All these Bali threads!?!?

[Yo Mama]

I've noticed an extreme upswing in the number of Bali threads. I'm guessing Bali = butterfly? I'm probably wrong, but I've seen it used now to reffer to a butterfly style knife.

So, my question, what's the deal with these? Everyone loves them all of a sudden?

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Finger Guard

I've noticed.

I pretty much don't get deep into the Bali/Butterfly hardware.

The main issues are lack of a) a reasonably grippy handle and b) some kind of guard to keep my digits from contaminating the edge with organic material.

I kinda like my organic material.

They's sure pretty though. I don't show them to my youngest daughter. She would be reminded of the one that her "friends" ruined, and want a replacement -- and not anything cheap, too.

So I mostly drool a little and keep my pinkies in my pockets.

 

[CDR_Glock]

A Bali takes longer to open than a lot of the spring assist and automatic knives on the market.

I bought a Benchmade 42, new, but I never even used it. I can open a SOG faster than any butterfly. They are fancy knives but I don't care for it.


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[Hammerson]

Played with them a lot in my misspent youth. They are fun to play with, but I never had much faith in them; locks wear fast and flop, handles tend to be slick. IIRC I ruined the tip of one opening an epoxy tube, or something similar.

Not really a working knife, not really something I would trust as a "fighting knife." They're good for working off nervous energy, though.

 

[nevermas]

My personal theory of the recent soar in prices for the Benchmade 52 and growing interest in other balisongs is directly attributed to the release of the movie : Kick A$$

 

[CDR_Glock]

My personal theory of the recent soar in prices for the Benchmade 52 and growing interest in other balisongs is directly attributed to the release of the movie : Kick A$$

You're probably right. I found mine at a local gun shop. It was the Titanium one that I had not seen in many years. Ergonomics is nothing like a tactical knife. I have the 42.

I had a brass $10 one as a kid.

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[hso]

So, my question, what's the deal with these? Everyone loves them all of a sudden?

The counter question before when there was nearly nothing said at times on them might have been, "What's the deal? Everyone hate them all of a sudden?".

The more serious answer might be like nevermas said, Mindy/Hit Girl use of them in "Kick Ass" and new models becoming available.

Besides, they're fun.

 

[zignal_zero]

Played with them a lot in my misspent youth. They are fun to play with, but I never had much faith in them; locks wear fast and flop, handles tend to be slick. IIRC I ruined the tip of one opening an epoxy tube, or something similar.

Not really a working knife, not really something I would trust as a "fighting knife." They're good for working off nervous energy, though.

if you get the right one, they are EXCELLENT working knives. the lock (on a quality balisong) is actually stronger than the lock on a traditionally styled folder due to the fact it has two pivots instead of one. as you apply force and try to force it to rotate around the one pivot, it's actually being held by the other. similar, in effect, to the way the axle of a bicycle is support by the upper spokes, while simultaneously being held up by the spokes on bottom. very rock solid design as far as folders go. i trust the lock of a decent balisong more than a liner lock. as for the grip of the handles and the lack of a real gaurd - i totally agree, and generally carry a fixed blade which has both

another strong point (in regards to safety and convenience of the bali) is - when closed, the blade is completely cocooned in steel.

as for how fast can they be opened compared to OHO folders (spring assisted and autos included), it depends on whether you have to do a double flip or single. if you master the "fast draw", you can open a bali just as fast as a Kershaw Blur.... i can.

bali's are not for everyone, but they have way too much stigma as a novelty knife when the truth is - they are very functional for EDC needs. especially lesser expensive models like the Bradley Kimura.

 

[jahwarrior]

i've always loved them, since i got my first one 25 years ago. lately, i've been investigating knife laws in my state; gun laws are pretty clear cut, but knife laws aren't. i found that balisongs are one of the few knives that could be carried legally, openly or concealed, in my state. so, to be on the safe side, i decided to carry one as my EDC. a good quality one can make for an excellent user knife.

 

[proud2deviate]

Go on and drool

 

[Yo Mama]

Thanks all. Pretty much as I expected, not for everyone, but for those who like them they serve it's purpose.

Zignal_Zero: which folding lock are you referring to? All types, or liner? I've been seeing that the axis lock beats all, but wonder if this is true.

 

[zignal_zero]

the Axis is a tank, no doubt, there's a 710 in my pocket right now. i still believe, if quality was same, and the size of the pivots were the same, the bali would require more force be applied to the spine in order to force it closed. this is all theory, as i will not be hangin weights off any of my knives the way Cold Steel does LOL.

the Axis is serioulsy strong for the SAME reason the balisong is. they're actually kind of similar in the sense that the "pin" that lays across the rear of the blade (on the Axis) serves a similar function to the 2nd "pin" that is through the blade on a balisong. i'm sure i'm doing a horrible job conveying what i'm trying to, but if you have both of them handy, look at the lock and imagine where the force would be distributed while trying to force it closed. they're almost cousins

the balisong is actually an amazing design that gets overlooked due to it's gangta/ninja/7th grad mercenary reputation

edit to add - just to be perfectly clear, i'll take a fixed blade over everything and normally have one on.

 

[Yo Mama]

they're actually kind of similar in the sense that the "pin" that lays across the rear of the blade (on the Axis) serves a similar function to the 2nd "pin" that is through the blade on a balisong. i'm sure i'm doing a horrible job conveying what i'm trying to

Actually, funny, was just examining the locking mechanism on the axis earlier today, and it's really ingenious how it's designed. So simple, but really hard to break. So, I know the pins your talking about. I don't have a balisong to compare to, but if it has the same set up I'd guess it's pretty darn strong.

Side note, money is tight, but since getting an axis from Benchmade, I'll never go with anything else in a folder.

 

[Joe Demko]

A good bali is darned difficult to break. Too many people form their opinions on them based on $10 PRC examples purchased at flea markets and gunshows. They typically have zamak handles and break under even light use. Judging balis by those is like judging lockbacks based on the PRC examples sold in the same venues at the same price point.
They do seem to wax and wane in popularity based on movies. I bought my first, a Bali-Song Inc (now Benchmade), after seeing one in "Sharkey's Machine." There was also some cool butterfly action in "Streets of Fire."

 

[nevermas]

not to deviate from the topic too much, but when i first saw the Axis lock, it was so simple that I thought to my head, hey I could have thought of that.

spyderco has a great balisong design called the spyderfly, I've been going to the gunshows for a few years and can't find any.

spyderco also makes a balisong pen called the baliyo. It's got mixed reviews in durability, but a interesting toy nonetheless.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

SpyderFly

Nice.

Not my style, but nice.

Here's a nice example -->​

<-- and here's one with a trainer ($200 for the pair) Steel marked as 154CM, nice.

 

[docnyt]

Interesting. I never thought of a balisong trainer.

 

[Gunfighter123]

I don't know why anyone would think that a Bali is not a strong lock up --- right around 1980 , I seen a vid of Jody Sampson , when he was doing blades for PCC/BM , take a bowie blade Bali and punch it thru a 55 gal drum. The 3 point lock DID NOT break and he then stabbed it thru the drum another 3 or 4 times with NO damage to the knife.

As far as Balis being "slower" to open --- just had to laught at that !!! I will bet $50 that I can "dagger drop" a Bali FROM A SNAPPED SHUT SHEATH as fast or faster then most can with almost any other knife FROM A CLOSED SHEATH.

Add the fact that a well made Bali can be used as a "flail/nunchuk" --- something almost NO OTHER knife can be used for. And there are AT LEAST 10-100 ways of opening it !!!

IMHO ---- YES , there is a STEEP learning curve with a good Bali ---- but once mastered , very few folding knifes can equal it.

ANYONE can open a assisted knife ----- it takes SKILL to learn to use a Bali. Just like with firearms , ANYONE can shoot a gun ---- the people that MASTER a firearm are in a different class.

 

[hso]

Add the fact that a well made Bali can be used as a "flail/nunchuk" --- something almost NO OTHER knife can be used for.

I have a few balisongs (modern, vintage and antiques from the Philippines) and regard them very highly, BUT a bali can not be used as a "nunchuk" (not enough mass to matter) and any flailing techniques amount to tricks, which the bali excels at.

As to lock strength, there's nothing to fail in the way of a lock. The pivot pins might fail if you applied enough force, but it's a folder developed in a culture where fixed blade knives are commonplace to the point no one would try to do anything more than light to medium cutting with a bali. They are fundamentally solid designs. Poor quality in materials or craftsmanship will fail in almost any design.

 

[Hammerson]

I need to admit, I used the wrong terminology. When referring to the "lock" I actually meant the toggle that holds the handles together when closed. My bad.
During the mid to late '80s I liked to EDC a balisong. Unfortunately, they had an annoying habit of opening in my pocket. If the knife was blade down, it would cut the pocket it was carried in. If it was carried point up, I had to risk stabbing myself in th hand with my own knife (obviously unacceptable). I finally resorted to a closed sheath, but that was never as convenient, especially at work. Sorry for the confusion. I never did have a problem with one failing or folding up under me while using it.

For those that know more: was/is pocket carry an unrealistic expectation for this design? I never found one that would stay closed in a pocket. Recommendations?

 

[Deltaboy1984]

I would not mind a nice one for my collection.

 

[jahwarrior]

Hammerson: if the balisong you have has a spring latch, like most Benchmades do, then they're perfectly safe for pocket carry. my Model 51 will not open unless i squeeze the handles together with considerable pressure. even if your balisong doesn't have a spring latch, if it's good quality, it shouldn't open on it's own.

of course, another option would be a sheath to carry it in.

 

[Gunfighter123]

I have a few balisongs (modern, vintage and antiques from the Philippines) and regard them very highly, BUT a bali can not be used as a "nunchuk" (not enough mass to matter) and any flailing techniques amount to tricks, which the bali excels at.

Hiya HSO ----- not wanting to be "disagreeable" but I once got to "nunchuk/flail" a heavy all brass bali into a guys face. I held the "safe" handle and smacked him with a hard quick wrist snap ----- I don't know if I broke his nose or not --- what I do know is he was bleeding A LOT from his nose and when he seen the open bladed bali a few inches from his face , he decided to just leave me alone and go away. I was also taught by Danny I. to target the wrist bones in the same manner. And having taken a few hits in the wrist by Dan , I can tell you that IT HURTS !!! LOL

 

[Joe Demko]

I dug out my Bali Song Inc model with the solid machined steel handles and tried some flailing maneuvers with it this AM. It'd be possible to fetch somebody a painful whack in the face with it or inflict some minor bruising on areas where there isn't much muscle or fat covering bone. I'm not sure I'd consider it all that useful, though, as I doubt one could inflict injuries that would be anything more than an annoyance. Bloodying the guy's nose with yours was cute, but I'd say you could have as easily (or more easily) just punched him in the nose. I'd be more inclined to use the closed bali as a fist load or makeshift kubotan instead. The titanium handled model doesn't have enough mass in the handles to make any kind of flailing worthwhile.

 

[Gunfighter123]

It'd be possible to fetch somebody a painful whack in the face with it

My point EXACTLY in the story I posted. And I stand by my statement that almost no other knife BUT A BALI can be used as such.


EDIT --- I was really aiming for his eye but ya get what ya get sometimes !!! I look at this "trick" about the same as tossing a handfull of coins at someones face before you launch a punch --- it IS NOT a "fight ender" but a move that can be usefull --- at least it was for me.