Opinel No.12 Carbone Steel Folding Knife (001256)

The Opinel No.12 Carbone Steel Folding Knife has been a favorite camp knife for more than 130 years, and it remains a favorite today among bushcrafters and survivalists because:

• it is a very large and capable knife for field tasks at 11" long unfolded
• transport of such a large knife is easy because it folds to only 6.3" long
• weight is minimal at less than four ounces
• no sheath is required for the knife to be carried safely, which lightens the overall load even further
• the beech handle does not transmit heat or cold to the hand
• the blade has a sharpened, 90-degree spine for striking ferro rods like the ESEE Knives RAT Match
• the No.12 is largest knife that will still fit into the popular ESEE Knives Aluminum Survival Tin (it just barely fits diagonally)
• wood and carbon steel are easy to stain and modify to personalize the knife to one's tastes
• the knife is inexpensive enough that the owner can acquire several and stash them among different packs and kits

The blade is made of XC90 carbon steel and is 12cm long. The blade shape is the classic Yatagan Style that was inspired by a Turkish saber. The grind is an almost imperceptibly convex grind that cuts like a full-flat grind but reflects light in a more beautiful way. Carbon steel will corrode if not properly maintained. However, the maintenance is easy and many users actually prefer the patina, staining, and character that carbon blades will acquire over years of use. Some like this look so much that they even force a patina onto a new carbon blade with mild acids like vinegar or mustard.

The carbon blade locks in both the open and closed positions via the iconic Virobloc locking system designed by Marcel Opinel in 1955.

The handle is varnished beechwood. The beechwood is stained very slightly and there is a Carbone marking on the side to differentiate this folder from the stainless version.

Dimensions are 16cm folded and 28cm deployed. While this knife weighs less than four ounces, the blade is nearly 5" long and the knife is 11" long when deployed. This is a very large folder.

Made in France.

If you want a stainless version of the No.12 Carbone for use on food, take a look at the Opinel No.12 Serrated Folding Knife, which has a 12C27 Sandvik Stainless Steel blade with serrated edge. Also available is , which has a 12C27 Sandvik Stainless Steel blade with serrated edge. Also available is the feature-rich Opinel No.12 Explore Outdoor Folding Knife, which is an updated No.12 with polymer handle, signal whistle, cutting hook, lanyard loop, and integral ferro rod.

Keep your Carbone in top working condition with Opinel Maintenance Oil. Maintenance Oil will protect the carbon blade against corrosion and keep the Virobloc turning smoothly. Maintenance Oil will also penetrate the wood handle and prevent it from cracking when dry and rotting when wet. 

Keep all of your cutlery nice and sharp. Not only will your blades be more effective when they are sharp, they will actually be safer to use because they will cut with less pressure than a dull blade and behave much more predictably.

There is no single or "best" way to sharpen cutlery, because we all have our different preferences and skill levels. Different sharpening methods will also suit different blade shapes and sizes, and you probably would not use the same sharpening tool on a pocketknife and sword. To make the matter even less universal, some prefer to sharpen at home while others sharpen in the field, so the "best" sharpening tools will necessarily differ. Excellent ways to sharpen include:

• Edge Pro Sharpening System
• Hults Bruk Grinding Stone
• Opinel Manual Knife Sharpener
• Opinel Small Natural Sharpening Whetstone from Lombardia

Opinel Part Number -  001256
Universal Product Code -  3123840012563