New To Balisongs / Need Advice

D

dino

Joined
Jan 3, 1999
Messages
279
I'm looking to buy another knife (like I need it) and am intrigued by the Balisong's. The Tachyon looks great, but is it worth the extra $100 over a Benchmade. I also like the BM43, but it seems the BM42 is more popular. So far my favorites knives (for comparison) are my large Sebenza and a Microtech LUDT. To summarize my questions are:
1) How will the Balisong compare to the fun/function/usability factor of a Sebenza or LUDT?
2) Is the Tachyon worth the extra money for a beginner?
3) Which Benchmade and why?
I look forward to hearing your comments.
Thanks
 
1) How will the Balisong compare to the fun/function/usability factor of a Sebenza or LUDT?

Oh, much, much more fun. What can you do with a benz or a LUDT? Flick it. A balisong has infinite possibilities. Much more fun.



2) Is the Tachyon worth the extra money for a beginner?

There's a hot question. Tach is a great knife, no question. I like it and I'm gonna be buying more. But, it is twice the price. IMHO, and it is just IMHO, I've got to say no, it's not really worth twice the price. Sorry, but I just don't think it's twice the knife. Others will, of course, disagree.

The one thing that's really nice about it is that it's smaller. A BM42/3/7 is a big knife, four inches of blade, about five inches to carry in your pocket. Physically, it's a big thing. It may be bigger than you want for EDC. But, BM will start shipping the 31 in just a few weeks. I'll post pictures and my review shortly. One of the pictures will show the 31 next to my favorite EDC, the AFCK mini. You'll see that the 31 is just about the exact same size as the AFCK. So, if you're finding the 42/3/7 just a bit large, you may want to wait a few weeks for a 31.

Tachyon has a lot going for it with the reversible latch and all. Don't forget stylish, sexy good looks too. But, it is twice the price.



3) Which Benchmade and why?

I, myself, prefer the 43 just because I like the looks of it. The 42 is my close second.
 
If you like the look and construction of the Sebenza, you'll love the Tachyon. They both share the same thick titanium slab construction, and share the feel in texture.

As for if the Tachyon is worth the extra $100, I can't really answer that for you. I can see where it would cost the extra $100 to make (such as the reversible latch and the roller bearing in the tang), and it does come with several features not found on the BM's (such as self-replacable blades, different blade styles sharing the same handles, and no chance of sloppy blade play at the tang with it's torx adjustment and sandwich construction). I can justify the price that way, and say it's worth the $200 price tag to me. But it'll be hard to explain if that makes it a better bali than the Benchmade, which is already a lot of knife for it's price. It does flip a whole lot smoother than the BM's.

As for which BM, if you decide to go that direction, the critical choice is blade style. Which ever appeals to you most should determine which model to buy. That would depend on your needs for it. If it's utility, as is the case of the Sebenza, then the 43 is your choice. If it's a fighter, then the 42 or 47 would hold more weight.
 
Which one? Can't comment on the Tachyon. My distributor dosen't carry them. The 43,IMHO,is more of a cutting tool than the 42.42 is more of a weapon. Comes down to which blade shape do you prefer. They both flip about the same. I keep hopping BM wil bring out a drop point. That would be a good compromise.
 
Hi Dino.., and welcome to the Bali-Forum! :) You've already heard from some very knowledgeable people..., and like many domains.., some of "worth" comes down to function.., and some simply to subjectivity and taste.

From my perspective, the price of the Tachyon is not-to-shabby considering the R&D invested.., but Chuck has a valid point for sure!
I must also admit that the Tachyon actually shocked me personally, because I didn't expect to like it so much because of it's smaller size in comparison to the older traditional models I like. I have now flipped a couple for a few weeks and have eaten my previous thoughts! It's one hell of a knife!

I suppose we get down to the definition of "worth".., and the BM's are all very good knives..., supported by a company second only to my brother's in "Customer Support" (heck he's my brother)...lol???

For the average person.., that in my opinion isn't really beating up on knives daily.., there probably isn't any Balisong worth twice as much as a Benchmade (for cutting use)?? They will certainly handle the general cutting needs of almost anything you would use this style of knife for. Having the "worth" thing done with :cool:..., many of us in here have paid 20 times the cost of a 40-Series BM (and more).., for knives we want for our collections. Will they cut more efficiently than a new Benchmade Model?? Maybe??.. and certainly different blade styles in customs will do a better job when task specificity becomes part of the equation. Will they cut twice as well???....I doubt it.

Those knives are more like investments.., and have done very well relative to putting 20K into a low-to-mid-risk market fund over the past few decades.

Boy talk about tangentially getting off topic...lol...(I have a fever and the Flu...sorry) :(

Anyway.., sure the Tachyon is worth $200 bucks.., cause we all have 'em and didn't blink. I also did write Mike and sing my praises for the knife.., since I was skeptical, and the question of "worth" shows up so much on every Forum location.., about all sorts of "this-vs-that".., I truly believe the buyers establish the worth more than the actual form and function of the knife.

For an EDC.., I do like the 440C (or 12C27 on the first 42's), better than 154 CM if I'm going to roam around for a few days in the mountains. I can return a good edge to it easily with a pocket stone in a couple minutes.., and although I know a couple of guys that can do that with 154 CM.., the designer steels take me a bit longer.

Now that I've blown this thread all over the map..lol..and convoluted the issue beyond hope of recovery.., I would say to over-extend a charge card and get both. We all do that.., and enjoy the company of others that want every Lazer-Bat-Blade available. :p

Sometimes I actually write..., "Hope this helped".., but no use in this case!!

Come on back and visit!!..., and have a neat Holiday Season!




"Hunters seek what they [WANT].., Seekers hunt what they [NEED]"
 
If you are thinking about a smaller bali and debating Tachyon vs. BM31, maybe this will help

bm311F.jpg


Click here for a higher-resolution view (488K).

Maybe, maybe not.
 
Nice picture Chuck!! Thanks....


"Hunters seek what they [WANT].., Seekers hunt what they [NEED]"
 
Originally posted by madscientist
Chuck is the blade on the 31 really small or is that just perspective?
Click to expand...
No, blame the latchgate setup. That's a .5" of handle length that just got proportionally bigger, thus making the blade look that much smaller. Do the math (assuming BM kept the latch and latchgate dimensions the same, something I have not been able to confirm): .5" on the 5.25" handles of the 4x Ti series means the latchgate is only 9.5% of the handle length. That .5" length on the BM 31's handles (assuming a length of 4.25" to take into the consideration of the 1" reduction in blade length) will make it 11.7% of the handle. So, you're probably saying "What the big deal? It's only an extra 2.2%?" Not much until you look at the blade to handle ratio. On the 4x it's 4":5.25" or 76% of the handle length. On the BM 31 it's 3":4.25" or ~70.5% of the handle length. The blade is looking smaller all the time......

Caveat: Until someone posts the latch/latchgate dimensions my numbers for the BM 31 are strictly theory, but the increased handle proportions should still be valid.

Edited to correct pre-coffee math :o
 
You guys are great! I'm hoping to order a knife today so I can get it by Christmas. I've narrowed it down to a Tachyon (very tempting) or a BM43. Is a BM43 too large to carry in a pocket? How fat is the end of the BM43 (width/hight)? I actually ordered the BM43 last night from Triple Aught Design. They Emailed me back in about 5 minutes to let me know they did not have them in stock. Their level of service is unbeatable! Definately worth paying a little more if necessary. I will probably be calling New Gram Knives or One Stop Knife Shop today before lunch.
Thanks,
Dean
 
Originally posted by dino
Is a BM43 too large to carry in a pocket? How fat is the end of the BM43 (width/hight)?
Click to expand...
Our pleasure to help another bali fan. The 43 is fairly thin so it'll ride nicely in a pocket. The dimensions you are asking for is: Latch side: 1.25"x.5". Tang side:1.125"x.5".

Michael Dye at Newgrahm is another one of those wonderful people to deal with.
 
Some comparative dimensions

Blade from choil to tip

BM43: 3.74"
BM31: 2.35"
Tach: 3.20"

Blade from base to tip

BM43: 4.27"
BM31: 2.95"
Tach: 3.80"

Overall length open:

BM43: 9.48"
BM31: 7.03"
Tach: 8.54"

Overall length closed:

BM43: 5.48"
BM31: 4.36"
Tach: 4.97"

Weight (+/-.25 oz):

BM43: 4.25 oz.
BM31: 3.00 oz.
Tach: 4.25 oz.

Now, please keep in mind that these dimensions are just what I measured with my less-than-calibrated instruments. There's also a little bit of subjectivity here. For example, where is the base of the choil? However, since I made all of the measurements with the same instruments and same techniques, they should be comparable within themselves.

If you haven't read the Tachyon and BM43 reviews on my site, you might find that additionally helpful. I'll be putting up a BM31 review shortly.
 
The measurements were exactly what I wanted. Can't thank you enough!
I just got off the phone with New Gram Knives. They did not have the BM43 so I decided on a BM43A (anodized). When I mentioned that he was highly recommended by the Blade Forums members he said he would pick out the UGLYIST anodized BM43 he had for me. Thanks a lot guys! So, any comments on the anodized look?
 
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