Balisongs

Well, think of them as a good start.

In my experience, the Jaguar with oval hole solid handles is more resistant to breakage than the model with plastic inserts.

However, with a Jaguar the pins are your first concern. They will break or come out after some use; this is simply a fact. At that point (or earlier, of course), you may apply Clay's pin fix--found at http://www.balisongxtreme.com/baliplanet2/tips/7-18-99.htm --to arrive at a balisong that is, in the words of Thing-Fish, "mo-less UN-DESTRUCTABLE!"
 
Jaguar doesn't really make balisongs. They make balisong parts. They make nice blades in 440 stainless and solid handles. Those are then imported into the US where the dealers assemble them and sell them. But, the dealers don't really want to buy the expensive and dangerous equipment required to install really good pins. So, most of the Jags you buy are going to break apart at the pins quickly. You just repin them following the instructions on Clay's site (when he get's it back going), and you're off and running again.

The Dragon Forged balisongs sold by http://www.1sks.com are Jaguars, but they seem to have better pins. They're on sale right now to forum members.



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Chuck
Balisongs -- because it don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing!
http://www.balisongcollector.com
 
Chuck,
Your answer to this post sparked an idea. You said
" - the dealers don't really want to buy the expensive and dangerous equipment required to install really good pins."

My idea is this. What if someone with the equiment was to become a dealer. Could they put good pins into the jag handles and blades? Do you think it would even be worth it, or are the zamak handles too cheap to justify the expence?
To take it even further, how about making totally different handles and pins, using only the Jaguar blades. Would there be any legal issues considering that you would buy the blades from Jaguar.
I only have one Jag that I use when working on moves that I will likely drop the knife. I have gone through several, but use the same blade each time I break the handles. Therefore, I have 3 unused Jaguar blades. I have been thinking about taking a crack at making handles for them. Just for the fun of it. If I came up with a decent/inexpensive handle, maybe I could make lots of them.
It could be a cheaper alternative for high abuse knives. Just a thought.
James



[This message has been edited by JamPrit (edited 07-03-2000).]
 
You can get an $8 bali from budkww.com. It is a really crappy knife. The handles don't come anywhere near touching in the open position, this requires you to carve "cups" in the handles where the tang pin hits them. Also, file off the heads of the hollow brass pins and replace the pins yourself. Finally, add a little militec-1 to get rid of the squeaking. Practice knives don't get much cheaper.
 
well theres one more balisong i found, its a Bear MGC, are they good balisongs?? i already have a Jaguar 23b and 23, they are good so far. but when i can order the new BM42 ill get one of those, but until then i wanted a good balisong thats not over $75.

Quicksilver27
 
Assuming you paid the lowest price I've seen on Jags, $15 each, plus a reasonable $20 on a bear, that would be about $50. You say you are looking for a good bali under $75? If your in it to amass a collection of current production run bali's, the bears are ok. If you want a great user, take the $75 you have to spend and wait and save for a bit. For a hundered even (+ shipping), you could get a 42. Jags are great for the money, and i love mine dearly, but if you almost have the cash, its more then worth it to save a few more bucks, play with what you have, then get the best current production available. Thats the way I went, and, for me, it was worth it. And yes, the 42 is at leat 10 times better then the Jags (or Bears, or Wyls, etc).
 
where can you get a BM42 for a $100?? the lowest ive seen was $119 at http://www.knifecenter.com/. i already have a BM49, its better than most balisongs, but i dont wanna drop it or break it when doing tricks. so im trying to get the BM42, they are avaliable July 10th at knife center. well do bear butterflys have good pins and blades, so they wont break like jaguar??

Quicksilver27
 
mjs kvives sells for $100. The black will wear off, how quickly depends. The Beard have good blades and pins, so i am told, but the handles eventually fail (though i'm told it takes a good deal of abuse first). You can get Jags cheaper, and after a pin fix they are rock solid. I'd leave the bears alone. The 48 is pretty solid, so i wouldn't be worried about breaking it unless your playing over a concrete floor. And if you already flip it, collector value is down. The 42'a are great, though, you won't be disappointed. MJS can be found in the link section. hope that helps, E.
 
The pins on Bear's balisongs won't break but after a couple of months the handles WILL break!!! the black on the blade (where the most friction is such as the circular motion of the handles rubbing on the blade) will wear, it will wear off of the handles around the latch area (on mine at least)
View
View


My Bear tanto is cracked and will break any day now. I just noticed that it is cracked on both the safe and bite handles, usually it is cracked on the bite handle?!?


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Cameron
"It takes a killer...to stop a killer"

ICQ# 77993406

[This message has been edited by BalisongMan (edited 07-03-2000).]
 
Jam.. actually you have a good idea.. and coincidentqlly ChuckG (not Gollnick) is hard at work in his shop making this idea into reality. For a custom maker making ne blades is a pain, so he thought why not take old jag or zamak BM blades and machining new handles for them.. I have seen his work and they are sweet. Have yet to hold one though.

As for my vote, it is always Jaguar. And yes I replace the pins out of the box. Fun to tinker in the machine shop anyways.


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<A HREF="http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~soo/balisong/balisong.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~soo/balisong/balisong.html
</A> If you play with love you will be heartbroken; if you play with knives you will [bleed]


 
well the 2 jaguars i have havent had a problem with the pins yet. i got them for $19.99 each, on sale at dragon forge knives.


Quicksilver27

[This message has been edited by Quicksilver27 (edited 07-05-2000).]
 
That's cause youve been too kind to them Quicksilver =)

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<A HREF="http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~soo/balisong/balisong.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~soo/balisong/balisong.html
</A> If you play with love you will be heartbroken; if you play with knives you will [bleed]


 
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