Bali Use

[WayLander]

Hello friends. I just read the thread about Mike's new knives... I've been familiar with bali's for a dozen years, but I've never owned one. Are they hard to learn to use? I mean, the 'flip'... I've got the stud-folders down pat... I have nobody to teach me 'in person', so, any input would be interesting. Of course, I'd buy a cheap one to practice with, if I did at all...

Just seems like the next logical step, since I already have the nervous habit of flicking my EDC about every 4 minutes...

WayLander

 

[NGK-Webmaster]

it's not hard just takes practice, but please don't take my word for it I just started into the Bali's about 3 or 4 months ago and I am no expert not sure I have made it to beginner yet, but I have fun trying and I am preventing the stock market from dropping with band-aid sales.
a good place to start is here in the bali forums:
Bladeforums.com / Bali Forums


Then I would start with Clays site BalisongXtreme He has the manipulations broken down into beginner, intermediate etc. and has them in step-by-step pics with videos of each move.
Gollnick's site Bali-Song Collector also has allot of information on Bali's and is worth the time to look at, by the time you go through these sites and the bali forum you will have picked up other places and people to learn from and talk to, good luck happy swingin........

 

[Little claw]

You'd be better off going to the Balisong forum, the Newcomers thread at the top is really helpful with lots of info to look over.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=193245

As to difficulty YMMV.

Its as hard as you want it to be, I could teach you a simple opening in a couple of minutes, but it probably takes a bit longer from a book or something.

My first year or so was self taught, but when I got Jeff Imada's Advanced Balisong Manual I took off. This was more due to it stimulating my creativity than anything else.

Bearing in mind the help you will get here and on some of the sites in the thread above, you couldn't have picked a better time or place to start.

Dom

 

[Will'em]

what are they good for besides show? and ofcourse cuting...

 

[Gollnick]

what are they good for besides show? and ofcourse cuting...

What is any knife good for besides show and/or cutting?

Aside from all the fun you can have opening and closing them, the balisong lock is the strongest and most reliable lock mechanism ever yet devised for a folding knife. When a good balisong is locked open, it is as close to a fixed-blade knife as you can get. And yet it folds to approximately half the overall length and completely encloses the blade for safe, convenient carry when not in use. Add one-handed opening and closing and you can see why it's a great and very practical knife design.

 

[Will'em]

I see

 

[beluga]

Word up Gollnick.

It's also considered as a very effective martial arts weapon.

 

[K Williams]

Originally posted by NGK-Webmaster
it's not hard just takes practice, but please don't take my word for it I just started into the Bali's about 3 or 4 months ago and I am no expert not sure I have made it to beginner yet, but I have fun trying and I am preventing the stock market from dropping with band-aid sales.

...And he actually includes free bandaids with balisong purchases from his website. I haven't had to use the bandaids yet. The BM46 hasn't bitten me yet!