Butterfly knife

A Butterfly knife, also known as a fan knife or Balisong, is a folding pocket knife with two handles counter-rotating around the tang such that, when closed, the blade is concealed within grooves in the handles. It is sometimes called a Batangas knife, after the Tagalog province of Batangas in the Philippines, where it is traditionally made. In the hands of a trained user, the knife blade can be brought to bear quickly using one hand. Manipulations, called "flipping" or "fanning", are performed for art or amusement.

Butterfly knives are useful for situations where it is inconvenient to use both hands to open a knife. For example, a worker who is using a single hand to hold on to something as protection against falling will not wish to use that hand to open a knife. In such a situation it is useful to have a knife that can be opened with either hand.

The Balisong is commonly used by Filipino people, especially those in the Tagalog region, as a self defense knife and a pocket utility knife. An urban legend exists that every Batangueño carries one everywhere he or she goes.^[1] Hollow ground balisongs were also used as straight razors before conventional razors were available in the Philippines.

Contents 1 Etymology 2 Construction 3 Parts 4 Low-cost imports (1984-) 5 Vintage imports (1981-1984) 6 American butterfly knives 7 Legal status 8 Prominent manufacturers 9 See also 10 References

Etymology

While the meaning of the term balisong is not entirely clear, a popular belief is that it is derived from the Tagalog words baling sungay (literally, "broken/folding horn") as they were originally made from carved carabao and stag horn.^[2] These knives are also referred to as "fan knives", "click clacks" and "butterfly knives".

Balisong is also the name of a barangai in the town of Taal, Batangas province, which became famous for crafting these knives.

Construction

There are two main types of Balisong construction: "sandwich construction" and "channel construction".

Sandwich constructed balisong knives are assembled in layers that are generally pinned or screwed together. They allow the pivot pins to be adjusted tighter without binding. When the knife is closed, the blade rests between the layers.

For a channel constructed Balisong, the main part of each handle is formed from one piece of material. In this handle, a groove is created (either by folding, milling, or being integrally cast) in which the blade rests when the knife is closed. This style is regarded as being stronger than sandwich construction.

In the Philippines, balisong knives are distinguished by their length when fully opened. The traditional balisong is called the "veintinueve" (29, because they are 29 centimeters long when opened), although the sale of these is now prohibited. Smaller balisong knives are sold as either utility knives or as collectibles.

Parts

Bite Handle 

The handle that closes on the sharp edge of the blade.

Choil 

The unsharpened portion of the blade just above the kicker, that makes it easier to sharpen the blade.

Kicker (or Kick) 

Area on the blade that prevents the sharp edge from contacting the inside of the handle and suffering damage. This is sometimes supplanted by an additional tang pin above the pivots.

Latch 

The standard locking system, which holds the knife closed. Magnets are occasionally used instead.

Latch, Batangas 

A latch that is attached to the bite handle.

Latch, Manila 

A latch that is attached to the safe handle.

Latch, Spring 

A latch that utilizes a spring to propel the latch open when the handles are squeezed.

Latch gate 

A block inside the channel of the handles stopping the latch from impacting the blade

Pivot Pins

A pin or, in higher-end and custom made knives, a ball bearing system meant to maximize smoothness, about which the Tang/Blade/Handle assemblies pivot.

Safe Handle 

The handle that closes on the non-sharpened edge of the blade.

Swedge 

Unsharpened spine of the blade that is angled to appear as if it were sharpened.

Tang 

The base of the blade where the handles are attached with pivot pins.

Tang Pin(s)

Pin meant to hold the blade away from the handle when closed to prevent dulling; and, in some cases, a second pin to keep the handles from excessively banging together while the butterfly knife is being manipulated.

Low-cost imports (1984-)

Despite United States prohibitions on the import of butterfly knives, beginning in the 1980s, a variety of Asian manufacturers continued to export low-cost Balisong knives to the United States. These products are low quality due to their usage of cast handles made of brittle zamak alloy and blades made of low-quality steel.

Vintage imports (1981-1984)

From 1981 to 1984, hundreds of thousands of butterfly knives were imported into the United States from a variety of countries, primarily: the Philippines, Japan, China, and Korea -- although a few were also imported from France, Germany, and Spain. The best were primarily from the metalsmiths of Seki City, Japan, who manufactured butterfly knives for Taylor (Manila Folder), Parker (Gypsy), Valor (Golden Dragon), and Frost (a variety of very inexpensive butterfly knives). Guttmann Cutlery in the Philippines exported a high quality sandwich-style butterfly knife marketed as the "Original Balisong", which featured a variety of scale materials and high carbon steel blades.

American butterfly knives

Balisong USA started manufacturing butterfly knives in the late 1970s, then changed its name to Pacific Cutlery in the early 1980s, before finally becoming Benchmade. The earlier knives featured a wide variety of custom blade designs (many of which were hand ground by master knifemaker Jody Samson, well known for making the swords in the movie Conan the Barbarian), as well as a number of exotic inlays for the handles (ivory, prehistoric ivory, scrimshawed ivory, mother-of-pearl, ebony, tropical woods, etc.).^[3] In mint condition, some of these early Balisong knives are worth thousands of dollars. Used, with skeletonized or micarta handles and the standard "weehawk" or "Imada high hollow" grind, they typically start at around $300 and go up from there. Unusual grinds, like the "scimitar", "cutlass", "kris", "weehawk tanto", "Spanish Bowie", or rare "mariner" cause the value to increase significantly. These early American Balisong knives are highly sought after by collectors, who frequently purchase them as investments and store them in airtight safes. Benchmade stopped producing custom butterfly knives in the late 1980s, but regularly offers "Limited Editions" with special features. Other American makers of commercial Balisong knives include Bradley Cutlery (Mayhem), Spyderco (Spyderfly and Szabofly), Roton (Monarch), Microtech Knives (Tachyon), and SWAT (Tiger).

Legal status

Because of its potential use as a weapon, and possibly due to its intimidating nature and rapid deployment, the Balisong knife has been outlawed in several countries.

• In Australia, butterfly knives are generally classified as a prohibited weapon, which requires a special legitimate excuse to possess it. Australian Legal Definition: A flick knife (or other similar device) that has a blade which opens automatically by gravity or centrifugal force or by any pressure applied to a button, spring or device in or attached to the handle of the knife.
• In Canada, although not specified by name as a prohibited weapon, the Balisong knife is often considered by courts to fall under the "gravity knife" classification and is therefore illegal. (Unless grandfathered in before prohibition)
• In the UK, the butterfly knife has been legally classified as an offensive weapon since January 1989.^[4] Whilst they are legal to possess, carrying one in public is an offence under the Prevention of Crime Act 1953. Sale, lending, hiring, giving or importing is prohibited by the Criminal Justice Act 1988, as amended by the Offensive Weapons Act 1996. Any imported are liable to be seized and prosecution may follow. The exception to this are knives of this type over 100 years old which are classed as antiques.
• In Switzerland, butterfly knives are illegal to carry, give, lend, buy, trade. See the LArm and OArm on http://admin.ch
• In Germany, the butterfly knife was outlawed when the Waffengesetz (weapons law) was tightened in July 2003 in the aftermath of the Erfurt massacre. Thus buying, possessing, lending, using, carrying, crafting, altering and trading it is illegal and is punishable by up to five years imprisonment, confiscation of the knife and a fine of up to 10.000€. Using a butterfly knife for crime of any kind - as is any illegal weapon - is punishable by from 1 to 10 years imprisonment.
• In Lithuania, balisongs among other knives are legal to possess and carry as they are not considered as weapons. This excludes switchblades.^[5][6]
• In Hong Kong, the sale of full-size butterfly knives is illegal, but miniature versions can be legally obtained.
• In the Philippines, the sale of a 29-cm Balisong knife is illegal.
• In some U.S. states it is illegal to possess and/or carry such a knife in public. In certain jurisdictions, butterfly knives are categorized as a "gravity knife", "switchblade", or "dagger" although they are also occasionally outlawed by name ("butterfly knife"). In a recent US Federal Court case, Spyderco, Inc. pleaded guilty and was fined $75,000 for sending butterfly knives through the United States Postal Service. Spyderco admitted that from June 2005 through January 2007, it had mailed butterfly knives, after importing the knife components from Taipei, Taiwan, through the Port of San Francisco and the Port of Oakland, to Golden, Colorado.^[7]
  • The knife is illegal to carry in California if blade length exceeds two inches as with other automatic knives, they are legal to own if kept in your home.
  • There are legal restrictions on gravitational knives in Kansas.
  • In New York, the butterfly knife has been determined not to be a gravity knife.^[8]
  • In Oregon, it is illegal to carry a concealed Balisong.^[9]
  • In Utah, Balisong knives are legal as long as they are not concealed.
  • In Virginia, the butterfly knife is legal for conceal and open carrying according to state law, although localities can have additional knife laws and restrictions. See Thompson v. Commonwealth.^[10]
• Butterfly knife trainers feature a special blunt and unsharpened "blade", and are legal in areas where butterfly knives are not.

Prominent manufacturers

• Benchmade - Model 4X,^[11] Model 51/32.
• Spyderco - The Spyderfly, the Szabofly designed by Laci Szabo, and the recently introduced Smallfly (a smaller version of the Spyderfly).^[12]
• Bradley Cutlery- The Kimura series and the Mayhem.
• Bear & Son Cutlery - Full range of price points and features.
• Pinoy Steel - Quality classic and modern FHM balisongs.^[13]

See also

• Jacob's ladder (knife)
• Balisword
• Hackman butterfly knife
• Pantographic knife

References

Knives and daggers List of daggers List of blade materials Types of knives Aircrew Survival Egress Knife Athame Butterfly Ballistic Bayonet Boline Bolo Boning Boot knife Bowie Bread knife Cane knife Cheese knife Chef's knife Cleaver Clip point Combat knife Commander Corvo CQC-6 Dagger Deba bocho Diving knife Drop point Electric knife Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife Gerber Mark II Ginsu Grapefruit knife Gravity knife Hunting dagger Hunting knife Jacob's ladder Karambit Kīla Kirpan Kitchen knife Kukri Laguiole knife Machete Mandau Mezzaluna Misericorde Mora knife Multi-tool Nakiri bocho Navaja Opinel knife Palette knife Pantographic knife Penknife Penny knife Pocket knife Putty knife Puukko Rampuri Rondel dagger Sabatier Sami knife Santoku SARK Scalpel Seax Sgian dubh Sharpfinger Shiv Sliding knife Smatchet SOG Knife Straight razor Strider SMF Survival knife Swiss Army knife Switchblade Taping knife Throwing knife Tomato knife Trench knife Tumi Ulu Utility knife X-Acto Yanagi ba Types of daggers Anelace Applegate-Fairbairn fighting knife BC-41 Bagh nakh Baselard Bichawa Billao Bollock dagger Cuchillo De Paracaidista Cinquedea Dirk Ear dagger Facón Hachiwara Hunting dagger Jambiya Kaiken Kalis Kard Katara Khanjar Kris Mark I trench knife Ocean Edge Knife Parrying dagger Poignard Push dagger Seme Shobo Sica Stiletto Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife Tantō Marine Raider Stiletto V-42 Stiletto Yoroi tōshi Knife manufacturers Aitor Al Mar Knives American Tomahawk Company Bear MCG Benchmade Böker Brusletto Buck Knives Calphalon Camillus Cutlery Company Cattaraugus Cutlery Company Chris Reeve Knives Cold Steel Columbia River Knife & Tool Cuisinart Cutco Cutlery DOVO Solingen Dexter-Russell Eikhorn Emerson Knives, Inc. Ek Commando Knife Co. F. Dick Fällkniven FAMAE Fiskars Füritechnics Gerber Legendary Blades Global Golok Hanwei Imperial Schrade J. A. Henckels KA-BAR Kershaw Knives KitchenAid Korin Japanese Trading Company Kyocera Leatherman Mad Dog Knives Microtech Knives Morseth Murphy knives Ontario Knife Company Opinel Pro-Tech Knives Rada Manufacturing Randall Made Knives Rigid Knives Rösle SOG Specialty Knives Sabatier Aîné & Perrier Spyderco Strider Knives Survival Aids TEKNA Thiers Issard Victorinox W. R. Case & Sons Cutlery Co. Walther arms Wenger Western Knife Company Wilkinson Sword Windlass Steelcrafts Wüsthof Knifemakers A.G. Russell American Bladesmith Society Rex Applegate James Black Blackie Collins Ernest Emerson Phill Hartsfield Bill Harsey, Jr. Gil Hibben Knifemakers' Guild Zanjan Knifemakers Bob Kramer Jimmy Lile Bob Loveless Bob Lum William F. Moran Ken Onion Ralph Osterhout Robert Parrish (knifemaker) Walter Doane "Bo" Randall, Jr. Chris Reeve Jody Samson William Scagel Robert Terzuola Michael Walker (knifemaker) Buster Warenski Daniel Winkler Book:Knives and daggers Category:Knives / Daggers