A 20-Foot Skatepark Sculpture, Now Pocket-Sized
Opinel has announced a limited-edition No.08 called "The Swordfisherman," a folding knife with artwork by San Francisco artist Jeremy Fish, whose style is tied to skate culture. Gear Patrol's Hayley Helms covered the knife on October 23, 2026. The edition is limited to 700 units, and the article calls the knife "upcoming," with no price or specific release date.
The idea behind it is a neat reversal: a piece of public art that started as a huge sculpture is shrunk down into something you can carry on a belt loop.
From Volcano to Folding Knife
Fish painted the Opinel Volcano, a nearly 20-foot sculpture at the Versus Skatepark in France's Maurienne Valley, in 2026. Helms wrote that the limited-edition No. 8 "combines the large-scale installation into a sleek pocket knife." The sculpture is part of a pattern, because Opinel has used its skatepark knife as a canvas for artists before. Earlier decorators were Chufy in 2019 and Lucas Beaufort in 2023.
The Maurienne Valley link is not incidental. Opinel's headquarters are in Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne, in the Savoie region, and the Crowned Hand emblem the company adopted in 1909 is tied to the coat of arms of that town. A skatepark in the same valley decorated by a visiting artist is a way for the company to connect its hometown, its design and a younger audience.
The Fish on the Handle
The artwork is built around a fish motif that echoes the fishtail shape of the handle and the Yatagan blade. Fish drew on his grandfathers: one a traveling knife salesman, the other a woodworker, hunter, fisherman and knife collector. The art runs across the entire handle by all-over sublimation printing, a process that transfers a dye graphic into the surface.
Specs
The base is the familiar No.08, with changes for this edition. The blade is stainless steel, 3.25 inches long and engraved on both sides. Overall length is 7.5 inches. The handle is hornbeam wood, where the standard No. 8 uses beech. Each knife comes in custom packaging, a mustard-yellow box in a blue branded sleeve, with a leaflet about the collaboration.
The article gives no price. A "Learn More" link points to Opinel USA's product page, which is the place to watch for pricing and a release date.
What Makes a No.8 a No.8
Opinel has been making knives since 1890, when Joseph Opinel started producing a basic work knife in Savoie. An 1897 range of twelve numbered sizes is documented, and the No.8 became the best-known size: a straightforward folding blade with a wooden handle. Beech is the most common handle wood, which Opinel says comes from French forests in the Jura and Vercors regions.
The feature that changed the design came later. Marcel Opinel invented the Virobloc locking ring in 1955, and it fits the knives from No. 6 upward. A 2000 update let the blade lock closed as well as open. That simple ring, which turns to hold the blade in place, is why the No.8 is considered safe for hard use despite its low price.
Why Art Editions Work for a Utility Knife
The No.8 is a tool for many hikers, campers and cooks: light, inexpensive and simple. Collaborations like this do not change that function, but they give the knife a collector's angle. A run of 700 is small enough that sellers may see it move quickly once listings go live, and the hornbeam handle and engraved blade make it different from a standard No.8 in ways beyond the print.
It also reflects a trend in outdoor gear, where heritage brands use artists to reach buyers who may not own a traditional knife. The Opinel name is recognizable, and the skateboarding link gives it a way into a younger and more urban market.
Carry It or Keep It?
For anyone planning to use one rather than display it, note the trade-off. The sublimation-printed handle is a graphic surface, and heavy trail use will wear it differently than bare beech or hornbeam would. Water exposure is a consideration with any wood handle, and the artwork may fade with heavy handling. Many buyers of art editions keep one for the shelf and a standard No.8 for the pack, which at its normal price is an easy decision.
If you want one, watch Opinel USA's page for the release, and be prepared to move quickly. Limited editions with artist names attached tend to attract collectors from outside the knife world.
