Opinel
Parallèle No. 121 Fillet Knife
The Parallèle No. 121 Fillet Knife by Opinel is a specialized fish fillet knife with an 18 cm stainless steel blade that offers high corrosion resistance. Its varnished beech wood handle provides a comfortable, secure grip for precise slicing and lifting of fish fillets.
- Material
- Stainless steel blade and varnished beech wood handle
- Category
- Home & Garden > Kitchen & Dining > Kitchen Tools & Utensils > Kitchen Knives
Color
Size
Specifications
Ultra-precise fillet knife with stainless steel blade and varnished beech wood handle for perfect fish preparation.
18 cm stainless steel blade with high corrosion resistance; varnished beech wood handle
- Material
- Stainless steel blade and varnished beech wood handle
- Secondary
- wood
- Gender
- unisex
- Age Group
- adult
- Condition
- new
- Category
- Home & Garden > Kitchen & Dining > Kitchen Tools & Utensils > Kitchen Knives
Additional Attributes
- stainless steel blade
- high corrosion resistance
- varnished beech wood handle
- 18 cm blade
- ultra-precise
- comfortable handle
Product Insights
The Parallèle No. 121 Fillet Knife by Opinel inherits design DNA from the MoMA-recognized No. 08 folding knife, featuring a beech wood handle from PEFC-certified French forests and a full tang for balance and control. Its Sandvik 12C27M steel blade (56-57 HRC) offers corrosion resistance and a fine-carbide edge that glides through salmon skin without tearing, while the 2 mm thick flexible blade bends along fish bones to reduce waste. The ergonomic handle with palm swell and guard ensures a secure wet grip, and the 18 cm blade with distal taper weighs only 79 g for reduced fatigue. Priced at CAD 74 in the high segment, it lacks a sheath but requires only a 1000-grit ceramic honing rod before use, with full sharpening needed once or twice a year using a 1000-3000 grit water stone progression.
Verified claims
- Cultural status
- Fillet knife inherits design DNA from MoMA-recognized Opinel folding knife.
- Design lineage
- Carries design DNA from the No.08 folding knife, with beech wood handle, palm swell, and full tang.
- Heritage materials
- Beech wood from PEFC-certified French Jura/Vercors forests, X50CrMoV15 steel for corrosion resistance and easy edge maintenance.
- Steel
- Sandvik 12C27M steel (13.5% Cr, 56–57 HRC) provides corrosion resistance and fine-carbide edge.
- Edge performance
- Fine-carbide edge glides through salmon skin without tearing, stays sharp entire session.
- Flexibility
- Flexible 2 mm thick blade bends along fish bones without cracking, reducing waste.
- Sharpening ease
- Honing rod realigns edge in seconds; stone sharpening only once or twice a year.
- Balance
- Full tang shifts weight to the handle, reducing fatigue and improving tip control.
- Grip
- Ergonomic handle with palm swell and guard provides a secure grip even when wet.
- Design heritage
- Handle shape and bolster are inspired by Opinel's legendary No.08 folding knife.
- Blade ergonomics
- 18 cm blade, 2 mm thick with distal taper, full tang, 79 g for balanced feel.
- Value trade-offs
- Priced at CAD 74, high segment with no sheath unlike many competitors.
- Sharpening angle
- 15–17° per side edge angle balances slicing aggression and edge stability.
- Care and maintenance
- A 1000-grit ceramic honing rod before each use maintains the edge; full sharpening needed only 1-2 times per year.
- Full sharpening technique
- Use a 1000–3000 grit water stone progression with light pressure to avoid flexing; coarse stones only after edge damage.
- Manufacturing location
- Designed in Savoie, France; assembled in Portugal.
Product record
- Title
- Parallèle No. 121 Fillet Knife
- Brand
- Opinel
- Price
- 74 CAD
- Availability
- In stock
Image Analysis
2 images- 01
Product
Single-piece fillet knife shown full length, centered vertically; long narrow stainless blade with a light wooden handle attached by two visible metal rivets.
- Blade geometryLong narrow straight blade with a slight upward curve at the tip and a single sharpened edge on the right side as shown; blade has a polished metallic finish.
1 region
x 0.44 · y 0.02 · w 0.12 · h 0.68 (high) - Bolster and guardSmall squared metal bolster/guard where blade meets handle, visible as a short horizontal metallic shoulder above the handle.
1 region
x 0.40 · y 0.58 · w 0.20 · h 0.06 (high) - Handle shapeStraight, rectangular wooden handle with gently rounded long edges and a short pronounced thumb notch at the top left of the handle.
1 region
x 0.40 · y 0.60 · w 0.20 · h 0.36 (high) - Handle material and finishLight natural wood (beech-like) with smooth, matte finish and visible subtle grain.
1 region
x 0.40 · y 0.60 · w 0.20 · h 0.36 (high) - RivetsTwo circular metallic rivets visible on the handle, aligned vertically toward the center of the handle.
2 regions
x 0.49 · y 0.66 · w 0.03 · h 0.05 (high); x 0.49 · y 0.78 · w 0.03 · h 0.05 (high) - Printed marking on blade“Vertical printed word 'OPINEL' near the blade's lower half, oriented along the blade length.”
1 region
x 0.47 · y 0.36 · w 0.06 · h 0.18 (high) - Additional small blade textDense small printed block of text beneath the 'OPINEL' marking that is too small to read legibly at this resolution.Partial
1 region
x 0.47 · y 0.44 · w 0.06 · h 0.20 (medium)
Other
Product photographed on a plain light neutral background, centered and vertically oriented with soft even lighting and minimal shadow.
- Shot compositionKnife is centered vertically in the frame with blade pointing up and handle at the bottom; image crops include entire knife with small margins.
- BackgroundUniform light neutral background with very subtle vignette; no props or packaging visible.
- Lighting and shadowSoft even lighting from front with faint diffuse shadow along the left side of the knife and minimal specular highlights on the blade.
Colors
stainless steel· blade#DDC2ABlight beech wood· handle#DCBCA4polished silver· rivets- Blade geometryLong narrow straight blade with a slight upward curve at the tip and a single sharpened edge on the right side as shown; blade has a polished metallic finish.
- 02
Product
A straight fillet knife shown full-length within retail backing: a narrow stainless steel blade with a pointed tip and an exposed full wooden handle with two visible metal rivets and a small metal guard at the handle-blade junction.
- Blade shapeLong narrow single-piece stainless steel blade with a gradual taper to a pointed tip and a straight cutting edge visible on the right side of the blade as shown.
1 region
x 0.35 · y 0.08 · w 0.29 · h 0.54 (high) - Blade text and stamp“Vertical printed text on the blade near the handle reading 'OPINEL' and a small crown/hand mark; additional small vertical lines of text below are present but mostly small.”
1 region
x 0.48 · y 0.42 · w 0.07 · h 0.20 (medium) - Handle materialExposed straight wooden handle with a light natural wood grain finish and two circular metal rivets aligned along the handle center.
1 region
x 0.36 · y 0.62 · w 0.26 · h 0.32 (high) - Handle guardSmall flat metal guard mounted at the base of the handle projecting left and right, visible as a thin horizontal metallic piece.
1 region
x 0.39 · y 0.87 · w 0.19 · h 0.05 (high) - RivetsTwo round metal rivets visible on the handle arranged vertically, one above the other.
2 regions
x 0.44 · y 0.70 · w 0.03 · h 0.04 (high); x 0.44 · y 0.80 · w 0.03 · h 0.04 (high)
Packaging
Knife is mounted on a single-piece rectangular brown kraft cardboard backing with printed branding and product name in dark ink and a die-cut hanger hole at the top; the blade is visible through a clear plastic sleeve or window.
- Backing cardTall narrow rectangular brown kraft cardboard backing filling most of the image height with the knife mounted on it.
1 region
x 0.33 · y 0.01 · w 0.34 · h 0.98 (high) - Hanger holeDie-cut hanger slot near the top center of the backing with a circular reinforcement hole to the left of it.
1 region
x 0.46 · y 0.03 · w 0.09 · h 0.05 (high) - Top branding text“OPINEL”
1 region
x 0.41 · y 0.07 · w 0.18 · h 0.04 (high) - Top subtext“SAVOIE FRANCE”
1 region
x 0.42 · y 0.11 · w 0.15 · h 0.03 (high) - Main product name“PARALLELE”
1 region
x 0.37 · y 0.30 · w 0.26 · h 0.07 (high) - Model number text“Nº 121”
1 region
x 0.38 · y 0.37 · w 0.22 · h 0.08 (high) - Descriptor text“COUTEAU EFFILÉ”
1 region
x 0.38 · y 0.46 · w 0.22 · h 0.03 (high) - English descriptor“FILLET KNIFE”
1 region
x 0.38 · y 0.49 · w 0.22 · h 0.03 (high) - Clear sleeve/windowBlade appears to sit within or over a clear plastic sleeve or window attached to the cardboard, making the blade surface visible against the cardboard.Partial
1 region
x 0.35 · y 0.08 · w 0.29 · h 0.54 (medium)
Other
Studio product shot on a white background with even lighting and minimal shadows; image composed as a centered vertical crop showing the entire packaged knife.
- BackgroundEven white studio background occupying the full image area outside the packaging card.
- Shot compositionCentered vertical composition with the packaging aligned along the vertical centerline; top and bottom edges of the backing are visible with minimal surrounding margin.
- Lighting and shadowSoft even lighting with faint shadowing around the edges of the backing card and a subtle reflection on the blade surface.
Colors
kraft brown· backing cardPackaging#AC8A65brushed steel· blade#CAC3C5light wood· handle#D3B38Cmetallic silver· metal guard and rivets- Blade shapeLong narrow single-piece stainless steel blade with a gradual taper to a pointed tip and a straight cutting edge visible on the right side of the blade as shown.