Balisong knives are the traditional Filipino name for what is known as a butterfly knife in America. They can be spelled Bali Song, Bali-song, or Balisong. The hyphenated version of the name is a trademark but is commonly used by individuals as another way of saying butterfly knife. This is similar to people misusing the term Photoshop as a verb.
Balisong History
The term “Balisong” came from the Philippines, where the knives originated from. The knives came to America after WWII when sailors and soldiers brought them back from the Pacific. After their introduction in the 1950′s, the Bali Song knife was not popular in America. It was not until the 1980′s when American pop culture started incorporating Machoism. With actors such as Arnold, the idea of a muscular, tough, warrior males became more and more popular. This caused the rise in demand for Balisong knives along with other weapons.
The first appearance of the Balisong knife appeared in the 1700′s in the book Le Perret. It has a picture of a folding knife where the blades fit inside the handles. The Balisong knife has been apart of the Eskrima fighting art since 800 AD. Currently, there is a town in the Philippines called Balisong and their basketball team is the Balisong Blades. As you can see, the Balisong knife has deep roots in the Philippines.
How the Balisong came to America
The demand for the Balisong knife was meet by overseas imports. Increased production in the Philippines as well as south Asia, south east Asia, east Asia, and Pakistan gave America a surge of knives at low prices. Some American manufactures started making these knives as well. The most famous is the Benchmade corporation because of their quality and durability. Unlike the imported knives, US made knives were built to last. They incorporated higher quality metals, plastics, and craftsmanship then the cheaper Chinese, Indian, and Pakistan ones did not have. However, the historic Philippines Balisong are still in high demand.
One reason for the demand for a quality Balisong knife was that, with a low quality one, the knife became dull, rust, or fell apart after use. Also, a lot of Balisong knives were used as a demonstration for flipping. Show knives required more attention to detail then work knives. This will be discussed below.
What the Balisong knife is made of
Basically, the Balisong knife is made of two handles, a blade, and a pivot point. The handles have grooves that can cover the blade when closed. By flipping the knife, the blade is revealed. A talented person can use the balisong knife with one hand. This is good for self defense as well as work. For example, a person who is stablizing himself on a ladder would not want to use two hands to open his knife. This is where a Balisong knife would be useful to have. Unlike other folding pocket knives, you do not need two hands to open a Balisong.
The items used in a production makes a big difference in the quality of the knife. Some knives are made of only steel whereas others have steel blades and non-metal handles. The non-metal handles allows you to use the knife on materials that might conduct electricity. Also, the non-metal handles are lighter then metal handles and, therefore, are better for beginners who are practicing flipping.
As for the blade, you would want one that has a fine finish to it. A finish is the final blast the knife gets when it is in production. A finer finish helps prevent rust. A low quality finish will leave small pours on the metal and, because of that, will allow rust to form easier. You can also prevent your knife from rusting by using a wax such as Renasaunce Wax. The wax will keep your knife from being scored when in use.
How to Care for your Balisong Knife
Unlike your steak knives, great care should be used on your Balisong knife. This is because, with poor care, your knife will not only become dull but become nonoperational! Do not place your knife in lemon juice or other acids. Do not drop it in sand and, if you do, clear the sand out as soon as possible. Make sure there are no sand in the hindge. Keep the blade and handles clean as well. Do not operate the knife when the handles are oily because you can risk slipping your hand.
When you order your Balisong knife, it will come in a carrying case. Make sure you return your knife to the carrying case after ever use. There are many reasons for this. Doing this will protect your handles better then placing your Balisong in the knife drawer. Never place your Balsing knives in the knife drawer. Placing your Balisong in its case will also protect the knife from dust, dirt, and other items that can accumulate on it if left out in the garage.
Before and after every use, make sure you do some prevenative maintenance. Look for signs of aging, rusting, tightness in the joints, and wear. Look for dirt, debree, dust, and sand. Make sure the joints are in working order. Make sure that the blade does not have dents, nicks, and bends. If you do see these signs, clean your knife. Doing this will make sure that your Balisong knife stays fresh and new.
During use, do not use your knife on hard metals. Cutting hard metals with a Balisong knife will dull the edge, bend the edge, or damage the blade. You should use a metal knife for such a task. Balisong knives can be sharpened but that would wear down on the factory finish.
How to choose the Right Balisong Knife for You
Why do you want a Balisong knife? Is it for work or play? The answer to this will determine what type of knife you need. If it is for show, flipping, or demonstrations, you would want a high quality Balisong. If you are needing one for work, a lower quality one can do as long as the blade is sharp. Also, if you are thinking about getting a Balisong knife for play, you can get a Balisong trainer knife instead. This is similar to a normal Balisong except for the fact that there is no real blade. The metal is never sharpened and, therefore, good for practicing. You can also tape up a cheap Balisong with duct tape as a home made Balisong trainer.
Also, when you are first starting out using your Balisong Knife, you would want to find a light weight knife. The heavier the handles are, the more talent it will require to open it with one hand. The length also plays a part in how the handles perform. The longer the Balisong, the more skill and dexternity that is needed. Balisong knives are measured by their length in centimeters.