Weeding, pruning, picking, sawing, grafting and harvesting, Opinel brings you a collection designed for the garden: gardening knives , secateurs, pruners and pruning saws. The Opinel Kitchen Knives have a high cutting quality and are comfortable in the hand. A mythical object handed down from generation to generation. Our name derives from the coincidence that a new species of buck was discovered in the then Belgian Congo in 1902, the Okapi, at the very time a new range of pocket knives was first developed at the factory in Solingen. 1055 is a plain carbon steel that has about a 0.55% (0.5% – 0.6%) carbon content. Both are in the Giraffidae … These pocket knives have a rich history dating back over a 100 years to Solingen, Germany, and our world-famous knife designs have not changed since then. Today Okapi supplies a wide range of products for the agricultural, forestry and construction industries as well as various others. Expand Cart. (Page d’Ecriture publishing, €25). The parturition takes about 4-5 hours, during … Children will discover the joys of cooking with the Opinel Le Petit Chef box, a special box for little gourmets and apprentice chefs alike. At first it was intended for woodworking, assembly and packaging, but since 2003 it has been the main site and headquarters for the whole company. This Okapi was made in Germany, so that puts it 1987 or earlier. The blessing hand is that of Saint John the Baptist, taken from the coat of arms of Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne, the nearest town in Albiez-le-Vieux, birthplace of the Opinel family. Get the best experience and visit opinel-usa.com. For the occasion, he had a magnificent display case made with a carved wooden frame in which he presented his famous pocket knife, the Opinel Savoie, available in twelve sizes, but also his collection of kitchen knives, table knives, razors, scissors, cheese borers, pruning knives and corkscrews that had quickly arrived to swell the collection... Bowled over and visibly impressed, the jury gave him the gold medal! Multipurpose knives are dedicated to specific uses while conserving the legendary ergonomic properties of traditional Opinel models: Explore n°12, Outdoor n°08, Bricolage n°09 and Outdoor Junior n°07. In 1565 the King Charles IX of France ordered that each master cutler affix an emblem on their manufactured items to attest to their origin and quality. Okapi Ratchet Knife - New Okapi ~ This is the top of the line working class knife from South Africa. They are the only manufacturers of the true original “Okapi” pocketknives – which is a registered trademark. The fixed ferrule was needed to firmly rivet the blade to the haft. The decision was then taken to build a new, larger modern production site a few kilometres away on an industrial estate in Chambéry, at a place called La Revériaz. What are okapi related to? Blades are 1055 high carbon steel , tempered for easy sharpening. It serves as the flagship species (a popular species that has become a symbol for the conservation of a region) for the Ituri Forest in the Democratic Republic Our range of accessories also contains unique-design sheaths and is adapted to our collection of knives as well as sharpening products, natural stones and sharpeners which prolong the cutting properties of your blades. 13 is 22 cm long making the knife 50 cm long when fully open. Okapi Tartan Red Folding Barlow 1978/8. His son Daniel later worked by his side and took over the workshop when his father died. With its range of folding tapered knives Opinel offers you a collection with an elegant and distinguished design, accompanied by beautiful materials (beech, padauk, olive and horn). In the beautiful three-volume "Phaidon Design Classics" collection, the Opinel pocket knife is recognised as one of the 999 most successful designs of all time by a jury of international designers. Philippines: Balisong The balisong, or butterfly knife, has a huge following today. The book received first prize in the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2009, in the Best Corporate Book in France category (published by Lagon Rouge publishing, out of print). Although the knives have not changed in over a century, the company has. About OKAPI "The history of OKAPI pocket knives began in Solingen, Germany, at the beginning of the last century. The courtship begins by smelling, licking and circling each other. The retailers were rapidly asking Opinel to produce larger quantities due to requests from private individuals! It has a 4" blade and is 9 1/2" overall when open but weighs just over 2 ounces! Opinel is looking forward to the bright future ahead. The style of this knife goes back two or three hundred years. He was born in 1872 in Gevoudaz, a hamlet in Albiez-le-Vieux. Free shipping on many items | Browse your favorite brands | affordable prices. In the 70s, a giant knife was produced in small volumes as a promotional item to be used in shop windows. Maurice Opinel passed away on the 18th of August, 2016. He left his father’s blacksmith workshop and built his new factory at the Pont de Gevoudaz near the family workshop. Joseph Opinel had the idea of making his knife into different sizes which would be suitable to different hand sizes or used for various tasks. It took until 2014 for Opinel to finally decide to tell the story of a family with an extraordinary destiny. The Opinel knife is a popular everyday item whose aesthetics and functionality have won over generations of users. Okapi is a specialist pocket knife and hand-tools manufacturing company based on the East coast of South Africa. Although the okapi bears striped markings reminiscent of zebras, it is most closely related to the giraffe.. He was 23 and spent his first few years assisting his uncle, Léon, who was in charge of marketing and administration. 4.3 out of 5 stars 455. Over time, the Opinel folding knife has been adopted in the entire world and is now recognised as a design icon. The Okapi is a ratchet-lock clasp or slipjoint knife originally produced in 1902 for export to Germany's colonies in Africa. It is an elusive and shy animal that was not discovered by the outer world until 1887. The Opinel museum is located in Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne and rapidly became one of the top visitor destinations in Savoie. The wood chips produced during shaping of the knife hafts have always been used to heat the workshops. Okapi has a rich history dating back over a 100 years to Solingen, Germany, otherwise known as the “City of Blades”, since it has long been renowned for the manufacturing of fine swords, knives and cutlery. The okapi knife is a working knife designed to be highly robust, practical and equally affordable all the while remaining faithful to its rich 112-year-old heritage. Marcel, who absolutely loved machinery, just like his father before him, took charge of the workshops and production. We work every day to ensure the company's continued success by investing in industrial facilities, in research and development and in capturing new markets. The smallest knife, named No. Within a few months, a modern factory was built and inaugurated in 1927, on the same day as Maurice, Marcel's first son, was baptised. Over the last century these knives have become famous, with even the likes of Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones having been known to carry the 907E Okapi Lock-knife with him for years. The visit concludes with a film that was shot inside the workshops, demonstrating the current manufacturing processes. Full forged, these three exceptional knives are a must-have in your kitchen. Okapi Jenet Slip Joint Cherry wood 1979/3. A new building was constructed alongside the existing workshops. The Bon Appetit + Glam Set combines 4 colours to give the table a modern look. Please be aware that stocks are limited, so snap up these bargains now. Our products have been specially designed and manufactured in order to withstand the harshest conditions in Africa. The oldest pocket knife (or “jackknife”) ever discovered dates back to around 600-500 BC. In 1911 Joseph Opinel took part in the International Alpine Exhibition at Turin. The History of Okapi. There, you will discover the Opinel family's origins and Savoie roots, as well as the changes to the manufacturing processes and the technical and commercial development of the brand. So in 2003 the head office was moved from Cognin to Revériaz. $13.00 $ 13. The population density of the okapi averages 0.53 animals per square kilometer in mixed Cynometra forests. Get the best deals on Okapi Factory Manufactured when you shop the largest online selection at eBay.com. Mules and oxen were used to move the factory from Gevoudaz to Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne and then the move continued by train to Chambéry. Since then the Okapi knives have been made in the very same factory according to the very same design and heritage as those of old. In this new building, he streamlined production and developed machines which could manufacture handles at greater speed. $30.00 shipping. 11’s was stopped in 1935. The gestational time span that a new calf takes is usually 440-450 days long. It was unearthed in Hallstatt, Austria, and it features a single blade with a bone handle. At first. It was there that the first Okapi knives were produced for the German colonies throughout Africa. The Okapi resides in the dense tropical rainforest located northeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo. 2, has a 3.5-cm blade and the largest knife, No. Our factory is based in Phoenix Industrial Park in Durban. The okapi is native to the Ituri Rainforest in the Democratic Republic of Congo—the only place where it can be found in the wild—and has thick, oily fur to stay dry in the rain. The History of Okapi Okapi has a rich history dating back over a 100 years to Solingen, Germany, otherwise known as the “City of Blades”, since it has long been renowned for the manufacturing of fine swords, knives and cutlery. Take care of yourself and your loved ones. Led by his passion for machinery and manufacturing processes, he decided to invent an object which he could manufacture using modern techniques. These knives have probably been used more widely, and for every purpose related to knives that one could imagine, than any other brand of knives. Over the years we have increased our range of products to satisfy the needs of various different industries that rely on rugged, durable and long-lasting tools to succeed. From Wikipedia, "The Okapi is a ratchet-lock clasp or slip joint knife originally produced in 1902 for export to Germany's colonies in Africa. It is very durable, fun to deploy, and lightweight. n The Opinel Kitchen Knives equip the Alain Ducasse Culinary School in Paris. more info. The okapi also known as the forest giraffe, congolese giraffe or zebra giraffe, is an beautiful and unusual animal native to the northeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Central Africa.. In the late eighties, Okapi South Africa purchased the trademark and tooling and began manufacturing the knives in South Africa. The material guarantees good resistance to water and very high temperatures, meaning that the knife can be used in extreme conditions. Their state-of-the-art polymer handles ensure high resistance to extreme temperatures and humidity. An ideal collection for maintaining and caring your garden. Okapi knivesOkapi has a rich history dating back over a 100 years to Solingen, Germany, otherwise known as the “City of Blades”, since it has long been renowned for the manufacturing of fine swords, knives and cutlery. Free Shipping by Amazon. This free, private museum exploring Opinel®'s history was successfully renovated and enlarged in 2013 and then again in 2018 by the Opinel company, Jacques Opinel and his son Maxime. $14.99. Forty five years after being invented by Marcel Opinel, in 2000 Virobloc ® was modified to add an extra safety measure, known as transport security, with the blade closed. The 907 is made using what the manufacturer describes only as “carbon steel.” My research suggests the steel grade used in most Okapis is 1055. It was there that the first Okapi knives were produced for the German colonies throughout Africa. Today, Okapi is a proud division of Southey Holdings, one of South Africa’s largest privately owned industrial companies. Purchase History; Buy Again; Selling; Saved Searches; Saved Sellers; Messages; Notification. It is a good hard-use steel that is commonly found in machetes, tomahawks, throwing knives, and swords because of its toughness and survivability against repeated impacts; however, due to its relatively low … Naturally, the giraffe is one of the great wonders of Africa and the tallest animal on Earth, but the okapi is a shy and timid forest-dwelling creature and is only about the size of a … In 1890, Joseph Opinel turned 18 and worked in the family edgetool making workshop. With a passion for new machines and innovative technologies, he built his own camera and soon became the photographer for weddings and special events in his area. 1, included a ring so that it could be attached to the chain of a pocket watch. Joseph had two brothers, Jean (1877-1943) and Albert (1885-1905), and three sisters, Marie (1875-1968), Alphonsine (1879-1959) and Sylvie (1881-1886). The Elusive Okapi Okapia johnstoni . It remains essential and popular for DIY, camping or picnics in the countryside. $80.00. That happened to be on the outskirts of Chambéry, in Cognin, where he bought an old tannery with its own waterfall on the Hyères canal. 12, a 12-cm blade. To celebrate the 150th anniversary of Savoie's integration into France, Opinel published the “La cuisine à l’Opinel” (Cooking with Opinel) cookery book It's a real fine dining voyage into the Opinel region, containing portraits and recipes by 25 Michelin-starred chefs from Savoie, Haute-Savoie, Piedmont and the Nice region, including fascinating anecdotes about the history of Savoie’s gastronomy written by Annie Victor and illustrated by the photographs of Anthony Cottarel. We continue to deliver your orders in France and abroad. The box contains a finger guard, a peeler and a rounded chef's knife with a training loop to help proper positioning of the fingers and to prevent the hand slipping onto the blade. A few months were needed to renovate the premises and from 1917, Joseph, assisted by his two sons, Marcel and Léon, began the industrial and commercial development of the Opinel brand. With a foreword by Paul Bocuse and Michel Desjoyeaux, the tale unfolds through revelations by Maurice and Denis Opinel and interviews with company employees. body.custom-background { background-image: url("http://www.okapi.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/dark_leather_@2X.png"); background-position: left top; background-size: auto; background-repeat: repeat; background-attachment: scroll; } Here's a strange one. An old lady in the village, visibly impressed by his system, asked him how he “managed to get oil running through the cables...". To commemorate a sporting or historic event, to highlight a precious wood or a particular method of production, Opinel regularly produces limited-edition knife collections. In fact, the Okapi could be seen as one of the first real ‘beater knives.’ The official Okapi can occasionally be found and purchased outside of South Africa, and Cold Steel makes a version with more modern materials called the Kudu (pictured here). The 1911 display case is now on show at the Opinel company and the certificate has been carefully preserved in our archives... Joseph soon realised that he would never be able to grow his business if he stayed in this remote hamlet. We may be 130 years old, but we're still as sharp and adaptable as ever. My Okapi is 4 3 4 inches long closed and has the cheapest looking handles I have ever.. Even today, the life history and daily habits of the animal are little understood. In January 1926, a wood-burning stove which hadn't properly been extinguished started a fire which destroyed the whole building. In the 90s the Virobloc® system was modified to lock the blade in the closed position. Extremely inexpensive and widely adopted by poorer, working class people, this is a knife that conquered the bush. You have the opportunity to purchase these discontinued items here at reduced prices. The okapi’s long neck enables it to reach food in tall trees and bushes. okapi | Durable products for agricultural, industrial and construction industries, trade professionals and home DIY. Discover our special range of gourmet knives. 10 Okapi Facts. 1 The idea was simple enough but hard to achieve. Nowadays, these are still used in a combination boiler to heat the factory, which saves approximately 200,000 litres of fuel every year. But in the first decade of the century, the okapi occupied an almost unicorn-like place in the popular imagination. 2006 was Opinel's big comeback to the cooking world with the Essentials collection made up of a paring knife, a serrated knife, a peeler and a vegetable knife. These products include; pocket knives, butcher knives, machetes, cane knives, garden tools, bow saws, hack saws, circular saws and abrasives. The company is the only manufacturer of original Okapi pocket knives. You can unsubscribe at any time from our newsletters by clicking on the link at the bottom of the page of our emails. Offering extremely practical features, you'll find multiple uses for our multifunction pocket knives every day. Okapi in captivity are fed alfalfa hay and pellets, leafy acacia branches, carrots and yams. The knife takes its name from the giraffe-like central African okapi. Established in the small industrial village of Isithebe in South Africa, Okapi Knives is recognized for manufacturing pocket knives and hand tools. The okapi’s habitat is in the tropical rainforest in the northeast region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire). Thirty years of prosperity increased demand and at the beginning of the 70s, the factory in the small town of Cognin, on the outskirts of Chambéry, became too cramped. But it's also down to generations of workers and collaborators who have been able to preserve our historic savoir-faire by respecting the roots of the brand – still based in Savoie – and allowing it to grow. The Opinel buildings at 508 boulevard Henry Bordeaux in Chambéry now covered a 5,000-m² area. These include pocket knives, butcher knives, machetes, cane knives, garden tools, bow saws, hack saws, circular saws and abrasives. In 1955, Marcel Opinel, who had been working on improving the safety of the knife, invented the Virobloc® system. The small blades such as the Paring Knives, the Peelers, and the long blades such as the Santoku, the Chef's knife, the Carving knife, the Meat and Poultry knife... are available in polymer handle or in wood handle. Today, this factory is closed. Today we still manufacture and distribute these robust working knives to people across the world. In 1989, with the permission of the Opinel Company, Jacques Opinel turned the workshop of his grandfather Jean (Joseph's brother), who was also a blacksmith/edge-tool maker, into a museum. The okapi’s main natural predator is the leopard. The blade is 100% forged from a round steel bar, and the beech wood handle is a tribute to the pocket knife's traditional design. We are the only manufacturers of the true original “Okapi” pocket knives – which is a registered trademark. Due to the current situation, delivery times may be extended. At that time, the factory employed over fifty people. The premises were old but close to Chambéry railway station. the Opineltable knife and steak knife ranges guarantee the perfect cut when dining. Tradition expresses itself through love for delicacies with Opinel knives dedicated to your taste buds. Although sometimes better known for its more nefarious reputation, the Okapi knife is a working knife designed to be highly robust, practical and equally affordable all the while remaining faithful to its rich 112 year old heritage. Even so, items are sometimes withdrawn in order to make way for our innovative products. And thirty years to the day after his father, Marcel Opinel died on the 29th of January 1990. 1-16 of 123 results for "okapi knife" Skip to main search results Eligible for Free Shipping. The Tradition collection offers the 1890 pocket knife in different sizes, colours and woods. Okapis are only found in one country: the Democratic Republic of the … Based in the heart of Africa’s largest sugar cane plantations, Okapi is also well-known for manufacturing the best quality cane cutting and bush clearing knives in the industry. The okapi’s closest living relative is the giraffe. Habitat. Its manufacture as well as No. In July 2017, Opinel opened its first official store, right in the heart of the old town of Annecy in the Haute-Savoie region. With his hydraulic turbine, he was the first in his village to have electricity! The okapi (Okapia johnstoni) has stripes like a zebra, but it is actually a member of the family Giraffidae.It is most closely related to the giraffe.Like giraffes, okapis have long, black tongues, hair-covered horns called ossicones, and an unusual gait of … by Gordy Slack . In 1989, it received an entry in the Larousse dictionary, alongside the brands Bic, Frigidaire or Solex as a registered trade name with the following current definition: folding knife featuring a wooden haft with a groove in which the blade is inserted when the knife is closed. The Opinel family handled this disaster and decided to build new modern premises better suited for their production on the same site. In the middle of the war, he decided to travel around the area to find the perfect place. The book is beautifully illustrated with magnificent archive documents and photographs by Thierry Vallier. With a large manufacturing facility and year’s of technical experience, Okapi is one of the leading manufacturers of it’s kind in Southern Africa. At present, his two sons run the company; François is the president and Denis is the managing director. CONDOR TOOL & KNIFE traces its history back to 1787, the year GERB WEYESBERG COMPANY was founded in Solingen, Germany. These fields are essential to the processing of your request and will not be treated within the framework of the current regulation. The Okapi knife is a working knife designed to be highly robust, practical and equally affordable all the while remaining faithful to its rich 112-year-old heritage. Okapi, (Okapia johnstoni), cud-chewing hoofed mammal that is placed along with the giraffe in the family Giraffidae (order Artiodactyla). Opinel is part of French cultural heritage and is cited by name in many publications. In 2014, the “ferrule” workshop, the last workshop in the Cognin factory to be still in active use, was moved to the Chambéry site. All the blades on Opinel knives and tools have been stamped with The Crowned Hand ever since. Located on the North-East coast of South Africa, the company produces knives known for their high carbon steel blades. He set up his first forge workshop in Gevoudaz, a hamlet in Albiez-le-Vieux, near Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne. it was only used on a few models, but then was included on all models in 2000. The okapi is the only living relative of the giraffe and together they are the last survivors of the once plentiful Giraffidae family. Okapi females became sexually mature at the age of one and a half year, while the males are ready for sexual activity after two years of age. Condor brand knives. (img) 00. The range of kitchen knives was expanded with the high-end collection Les Forgés 1890. It was on that day in 1926 that fire devastated the first Cognin factory. All customers get FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon ... Higo no Kami 7 Pocket Knife by Nagao Seisakusho, Parkerized Black Satin Finish. ... OLD OKAPI KNIFE MADE IN GERMANY WOODEN HANDLE POCKET KNIFE . The okapi (/ oʊ ˈ k ɑː p iː /; Okapia johnstoni), also known as the forest giraffe, Congolese giraffe, or zebra giraffe, is an artiodactyl mammal native to the northeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Central Africa. For this reason, Opinel was recognised by the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1985 as one of the 100 best designed items in the world, right alongside the Porsche 911 and the Rolex watch. Our range of products are made from only the highest quality carbon steel that is hardened and tempered to ensure the maximum durability and maximum customer satisfaction. In spring 2016, the company opened its first branch abroad. Hello, Produced in the heart of the French Alps since 1890, the Opinel pocket knives draw simplicity and durability from their mountain roots. Okapi is a specialist pocketknife, hand-tools and scaffolding manufacturing company based on the North-East coast of South Africa. Okapi – manufacturers of knives and tools since 1902, WP-Backgrounds Lite by InoPlugs Web Design. As the commercial success continued, Joseph needed to manufacture large quantities. or Best Offer. $4.00 shipping. On the same day in 1960, Joseph Opinel died aged 88, after having spent his whole life dedicated to his company. Okapi is a pocket knife and hand-tools manufacturing company based on the north-east Coast of South Africa. Our longevity is thanks to four generations of the Opinel family: Joseph the founder, his sons Marcel and Léon, his grandson Maurice, and his great-grandsons Denis and François. The 29th of January is cursed for the Opinel family. The “Okapi” knife takes it’s name from the beautiful and endangered giraffe-like animal found in the North-Eastern forests of the old Belgium Congo colonies of the day. He added a rotating ferrule which slid onto the fixed ferrule, closing the groove and thus locking the blade in the open position. To facilitate production flow and the growth of the company, the decision was made to gradually coalesce all of the business activities into one site. Being at the heart of a large railway and road network was an important asset. Here at Opinel we are proud to bring you durable products, collections that last a long time. Scaffolding | Knives | Tools A 160-page book was written by the author and journalist Jean-François Mesplède, former director of the French Michelin Guide. This is a really cool knife that has a long history behind it. Originally, the Opinel knife had four components: the blade, the fixed ferrule, the rivet and the haft. Based in Chicago, OPINEL USA heads up the marketing and development of the Savoie knife brand in the United States. We think you are in North America. Okapi Knife Historically made in Germany (in 1902) for its African colonies, the Okapi knife is to this day made in Africa using the original tooling they imported from the original factories in 1988. The Opinel children's knife comprises a blade with a rounded end, offeringing greater safety for the young. So, in 1897, he developed 12 different sizes numbered from 1 to 12.
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