Traditional balisong? (2023)

Why are Balisong knives illegal?

Legal status. The balisong has been outlawed in several countries, mainly due to its easy utility in crimes and ability to be easily concealed for the same purpose. In some jurisdictions its criminal use is considered a knife crime.

In California, butterfly knives are prohibited. Under California Penal Code 21510 PC, butterfly knives are classified as a form of switchblade. Carrying, possessing in public, selling, or otherwise transferring a butterfly knife is illegal under this legislation.

The vast majority of states in America do allow butterfly knives. In fact, there are 42 states plus the District of Columbia in which butterfly knives are legal. Some of the other eight states do allow people to own butterfly knives but place severe restrictions on the usage of these knives.

Balisongs, often referred to as butterfly knives, are typically recognized by their two-handle design. A balisong is defined as a knife with two folding handles that rotate on pivots to become a sheath. Despite its simple definition, there are many unique features that differ from one balisong to another.

Under Penal Code 21510 PC, butterfly knives are considered a form of a switchblade and are illegal in California. Specifically, it is a crime to carry, possess in public, sell, or otherwise transfer a butterfly knife.

Besides Utah and Oregon, visible butterfly knives are also allowed in Wyoming, North Dakota, and Oklahoma. Owners of butterfly knives in New York will also need to possess proper hunting or fishing permits to make their carry legal. New Hampshire restricts possession of butterfly knives to certain citizens.

It can serve as non-lethal, blunt impact tool even when unopened. Before you even deploy the blade, the exposed back of the blade's tang (see photo below) or even the tips of the handle can be used to strike at an opponent's vital areas.

The word "balisong" is thought to have originated there. Filipinos from the Tagalog region, employed the balisong as a self-defense and pocket utility knife. Before conventional razors were introduced in the Philippines, hollow-grind balisongs were also used as straight razors.

Butterfly knives have more moving parts and are therefore more likely to fail than a fixed blade knife. The balisong is not a gravity knife.

Therefore, if you have one of these practice knives, be careful never to carry or use it in public or on the street, never bring it to a school or park, never bring it on an airplane. Simply practice at home or at a martial arts studio, and keep it packed up while bringing it there.

Can you carry a balisong in Texas?

Under Tex. Penal Code § 46.01 (2012), it's legal to own and openly carry knives, along with throwing stars (and any other type of throwing knife), swords, spears, switchblade knives, pocket knives, and Balisongs (butterfly knives).

Zen Pins: These refer to the stop pins that prevent the blade from over-rotating. Tang pins are mounted in the blade's steel, like on the Bradley Kimura. Zen pins are inside the handles rather than externally, like on the Bear Ops Bear Song VIII.

The butterfly knife, sometimes referred to as Batangas blade, is a lethal weapon that in the hands of a skilled professional can be opened faster, than a western switchblade. Perfecto de Leon introduced the knife in 1905 where most of the butterfly knives originated from barrio Balisong Taal, Batangas.

Like the rest of Hom Design's balisongs, the Basilisk-R uses a high precision bushing pivot system. The Hom Design Basilisk-R comes in G10 or Carbon Fiber scale with titanium liners for around $370 and $400 respectively. It's also offered in a full titanium build known as the Basilisk-R Ti, starting at around $420.

The holes in the practice blade are to make it lighter, to simulate the weight and balance of an actual blade. The Practice blade is simply stamped flat steel, so w/o the holes it is much heavier than an actual blade, which is is forged and ground to a tapering wedge shape.

Butterfly Knives are Illegal to carry in California. The laws concerning butterfly knives are not specifically detailed in the California Statutes. However, the California Courts have determined that butterfly knives fit within the definition of switchblades.

For the uninformed, OTF knives are a type of switchblade – that is, an automatic knife which deploys the blade 'automatically' on pressing a button or switch. Specifically, the OTF knife is a switchblade where the blade simply comes 'out the front'.

Remember though, the stiletto is only banned or restricted in 16 states and is legal in states from coast to coast, between the borders, and even in Alaska. It's just important to check your local knife laws to make sure they are allowed to be owned and carried.

While people have been flipping butterfly knives for centuries, the sport only began to develop in the 21st century.

Butterfly swords are used in several Chinese martial arts, notably Wing Chun, Hung Ga, and Choy Li Fut. In Wing Chun, one notable aspect of butterfly sword combat is that its principles are the basis for all other weaponry.

Is A butterfly knife good for Survival?

As a survival tool, the butterfly knife can be a literal lifesaver. One-handed opening is a must for those times when you don't have a second hand available — holding off an attacker or vicious dog, holding onto a precariously wrecked vehicle or structure, maintaining pressure on a bleeding wound and so on.

The Aerial is the most difficult single trick on with a butterfly knife. However artists will usually combine many tricks to make it more difficult. When combined the Ladder Aerial to Reverse Chaplin is extremely difficult to master.

Butterfly knives, also called balisongs, are great martial arts weapons for those who love hidden weapons or easy-to-conceal knives. The distinct feature of butterfly knives is the handle that encloses the blade when closed and flips open with just the right flip of the wrist.

Ballistic knives are the most banned knives in the country, and the fed says there are good reasons behind the restraint order.

I never really dedicated much time to practice flipping, but I realized that the balisong is a very good fidgeting toy. I found myself flipping my balisong aimlessly walking around the house, in my room, or even in class, repeating the few beginner tricks I knew.

The weight that most people tend to look for is around 4 ounces.

Butterfly Knife

However, because the law which made switchblade knives illegal was repealed in 2013, butterfly knives are now legal to own in Texas.

Texas allows adults and juveniles under 18 to carry knives with blades shorter than 5.5 inches anywhere in the state. Adults may carry knives longer than 5.5 inches in most places aside from restricted locations like courthouses, government buildings, and schools.

Is a gravity knife illegal in Texas?

It's not that there aren't any illegal knives. Gravity knives, which have blades released from their handles or sheaths by the force of gravity, are still prohibited in Texas. The main change involves knives with blades longer than 5.5 inches.

If your knife has a fixed blade less than four inches long, it is perfectly legal to carry it in New York. However, if the knife is a folding knife, balisong or “butterfly knife,” a “gravity knife,” or any form of pilum ballistic, it is illegal to possess on your person in New York.

It is illegal to conceal carry a butterfly knife in North Dakota though you are allowed to own one and to carry it openly. In the state of North Carolina, most of the time citizens are free to carry most pocketknives.

A balisong knife is sometimes called a butterfly knife since it looks like a butterfly when being used. It is a unique knife with two handles and one blade. Those two handles are movable and can be folded together to conceal the blade between them.

Popularly believed to derive from the Tagalog phrase baling sungay (literally "broken horn"), since the original balisongs were made from carved animal horns.

Around $300. In my opinion, butterfly knives in the $300 price range have the best ratio of price to performance. Above this price the quality and feel of balisongs does still improve, but not always enough to warrant a much higher price tag.

What makes them illegal is that they were used in action movies for their intimidation factor so since they're scary looking is the reason for their ban (same with gravity knives,OTFs, and autos) .

It can serve as non-lethal, blunt impact tool even when unopened. Before you even deploy the blade, the exposed back of the blade's tang (see photo below) or even the tips of the handle can be used to strike at an opponent's vital areas.

This style of knife could be opened quickly with one hand and easily used as a weapon. It proved a common choice for self-defense and utility uses.

Why do balisongs cost so much?

balisongs are expensive due to their hand made nature and expensive materials. high end balisongs can last you forever but cheaper ones would fall apart in a week or so. so going for something higher quality is always good.