Balisong - Butterfly Knife

Welcome to the wonderful world of balisongs!

On this page you will find tons of useful information to help you get started on your journey to understanding this highly addicting and some might say controversial hobby.  Mastering this skill is not easy but the ability to constantly improve with practice makes the desire to juggle a knife something that everyone can eventually enjoy.

If you are looking to buy a real balisong with a sharp blade we’ve done an extended write up for you that will be a lot of help:

 

Everything You Need to Know Before Buying a New Butterfly Knife 

Introduction

Your whole life you’ve been told not to play with knives, well.. this hobby is just the opposite.  Of course you should not be trying any tricks with a sharp blade that you haven’t already mastered with a practice balisong knife.  It is paramount that when learning a new trick you use a butterfly knife trainer at all times.

Being able to stomp those awesome tricks with a sharp blade is one of the greatest feelings in the world but it takes time to get to that point.  Even the best flippers will tell you that they practice new tricks with a trainer before attempting them with the real thing.  Nobody wants to slice their finger open in the middle of a session and then have that annoyance for the next couple of weeks until it heals so be smart and stay safe right off the bat.

So What Is A Butterfly Knife?

A butterfly knife is a type of folded pocket knife that consists of a blade and two handles attached at pivots.  These pivots allow the handles to swing opposite of each other ultimately concealing the blade.  Because of this design, the knife can easily be opened and closed with the use of only one hand.

The handle nearest to the sharp edge side of the blade is called the bite handle and the handle nearest to the non sharp side, the swedge, or spine of the blade is considered the safe handle.  Typically there is a free swinging latch connected to the bottom of the bite handle that can be used to secure the blade in an open or closed position.  Many flippers opt to remove this latch as it can get in the way when trying to do certain tricks with the knife.

What is the Difference Between A Balisong and a Butterfly Knife?

Nothing, a balisong is also called a butterfly knife in the United States and is a type of knife which has a blade that can be concealed inside the handle.  Other names for the knife can include batangas knife or fan knife.  The name “Balisong” is traditionally the name that is used in the Philippines but has since been widely accepted as the reference used for this particular knife style.

Why is a Butterfly Knife Called a Butterfly Knife?

There are many different theories as to why it has this name but it most likely spawns from the shape of the knife.  Like a butterflies body the knife becomes hidden when the two separate handle close upon it like a butterflies wings.

Is a Balisong a Gravity Knife?

Sometimes it is categorized as a gravity knife because it uses gravity to allow the blade to release from inside the handle and then later return to that position afterwards, but in reality it does not quite meet the qualifications to be considered as such.  Many often classify it as a gravity knife so that it can be made illegal in certain areas that the authorities do not want people to have them.

The classic style is such that the handle easily splits open allowing the blade to be flung out before re-gripping the handle like you would a standard knife.

Why are Butterfly Knives Illegal?

They are not illegal everywhere but balisongs are illegal in many parts of the world due to their ability to be concealed so easily, their ability to easily and quickly be opened with one hand, and because people also tend to buy them for the sole purpose to juggle them.  This is a hot topic in regards to how extreme some of the restrictions are as in reality they aren’t really that much more dangerous than a simple pocket knife.  These knives are in reality pretty safe as long as the owner uses the tool in a responsible way as they should be with any sharp object.

Because Butterfly Knives are illegal in so many places many people opt to instead buy trainer knives.   Balisong trainers are imitations of the real thing but instead of a sharp offensive blade they are blunt on all sides.   They are especially popular among skill toy enthusiasts as it makes training much less risky and a whole lot more enjoyably.   Less cuts means less frustration and less trips to the hospital means more time to practice this awesome skill toy hobby!

Can You Carry A Butterfly Knife Trainer?

The answer in most cases is yes but you really need to do extra research to find out the legality in your specific region and country.  You are better off not carrying it to locations where you aren’t allowed to have a knife period such as school, playgrounds, or the airport but carrying around a toy trainer to help you practice throughout the day in the down moments is probably ok as it is of no threat to anyone.

Where Was The Butterfly Knife Invented?

Although it is now making a monumental rise in popularity today where many still have never heard of it we can trace its roots back to the Philippines around the years 700-800 AD.  The knife has been made widely popular from its appearance in many martial arts movies and now again recently because of its appearance in so many video games such as CS:GO, Team Fortress 2, and Call of Duty.

What Are Butterfly Knives Used For?

Although many have this knife for self defense or just as an everyday carry blade, it has quickly become a skill toy obsession by many dedicated enthusiasts.  Spinning a “bali” as some call it, is gaining traction all over the world and very exciting and addicting as you start to get the hang of it.  It is an impressive craft of skillfully manipulating the blade around and between each hand switching the knife between an open and closed position.  It’s a lot of fun and you wont be sorry you checked it out unless you accidentally cut your finger, which is why I can’t stress enough that you use a training blade.

There are endless types of tricks that can be performed by the average hobby flipper starting from a simple open and close to much more difficult flip and toss tricks.

Where Can I Buy A Butterfly Knife?

There are a couple of places around the internet that sell high quality sharp knives as well as trainers but the best place that we have found to acquire one is from here.   You can also many times find a great selection at your local knife store or outdoor store but we have found the best selection and quality to be found from an online location.  Buying online is great because you have the ability to read the reviews from other flippers that have bought the same knife who will definitely let you know when the quality does not match the price that is being asked for it.

Conclusion

I hope that this article gave you a brief glimpse into the wonderful skill toy hobby of butterfly knife flipping.

It is truly one of the more fun skills that you can pretty easily learn in a relatively short amount of time but also hard enough that it will take many years of constant training to truly master the art.  When done responsibly and with the appropriate tools there is very little risk or danger to you or those around you.

Don’t be a dummy, practice regularly, and you will be a master knife flipper impressing all those around you in no time.

Good luck, have fun, and get flipping!

-Toyskills