Why are balisongs so expensive?

D

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Jan 23, 2011
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I don't know much about them. Blade, 2 joints, 2 handles, 1 latch. Why >$200?
 
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i've often wondered that myself...i'm guessing it's partly due to them being illegal in lots of places, so since volume is lower prices stay higher.
 
because its not just materials its also flipping dynamics, ergonomics and a higher set of tolerances, also higher durability IMO as these knives arent just being flicked open, theyre being dropped, flipped, smacked around, and lots of negative leverage being applied
 
They don't all cost >200. Just like any style of knife you can get cheap ones for less than $20. But you pay for quality. The expensive ones can last a lifetime and some will perform regular knife duties as well as any folder.

There is also the point of availability (or rather the lack there of) with some of the more popular ones, that and a lack of selection/competition when it comes to nice bali's leads to prices being driven up on models like the BM42.
 
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It's a niche product, you just won't sell enough to justify tooling up and manf. if you're a big company. That means most are sold by smaller high end companies. Because of Customs, you can't import decent quality ones legally. If you could import them, the price for a decent one would drop by a good amount. Imagine if Cold Steel, Spyderco, CRKT, etc.... could import a design from Japan, Taiwan, or even China....... It would be marvelous:).
 
tltt said:
Because of Customs, you can't import decent quality ones legally. If you could import them, the price for a decent one would drop by a good amount. Imagine if Cold Steel, Spyderco, CRKT, etc.... could import a design from Japan, Taiwan, or even China....... It would be marvelous:).
Click to expand...

That's a good point. Didn't Spyderco get into some legal trouble shipping the Spyderfly balisong?
 
tltt said:
Yes, I believe they imported parts and got a huge fine.
Click to expand...

I think they issued a voluntary recall of sorts too. After that the aftermarket price shot up. I picked up a Spyderfly with VG-10 back when you could still pick them up on eBay. Glade I did. :D
 
OK, i am surprised i have never seen what i am going to say. first of all, a balisong is a marvel of engineering. here is a sort-of WIP of one that was for the PIF buildoff this year.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/835941-First-Annual-Pay-It-Forward-Buildoff/page10
look at page 10, 11 and 14.
balisongs are hard. with the fact that they have to be made here in the US, that drives the price up with supply and demand and the cost of engineering.

BTW, good balisongs are not all $200. look up the bradley kimuras, made by kershaw. middle of the road price, good company, what more could you ask for.
 
Bradley Kimuras are _NOT_ discontinued. But yes, that seems like a reasonable price.
 
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Ignoring illegally imported crappy chinese knives altogether.....

1) Being illegal to import into the US means any and all good/decent knives have to be made in the US where labor is more expensive
2) Being illegal to import into the US and being illegal in some states/countries makes it a very niche market so makers have a higher risk/reward if they enter such a small market.
3) butterfly knife/balisong toolings and jigs are VASTLY different compared to other folders.
4) butterfly knives have to witstand WAY more vibration and shock than a standard folder, because of the nature of its opening techniques, which require more robust materials (which is why chinese ones tend to break really easily)

Basically, the legal & mechanical headaches are just not worth the expense of producing one that will sell well enough to make a profit for many companies.

The titanium milled BM 4XX series are expensive in the 2nd hand market because they are no longer in production. Neither are Spyderco's original Spyderflys (which were recalled). Cold Steel stopped producting the Arc Angel.

This leaves a small number of the larger companies who are still willing to make it in the US like Benchmade (51 Morpho & the 53), Bradley (Kershaw made Kimura), Spyderco (smallfly), & Bear & Sons.

Theres SO few balisong/butterfly knives that you could hold all the current production balisongs in one hand. This is why it tends to be expensive.
 
So nice to be able to pick up hand made Balis in the Phils for 10.00 each... of course the workmanship is not what our top makers here put out but being a genuine bali built in Batangas where they have been built since the start- adds something. I even have a few bali swords to show off when company comes around :) But I dare anyone to trying flipping them! LOL!
Mine traveled in a suitcase through customs on both ends- still have the signed inspection form, your mileage may vary.
Bill
 
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