Simple, light construction
At 5.1 ounces, the stamped 3 mm blade and beech handle make this an easy-handling full-size prep knife.
Opinel
N°118 Chief Multi-purpose Parallèle
A light French chef's knife with a 20 cm, 3 mm X50CrMoV15 blade and varnished PEFC-certified beech handle.
- Score
- 7.6/10
- Est. life
- 20 yrs
- Cover
- 50 yrs
Last-known catalog price
$60.00
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Product Overview
Opinel's global English catalog labels this model the N°118 “Chief” Multi-purpose Parallèle; the US official store uses the more natural “Chef Knife 8-inch Parallele.” It is the same N°118 pattern: a rigid 20 cm stamped X50CrMoV15 blade, curved edge for rocking and continuous heel for easier sharpen...
$60.00
In Stock
Specifications
- OverviewBrand
- Opinel
- OverviewProduct category
- chefs-knives-and-cutting-tools
- OverviewModel
- N°118
- OverviewExpected lifespan
- 20 years · We Buy It For Life editorial estimate
- Dimensions & WeightWeight
- 0.145 kg · US official listing)
Why We Love It
The features that make this product stand out from the competition.
Easy-access heel
The continuous cutting edge leaves the heel unobstructed, simplifying full-edge sharpening.
Lifetime manufacturing cover
Opinel exchanges products with verified material or workmanship defects for life, subject to wear, misuse and alteration exclusions.
Detailed Quality Score Breakdown
Core Performance
Primary Performance
8.5
Opinel documents a rigid 20 cm, 3 mm curved blade intended for cutting, thin slicing, chopping and dicing.
Feature Richness
5.6
AI-assisted preliminary estimate pending editor review and durable-source evidence.
Build Quality
8.3
AI-assisted preliminary estimate pending editor review and durable-source evidence.
Reliability Score
8.5
AI-assisted preliminary estimate pending editor review and durable-source evidence.
Longevity
Durability Rating
8.7
AI-assisted preliminary estimate pending editor review and durable-source evidence.
Wear Resistance
8.0
AI-assisted preliminary estimate pending editor review and durable-source evidence.
Component Replaceability
4.7
AI-assisted preliminary estimate pending editor review and durable-source evidence.
Design Timelessness
9.1
AI-assisted preliminary estimate pending editor review and durable-source evidence.
Serviceability
Repairability
8.6
The PDP calls out a continuous edge with a free heel for easier sharpening, and Opinel offers sharpening guidance and...
Spare Parts Availability
5.3
AI-assisted preliminary estimate pending editor review and durable-source evidence.
Warranty Coverage
7.9
Opinel's lifetime warranty covers material and workmanship defects while excluding wear, improper use, dismantling...
Service Network
5.7
AI-assisted preliminary estimate pending editor review and durable-source evidence.
Value
Total Cost of Ownership
8.5
The official US price is $59 and the blade is resharpenable; the global PDP documents conventional stainless steel...
Resale Value Retention
6.8
AI-assisted preliminary estimate pending editor review and durable-source evidence.
User Satisfaction
8.3
AI-assisted preliminary estimate pending editor review and durable-source evidence.
Total Cost of Ownership Calculator
The sticker price is just the beginning. Use this tool to estimate the true long-term cost of this product. Adjust the sliders based on your expected usage and care to see how the value holds up over time.
Buy box purchase price$60.00
Based on your estimates, the true cost is:
$0.27 / month
$3.19
Per Year
$63.80
Over 20 years
Calculation: (Purchase Price + Total Maintenance - Resale Value) ÷ Lifespan
Tracked price history
Observed US merchant prices in USD.
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Sign in to view price historyFrequently Asked Questions
What is the N°118 Parallèle chef’s knife designed to do?
Opinel describes this 20 cm chef’s knife for cutting and slicing meat, slicing ingredients thinly, and chopping vegetables into strips, sticks, or dice. Its curved edge is intended to support a rocking motion during prep.
What steel and hardness does the N°118 blade use?
The N°118 has a 20 cm blade made from X50CrMoV15 stainless steel. Opinel lists the blade hardness as 56–57 HRC and describes this steel as highly resistant to corrosion. The blade is a single piece of stamped stainless steel.
What is the Parallèle handle made from?
The handle is beech, a hard, resistant wood that Opinel sources from PEFC-certified, eco-managed farms in the Jura and Vercors regions. It is varnished to help protect the wood from moisture and dirt; the listed handle length is 13.2 cm.
How should I wash and store this knife?
Opinel’s US care instructions say to hand-wash the knife only and not immerse it in water, because prolonged immersion could warp the wooden handle. Dry the blade before putting the knife away, and avoid treating it as dishwasher-safe.
What does Opinel’s lifetime warranty cover?
Opinel says its products have a lifetime warranty and are exchanged for defects in materials and workmanship. The warranty excludes normal wear and tear, improper use, dismantling, and other alterations. Warranty requests should start with the point of purchase.
Can the N°118 be professionally sharpened?
Opinel says its workshop provides sharpening for all smooth-blade knives. Its listed basic service addresses a slightly blunt blade, while the expert service remakes a more worn edge; both descriptions specify processing within three weeks after the knife is received.
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