In 1890, Joseph Opinel was an edge-tool maker at Albiez-le-Vieux, a little commune not far from Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne, in Savoie. He forged tools with his father that country folk from the surrounding areas came to buy. They came from far to purchase axes, billhooks and pruning knives from the little family run workshop that had already built up somewhat of a reputation.

Now this hardened Savoyard began to produce pocketknives for a few friends that were simple, robust and cheap. These knives achieved so much success that Joseph OPINEL decided that he would produce them in much greater quantity.
More than one hundred years later and the now famous OPINEL knife with "The Crowned Hand" trademark is distributed throughout the five continents. It can be seen in New York's Modern Art Museum and in 1985, The Victoria and Albert Museum in London selected it for "the good design guide", bringing together the most beautiful top 100 products in the world!
 

    Jacques OPINEL is today the renowned descendant of the family and a former cutler himself who manages "The OPINEL Museum", housed in the former cutlery works of Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne. The forge, which has kept its stamps and hammer, houses an exhibition tracing the history of the Savoyard knife of the OPINEL family; a video visits the current factory and all the different manufacturing steps can be viewed. The articles of the range can be obtained in the shop or through mail-order or placing an online order.
 

Jacques OPINEL