Balisong? Just a Phase?

L

little_chaozu

Joined
Nov 12, 2000
Messages
115
is it just a phase? Like does a lot of people get into balisongs, and after awhile they get bored of it? How do you know if your serious about this? It's kind of frustrating when you can't do the moves. I had a lot of hobbies which I got bored of after a couple of months. I wanna buy a BM42, but dunno if Im gonna be into balisong anymore in a couple of months. Right now, I'm really into it.
 
Hi there ..

I think it is kind of individual. I had 2 other friends who were into balis during high school but only me kept the craziness till date. Although .. I didn't do any new flip style for about 10 years out of it, I still love it and only recently stumbling into Master Clay that I picked up some new tricks.

Just go ahead and get your BM42 .. when you get bored, maybe you can junk it to me?
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Chris
"To use or not to use your Balisong - that is the question"
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Indonesian Balisonger
 
I think its your own call. Some people have short lived interests while for some, can hold interested for years. For me, I was about done with balisongs until I picked up a 42. Now, the interest is renewed and I am having more fun than I ever did with any Jaguar.
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Dave

My collection
 
I think David pretty muched summed it up. It's your own choice whether or not to change interests, but I say hang in there; don't give up on the bali yet. As soon as you get the hang of the moves, it'll be hard to put it down.

Take some time to look at the videos on balisong.com and balisongxtreme.com; I even suggest downloading them. It shouldn't take too long to get the hang of a manipulation, just be persistant and set your mind to it.
 
I got into balisongs six or seven years ago. My friend that saved me from geting a double edged bali was into them for only a month or so. I used it for any and every thing you could use any knife for. I never got into fliping untill a month ago. It's just a personal prefrence for them. I never wanted to learn how to flip it untill now. So, if you buy one, get a Jaguar, or Bear for starters. Use it till it wears out, by then you will know if its just a phasefor you. If you carry a pocket knife now, then the wors that will happen is that you will end up with a work horse of a knife.

Oh yea, I never even knew they were called Balisong knives untill finding this site! I used it for a normal pockett knife, still do.

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A man who knows not, and knows not that he knows not is a fool, avoid him. A man who knows not, and knows that he knows not is a wise man, teach him.
 
In the years past I've seen many come and go. Allot of them said that they'd never stop. Just like all arts, the balisong is not cut out for everyone.

So you've been into it for awhile, you don't quite have the moves down but you're determined to have the bad boy. (Have seen your inquiry on the exchange threads). You'll find your 42 for under $100 eventually.

I'd say you are setting your own path! Make your own decisions and see where it leads you. If you buy a particular blade and find out that you won't be needing it, it's obvious that you will be able to rid yourself of it.

One thing is for sure, IMO, if you're going to do something, DO IT RIGHT!

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"Catch you on the flip side"!
 
Did a BM42 really got your guys flippin again? Is it really that big of a difference? I hear a lot of good things about it. Do you guys think the price of the BM42 will go up in the future? or will it get lower? Cause if I wait too long, they might raise their price, or there be none in stock.
 
I don't know if this helps, but I have noticed a trend.

It seems the vast majority of people get heavily into them in the beginning (for any number of reasons), then their interest fades.

I think people expect more from the Balisong experience than they actually get.

I mean there's the "slay the bad guy" fantasy. The "everyone will think I'm cool" fantasy. The "chicks will dig me" fantasy.

When the reality of how much time you actually need to invest to become good hits them in the face they realize the time can be better spent on other things. Besides, the fantasies are never realized anyway.

No big deal. It happens to all of us during our lives (with one temporary obsession or another).

The thing is, the Balisong obsession usually comes back years later, and hits you much harder the second time around. THATS when you'll know if it's the "thing" for you.

......just one guys observations.

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Clay
www.balisongxtreme.com
Because......
getting 'em open
is half the fun!
 
I think most people quit because they don't know there are so many openings and tricks. My brother started years ago, but the only thing he could do was a basic horizontal. I picked up the old bali (China Cheapie) a couple of months ago, and now I can do some basic icepick/sabregrip transitions and backhand openings, which I learned from Clay's site. I even "invented" a transition myself!

But now I'm stuck...
I think i'll try some more moves today.

I have another problem, which I hope I can get rid of. The thing is I can't move my pinky's without my ringfingers moving along with them. I can't hold my bali with my pinky alone (like in the finger stretching from Balisongxtreme.com)
Does anyone else have this problem?

 
I don't know if the price will go up more in the future, but I do know that the price did go up ten dollars just recently. Overall, I think the price has gone up because when they first came out, they were around $100 from dealers, but now, they cost around $130-140 now- if you can even find them in stock.

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Dave

My collection
 
Guys!
My phase has lasted for 17-18 years...
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different in intensity but never lost!

Absolutely it's different for different people
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One cannot know how it will be, so why care? have fun for as long it is fun and then do something else!
Nothing more to it!

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Be well!/Jonas aka 2Sharp

"May all your detonations be expected"

The coolest bar in the world: http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Camp/8373/index.html
My knives!
 
I've always had a soft spot for the balis but drifted off into autos for awhile. But as Master Clay states," The thing is, the Balisong obsession usually comes back years later, and hits you much harder the second time around. THATS when you'll know if it's the "thing" for you." In the past year or so I've been lucky enough to stumble on to some more balis and made the decision this is what I want to dedicate my collecting and knifemaking time to. I find them much more fun to play with, rather than pressing a button and letting the mechanics take over.



[This message has been edited by Dawkind (edited 02-08-2001).]
 
I think it's a recurrent phase.

I bought my first bali at 12 yo. I played regularly with it, but it was not everyday.
I was not able to manipulate it very well.
The 2nd step was when I discovered the Imada's manual (14/15yo). I learnt a lot and trained more often. Then during a period (in High School) I stop flipping, I preferred hand & feet techniques (MA). When I arrived into my University School (a place where you work much much less than during the 2 preparatory years before), I had more time for hobbies and I decided to buy Benchmade balis. Again a period of excitement, and then a decrease. And since 2 years, I've been excited again by balis.

For me balisong is not a goal. It's a good start to evolve towards other weapons manipulation, or towards knives passion in general (maybe towards knifemaking), or towards FMA/Knife-defence systems, or towards collection.

Guillaume

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www.balisong.net
 
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Clay:

...
The "everyone will think I'm cool" fantasy.
...
Besides, the fantasies are never realized anyway.
</font>
Click to expand...

But I think you're cool, Clay! 8-)



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Balisong Sweden
 
Considering my previous behaviour patterns, I guess I will lose interest after some time, probably when something else comes into my life (I really tend to get all excited over new things and quickly lose interest)... but then again... u never know...
I sure HOPE that I will continue flipping!
I hope that I will develop a habit so strong I can't break it... and.. (hmm wait a second, is that a god thing? 8-) )... flip flip flip for the rest of my life... I will be ONE with my blade... and then I'll get to star in swedish action movies as the bad guy... and yes, chicks will LOVE me !! 8-)



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Balisong Sweden
 
well when I first picked it up (back in June) I found that I was pretty good at it. I have really good manual dexterity, so that's probably why. that and I always flipped my pen around anyway.

I've always found it fun and interesting. right now I've pretty much learned all the one handed stuff there is, so I'm just getting everything down pat. I've recently gotten pretty good on all throws, finger rollovers, thumb rollovers, etc.

so yeah, i'd say i'll be sticking with this for a while
 
Balisongs are part of my culture, not just a phase or hobby. Before I came to Bladeforums.com I didn't know so many people were into them. I've played with butterfly knives for about 14 years now. I don't think you'll get bored with them if you keep trying new techniques.
 
Sense I have been in the collectable knife business for about 15 years, I can say that Balisongs does not have what it takes right now to hold people attention for a prolonged period of time. The problem is, that the really good ones are very difficult & in some instances impossible to get. We would need more selection, and they would have to be easier to find, to get more people involved for long periods of time. If we could get customs off of our backs, then things would really open up and it would be a lot easier to find decent bali's. Thanks, JohnR7 www.BalisongKnife.com
 
It's weird. I just found my roots report I did in 8th grade. It was a picture of what I like to do or something. And there I drew a balisong on it. I never held one until like 3 months ago. I think I got the first I had an interest in them was when I watched "Face Off". The twice and turned, and not closing wounds was cool.
 
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