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WABUKAN Arsenal · Knives and blades · Southeast Asia

Balisong

The Filipino folding "butterfly knife", whose handle splits in two around the blade.

Balisong
Balisong WABUKAN illustration

Also known as

butterfly knife; veinte y nueve

Origin and history

The balisong is a folding knife associated with the Philippines, especially Batangas province; its exact origin is debated. Filipino martial arts (eskrima, arnis, kali) teach it, and flipping it open and closed is a hobby in its own right.

Martial arts that use it

Arnis · Eskrima · Kali

Construction

A blade that folds into two handles rotating around pivots, locked with a latch; when closed the blade is fully covered. Trainers have a blunt, unsharpened blade.

Basic techniques

Training

Short-blade training starts with trainers made of wood, aluminium or rubber. Students drill angles of attack, grips (forward and reverse), checking the opponent’s arm and footwork, then flow drills with a partner. Live blades are kept for solo forms by experienced practitioners, if at all.

Safety

Use training knives for all partner work and eye protection for fast drills. Never mix live and training blades in the same session, store blades sheathed and out of reach of children.

Legality (general information)

Swords, knives and other edged weapons are regulated very differently from country to country (and sometimes from region to region): owning one at home is often allowed, while carrying it in public, buying it under a certain age or importing it may be restricted or banned. Practitioners usually transport them cased, out of reach and straight between home and dojo. This is general information, not legal advice: check the law where you live.

Did you know?

Because it can be opened with one hand very quickly, it is banned or restricted in several countries.

More weapons

Bolo Katar Khanjar Tanto Sai Kama

Sources

Original WABUKAN text, written from these cross-checked sources (facts, not sentences).

  1. Wikipedia — Balisong
  2. Wikipedia — Eskrima