Balisongs

[markn951]

They are officially the coolest knife on the face of the earth. Period.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kBiKv9A47c&feature=channel

I made a mess of my pants, gentlemen.

[Turnstone]

Too bad that they are illegal over here. I guess it scares people that you can play with them. 

[josekym]

And here, they are part of everyday life...

You see them being used by old ladies in the market gutting fish or cutting up vegetables. 

Minus the acrobatics, of course... 

[ASH]

josekym ! Can you show me some original one?  Maybe some makers around you....

[John]

ASH have you made any yourself?   

[ASH]

Not yet, but i have lot of nice piece of steel. So i want

[John]

Not yet, but i have lot of nice piece of steel. So i want

Cool I'll pull up a seat then 

[josekym]

josekym ! Can you show me some original one?  Maybe some makers around you....

You mean pics and info?  I'll see if I can dig up any.

Butterfly knives (Balisong) are commonly sold here as souvenirs or show pieces, but IMO have very crude and unrefined construction (and poor steel) because they are meant to be mass-produced tools and sold cheap.  To my knowledge, there are no makers here where I live.  The knives come from other southern provinces.  The most famous (and sought after) balisongs would be those from Batangas province, the accepted birthplace of the unique knife AFAIK.

Edit:

Some links:

http://www.ilovebatangas.com/2010/04/balisong/
http://www.batangas-philippines.com/balisong.html
http://habagatcentral.com/2010/03/18/balisong-batangas-the-hood-of-butterfly-daggers/

[Zed]

I used to have fun with mine back in the 80's use to be able to do 1 in each hand at one point, i had 4 back then, shame i didnt just hide them away for a rainy day, and yes illegal here now as well, 

paul

[John]

I used to have fun with mine back in the 80's use to be able to do 1 in each hand at one point, i had 4 back then, shame i didnt just hide them away for a rainy day, and yes illegal here now as well,  

paul

Paul not illegal to own but illegal to import,manufacture,sell,lend out and there's no just excuse to carry one either if you own one already   that said you could make one yourself for fun days,who would know  



[edit] Oh! also I believe pantographic knife  although not strictly a balisong will fit in with that legislation too.

[Turnstone]

In Germany it's illegal to own them, too 

[duckman1975]

<a href="http://s238.photobucket.com/albums/ff122/duckman1975/?action=view&current=IMG_5772.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff122/duckman1975/IMG_5772.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket">[/url]

[John]

In Germany it's illegal to own them, too 

If IIRC in the UK it was legal to buy up to 1988,so many are still around prior to that  

[Fisting_Chili]

dayum!

[John]

Cool saved to favs 

[jekostas]

dayum!

I'll be honest, this is the reason I'm really glad Balisongs are illegal in Canada...

[Turnstone]

dayum!

I'll be honest, this is the reason I'm really glad Balisongs are illegal in Canada...

This might be the reason they are illegal in Germany, too. Some of these tricks really look scary. But if a person wants to harm you, they will, no matter what knife (or other tool) they have. And if you just want to play with your knife, you won't harm anyone, no matter how scary it will look. People are dangerous, not knifes.

BTW, amazing video! I am sure this was very hard work to learn all those things!

[PyroJames]

dayum!

I'll be honest, this is the reason I'm really glad Balisongs are illegal in Canada...

I agree.  I have a few balisongs myself but even I'm glad these aren't so readily available here.  There's already enough knife-related attacks in Canada... the last thing we need are kids flipping these on the streets.

[John]

Sometimes I get the feeling that people think that anyone who flips a balisong is a crazed madman,it's been said on here before the herd is easily spooked, I guess that is very true 

I'll say this tho if they're flipping at least they aint stabbing  more to worry about are the people hell bent on harming and I doubt it would be a balisong they'd use,no it would be something like a fixed blade/push dagger Etc! Etc!

[jekostas]

Sometimes I get the feeling that people think that anyone who flips a balisong is a crazed madman,it's been said on here before the herd is easily spooked, I guess that is very true 

No, I think they disrespect their knife by treating it as a toy to be played with as opposed to a tool to be used.

josekym nailed it, actually:

And here, they are part of everyday life...

You see them being used by old ladies in the market gutting fish or cutting up vegetables. 

Minus the acrobatics, of course... 

My ama-maestro always told me that if you go to the Philippines, the person you need to be afraid of, the person who knows how to use their knife is the little old man who's opening his balisong slowly and carefully, like he's unpeeling a banana.  He respects his knife, he knows what it can do (likely very, very personally), and knows what to do with it.

[PyroJames]

Actually, all those flashy flips and tricks does improve your hand-eye co-ordination.  Just don't use them in a knife fight...

[duckman1975]

Here are two Bolisongs a friend gave me, it can punch through a coin.

[Grant Lamontagne]

dayum!

I'll be honest, this is the reason I'm really glad Balisongs are illegal in Canada...

This might be the reason they are illegal in Germany, too. Some of these tricks really look scary. But if a person wants to harm you, they will, no matter what knife (or other tool) they have. And if you just want to play with your knife, you won't harm anyone, no matter how scary it will look. People are dangerous, not knifes.

BTW, amazing video! I am sure this was very hard work to learn all those things!

I think the reason they are illegal here isn't because of the intimidation factor, it's because out public healthcare system has to pay for every stitch that guy needed while learning all those tricks!

Def

[AHB]

I think the reason they are illegal here isn't because of the intimidation factor, it's because out public healthcare system has to pay for every stitch that guy needed while learning all those tricks!
Def

 

[John]

I think the reason they are illegal here isn't because of the intimidation factor, it's because out public healthcare system has to pay for every stitch that guy needed while learning all those tricks!
Def

 

They should learn to self stitch before learning balisong tricks, in fact it should be mandatory 

[jekostas]

I think the reason they are illegal here isn't because of the intimidation factor, it's because out public healthcare system has to pay for every stitch that guy needed while learning all those tricks!
Def

 

They should learn to self stitch before learning balisong tricks, in fact it should be mandatory 

That's what super glue is for.

[markn951]

I think the reason they are illegal here isn't because of the intimidation factor, it's because out public healthcare system has to pay for every stitch that guy needed while learning all those tricks!
Def

 

They should learn to self stitch before learning balisong tricks, in fact it should be mandatory 

That's what super glue is for.

+1 to that! 

[AHB]

I think the reason they are illegal here isn't because of the intimidation factor, it's because out public healthcare system has to pay for every stitch that guy needed while learning all those tricks!
Def

 

They should learn to self stitch before learning balisong tricks, in fact it should be mandatory 

That's what super glue is for.

+1 to that! 

Duct tape have saved me on a few occasions..  No Balisongs though.. 

[John]

I think the reason they are illegal here isn't because of the intimidation factor, it's because out public healthcare system has to pay for every stitch that guy needed while learning all those tricks!
Def

 

They should learn to self stitch before learning balisong tricks, in fact it should be mandatory 

That's what super glue is for.

+1 to that! 

Duct tape have saved me on a few occasions..  No Balisongs though.. 

I was wondering when duct tape hero would show up 

Great stuff  that Allan 

[josekym]

Here are two Bolisongs a friend gave me, it can punch through a coin.

Those look to be genuine Batangas blades... and since you mention that they pierce coins at the tip, then they are indeed.