{"id":556,"date":"2022-11-19T21:02:17","date_gmt":"2022-11-19T21:02:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/?p=556"},"modified":"2022-11-19T21:02:17","modified_gmt":"2022-11-19T21:02:17","slug":"balisong-what-is-a-butterfly-knife","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/?p=556","title":{"rendered":"Balisong: What Is a Butterfly Knife?"},"content":{"rendered":"


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By Todd Burgreen<\/a><\/p>\n

M<\/span>y journey with balisong \u2014 \u201cbutterfly\u201d \u2014 knives began in the early 1990s with a purchase of a Benchmade Balisong Model #259 from a kiosk in a Charleston, South Carolina mall. At that time, I had no experience with the twin-handle whirling dervish blade. It just caught my eye, aided by the young salesperson manipulating it closed and open almost as an afterthought as he talked with me. I should have also invested in the butterfly knife trainer sitting next to Benchmade I bought. The hubris of youth.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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The balisong, or butterfly knife, is a common but often misunderstood tool. The author explains what the knife is and some of the benefits of the design. Photo: Michael\u00a0Janich<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Over the years, my attraction and appreciation of butterfly knives has grown. I have added several more butterfly knives to my collection including the Spyderco SmallFly2, Boker Tactical Balisongs, and Bear OPS Bradley Kimura Butterfly and Bear Song VIII B800. I also wised up and bought a Boker Trainer.<\/p>\n

But why the continued seduction by balisongs\/butterfly knives? Aren\u2019t they hard to use? Aren\u2019t they easy to cut yourself with? Great questions. Let\u2019s consider them.<\/p>\n

What Is a Balisong?<\/h2>\n

Before the ascendancy of spring-loaded folders, which make a mockery of most knife laws stemming from the 1950s-60s, balisong\/butterfly knives offered the convenience\/potency of one-handed opening capability.<\/p>\n

\"bradley\n<\/picture>
Unlike other folding knife designs, the balisong does not require any springs or lock mechanism. When closed, the blade is concealed within grooves in the\u00a0handles.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The origin of the balisong-type knives is debated. Balisong or butterfly knives are most associated with the Philippines, dating back to the early 1900s when the blade type was embraced not only by the martial arts community but also as common pocket utility blades.<\/p>\n

The Batangas province in the Philippines is most closely associated with the balisong and remains the center of balisong production in that country. Balisong literally means \u201cbroken horn,\u201d because the traditional handles were made from animal horn. Historians also point to the 800 A.D. Chinese Tang Dynasty and 1700 A.D. France as other possibilities for balisong origination. The European claim is backed up by actual drawings, and inclusion in cutlery catalogs from the period.<\/p>\n

\"training\n<\/picture>
This is a Boker training balisong owned by the author. He added it to his collection once he wised up with\u00a0age.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Regardless of origin, the balisong\/butterfly appearance in the U.S. is attributed to the Philippine connection. The first balisongs to make it to the U.S. were brought by returning G.I.s after World War II and by immigrating Filipino farm workers.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, many federal, state and local jurisdictions lumped balisongs into the same prohibited category as automatic switchblades and gravity knives. I stress the importance of verifying your local area\u2019s legal stance on the balisong. No need to get legally hemmed up over carrying one, no matter how cool they are.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Butterfly Benefits<\/h2>\n

I was quick to consult with knife guru Michael Janich on the balisong topic for this article. Michael is the founder of Martial Blade Concepts, a premier personal defense training organization, as well as being Special Projects Coordinator for Spyderco.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"open\n<\/picture>
The butterfly that started it all for the author \u2014 the Benchmade Balisong Model\u00a0#259.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Michael pointed out that the balisong is a basic design with two handles rotating around a tang. Although they look complicated, they are less complicated to manufacture than you might think. Unlike some other folding knife designs, it does not require any springs, and a locking mechanism and ultra-tight tolerances are not necessary. So, it\u2019s possible to make one without sophisticated tooling. Despite this, it is a very strong knife design, either open or closed, thanks to its simplicity.<\/p>\n

When closed, the blade is concealed within grooves in the handles i.e., like a basic folding pocketknife. Unlike most folding knife mechanisms, the balisong can even feature double-edged blades and still be carried safely in the pocket since the handles completely enclose the blade when closed.<\/p>\n

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The encompassed blade design eliminates the need for a sheath, and the shape created by the design means even a balisong with a 4\u201d blade is relatively slim\/svelte, easily fitting inside a sock, pocket, boot etc. Measuring by length of blade, a balisong will be significantly lighter than a comparably sized typical folding knife.\u00a0<\/p>\n

How to Use a Butterfly Knife<\/h2>\n

The balisong\u2019s most noteworthy attributes are countless one-handed opening and closing methods via flip, twist, drop, twirl, etc.<\/p>\n

\"butterfly\n<\/picture>
The first step to opening a butterfly knife is to release the latch that holds the handles together over the blade. Photo: Michael\u00a0Janich<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A quick check of the internet will even show \u201ctricks\u201d involving the balisong \u2014 something well outside the focus of this article. An early nickname for balisongs was \u201cclick-click\u201d knives due to the sound made from the handles when flipping\/fanning.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"standard\n<\/picture>
Opening a butterfly knife is a fun thing to watch and learn. However, the author highly recommends using a blunt-edged training knife to learn the process. Photo: Michael\u00a0Janich<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Some will make a case against the balisong based on the level of manipulation required to open. Yes, these are sophisticated opening methods incorporated in more advanced martial art disciplines \u2014 but they are not a requirement for effective use. Don\u2019t let the flash of certain presentations mislead you; a balisong can be quiet and simple to deploy by simply dropping the bottom handle and rotating your wrist.<\/p>\n

\"michael\n<\/picture>
In this photo, knife expert Michael Janich shows his method of opening a balisong knife. Photo: Michael\u00a0Janich<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A case can be made that, even closed, the balisong offers some utility as a blunt weapon similar to a Kubotan, enhancing striking or applied to pressure points. Any blade \u2014 even a fixed blade \u2014 requires training to be effective. Do not fall prey to thinking equipment alone will suffice when it comes to personal defense.<\/p>\n

My Choices<\/h2>\n

While I own multiple balisongs, I chose the Spyderco SmallFly2 and Bear OPS (tactical division of Bear & Son Cutlery) Bear Song VIII B-800 to highlight specific concepts of the balisong knife in this article.<\/p>\n

\"collection\n<\/picture>
Examples of butterfly knives include those in the author\u2019s collection. Included are balisongs from Benchmade, Spyderco, Boker Tactical and\u00a0Bear.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Spyderco SmallFly2\u2019s aesthetics are defined by skeletonized handles and a 2.82\u201d razor-sharp, flat-ground edge created from CPM S30V stainless steel. The SmallFly2 weighs only 3.4 ounces with an overall length of 7.5\u201d and a closed length of 4.35\u201d. A spring-loaded latch secures the handles together in the closed position, which can be released by squeezing the handles together. A removable wire pocket clip can be attached to either side of the SmallFly2 based on user preference for carry orientation.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Bear OPS VIII Butterfly features a 4\u201d Bowie-style 154CM blade with a taper-ground edge. The handles are Cerakoted stainless steel. Pivot bearings keep the knife shifting from open to closed. The Kimura measures 5.25\u201d closed to 9.5\u201d open with a weight of 5.1 ounces. The Bear OPS VIII is the more traditional-looking balisong of the two.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I purposely chose the SmallFly2 and Bear OPS balisongs to show the range of possible options. It is important to realize that due to different dimensions and weights each balisong \u201cflips\u201d uniquely. An end user should be aware of this. Balisong blades offer different things to different people \u2014 personal defense, discipline of mastering, utility, even entertainment. Each of these makes balisongs well worthy of consideration.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Editor\u2019s Note: Please be sure to check out The Armory Life Forum, where you can comment about our daily articles, as well as just talk guns and gear. Click the \u201cGo To Forum Thread\u201d link below to jump in and discuss this article and much more!<\/em><\/p>\n

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By Todd Burgreen My journey with balisong \u2014 \u201cbutterfly\u201d \u2014 knives began in the early 1990s with a purchase of a Benchmade Balisong Model #259 from a kiosk in a Charleston, South Carolina mall. At that time, I had no experience with the twin-handle whirling dervish blade. It just caught my eye, aided by the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":557,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-556","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/556","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=556"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/556\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/557"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=556"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=556"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=556"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}