In 1890, Joseph Opinel, the founder of Opinel Knives, established his workshop in the French Alps and created the No.08 folding pocket knife. Since that time, Opinel has grown while still remaining true to their roots. Now, there are 180 workers in the headquarters in Chambery, France. This 70,000 square foot facility has four workshops devoted to blades, handles, rings, assembly and packaging.

Opinel is committed to producing sustainable products that make a difference to society and the environment, with a focus on prioritizing environmental stewardship and ethical practices. To that end, Opinel uses wood shavings to heat their offices, recycles 100% of their waste, use wood 97% of which is from sustainably managed forests in France, and has a production process with zero water polution.

In 1955, Marcel Opinel invented the Virobloc safety ring, which is a feature of all Opinel knives No.06 and above. This stainless steel ring rotates to lock the blade of the knife in the open or closed position, and ensuring safety while the blade is being used or the knife is being transported.

Opinel a range of high quality European steels for the blades of all of their knives. The carbon steel, an unalloyed steel with high carbon content for exceptional edge retention and easy resharpening, is hardened to 57 HRC. This steel has low corrosion resistance and requires special care, but it is worth the extra effort.

Opinel's stainless steel, hardened to 55-57 HRC is optimized for high corrosion resistance and superior mechanical performance. It is highly resistant to abrasion and wear.

In 1909, Joseph Opinel chose the Crowned Hand emblem as the brand's trademark following the 1565 order of King Charles IX of France for each master cutlery to brand their blades. The Crowned Hand emblem represents the blessing hand of Saint Jean-Baptiste that can be found on the arms of Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne, the town closest to the home of the Opinel family. The crown was added as a reminder that the Savoie was a duchy.