Opinel

French company founded in 1890 by Joseph Opinel, a blacksmith and inventor in the French Alps, with the idea of creating a simple, effective knife accessible to everyone. In 1897 he patented the folding knife, marking the official start of series production with a range of 12 numbered sizes. The handles mainly use beech wood from the southern Alps, chosen for its low moisture content and workability. In 1955 Marcel Opinel developed the Virobloc system to improve safety, adding a rotating ring that locks the blade in the open position. The current factory produces over 6.5 million knives a year, reaching an estimated total of 315 million knives since the brand began. The company is still run by direct descendants of the founder.