All Hail the Bladesmith

By Natalie Walston, PLAZA

Knives.  Who knew?  I’m going to be honest with you.  I’ve been a retailer for over 12 years and sold many complex and nuanced products across a wide range of categories.  I got pretty good at knowing the fine points of a bench-made sofa with an 8-way-hand-tied spring system, but nothing – and I mean, NOTHING prepared me for the seemingly endless knowledge base required to sell artisanal knives.  Having to know metal composition, wood grade, tang (you mean not the orange astronaut beverage from the 80’s?), thumb stud (not even going to go there), blade shape, blade grind, need I need to go on?

Our goal in introducing knives as a category at Bell & Hook, was to have some handsome, good quality, giftable knives that people would love to give and to get.  Turns out?  There was a little more to it than that.  But we persevered.

We did our homework, solicited feedback and found a nice assortment that absolutely fit the criteria we were looking for: form, function, quality, longevity, affordability.

Opinel Knives

Among the handful of lines we found, we went with Opinel, a brand that spoke to longstanding quality and craftsmanship.  Around since 1890, this French company provides an incredible line-up of simple folding knives made in varying metals and woods.  The OG knife that was made back in 1890 is called the No. 8 and is made of 4 basic component parts (the blade, the ferrule, the rivet, the haft) and because of the simplicity, functionality and pricepoint ($21) it is the perfect option for purse, pocket, camping kit, glove box, lunch bag or belt.  Basically, the perfect gift.  Plus, this single basic design has been extended to uses ranging from a mushroom knife to a multi-purpose grilling tool.

Simple, sturdy and stylish: the Opinel makes a perfect gift.