
To avoid a negative impact on the environment of securing supplies from distant places (pollution due to transport, deforestation, etc.), 95% of the wooden handles produced by Opinel come from French forestry operations.
Bubinga
Supply: Central
Africa Origin: Cameroon and Gabon
Wood: With attractive purplish veining, relatively hard and
heavy. Use: Brush-making, tabletterie (ornamental
woodenware), cabinet work for decorative panels
Boxwood
Supply: France Origin:
Southern Europe Tree: Shrub with persistent leaves planted
in parks for its ornamental qualities. Wood: It is the
hardest of our woods, pinkish yellow, with an even
grain. Use: In addition to marquetry and fine sculpture, it
is very sought-after for making musical instruments.
Yoke-elm
Supply: France Origin:
Far East , China . Tree: Medium-sized
tree with dense foliage (dentate leaves), with a fluted trunk and a fine, smooth
greyish bark. Wood: Very hard and very resistant, pale
greyish wood. Use: Tools, snooker cues, and, in the past,
butcher’s blocks and yokes.
Oak
Supply: France Origin: Europe
Tree: Large, majestic tree with heavy, angular
branches. Wood: Pale yellow to pale brown wood. Annual
hollow vein of varying tightness, depending on the plantation
density. Use: External woodwork, parquets, doors, panelling,
frame structures. Also used for boat-making, furniture, decorative panels,
etc.
Blond horn tip Blond horn tip (South African cattle horn) is an
exceptional material. Worked whole, horn handles are all unique and very
different from one another.
Ash
Supply: France Origin: Europe
Tree: Large valley tree. Wood:
Resistant, pearly white with brownish veins. Use: Tool
handles, snooker cues, skis, sledges, cart making or joinery.
Beech
Supply: France Origin: Central
and Western Europe but present on all three continents of the Northern
hemisphere. Tree: One of the most elegant large trees, with
a smooth trunk and dense foliage. Beech wood is very good for
carving. Wood: White or very pale brown, fine, even grain,
with straight lines. Use: Widely used in furniture,
brush-making, toys, parquet, etc.
Yellow birch
Supply: France Origin:
Europe and Asia Tree: Tree with dark brown branches, it is
also called the wild cherry tree. Wood: Hard and resistant,
with a brownish pink to yellowish pink colour, with a fine
grain. Use: Ornamental in parks and gardens. Cabinet work,
solid furniture or veneering. Engraving, toys, rifle butts.
Walnut
Supply: France
Origin: China Tree: The most noble of
all our woods, it is primarily planted for its
walnuts. Wood: Stable, very fine, reddish brown with greyish
veins, fine, even grain. Use: Cabinet work, sculpture, rifle
butts. It also gives green walnut shell used to dye fabrics and stain light
woods.
Olive
Supply: France Origin: Asia,
then spread from Greece to Provence . Tree: Since ancient
times it has been a symbol of wisdom and peace. Wood: Hard,
light beige with dark brown veining, even grain. Use:
Excellent for cabinet work and tabletterie (ornamental woodenware), it is
traditionally used to make the pestles, bowls and spoons that are found in
Provence .
Elm
Supply: France Origin: Europe
Tree: Tree found on the edges of woods, often planted in
parks and gardens. Wood: Medium-hard brown wood, with a
rough grain. Use: Staircases and solid furniture or
veneering.
Rosewood
Supply: Honduras Origin:
Different origins, depending on the varieties: Central America ,
India . The rarest is Brazilian Rosewood, the trade of
which is regulated by the Washington convention. Wood:
Reddish-brown wood with black or purple veins, with a very fine
grain. Use: Used solid or as a veneer for luxury furniture
and pianos. |
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