stepping up to a jaguar...

D

decapitus

Joined
Jun 8, 2001
Messages
2
After visiting balisongXtreme a few weeks ago, I bought my first bali (a chinese cheapo) and started swinging like CRAZY. I've turned into a full fledge bali addict, practicing whenever I can. That cheapo took an inordinate amount of abuse (both pins broke, tang pin needed to be hammered, safe handle latch catch needed hammering) but it was chrome plated, and eventually the chrome started flaking off.

It didn't matter at first, but eventually it start flaking where the handles connect to the blade, and when I swung it tended to bind against the blade. So I got a jaguar, a step up from the cheapo, and am already amazed at the quality! And best of all, the handle doesn't have any chrome plating on it (what finally killed the cheapo).

I'm a little concerned at how well aluminum handles will stand up in the long run (in my opinion, WAY to soft for steel contact) but for now it looks and feels great. I'm saving up and eventually plan to get a benchmade 42, but that will be a while. Also, I'm a little concerned that the titanium handles, though superior to aluminum, will also be too soft in the long run.

For now, I see the jaguar as an intermediate step between the economy line and the benchmade. Anyone else feel the same?

 
Welcome to the Forums and don't worry about the handles being too soft on a 42; they'll take ANYTHING you, or anyone else for that matter, can dish out! There's going to be/is a lot of neat stuff out there; start saving your money!!!
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Welcome! And Dawkind is absolutely correct. The BM42 will take all the pounding you can dish out, and it'll only ask for more.

As far as your jaguar... don't be disheartened if and when those hinge pins wear down and snap. I've owned about 10 Jaguars and not a single set of pins has lasted over 2 weeks. But, the sooner the pins go, the better. When the pins begin to bend and pull apart, it allows the part of the handles that sandwiches the blade to mis-shape. Just replace them with finishing nails as described at www.balisongxtreme.com. The sooner you get those nails in place (which hold GREAT), the less chance your jaguar will have to "warp".

Happy flipping!

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~Dave

"One in the hand is worth two in the sheath"
 
The handles on a Jaguar are not aluminum, they are cheap pot metal. The 42 will take everything you can throw at it (or everything you can throw it at
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) it is really fantastic!!!

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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 first balisongs
My ClubPhoto albums of balisongs and misc knives and wallpapers
 
I'm usin a jag while I save for a benchmade, but I can't say I'm too pleased with it. The pins haven't snapped yet, though I hafta tighten them often. The handles have two very deep gashes where they hit the tang pin, so that even closed the blade wobbles slightly. My main problem is the weight, though. I had the fortune (or misfortune) to try a BM 42 at the NRA convention, and now the jag seems to weigh a ton. I've actually reverted to a plastic bali my little brother has, cause it feels closer to the weight of a 42.
 
Draxil, the pin digging into the handles (the "cups") is unavoidable with jags. You can *carefully* squish the pin a little flatter to make it wider. Although you can only do this so many times. I've split 2 jag blades doing that.
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Just consider Jags to be disposable. They'll last you a couple of years if you take care of them right, but don't expect to be using it forever. That's just what $25 gets you. And if you don't like the weight of the Jag, let me make this one point... Using a heavy balisong is a GREAT way to exercise your fingers. A few months with a jag will do more than a BM as far as getting your fingers into shape. Something to think about.

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~Dave

"One in the hand is worth two in the sheath"
 
I pretty much knew they were disposeable when I got it. Had to have something, though.
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You're right about the finger workout, it felt great when I tried the 42, I've never moved one so fast. The jag really toughens up the knuckles too, ouch.

I just picked it up again, does anyone know how much a jag weighgs? A pound? Three quarters? Once I get a 42, this thing is a paperweight.

Oh, BTW, how good are Bear's balisongs? I've heard they're crap, but I also heard that they blow Jag away. Thanks in advance for info.


[This message has been edited by Draxil (edited 06-08-2001).]
 
On the jag that i've owned for a couple months (which i use many hours a day) is completly messed up. First what happened was the pins broke. Actually, only the pin broke on my safe handle. I've broken and replaced that pin 5 times. The latch has a huge deep line cut in it from where it hits the tip of the blade during richochets. then the spine right below the latch broke off.. That didn't effect anything though... Then the kick broke through the latch handle where it hits, and then the blade would hit the handle all the time, and got *extremely* dull. From the blade hitting thousands of times, it eventually cut all the way through the latch handle, and now that is split in half down the spine, and the blade comes through heheh... So, my jag is dead. But, the good news is last weekend i ordered a BM 42 which should be here possibly tomorrow!-
-Gibberish*

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In the time of chimpanzees i was a monkey.
 
Originally posted by decapitus:
After visiting balisongXtreme a few weeks ago, I bought my first bali (a chinese cheapo) and started swinging like CRAZY. I've turned into a full fledge bali addict, practicing whenever I can.

For now, I see the jaguar as an intermediate step between the economy line and the benchmade. Anyone else feel the same?

>> I'm a recent newcomer, bought a Jag to learn with, and have yet to be sorry, it has several hours of play, and hasn't flown apart yet. I bought the solid handles, and it's pretty heavy, but real controlable.

They are weak in the pin department for sure, and the pins will have to be eventually replaced. There's a good quick-fix method using finish nails, as I'm sure you'll find if you've found Clay's site yet. He has detailed instructions on how to do it.

I recently found that with some fairly simple machine work, and some store bought parts, you can fix one to the point that it will swing as good as the higher priced pieces, and hang out as long, (if you don't drop it on concrete, or bounce it off to many walls.

There are always those that will stress the POS factor when it comes to Jags, just as the same folks will do regarding what you drive/ride, or what kind of guitar you play, or even what your preference for beer may be. I personally like my Jags (I have 2 now), and I would sure recommend that if you're just getting into this, that you don't blow a lot of money to find out if you like 'em or not.

One more thing...the Jag will cut just as quick, wide and deep, as any of the high priced stuff. Have fun, be careful.

Phil
Click to expand...
 
<font color=red>DO NOT GET A BEAR MGC BALISONG!!! THE HANDLES WILL BREAK WITHIN A COUPLE OF MONTHS, JAGS ARE BETTER THAN BEARS, I'VE OWNED BOTH AND I KNOW WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT!!
<font color=black>

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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 first balisongs
My ClubPhoto albums of balisongs and misc knives and wallpapers



[This message has been edited by BalisongMan (edited 06-09-2001).]
 
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Yeah, I've owned 2 BEARs (you'd think I'd learn after the first one but ohhhh no). One was the tanto, the other was the mini with black handles, they have nice blades and nice pins but the handle material is worse than the Jags, too bad Jags don't have the pins of a Bear, that would be a really nice bali (except for the part with the tang pin cups). The handles of my Jag (that have been through hell) have started to crack, they were the silver handles, I have heard that the jags with inserts cracks really easily since there is not a whole lot of metal from the tang cups to where the inserts start. No, I really don't like Bears, too bad they won't listen to us when we tell them that the handles suck a$$.
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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 first balisongs
My ClubPhoto albums of balisongs and misc knives and wallpapers
 
Hey guys, thanks for the welcome and your informative responses! I've been swinging my jaguar all yesterday, and the pins are already starting to come loose (soon to be replaced with finishing nails). I'm pretty happy with it, although I can't wait until I get a benchmade, as carrying an allen wrench will be much easier then carrying a hammer and anvil.

I've dropped it a couple times, had it go flying out of my hands and into walls, but so far my jaguar has held up pretty well...and the extra weight is really giving my fingers a workout! Right now, I feel like I could crush rocks with my hands.
 
Balisongman,

you can always change your Jag handle to match the better blade of Bear. See Susan's web on the matter. Quite nice IMO.
 
Can anyone tell me why it is that Jag balis are among the best of the cheapies, while the rest of Jaguar's knives totally suck a$$?

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Jason aka medusaoblongata
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"Is not giving a need? Is not receiving mercy?" - Thus Spoke Zarathustra
"Cutting his throat is only a momentary pleasure and is bound to get you talked about." - Lazarus Long
"Knowledge is not made for understanding; it is made for cutting." - Michel Foucault
 
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