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Ask any Opinel owner which knife you should buy and you'll get the same answer: "a No. 08, obviously." Ask them why, and the answers get murkier. The truth is that Opinel's size numbering — which roughly tracks blade length in centimeters — hides some genuinely important differences between models, and picking the wrong size is the single most common reason people end up with an Opinel that lives in a drawer instead of a pocket.
This guide breaks down the sizes that matter most for everyday buyers: the No. 07, the No. 08, and the No. 12. By the end, you'll know exactly which one fits your hand, your pocket, and your tasks — and which versions of each (carbon, stainless, black oak, kids') are worth your money in 2026.
Opinel has made folding knives in Joseph Opinel's native Savoie, France since 1890, and the numbering system he devised is refreshingly simple: the size number roughly corresponds to the blade length in centimeters when open. A No. 08 has a blade around 8.5 cm (about 3.25 inches). A No. 12 runs around 12 cm (4.7 inches). Closed lengths scale accordingly, from pocket-friendly to genuinely substantial.
Two things stay constant across the range, and they matter more than size when comparing against other brands:
What changes between sizes is everything else: how it carries, what it cuts, and whether it's legal-comfortable in your daily context. Here's the breakdown.
| Model | Blade Length (open) | Closed Length | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. 07 | ~8 cm / 3.1" | ~10.5 cm | Smaller hands, kids, light EDC, food prep on the go |
| No. 08 | ~8.5 cm / 3.25" | ~11 cm | The all-rounder: EDC, camping, picnics, gardening |
| No. 12 | ~12 cm / 4.7" | ~16 cm | Camping, bushcraft, bigger food prep and camp chores |
Note the subtle No. 07 vs No. 08 difference: only about half a centimeter of blade, but the No. 07's slimmer handle makes a real difference for smaller hands.
Roughly speaking, the No. 08 is the best-selling Opinel ever made, and it earns it. At 3.25 inches of blade and about 11 cm closed, it rides in a jeans pocket without announcing itself, handles food, cord, cardboard, and camp chores with equal ease, and the handle suits most adult hands. If you buy one Opinel and never think about sizing again, it's this one.
The decision within the No. 08 is steel. Carbon steel (Carbone) takes a sharper edge and holds it longer, and develops a characterful dark patina with use — but it will rust if you leave it wet, so it wants a wipe-down and a drop of oil now and then. Stainless steel is slightly softer in edge-holding terms but shrugs off neglect, which is why most first-time buyers should start there.
A note on the three above: the No. 08 Carbone is the purist's choice and the best value at $22.16 — expect a living patina and a razor edge if you maintain it. The Black Oak No. 08 is the one you give as a gift or carry when you want something that looks like it costs three times its $43.12 price; the coated blade also adds a layer of corrosion resistance. The Colorama No. 8 splits the difference: stainless, easy to spot in a bag or on a picnic table thanks to the painted hornbeam handle, and just $27.60.
The No. 07 gets overlooked because its blade is barely smaller than the No. 08's, but that's exactly the point: you lose almost nothing in capability and gain a slimmer, lighter carry. It's the right size for teenagers, smaller hands, and anyone whose EDC is already crowded. It's also the platform for Opinel's two best family options.
For kids moving into their first real knife, the My First No. 7 pairs the stainless blade with a rounded safety tip and the Virobloc lock — a genuine learning tool, not a toy, at $21.49. For scouts and young campers, the Outdoor Junior No. 07 adds a survival whistle and shackle lanyard for $36 while keeping the same rounded-tip safety approach. Both are stainless steel, which is the right call for anything a child will own.
Here's the honest truth about the No. 12: it is not an everyday-carry knife for most people. At roughly 16 cm closed, it won't disappear into jeans the way an No. 08 does. But as a camp knife, it's arguably the best value in its class anywhere. A 4.7-inch stainless blade handles camp kitchen duty — splitting sausages, slicing cheese and salami for six, prepping vegetables, trimming kindling — that leaves a No. 08 feeling small.
Choose the No. 12 if you camp, overland, fish, or cook outdoors regularly, and you're comfortable carrying it in a pack pocket or sheath rather than your jeans. The stainless INOX blade is the right pick here: camp knives get wet, and you don't want to think about patina and rust while you're making dinner.
And if you genuinely can't decide between the No. 08 and No. 12: buy the No. 08 first. It's the size that explains why Opinel has sold hundreds of millions of knives, and it will tell you within a month whether you actually need more blade.
