Antonini Old Bear Knife, Small

I'm holding a Small "Old Bear" and an Opinel #6, so it's easy to compare the two.Size: The blades are exactly the same length, and almost identical in shape, but the Old Bear's handle is significantly bigger. The Old Bear's ferrule (the metal part that surrounds the hinge) is about 1 millimeter bigger, and, more importantly, the Old Bear's handle is about a half-inch (1 centimeter) longer. So the Old Bear will sit a little bigger in your pocket. The Opinel is invisible in my pocket, so I'm not sure this matters much. Folks with big hands may prefer the larger Old Bear handle.Both weigh almost nothing.Blade lock: The Old Bear's is much easier to use, but sticks out more from the body of the knife. In real life, I don't think this matters much, either. A slight edge in ease-of use versus a slight edge in slimness. A tie.Finish: No question, the Opinel is finished better. The handle is smoother, and is finished with some kind of varnish or shellac. The Old Bear's handle doesn't seem to have any finish at all, just sanded wood. Taking the Old Bear out of the box and handling it as you would in use, it has more rough edges, both on the wood and the metal parts, than the Opinel. Do I care? No. I took care of the wood with 3 minutes of sanding with 400 sandpaper. The metal parts have some slight flash, but it would come off with another 3 minutes of sandpaper, or a year of use.If you wanted to, you could easily take care of the extra centimeter on the handle with a file, and more sandpaper work.I'm refinishing some furniture at the moment, so I think I might put some dark walnut stain and a little tung oil on the handle.Sharpness: As they come out of the box, neither of these will shave the hair on your arm, but both will cut 20lb copy paper easily. So, both are perfectly fine for opening envelopes, or Amazon boxes, or cutting twine. You can sharpen them if you're looking for razor sharpness.So overall a tie. The Opinel is a little better finished, the Old Bear may be a little easier to use and a little more comfortable for people with larger hands. If you want a finished inexpensive knife to throw in your pocket out of the box, get the Opinel. If you'd like a slightly larger handle, or an easier blade lock, or would like to do a little customization, get the Old Bear.And they both get five stars, taking price in to account. You can get a nicer knife for $75, but then you'll be sadder when you lose it.

If you like Opinel knives, this Antonini Old Bear will probably appeal to you. Like an Opinel, the Old Bear is a friction folder, with a wood handle, a metal bolster, and a lock ring tha will prevent the blade from closing or opening. The handle is walnut, the bolster is brass, and the lock ring rides inside the bolster instead of outside.It is available in small, medium, and large sizes. My first one was the medium, about the same size as a No. 8 Opinel, and a bit larger than I like to carry. The small Old Bear is about the same size as the Opinel 7. My preference for pocket carry is the 6.Out of the box, the Antoninis carry a bit better than Opinels, because the pommel lacks the Opinels’ signature flared profile that makes them a bit of a lump in the pocket. You could still slim the handle with sandpaper, but this knife does not cry out for it the way an Opinel does.The internal lock ring is a nifty variation, as is can be operated with the thumb alone, where the Opinel ring takes two fingers.The blade is stainless, and comes pretty sharp out of the box. You will probably want to sharpen it yourself, or else buy it from Baryonyx Knife Co., and pay a couple of bucks for their Special Grade blade treatment. Unfortunately, last time I looked, Baryonyx carried only the two larger sizes. I had to look elsewhere to find the small size.

Knife looks and feels great. The combination between the blade, brass, and wood give this little knife a sophisticated look. My blade was dull, but that can be overlooked because the aesthetics far outweigh a little sharpening. Great buy.

I purchased this knife to round out my collection of Woodies consisting of a box full of Opinels in various sizes and a couple of MAMs.Right off the bat I have to say that I don't believe the high price of this particular knife compared to the others is justified.The locking mechanism is stiff and difficult to engage, the knife blade was not sharp out of the box and there are many sharp edges that need to be refined with sandpaper before it is suitable for pocket carry.On a positive note though, I dig the unfinished Walnut handle because it should take a nice patina from hand oil and general use that the sealed wood of the other two will not.And, in spite of the fact that this particular item does not hold a candle to the competition, I just put in an order for a second copy in the olive wood because I'm sure that once I work the knife over with sandpaper and laughing compound and touch up the blade it will be a serviceable addition to my EDC rotation.This knife seems to be more of a modern incarnation of an old concept unlike the offerings from Opinel and MAM which I've been in production for over a century but I think ultimately it's going to serve its purpose as a collectible of sorts, which was my primary motivation to purchase it

This knife is great. Affordable and functions well. Been the same style for 125yrs. Don't get worried about the low price. It has upgraded wood and a sturdy collar mechanism. I have two and now gift them to friends.

This Old Bear is super light for its size. The collar lock, handle and blade make for a very effective carry knife. It is just great. The locking mechanism is just what I wanted. I had a friend who carried the other brand that has a rotating collar. I understood why but I just do not want to try to rotate that locking collar. This Old Bear has all the advantages and is also easy to lock and unlock.

As other reviewers have stated you do need to sand, stain, oil, and sharpen this but it is quite nice and has a sturdy mechanism.