I am usually 10 years behind on pop culture stuff so I thought people would get this… I had heard from several people that Universities and some Companies were giving Fidget Spinners to Snowflakes in their time of emotional duress while they occupied the designated “Safe Place” for them to sit and spin, i.e. A woobie or blankie or a Fidget Spinner and then I saw that Lena Miculek spins a Balisong Butterfly Knife to relax when stressed out and it made me laugh about the difference between their women and our women.
How “our” kinda gals use their version of a Fidget Spinner when they need to go into that safe place emotionally… Lena Miculek is AWESOME!!
I was mildly interested in the knife she was promoting until I went and checked the price…$369.00… I may be a bit out of my lane here, but is’nt that a bit much for a edc knife? I liked the knife and all, but not that much.
Quality balis can get out of hand quickly. It’s a strong and solid design, but making them correctly is expensive. Anything no longer produced will be even more expensive, Jody Samson customs usually start at about $1,500 and I’ve seen them sell for as high as $4,500 for a rare example.
It was largely an 80s thing (The Outsiders, Red Dawn, etc.) and with the emergence and greater legality of tool grade automatics and thumb openers I can see why some might not be aware of a balisong.
Once upon a time it may have been the fastest, strongest folder out there but now some just see it as overly complicated and expensive. Despite having spent years studying arnis systems and learning more applications with a balisong than I can possibly remember it still isn’t my first pick for an EDC knife.
I collect them (especially older examples), I practice the arts associated with them and I even appreciate their visual appeal but when it comes to blades I usually opt for a fixed blade or auto. Of course a big part of that is the only company currently producing a balisong I’d use and carry is 29 Knives and they are expensive customs. The Benchmade 60s series is ok, and probably the most affordable bali for the money but they are a tad small for me.
I have heard of the knife and even owned one. Just never knew it was called that. We called it a butterfly knife although I probably haven’t owned one since the late 80s early 90s. If you google butterfly knife that is what you see as well. The term balisong is what I didn’t know. According to the all knowing and never wrong wikipedia it is know as a balisong in the Philippines.
Also if my memory is correct they were illegal to carry in Texas until a few years ago(any type of switch blade). I believe it was 2013 when the law changed. And as of Sept. 1st the Texas law changes again and you can carry pretty much any bladed weapon you want including any length sword
I am usually 10 years behind on pop culture stuff so I thought people would get it… I had heard from several people that Universities and some Companies were giving Fidget Spinners to Snowflakes in their time of emotional duress while they occupied the designated “Safe Place” for them to sit and spin, i.e. A woobie or blankie or a Fidget Spinner and then I saw that Lena Miculek spins a Balisong Butterfly Knife to relax when stressed out and it made me laugh about the difference between their women and our women.
I can’t justify spending over a $150 for a piece of tempered tool steel. To me expensive knives reiterate for me the principle of diminishing return. If a knife is going to cost me north of that I’ll just save for another GLOCK, I pick up almost new nothing but holster wear LEO trade in G19/17s for $300+.
Now I’m not talking about collecting knives, that is a whole other ball of wax all together. We have a pretty good EDC knife thread going in the Tactical Lights, Lasers & Knives technical sub-forum and some of the pieces in there and their prices are jaw dropping.
Pretty much. When people hear how much I have in the Surefire light that I carry I get odd looks. Seriously, between, light, knife, and gun, I’m carrying about $1’200 on my person in gear after all is said and done, some people’s cars didn’t cost them that much. But, like a good watch, there is something to be said for taking pride in owning a tool that you both enjoy owning and that fills the role you intend for it well. If that means going with a cheap buck knife, as long as it works for you, great, if that means like some, carrying a $600 or $700 folder of some sort, also great. I don’t have an issue until we start getting into the dick measuring portion of it because to honest, chances are both knives fill the same role. But, the buying what you like, want, and makes you happy has kept a lot of businesses in business.
I do have one cheapo balisong I picked up a while back, I enjoy playing with it, have picked up a few techniques that can be used with it, some which actually I would argue make it appealing from a defensive standpoint since I have options. That said, I still EDC my Emerson, so…
Would like to pick up a better quality one at some point just to have though.
