wildlife of the American continent. The handle of the knife is decorated with a depiction of two grazing bison, along with the characteristic landscape where these animals roam free in America. The distinctive oak wood grain makes each knife an original. The knife is available in a total of 3 variations, differing in the decorative animal motifs. In addition to bison, you will also find elk or bears roaming the mountainous landscape on the knife handles.

With the pocket knife you always have a great helper at hand. The knife is traditionally equipped with the patented ViroBloc safety, preventing the blade from closing or opening by itself. The handle is made of French oak wood, a symbol of French national pride, and after decoration it is varnished with a special varnish that makes the wood grain stand out. The blade is made of polished stainless steel.

- Blade length: 8,5 cm
- Blade material: stainless steel
- ViroBloc lock - allows the knife to be locked open or closed
- Oak wood handle decorated with laser engraving
- Hand wash recommended

Wood
95% of the wood used to make the handles comes from sustainably managed French forests. There is no excessive deforestation and no air pollution during long transport - all of which puts less strain on nature. The main timber supplier has its forest areas in the Jura region of France and is of course PEFC certified.

Handle
Oaks from France. This is a hardwood that is very resistant, thanks to its high tannin content, even to pest and mould infestation. The wood has a yellow-brown shade with regular veining.

Safety first
The ViroBloc safety lock reliably prevents the knife from opening and closing by itself. The simple but still unsurpassed safety ring was invented by Marcel Opinel in 1955. The Virobloc is included in all knife closures from N°06 onwards. In addition to locking the blade of an open knife, which ensures its absolute safety (it does not fold up spontaneously) even under great pressure), the ViroBloc also locks the blade closed, so that you can carry any knife equipped with this lock directly on your person without any worries.

Stainless steel
The choice of steel for the blade is very important, as it is one of the defining materials of the knife itself. It determines the durability and quality of the blade itself. For these Opinel knives, the stainless steel chosen is a martensitic steel of European origin with a hardness of 55-57 HRC. The blade of these knives offers excellent sharpness and high wear resistance, allowing it to withstand regular contact with hard materials such as ceramics without the need for re-sharpening. Unlike carbon steel, stainless steel has the advantage of requiring no special maintenance under normal conditions of use. Nevertheless, it can run into its limits, especially in prolonged contact with aggressive environments (acid, salt water, aggressive detergent).

Opinel - a design icon
The story of the now iconic Opinel brand begins in the 19th century, when the merchant Victor-Amédée Opinel learned to forge nails during his travels and subsequently set up his forge in France. After his death, his son Daniel took over the craft and became the "maker of sharp objects" for the local farmers, as the blades of his sickles and scythes were renowned far and wide as the sharpest possible. But the real Opinel - the closing pocket knife - would have to wait a little longer to be discovered. Daniel Opinel's eldest son, Joseph, decided to follow in his father's footsteps and, driven by an artistic passion...he combined hand craftsmanship with the most advanced technology of the day to create a small miracle. The year was 1890 and the Opinel pocket knife saw the light of day, a knife loved from day one and handed down from generation to generation. The knife, which over the following years won hundreds of thousands of fans around the world, became a staple in many households and a bit of a symbol of France...
Nowadays, the company not only produces legendary outdoor knives, but also has a sophisticated kitchen program, including forged kitchen knives; you can also buy stainless steel cutlery and steak knives from Opinel today.