Manila or Batangas, that is the question...

M

masse

Joined
Oct 5, 2000
Messages
1,414
This may have come up before, but not since i can remember, so here we go again
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I had never had experience with a manila style bali untill benchmade warrantied one of my 42's and sent it back to me with the handels swapped by accident. I kept it, and have practiced with it quite a bit. At first i like it a lot, it was something new. It seemed as though i had more control over what the latch did and i could use that to help me with certain moves, or hold it in a certain position doing specific moves. After a while though, i realized that it was just more of a hassel than anything, and the good just didnt outweigh the fact that 85% of the time the latch just seemed to be in the way, make rotating the handel much harder. Of course you can get used to either, just a matter of using it a lot, but after having used both, i must say i prefer batangas style. I dont mind the manila, and do still use it plenty, but it was deffinately the main reason i decided to get yet another 42...In any case, they're both bali's, i love 'em both and will continue to use 'em both, but when it comes down to it, i gotta vote for the batangas style!

What do you think???
 
I also like the batangas style latch over the manila style, mostly because the latch hardly ever gets in the way of manipulation (at least for me). I imagine the latch on a manila bali would make it more difficult (compared to one with a batangas style latch) to do certain manipulations.
 
Batangas only for me. Can't beleave they did that. You would think that BM would at least look at the knife while repairing it!
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I get all kinds of little cuts on my hands as is. If I got a bali with a manila latch, I would end up lossing a finger!
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I have only one Manila bali, and it's a Chinese cheapy that I cannot use (it would break after 10 minutes
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). So I cannot test seriously the Manila style. And yet, I'd like to. In my mind, I liked the idea that the latch would be in my hand (and not moving around). But from what I read here, it seems to be more a handicap...

Anyway, I look forward to seeing the balisong which will be totally interchangeable : interchangeable blade, interchangeable handles, interchangeable latch (both side)... and no need to send it back to the manufacturer to change something
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Guillaume

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www.balisong.net
 
I prefer the Manila style latch. In fact, until I picked up my Benchmades, that is all I had ever used. After making the adjustments, I have found, that it really doesn't matter. I just prefer to hold the latch handle. The only real difference is in the locked open position, the latch on a Batangas style points in to your palm.

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Doubt is an uncomfortable condition,
but certainty is a ridiculous one.
 
Masse- first of all I woudl liek to say that I havent been aroudn the forums a lot lately and your manila 42 is news to me - in fact it's awesome news.. You need special tooling to remove the BM42 handles and if you kept your receipt/warranty p[rintout from them it coudl be a nice little colelctible in say.. uhm.. 30 years
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heheh- in all seriousness I think it is cool.

I am ofcourse a fan of the Batanggas style latch. the only manilas I have are on my manila folder collection and I really do not liek them much.

At first I thought the manila latch was brought about when japanese and china and taiwanese makers 'messed something up' and it went aroudn as standard and unnoticed when I noticed a great deal of WW2 GI bringback balis were in manila latch fashion.

I liek the manila latch because of it's hiostorical factor.. (ww2 bringbacks) but not for practical uses. woudl I get a manila latch? only if I get a double ground clip style ww2 style custom blade.

which I shoudl dammit.. been buying too many fixed blades
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URBAN.LEGENDS.(BalisongGARBAGE)
ENGEL.DESIGN.ROOM
[FAKE01].[the mirror site](www.rejectionist.com)
If you play with love you will be heartbroken; if you play with knives you will [bleed]
 
S!
I don't know you also are in fixed blade .. nimravus maybe?
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Chris
"To use or not to use your Balisong - that is the question"
Code: 
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Indonesian Balisonger
 
I prefer the Batangas style latch. 2nd would be a latchless!
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Manilla style latches aggrivate me!

My two cents...

Sabo 29

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"Catch you on the flip side"!
 
S,

if I am to get a fixed one, Cold Steel Tai Pan and Tanto series are my choice ..

How your fixed one compared to these? (not a challenge, merely want to know other good ones available ..
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)
 
I really don't think I can compare a Hossom to a cold steel taipan. The taipan is a sexy functional knife despite all the cold steel prejudice. I was an old school cold steel fan but sodl my cold steel stuff for customs.

let's just say that if the world were to end I woudol have my hossom bowie on my back
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btw this is pretty out of topic.. apologies/./

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URBAN.LEGENDS.(BalisongGARBAGE)
ENGEL.DESIGN.ROOM
[FAKE01].[the mirror site](www.rejectionist.com)
If you play with love you will be heartbroken; if you play with knives you will [bleed]

[This message has been edited by sniperboy (edited 02-16-2001).]
 
Its all good fella's...but while we're at it, go read my "something interesting" post...i havnt gotten one response yet, and i posted it days ago.
 
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