Many balisong/butterfly fans on THR?

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MatthewVanitas

MatthewVanitas

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Running the Search engine, it seems that balisongs haven't been addressed much on this board. It appears that BladeForums.com has the most flippers, with their own sub-forum. Actually, the Bali sub-forum is by far the most active of all BFC niche-forums.


I had always dismissed these knives as something carried by actors playing gang members in crappy 1980s movies. However, after stumbling across the bali sub-forum and reading up on the subject, it's a pretty interesting design.

The main upside is the sheer simplicity and durability of the design. With only the split handles, blade, and two pins, you get a folder that is only slightly less sturdy than a fixed blade.

All the acrobatics that can be employed to open it are, of course, just for fun and skill. My Benchmade Mini-Grip opens even faster, and unlike the bali is legal for carry in TX. As with auto-knives, some twit lawmaker saw too many B-movies and decided that crime could be eliminated in America by banning particular types of pocketknives. Fortunately, they were correct, resulting in the crime-free nation in which we now live.

I do like the whole juggling thing though, so I'm getting a used Spyderco Spyderfly. If I like it, I'll spring for a Benchmade trainer (competely rounded/unsharpened/skeltonized "blade"), so I can carry it in public and flip it when not in too public of areas. Should give me something to fidget with; I'm one of those people who just doesn't like sitting still.

Balisongs: because at my age, I'd look dang silly with a yo-yo.


pc_brass_utility.jpg


-MV
 
Matt, I've seen you fidget a lot at the range.

I played around with a few of them and am pretty confident in my use of one. My friends benchmade is beautiful and solid, it definately showed me why it was worth the money.

I'd buy one, but would never really have a use for it except to twirl around.

see you spring semester.

-Elmer

btw, my Beretta is still not sold/traded, help me out with that if you can.
 
I carried one for years. They're cool and all, but honestly their day has passed. The pocket-clipped thumb opening folder is just better.
 
the bali's have ceramic ball bearings in the joints, and some have titanium legs, all in all a fine knife, but somewhat impractical for self defense, a fixed blade or "assisted opening" type knife is IMO far superior, but chicks dig the knifey flippy thing.
 

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the bali's have ceramic ball bearings in the joints, and some have titanium legs, all in all a fine knife, but somewhat impractical for self defense
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Only some models have ball bearings, Ti handles are a bit more common. But plenty of options out there with steel handles and bronze washers.


I emphasize again that I have plenty of last-ditch defensive knives, but am mostly interesting in the flippy aspect of balis.

I always kinda wanted to learn how to juggle, and this seems like an interesting way to go about it. Part of my interest is in the event that I reactivate and deploy again; I figure it would make a good icebreaker if I end up working with indigenous police and military units.

-MV
 
I'm going to have to agree to disagree with Tellner:
They're cool and all, but honestly their day has passed. The pocket-clipped thumb opening folder is just better.
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Its still a great tool. Only problem is they are illegal in most states. Closed use them as a a kuboton. And if you are trained correctly they can be deployed and opened faster than the thumb opening folders.

Most people get Swiss Army Knives or other simpler folders as thier first knives. I got a balisong that my grandfather made for me. Ok, made the handles for me, he just reattached an old blade to new handles and clasps.

All that said, I do carry a pocket clipped thumb opening folder. But I'm slowly shying away from all folders and going to fixed blades. Only one that hasn't folded on me yet is my benchmade auto. And that like the bali isn't something I'm allowed to carry day to day.
 
Fair enough.

Interestingly it seems that the balisong may be adapted from European knives. The first recognizable examples are French designs from the eighteenth century.
 
Mandirigma - nice quote in the signature. Booger hook....Hahahahah!

Anyways, my knowledge of Bali's is pretty much non-existent but I had heard many moons ago that a true "balisong" was one that had the back edge of the blade attached to the handle that had the latching-thingy on it. That is, the pic of the knife Matthew posted would not be a 'true balisong' because the latch is on the side of the cutting edge of the blade. (I hope that made sense)

I'm guessing that's a load of BS because every knife I have seen is as Matthew posted. :confused:
 
I started with Wikipedia and did a Google search with the keywords "balisong" and "history". Many things came up including examples of balisong-style knives from the time produced in Europe.
 
I've had a couple of Benchmade Balisongs since the early 1980's and read one of Jeff Imada's books about using them. They're a lot of fun, and do lock up as a solid work knife (one of the most rigid locks of any sort of folder). The main thing I liked about them was that they also make a great impact weapon due to the shape and the fact that the blade is totally hidden when closed.

I used to carry them all the time. Current legislation in WA is that you cannot carry one, so I haven't carried a Balisong in years. They do have their place though, and are a lot of fun to learn how to use. And yes, I did slice my finger open once. Once.
 
Yup, my aluminum-handled bali is one of two carry knives I always have on me. It is extremely handy and durable. I strongly disagree with those that say they have outlived their usefulness. Of course there's always going to be something better; but these are still great for their purpose.
 
If you aren't looking to spend a lot of money on one, but don't want a cheap fall-a-part knife (brass rivets.......ugh!), there's a company called Jaguar that makes decent ones. I carry one of theirs and it has lasted very well for about 3-4 years now. It is a copy of one of Benchmade's, and looks just like the one in the pic a bit up the page by alucard.

Great knife for the money.
 
Just got my Spyderco Spyderfly in, and it's pretty dang cool! Much smoother and tighter than my brass-handled cheapie, and screw tension is adjustable.

Solid stainless steel, and moves on washers, so pretty indestructible.


I love these knives but ive only played with the cheap ones when i was a teen what are good brands to buy?
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I'm a n00b, but from what I've gathered on BladeForums, there are a couple good options for beginners. Most folks advise against spending $20 on a cheapie, as they tend to fall apart (brass handle) or break apart (zince handles!), and have null resale value.

-- Typhoon or Tsunami kit from www.classicknifekits.com . Runs $69 for the basic model, options of wood inlay, bronze washers (highly advised), two different blade shapes and trainers coming out soon. Takes 30min to assemble, but supposed to be very good quality.

-- Spyderco Spyderfly: $75 new. Solid stainless-steel, neat knife. Rather unconventional looks. Neat modern spring-loaded latch that won't get in the way, pocket clip, etc.

-- Benchmade 4X series (42, 43, etc): can be found in the mid-$100s. Apparently the standard by which others are judged.


This is just what I've gathered from the BladeForums subforum for Balisongs. This advice seems pretty consistent across the board, whole forum practically backs these three as starter choices.

-MV
 
Around here they're a felony to carry so that probably hurts their popularity, although I know a Home Depot worker who carries one all the time. :eek:

I have a Spyderfly and a Benchmade 42, and after the titanium handles of the BM the Spyderco feels way to heavy and clunky. I haven't gotten into them much and wouldn't buy more - in fact I should sell the Spyderfly! :)
 
If I find myself enjoying the Spyderfly, I'll get a BM trainer to carry around. Then I'll be able to figure out the whole Ti vs. Fe issue.

Though steel might flip heavy, it should be better as a handle material for an actual working knife, yes?

BM is starting to do G10 handles for balis now too, with the BM 32 Morpho. Looks pretty cool, although some purists complain that the G10 doesn't make that solid "SNACKKK!" sound when you flip it.

Cool pics of Morpho: http://www.benchmade.com/products/product_detail.aspx?model=32

Anyone curious on balisongs, just go check out all the flipping-clips on YouTube.com !

-MV
 
I recently got a Benchmade 41MC and am enjoying messing around with it quite a bit.

If balis weren't legally dubious I'd carry it, but I don't want to be the test case in this state.
 
@tarrigoni: WA is, from what I understand, a very bad state to carry balis in.

TX is only marginally better. Though not mentioned by name, bali/butterflies could, oddly enough, fall under the definition of "switchblade". Thus my interest in getting an obviously non-knife trainer to carry around and juggle.


Now that I've seen the SpyderFly, I'm really looking forward to both the trainer version of it, and especially the 3" SmallFly. Man, Spyderco makes some cool stuff! For sheer inventiveness, they are to knives what Taurus is to guns.

-MV
 
I remember seeing a lot of balisongs in bad '80s Filipino movies. My first balisong was a hair comb. I learned how to flip with it. :rolleyes: My uncle has a balisong with double-edge blade. That was interesting. I didn't do much flipping with that one.

I bought a cheap real one when I turned 18, but lost it. My friend who collects knives gave me one recently. I would carry one if it were legal in MI.
 
The balisong flippy dance thing always seemed pretty cheesy and ridiculous to me, probably with the association with crappy 80s action movies. I never saw the attraction to a knife that needed so much choreography to open with one hand.

I used to have an old Hackman "CIA" knife that I think was made in Finland. It wasn't really flippable, as the pivots were too tight. I think it was more of a "folding bushcraft puuko" rather than a flashy SD knife. Interesting thing is that it might even be legal in my state, since balisongs are defined as "gravity knives" where the pivots are loose enough that the blade could fall freely out of it's closed position, a condition the Hackman does not fit. However, I'd not want to test that possibility in court.
 
I used to have an old Hackman "CIA" knife that I think was made in Finland.
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I had one of those years ago that I bought in Greece when I was a kid. No idea what ever happened to it. Good work knife though!
 
Just a heads up, some people have complained about the spring in the Spyderfly's latch breaking. Mine did.
 
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