Balisong Knives

[BadMunkey]

Anyone fancy a few posts about balisongs?

I don't have one from www.balisong.com coz they aint legal.. but if I did it would be v nice! oh and it would have a kris blade too

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If I had one I would be able to do a few techniques from simple open/close to arial moves and a few offensive open/close techniques.
How many techniques do ya think there are!? I know about 35 - 40 opening and closing techniques that i can... or could perform If i had one

Id like to hear what other people think of balisongs and if they have any comments about them?

Nick

[juramentado]

balisongs are very nice knives

IMHO, the best folding knife design ever. Will not ever fail on you, with minimal parts that might break or crack. The more firmly you hold the handle, the blade is likewise more firmly held in place.

Using a balisong is part of the FMA style I practice. I practice opening and closing, not much on the fancy stuff. I'd rather learn to open it quickly in a self-defense situation, from any grip position, even when I've got adrenaline flowing.

And the balisong is also very effective as a palm stick, so you have a non-lethal alternative.

Owning a balisong in the Phil. is not illegal (and it shouldn't be) but the local police has a dim view of carrying a balisong in public. Balisongs have a shady reputation here and ironically you're better of with a western style tactical folder in case you get searched. And this is a quite possible with the security checks getting into every mall and building in the city. I'm hoping that the law turns around some day and allows balisongs in public for FMA practitioners.

[YODA]

err... yes - If they were legal I would have at least 4 - and I would have a clearly defined teaching progression for the various types of opening and closing - and errr.... I would be familiar with various aspects of it's use as a regular knife and also some balisong specific uses. If it were legal

[BadMunkey]

juramentado, what is IMHO?

Yoda, could ya give me some info on the teaching progression you would have.. if they were legal

I have a friend who is from Balisong in the Phil. If they were legal he would send some over next time he is visiting his family there. He was telling me that all the kids have a balisong and play with them as if toys, doing all kinds of tricks and techniques like throwing a closed bali from one hand to the other and catching it open.

[YODA]

IMHO = In My Humble Opinion

If it were legal I wouldn't have my progression on the PC - if I got around to entering it I'd be sure you send you a copy.

[khafra]

I carry a leatherman keychain and often also a tactical folder for those tasks which need a larger blade and the "just in case." I've been thinking about getting a balisong lately, since America's a bit more relaxed about blades and they're cheaper than tactical folders of equal sturdiness.
So, anyway, when I saw this thread I found myself wishing they were legal in the UK, so Yoda'd have a teaching progression he could make accessible--but, since they're not I guess I'll have to keep using the folders for those tasks requiring a larger blade ()

[YODA]

Hey khafra

Don't get me wrong - balisongs are very cool - but for function and general usage I'd go for a good quality tactical folder any day. and yes, I can open my Gerber as fast as I could my balisong, if I had one - one handed

[khafra]

Hm, maybe I'll stick to folders then--don't quite have the outlaw image of balisongs, even where they're legal, and opening without flair is of course faster than the alternative--but, still, that sturdiness thing appeals to me. I tend to loose small things like that, so a $10 butterfly knife as unlikely to have lock failure as a $70 folder is still kinda cool, even if the steel's of a much lower quality.
Probably a faux pas to use 'em as utility knives though, I suppose.

[YODA]

Balisongs are a nice toy to play with - other than that they offer no advantages over a modern good quality tactical folder. For example...



In fact - I don't carrty anything that expensive - I need something that will serve me day to day as a working tool, but is also cheap enough to "loose" if need be. My current "tools" are...



and......



and....

[juramentado]

I just had a discussion about this with my instructor. I asked him what he'd prefer to carry, if they are both legal, a tactical folder or a good quality balisong. And he said he'd go for the balisong. But then again he's very very good with a balisong so I guess his opinion is a bit biased.

Yes most tactical folders are really far more advanced than the typical balisong. The blade of a something like an Emerson folders is definitely better than an ordinary balisong.

But like I said, even when closed, a balisong can still do a lot of damages as a kubotan / palm sticks. And I would feel very confident about stabbing hard with a balisong, given its construction. I read somewhere about a test involving balisongs and a variety of folders and the balisong stood up to a lot of heavy stabbing use that rattled the folders. Can't seem to find the link in my IE favorites.

Anyway, in the right hands in a self-defense situation, even a butterknife can do damage..

in the UK, is it illegal to own a balisong or just to carry it outside your home?

[YODA]

in the UK, is it illegal to own a balisong or just to carry it outside your home?

Balisongs are illegal to...

* sell
* hire
* offer for sale
* offer for hire
* expose
* or import

Saying that - so are tactical folders --- see below

The law says you can carry a "folding pocket knife" with a blade less than 3 inches long. Recent case law has established that for a knife to classify as a "folding pocket knife" the blade must not lock open. So basically if it's safe to use it's illegal to carry - go figure!

The Balisong differs only in that it's actually listed on the prohibited weapons list - so it's size isn't a factor. Also - ANY knife designed or made to look like it's designed for "Combat" is illegal - so by defination anything advertsied as a "tactical folder" falls into that category.

From my website......

Article With Blade OR Point : Sec 139 Criminal Justice Act 1988

“Any person who has any article which has a blade or is sharply pointed, except a folding pocket knife unless the blade of such knife exceeds 3 inches, in a public place is gulity of an offence”

Harris v DPP, stated case law, confirms that a lock knife is not a folding pocket knife. Harris argued that his lock knife folded in the same way as a pocket knife. The Court stated that a lock knife is not a folding pocket knife. Even a lock knife with a blade 1 inch long is illegal due to fact that the blade locks…

Criminal Justice Act 1988, s139 as amended by the Offensive Weapons Act 1996, Section 3.

"For a knife to be a folding pocket-knife within the meaning of this section, it must be readily and immediately foldable at all times, simply by the folding process. A lock-knife, which required a further process, namely activating a trigger mechanism to fold the blade back into the handle, was held not to be a folding pocket-knife"

[BadMunkey]

What are good options to put in a poll??

say..

"what is your prefered type of knife?"

Balisong
Tactical Folder
Locl Knife
etc
etc
whatever you think?

throw a few ideas for options in b4 a poll goes up.


And how about a few thoughts on blade types????

My balisong.. if i had one.. would have a kris type blade as the pic shows up top. I like the advantages the kris design has. ie longer cutting edge for the length of blade, wider blade while minimising weight etc.

your thoughts?

[YODA]

Double edged Balisongs suck!

Have you tried any complex flips & openings with one? I mean a REALLY sharp one like a Benchmade - I have - BLOOD!!!!!

[YODA]

As for the poll - prefered knife for WHAT?

[BadMunkey]

I dunno.. help me out here... erm... prefered knife for FMA?