The Perfect Guide to Get You Started with a Butterfly Knife

Ashley Rosa
6 min readSep 11, 2019

Do you love carrying a knife? If that is so, then you must try getting yourself a butterfly knife and you will immediately fall prey to its fascinating design and mesmerizing features.

A butterfly knife is a type of a folding pocket knife which means that when this knife is closed, its blade moves inside the handles. Handles? Yes, a , also known as a Balisong knife has two handles which give it a unique look and differentiate it from all other knives.

Some other names of a balisong knife are the Batanga knife and the fan knife. Most of the times, the blade of a balisong knife features a single edge but sometimes, it may have double edges.

These knives have one of the fastest and efficient locking mechanisms and they are very simple to use as well (except flipping with them) which requires a great deal of practice, control and a high level of skills from the user.

The origins of these knives go back to the eighteenth century, however, there is a conflict when it comes to determining their true origin. Some people are of the opinion that butterfly knives were invented in the Philippines from the first time.

However, some people debate against this and say that the true origin of a balisong knife is France, not the Philippines. The truth has not been found until today but the knife has gotten quite popular over the years.

Generally, a butterfly knife is put up together in two ways which are known as the “Sandwich Way” and the “Channel Way”.

The sandwich way of constructing a balisong knife is most commonly used in low-quality knives or knives which are designed for beginners. The knife, in this case, is not made up of just one piece, rather it is made up of multiple pieces which are joined together in the form of layers.

These pieces are held together with the help of screws or with the help of pins. The first balisongs were constructed in the same way and the pieces usually came out of used cars or other recycled items.

In this second type of construction, a balisong is held together much more firmly than the first one. Therefore, this one is more strong. In this construction, all the important parts of the knife’s handle are constructed from one material. The blade of the knife tucks itself inside the groove of the handle when the knife closes itself. The groove is generally carved there.

The Butterfly knife, just like other knives, can be used for lots of purposes. In the early times, this knife was used by the Spanish people, especially the Sailors as a utility tool. This was somewhere around the eighteenth and the nineteenth century.

This knife was used to perform the tasks of everyday nature. Most of the times, they used it to cut fuses; this is why the handle of this knife was made up of brass as it was known for not causing a spark and the blade was made up of steel for effectiveness.

The sailors were usually surrounded by gun powder and this is why this construction suited the sailors the most. Only a few people had butterfly knives in those earliest days and then they became popular and people started manufacturing them in a huge amount. The Americans started using them as well in the twentieth century. Today, the butterfly knife is known to perform three basic functions.

The balisong knife may have a unique design but on basic levels, it is also a knife and can be used as a utility weapon. It can be used to perform a variety of utility tasks. Whether you are indoors or outdoors, the butterfly knife will help you finish your tasks conveniently.

You can easily cut vegetables and fruits with it. Its sharp blade will even help you cut ropes and boxes. It can also be helpful as a makeshift letter or package opener. The utility tasks that a balisong knife can perform are simply endless, so you can try using it as a utility tool as well.

Numerous people have been seen using a balisong knife as a self-defense weapon. Do you know what self-defense is? It is about defending oneself in the face of danger; now you could be defending yourself from a dangerous or big guy trying to hurt you, or you could be defending yourself from a wild animal baring his teeth at you, ready to eat you alive. People train themselves on using butterfly knives properly so they can use them effectively in fights and combats.

One use of a butterfly blade brush is to utilize it to practice the art of flipping. In case you’re simply beginning to learn this art, a butterfly knife and especially a trainer is an extraordinary practice instrument. Although it is a viable tool and additionally has the weight of a genuine balisong knife, yet it is not a real blade, rather is considered to be a fake one.

Why a fake one? Because it does not have a real and sharp blade, rather its blade is un-sharpened and blunt. However, it enables you to do similar traps that you would do with a real balisong knife. Buying a butterfly knife trainer which is comparatively cheaper than a real one. you won’t need to stress over harming a costly blade. Also, it will keep you safe and will also prevent hazards of a real balisong knife.

The flipping tricks of a butterfly blade are amusing to learn and look cool as well. You can learn them all the more effectively with a trainer knife, which is simpler to use and carry and won’t incidentally harm you. You can even practice high level and advanced tricks and techniques with a trainer knife and you will not have to worry about your safety and of those who are around you as well. The following are some of the most basic techniques of a butterfly knife.

In this technique, you flick your wrist while turning the handle so that the blade can be opened.

In this technique, you flick your wrist by switching the movement of the flick opening so that the blade can be closed.

A pinwheel is such a trick of a balisong knife in which the blade is flipped around in a movement like a pinwheel.

There are many other techniques as well which are for more advanced players i.e. the Aerial technique. These techniques must be mastered with a butterfly knife trainer first and then with these to ensure your safety.

Today, the design of a butterfly knife is not only found in the blades but in a variety of other items and tools as well. Let us have a look at them.

We all look for new and trendy designs when it comes to our accessories. So, would you like to try a butterfly comb? Don’t worry, it is super safe because it does not have a blade. Rather, it has the handle part designed as a butterfly knife and instead of the blade, there is a sleek and slender comb on it. You can definitely use it as a comb and there is one other use of it. You can use this butterfly comb to practice some flipping tricks. It will also help you practice safely and will act just like a trainer.

A butterfly bottle opener is simply a bottle opener which has handles just like the balisong knife and a very efficient bottle opener instead of the blade. That’s super awesome, isn’t it?

Originally published at https://www.sharpimport.com.

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