Butterfly Knives

[47MartialMan]

What is your definition, opinion and/or commentary on Butterfly Knives?

 

[shesulsa]

Flashy, fun, impractical.

 

[Tgace]

Must be tiny to use with their little legs. Dont let one land on you with one...

 

[shesulsa]

Must be tiny to use with their little legs. Dont let one land on you with one...

hmmmmmmmm ....

 

[47MartialMan]

Flashy, fun, impractical.

That was cute and simple...

Do you know where they came from?

What is the name in relation to what is the item?

In other words, can you be more descriptive?

 

[47MartialMan]

Must be tiny to use with their little legs. Dont let one land on you with one...

OK, great and funny.....
Don't tell me they were catepillars with ore and morphed in to steel?

Any imput on what you view them as?

 

[Tgace]

Catepillars from the wrong side of the tracks...dealing pollen to the little insect larve. Brrrrr!!!

 

[Tgace]

Seriously though..theyre alright. Personally Id go with a good tactical folder. Fancy high dexterity opens are bad when the adrenaline gets flowing.

 

[dubljay]

Moot point if you live in the wonderful state of California as they are illegal.

Though my experience with butterfly knives lead me to beleive they are impractical (in more than one sense). No doubt that with anything training can make someone proficient, things happen under the effects of adrinline.

Just my opinion, I could be wrong.

-Josh

 

[Simon Curran]

It looks flashy when someone is doing the flick of the wrist open thingy, but at the end of the day, a knife is a knife: stick it in someone and they are in trouble.

 

[shesulsa]

That was cute and simple...

Thanks.

Do you know where they came from?

The Phillipines, I believe, and it is also knows as the balisong.

What is the name in relation to what is the item?

Your question is formed strangely - could you rephrase?

In other words, can you be more descriptive?

As to what, exactly?

 

[shesulsa]

... <snip> ... a knife is a knife: stick it in someone and they are in trouble.

I don't completely agree with that. Tactical folders are superior, IMHO. I'd hate to have to manipulate a balisong in CQC - unless I had nothing else.

 

[Tgace]

And the handle lock comes loose and the grip gets funky....

 

[shesulsa]

And the handle lock comes loose and the grip gets funky....

Precisely - even with a good tight grasp. But I sure do LOVE playing with my balisong. (ummm ... did that sound dirty?)

 

[Simon Curran]

I don't completely agree with that. Tactical folders are superior, IMHO. I'd hate to have to manipulate a balisong in CQC - unless I had nothing else.

Whilst I understand what you are saying, any sharp implement is potentially deadly, one of my schoolmates was stabbed to death at age 14 with an electrician's screwdriver, so although a particular type of knife may be tactically superior, it is the intent of the person holding the weapon which makes it effective, not the weapon itself.:asian:

 

[shesulsa]

Whilst I understand what you are saying, any sharp implement is potentially deadly, one of my schoolmates was stabbed to death at age 14 with an electrician's screwdriver, so although a particular type of knife may be tactically superior, it is the intent of the person holding the weapon which makes it effective, not the weapon itself.:asian:

While I agree that the technician's intent is part and parcel of the result, I think we must be careful to not ignore the importance of the weapon. Any knife in a good grip, well applied can be deadly - at least debilitating. But if your grip falters, the dead or debilitated could be you. This is the risk, IMVVHO, of the balisong. As Tom said, grip can get funky with a little work and (my addition) sweaty hands (adrenaline).

Again, if I had a choice between no weapon and a butterfly knife, I'd pick the butterfly knife. If I had a choice between a butterfly knife and a good folder, I'd most likely pick the folder. :asian:

 

[KenpoTex]

I like Bali's. Unfortunately they're illegal to carry in most places. One of the things I like about them is that they make a mean pocket-stick/kubaton in the closed position. Another is that when they are open, even when they loosen up (which happens to virtually all of them over time) they are still one of the stronger designs around when it comes to the integrity of the locking mechanism.

The need for practice is admittedly much greater with a bali than with a regular tactical folder. OTOH, I submit that you're probably going to have problems with your spyderco or benchmade if you're trying to access or manipulate it in the middle of a fight. While there are a lot of openings that are very flashy and difficult, there are a few (basic horizontal, latch-drop, etc.) that I feel I could pull off with just as much confidence as I would have using a tactical folder.

No, if they were legal, I wouldn't shelf my spydies and CUDAs in favor of a bali, but I'd probably carry one in addition to the others.

For some cool techniques and general info. check out these sites:
http://www.balisonginfo.com/techniques.html

http://www.balisongxtreme.com/

 

[Simon Curran]

Again, if I had a choice between no weapon and a butterfly knife, I'd pick the butterfly knife. If I had a choice between a butterfly knife and a good folder, I'd most likely pick the folder. :asian:

Agreed (although it is academic over here, since it is illegal to carry weapons)

 

[Makalakumu]

My teacher teaches a balisong form. I knowthe beginning, but did not learn the whole thing. The opening moves of the form open the knife and close it with some pretty high dexterity moves. I would say that this knife in particular and the forms that go along with it are designed for dueling. The opening and closing moves show hand dexterity and footwork that would intimidate an opponent in a duel and probably wow onlookers. I don't know much else about the balisong. I don't practice it much because knife dueling just ain't my thang...

 

[Gemini]

I think shesula's initial post summed it up pretty well. I have many knives, and of all of them, this would be my least desired in a time of need for all the reasons already mentioned. The fact that most of the others are legal and that one isn't plays a big part in that. It is fun though.