Where does the name "Balisong" originate from?

L

LabRat

Joined
Oct 8, 1999
Messages
55
I'm sure this topic has been posted before somewhere. Doing a search reveals a lot of topics - way too many to sift through, so I thought I would just ask again.

Bali-Song, Balisong.....

It has such a mystical ring to it.

thanks

btw - I've already checked out your site Clay and read the disclaimer about the history lesson. Nice videos!
------------------
Brad Mixon-
Flick, Click, Snap!
Flick, Click, Snap!
Flick, Click, OUCH!!!!!!

[This message has been edited by LabRat (edited 03-10-2000).]
 
mystical ring
tongue.gif


Well in my opinion it is Filipino in origin. I once thought that the name Balisong came from Barrio Balisong which is the name of the town where it originated from.

However, talking to some natives, it seems that the name 'Barrio Balisong' came AFTER the manufacture of the balisong as a money making gimmic.

Bali Song (well to my knowledge the 'bali' part anyways) means to break horn. What that exactly means is up for debate. but the history lesson is in www.balisong.com



------------------
<A HREF="http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~soo/balisong/balisong.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~soo/balisong/balisong.html
</A> If you play with love you will be heartbroken; if you play with knives you will [bleed]


 
Sniperboy,

You're right.. bali means "to fold" and song is short for "sungay" or horn. Not sure, maybe the first balisongs have deer horns or antlers as handle slabs.

And nope, it's not a "gimmick". It's a cottage industry here in the Philippines.
smile.gif


Dan
 
The word balisong is a a generic term, Filipino in orgin, for any butterfly knife.

The term Bali-Song is a registered trademark owned by Les DeAsis which has been used by several companies that he has been related to, Bali-Song Cutlery, Pacific Cutlery, and now Benchmade.



------------------
Chuck
Balisongs -- because it don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing!
http://www.balisongcollector.com
 
>>Bali-Song, Balisong.....

Balisong is a Tagalog word, which is the local dialect around the Manila area. There is a lot of Spanish in it. The current president can not speak English very well, so he made Tagalog, his dialect, the national language, and that is the language they are required to use in all of the schools in the Philippines now. It also is nice if a Filipino is over seas and runs into another Filipino, they can talk using Tagalog, if they do not know each others local native dialect
 
All I know is, when I asked my cousins in the Philippines about balisongs, they looked at me weird. Then I said butterfly knife, and then they understood! My grandfather used to call his 'vientenueve', and so did all my uncles. I have to admit that the first time I ever heard of balisong was from Pacific Cutlery...

Cool forum BTW!!
 
MrG,

"Vientenueve", or 29 in Tagalog, is basically the average length of the balisong. Yeah, it's typically what people here call balisongs, the "bente-nueve", and people seem to know what it implies, right away.
smile.gif


Dan
 
Danny.. although I am no historian, what I was questioing was "What came first.. Barrio balisong or the Balisong knife." From my exploits in Batanggas a few of the people there told me that in fact the name Balisong came first and the locals named their city 'Balisong' after the fact as a selling poiint.

now I am nt arguing that this is tru or not.. just sharing
smile.gif


and MrG.. You're.. FILIPINO!>!?!? ! NO WAY!!!?!? btw do you have a Wortac?
smile.gif


------------------
<A HREF="http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~soo/balisong/balisong.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~soo/balisong/balisong.html
</A> If you play with love you will be heartbroken; if you play with knives you will [bleed]


 
Originally posted by sniperboy:
Danny.. although I am no historian, what I was questioing was "What came first.. Barrio balisong or the Balisong knife." From my exploits in Batanggas a few of the people there told me that in fact the name Balisong came first and the locals named their city 'Balisong' after the fact as a selling poiint.

now I am nt arguing that this is tru or not.. just sharing
smile.gif
Click to expand...

No problem. I understand.
smile.gif

Now that would be interesting to find out, wouldn't it?
smile.gif
I mean, I myself would like to know what the original name of Barrio Balisong was, before it became Barrio Balisong.

And yes, chances are, the town was named after their main source of livelihood, which is the manufacture of the balisong knife.

and MrG.. You're.. FILIPINO!>!?!? ! NO WAY!!!?!? btw do you have a Wortac?
smile.gif
Click to expand...

Really?? I didn't know that either.
smile.gif


Dan

 
Sniperbro and Danny,

Yes I am a FLIP!!
biggrin.gif


Mom's from Quezon City, and Pop's is from Makati. Haven't been there since I was thirteen. I have lots of cousins there; they keep asking me to send them Chicago Bulls stuff, and I keep telling them the team is in last place now!! Lived in Torrance, CA for years and years, and now I'm in the lovely windy city, home of the deep dish pizza! Big filipino population here; also some FMA too...ever hear of Nate Defensor?

Anyway, my grandfather used to have this beautiful butterfly knife with water buffalo handles and a blade with a temper line on it. I remember my dad cutting his thumb really bad; my dad pawned it years ago.
frown.gif
I've been looking for one like it since...

Nope, I don't have a Wortac; held a couple of 'em at the recent knife show. SWEET!

BTW, I really love San Miguel beer, but the market I buy it from has it only very occasionally. Anybody know where I can buy some in the Chicago area?
 
Yep, he's FLIP alright... only a FLIP knows what a FLIP means..
smile.gif


Chicago, I have a cousin living there as well.

San Miguel Beer - too bad we can't ship them there.. hehehe...

That's too bad about the balisong of your lolo. I wish they still have those buffalo horn handles around, but these days, it's just either wood or bone, or if you're lucky, deer antlers. My dad does have a bolo with buffalo horns though, I wonder if I can "steal" it from him, and re-cut the handle into slabs for my balisongs.. heheh..

Dan
 
will wonders never cease.. no wonder we jive on occation MrG ^_^. I too handled some Wortacs in a recent show.. quite nice but not a nervetintilating as a kff sorry for the non balisong rant there)

as for San Miguel Beer.. it is good stuff.. ee another good filipino import besides balisongs and dried mango. If yuo hav a the chance try some CERVESA NEGRA.. that is Munich Black beer version.. back home it is not as popular and sometimes they discontinue making it then restart again.. i ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT.

as for the buffalo horn balisongs.. Danny is right they do not make it anymore but if you dig deep enough You can find some neat double blades and nice buffalo handles. i have a few examples in my website. If you fins bufalo horn insert balisongs you are assured that it is not new.

Danny also mentioned some time back that it is illegal to cut narra wood and te stuff you see on alis are not REAL narra wood. I am not contesting that claim, but many of my balis are of narra wood.. or as assured by the batanganistas. (then again i have an accent so they could;ve been bulling me) however as you Escrimador might know KAMAGONG another national tree is also illegal to cho down right? I have 2 arnis sticks of that wood in my dormroom now =) just to say that such legal laws hold little value in the Phil sadly.

and yes MrG everyone loves bulls stuff back home no matter what.. and well sad for you - you get to play sugardaddy to your nephews etc cause you are in Chicago ^_^ hey June is coming up right? is it a boy or a girl again I forgot..

I was going to say somethign else but forgot.. hnn oh well i am getting old.

oh yeah info also says that due to popular belief the factories are not LOCATED in BARRIO BALISONG but indeed most of the STOREFRONTS are.. the manufacturers are deeper into batanggas and barrio Balisong has become more of a disneyland for balisong goers. just little trivia to go against urban trivia.
tongue.gif


------------------
<A HREF="http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~soo/balisong/balisong.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~soo/balisong/balisong.html
</A> If you play with love you will be heartbroken; if you play with knives you will [bleed]


 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top