Speaking of cheap ....balisong types

[kBob]

As I meantioned a balisong elsewhere and there is a current cheap knives going on....anyone remember the old Parker Balisong types? I think the handles were zinc and the pins brass. Not reallysure what the were good for but I had to have one.

Turned out to be good for cleaning fish.....but what isn't?

I most often carried mine while snorkeling or diving mainly to cut monofiliment line with. Nothing as much fun as making a surface dive while snorkeling to check out that tre snag almost to far down and starting up with bursting lungs to come to a sudden stop from monofiliment wrapped around your leg.

Loosing a $10 bali beats loosing a $50 and up dive knife.

I last carried it on land at a carbine class attened by a bunch of LEOs. I had misplaced my Spiderco Endura (seat belt got it, found it under the seat the next mornng) so was carrying what was easily open able in my right hip pocket next to my wallet.

During a break the instructor called for a blade check as he held that armed folks should always have a knife, preferably one hand opening or sheath, when out and about. A host of very nice folders of which the Spydercos were the cheapest were snapped open in the air above the heads of the other students. I was a bit behind as I had been putting something else away when the call was made so every one heard that shickity shak clak sound. As about half the LEOs were out of staters and from regions where a Bali is considered evil incarnate and a gravity knife I got a bunch of discusted looks until someone explained that they were OK where I am from and I explained why I was carrying it instead of a "real Knife."

Any other cheap bali stories out there?

-kBob

 

[iLikeOldgunsIlikeNewGuns]

I have a few cheap bali stories
got some spensive bali stories too!

as far as the first cheap bali story that comes to my mind, this may at first seem like a gun story, but it is indeed a cheap-bali story:
Years ago when I was in my young twenties, maybe 22 or so, a friend and I and our lovely girlfriends decided to have ourselves a nice long afternoon shoot at a big pit in central Maine. Amongst the various firearms I can easily recall that I brought two 1851 navies, and my 5906 which i can fire quite rapidly in a safe manner, we also had a few .22 rifles and various targets like wind-chimes (SO FUN) and a fake but real-looking rooster I also brought two identical "Bear MGC" balisongs, which are inexpensive but were really nice for cheapies, had OD-green handles and tanto-style blades, $25 each if I remember correctly. I brought them because I really enjoy bali-tricks, including throwing them in the air spinning and catching them! (I'll have to post a new video of me doing that) and what better place to practice than a pit with ample space??

We continued shooting for a half hour or so past sunset, to see the glory that is authentic black powder muzzle-flashes! About a half hour after our last shot, as we were finishing packing up, we see flashlights walking up the trail in our direction. Me not being a resident of Maine, I make sure my cartridge-firing guns are empty and stowed, not really worried as Maine is a great place, my friend was open carrying and that was never a problem.
Well the flashlights turned out to be two police officers, who also ended up being quite friendly... to an extent. They immediately told us that our location for shooting was fine, but as the sun had gone down they received a noise complaint from a neighbor and it was time for us to go, that being said they could see we were already on our way out. They asked us why we continued shooting after 'dark' and we told 'em about my black powder guns. Their reaction to that was "Blackpowder!?!?!?! Wow!" LoL, so I told 'em a bit about my powder guns and how fun they are, they were quite genuinely interested. After that though, they told us they wanted to search us and our stuff "to make sure we didn't have any uzis or whatnot" (pretty close to a direct quote, all these years later). Sure enough, they are completely fine with all of our guns.... but they found my two Bear MGC balisongs, and (i'm laughing so hard just typing this) they informed me that these knives were illegal to have on my person. Ok, so we can have piles of guns, but two knives are just unacceptable! I told them why I had them and why I brought them, but they didn't care, I'm pretty sure they wanted to give them to their own sons, or keep them for themselves! I mean seriously, who was I going to 'intimidate' or stab with them, my open carrying friend?? or our two gorgeous girlfriends??? otherwise we were in the middle of NO-WHERE (in a great way) so really?? they had to take them? After I had told them I only had them to take advantage of the open space for practicing?? Bugger that! I bet those cops or their kids totally still have those knives. I'm glad I had those ones and not my Benchmade 42!!!! Pretty sure I brought the cheapies as I was practicing new moves and didnt want to drop my 42 on gravel. Anyhoo, I think that story's pretty funny, hope someone found it entertaining.

 

[JAshley73]

Haha, oh the Irony...

I just shrug everytime someone see's my butterfly and tells me how they are illegal, as if they are somehow THE authority on blades and the law. Don't you just love it?