Microtech Bali-Song NEWS and pics of Microtech

MacCanine · Apr 10, 2001

Every "no spine" we ran across back in the old days had a major problem.The only areas where there was any support were at the ends of the handles.Without anything in the center area,the edge would have a chance to go just far enough through the handles to slice the hand.Sure,many of these were "el cheapos",but even the better made ones did this as well,especially when the tang pin wore deeper into the handles.So,unless you've designed it *very* well with supports along the edge of the handle,it's possible that this knife will have the same problem.
I also remember the bit about the handles bending without a proper spine or supports,but I know that titanium won't do this as easily as the other metals. But,titanium is light,and unless the handles are a decent thickness,the handles could be too light.This is one thing you want to keep an eye on.

To the person asking about why have a latch that can be switched...it's easier to just move one latch than have to move two handles

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*The* Lunatic Puppy
It wasn't me...It was my *good* twin..
My "inner puppy" made me do it..

Mike Turber · Apr 11, 2001

Steve,

The knife will be shipped with whatever blade is available at that time. The extra blades will be sold as a seperate item and it will not void the warranty. Unless something changes this is the idea we are shooting for. We are going to have prototypes at the Blade Show and hope to have production by September or October. Again the first blade will be a utility style CFO looking blade.

MacCanine,

These will not have tang pins and they will not be able to come through the back of the spine. This will be the most over engineered butterfly knife ever made. Also we have not done the actual designing of the knife yet. Everything is in my head, heck I did not even give Tony a rough drawing! But I know Tony and Al got the idea that I am looking for. Now as far as support down the spine, we may have some sort of pin or such like you see on the LCC and the new L-UDT.

Stay Tuned

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Best Regards,
Mike Turber
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BalisongMan · Apr 11, 2001

I'm freakin' excited about this new bali!!!

Mike: Is there a certain time that the name for the bali will be selected or just as soon as you guys find the perfect name?

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Cameron

"And shepards we shall be, for thee my Lord for thee, power hath descended forth from thy hand, that our feet may swiftly carry out thy command, so we shall flow a river forth to thee, and teeming with souls shall it ever be, En Nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti"
A few of my balisongs
My Photopoint album

Mike Turber · Apr 11, 2001

I will cut it on at some point as I will need to start doing ad layouts and such. So I figure May 1st or so will be the cut off.

I did see a couple of names I like

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Best Regards,
Mike Turber
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1whobuys · Apr 11, 2001

So Mike, To reward all thoughs that gave you incorporated suggestions from the "Mystery man" post.
You know, like to the one's that names the knife, suggested bronze bearings/shims, and other critical components that will become part of the knife.
Will you be rewarding them with prototypes for being so gosh darn helpful

Sabo · Apr 11, 2001

I'm getting in to this also.

Hey Mike, Call it the MT Eclipse!

Look forward to a new generation of the balisong breeching the horizon. Please keep us updated.

Hello everyone, I hard to find these days but I still check in ever so often. Keep the burners hot!

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Sabo 29
"Catch you on the flip side"!

Mike Turber · Apr 12, 2001

1whobuys,

)Coll name BTW

)

I will make a special offer to members here on the initial production run. Suggestion would be to get on the code-3 list at 1SKS NOW!

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Best Regards,
Mike Turber
BladeForums Site Owner and Administrator
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alex_111 · Apr 14, 2001

wow! an engineered balisong?!? it's not just gonna be 2 sticks on a blade?

it sounds as though it's going to be a pretty piece of work, the way you described the handle pattern and the emphasis on symmetry.

a suggestion: is there anything that can be done to minimize, perhaps, the wear between the tang pin and the handles? i've noticed that as a problem area on many balisongs i've seen. i'm guessing it won't be much of an issue with titanium handles, but still, it's a thought.

aleX.

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---sharp blades are more pleasant than sharp tongues.---

mojo jojo · Apr 14, 2001

Mike,

I understand your shooting for a $200 price point on the knife but what kind of price are we gonna be looking at for the individual replacement blades? I was also wondering if you have a projected release date for this project yet?

Thanks
Steve

Mike Turber · Apr 14, 2001

There will be no pins on this knife like any Bali-Song before. It will use bronze phosphourus bushings. The will be no wear issue. In other words it will use the same system as nearly all Microtech knives use now.

I have no target price yet on the blades and they will vary based on the complexity of the design. The Nemesis style most likely being the most costly but not by an arm and a leg.

Prototypes will be shown at the Blade show in Booth #65 (WOW's booth) and possibly CFI's and Mid West Gun Exchange's booths if I can get the knife at a price point to make them distributors as well.

We hope to have production by September or October but don't quote me on that yet as this project is all from scratch.

Stay Tuned to this same bat channel

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Best Regards,
Mike Turber
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alex_111 · Apr 15, 2001

wee!

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---sharp blades are more pleasant than sharp tongues.---

alex_111 · Apr 15, 2001

oh... if there's to be no pins, not even a tang pin to be grasped between the handles, how will the blade be held firmly in the open position?

aleX.

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---sharp blades are more pleasant than sharp tongues.---

Mike Turber · Apr 15, 2001

We have not decidied on that area yet, meaning if there will be a tang pin or not. I have ideas on how to build one with out it but stay tuned as we still need to keep costs down.

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Mike Turber
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afee · Apr 16, 2001

I'm hoping your looking to directly compete with BM here and have them in the same price catagory, similar to the Microteck/BM auto compotition with Microteck pulling ahead in quality for the same price range. Of course, cheaper isn't bad either =)

Mike Turber · Apr 16, 2001

Our version will most likely cost a bit more, maybe around $40 but it will be the best ever made, and I can say that without a doubt

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Best Regards,
Mike Turber
BladeForums Site Owner and Administrator
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penguin_2000 · Apr 16, 2001

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Mike Turber:
it will be the best ever made, and I can say that without a doubt

</font>

hot damn!

Clay · Apr 17, 2001

........... this is really getting interesting.

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Clay
www.balisongxtreme.com
Because......
getting 'em open
is half the fun!

Darth Detori · Apr 29, 2001

Well no-one mentioned this yet, but will it come with a sheath? and if so, are we looking at nylon (cocoon or otherwise) or the more preferable concealex?

I am SO damn excited about this. If I dont have a job by when it comes out I'm going to sell one of my lightsabers (which cost me around $250-350). I AM going to get one of these.

and I'm starting to get a good mental image of how this is going to work. The handles are going to be split down the centers (spines) so you just unscrew or whatever the latch screws, swing the top portions of the handles to the side, and remove/replace the blade. am I close?

blade_420 · Apr 29, 2001

you said that this bali won't have pins?

How about a zero friction magnetic suspention like the bullet trains, or have a micro-encapsulated liquid nitrogen bearing system?

I would pay $200+ for something like that...

This is the 21st century, isn't it?

[This message has been edited by blade_420 (edited 04-29-2001).]

Mike Turber · Apr 29, 2001

Something like that Darth but we are still working on that area right now. Basically the way I have it is that it will use a pivot system much like any other Microtech. Which is a Male/Female system. Unscrew the Male from the Female, tap it out and change the blade. Since there is no lock to engage or spring mechanism, the switch should be fast and simple.

Blade_420,

We are looking a an elctromagnetic system right now powered by depleted Uranium in the handles. A coil will run through a pivot in the handle. The blade will actually act like a normal butterfly knife until you ground the positive and negative handle. Meaning that while you are fliping only one handle will be in your hand. The knife will then be "loose" to allow the many tricks you see Clay and Chuck do.

Then when you hold the handle with both hands you will create a circuit and this will turn on the coil making the blade float but in a really tight state. The coil will get a bit hot and this will also creat some cool lighting effects at night. When you pour a light oil, like baby or mineral oil, onto the pivot area, you will see it change into plasma. In the design I have here it looks like a stun gun going off but it does not zap you. Pretty cool actually.

Right now holding the butterfly knife for about 10 minutes is equal to what you would get in a dental X-Ray as far as radiation is concerned. We hope to have that even further reduced by the time we go into production.

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Best Regards,
Mike Turber
BladeForums Site Owner and Administrator
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Microtech Bali-Song NEWS and pics of Microtech

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