Useless hilts

WrongFriend

WrongFriend

Joined
Jul 6, 1999
Messages
1,151
Most balisongs have a hilt as you see. Do you think it's any use?
I've thought it gives an attracting shape than without hilt, now I come to doubt it. It seems to prevent from slipping over, and cutting your hand when thrusting hard. But think of the balance point of a standard bali. It's rather backward (closer to butt end) than fixed blades and you may grip around tha blance point, namely a little bit far from the hilt. Therefore will you scarcely have your hand slip over to the edged area.
Now I can only find a traditional/ conservative reason, no practical, no aesthetical reason. Totally new shaped balisong will come out any day to charm us!

Is it only me? Any opinions are welcome, thanx!

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Did you enjoy today?
\(^o^)/ Mizutani Satoshi \(^o^)/
 
Well, one use I have found for those little bumps is in Filipino grip--when you grip the knife with your fingers and the thumb is hovering above the spine, ready to trap incoming limbs. When you perform such a trap with a balisong, the bumps in the tang allow you to get fascinating nerve action as you squeeze.
 
I think they are a must on a knife with a narrow, straight handle like the butterfly knife.
 
A hilt is designed to stop a knife from being sucked in. There really is no hilt on a Batangas Balisong. Most of the China and Taiwan Butterfly knives are just a copy of someone elses design. I have contacted knife manufactors in China, and it's always the same story. They want you to show them a prototype of the knife you want them to build. Usually, what people do is hand them a Spyderco or a Benchmade, and say build this for me, and that is what they get. Thanks, JohnR7 WWW.BalisongKnife.Com
<img src=http://home.neo.rr.com/johnr7/Bali.jpg>
 
Hilts, which I prefer to call horns, are uncommon on FHMs because it takes a lot of extra work and wasted material to cut that shape. But, they're not unheard of on FHMs.

I, personally, like horns because that's how I prefer to draw my balisong. They're also good striking weapons even when the balisong is closed.



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Chuck
Balisongs -- because it don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing!
http://www.balisongcollector.com
 
I often work cutting and stabbing drills on tires, and I have to say that the horns (as Chuck calls them) definitly make a difference when stabbing.

I've tried it with FHMs (no horns) and usually find my hand sliding forward on quick miltiple stabs.

I don't have that problem with my Jags or my 42s.

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Clay
www.balisongxtreme.com
Because......
getting 'em open
is half the fun!
 
Chuck's on the money when he relates the 'horn' to an impact weapon. There are many ways a Bali-Song can be used other than a deadly weapon. Mr. Erickson had many different styles of tangs on his knives and some were almost as deadly as the blade itself! Used as a 'handload' or a striking or pinching/twisting weapon makes the butterfly a formidable object in the hands of a trained practitioner!
biggrin.gif
 
Thank you guys, for great info! The "horns" are of SOME use actually though some are not equipped with horns.

There should be more variations of horns to give wider chice, and we'll have more fun both opend and closed. If BM could provide some, I'd be really happy to play with the balis.

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Did you enjoy today?
\(^o^)/ Mizutani Satoshi \(^o^)/
 
On a related topic, I was thinking of texturing the horns on my 42 for added grip (and to make it a more effective impact weapon, for that matter). What do you think?

--JB

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e_utopia@hotmail.com
 
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