Opinel Mushroom Knife
The Story of Monsieur Opinel and His Knife
Joseph Opinel: The Man Behind the Blade
The story begins in the Savoie region of the French Alps in the late 19th century. Joseph Opinel, born in 1872 in the small town of Gevoudaz, came from a family of blacksmiths. His family had been forging tools for generations, but Joseph had a keen interest in mechanical objects and modern industrial techniques.
In 1890, at the age of 18, Joseph designed and crafted his first folding knife in his father’s workshop. He wanted to create a simple, practical, and affordable knife that could be used by farmers, shepherds, and workers—a tool for everyday life.
Joseph’s knife featured a wooden handle (made of beechwood) and a folding stainless steel or carbon steel blade. Its design was minimalist but efficient. He soon began producing knives in various sizes to suit different users, eventually numbering them from No. 1 to No. 12 (based on blade size).
By 1901, Joseph moved to the nearby town of Cognin, where he built a small factory and began mass-producing his knives using machinery. In 1909, he adopted the famous “crowned hand” logo (La Main Couronnée), which is still engraved on Opinel blades today. This symbol represented Saint John the Baptist, the patron saint of Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne, the Opinel family’s home region.
