Description: Made by Tortoise Video and distributed by II Sports, The Balisong Knife video features Jeff Imada in a video tutorial on the uses of the balisong.

Review: The video duplicates some of the information available in the Balisong Manual and the Advanced Balisong Manual (also by Imada), but puts it onto film. The biggest difference between the books and the video are the sections on balisong manipulations. Both books included quite an extensive list of manipulations (openings and closings) for the balisong with pictures diagraming the stages of manipulation, but the video format makes this instruction much easier to follow. The camera work on the manipulation instructions in the video is quite good as it shows each manipulation from different camera angles so the audience can get a better understanding of each move. In addition to the "real-time" video, each manipulation is shown in slow motion accompanied by spoken instruction to describe the move in detail.

The video also includes interviews with famed sifu Dan Inosanto as well as Benchmade owner (and founder) Les de Asis. In a couple of scenes, Dan Inosanto demonstrates defensive techniques using the balisong. In his interview he also talks about the balisong knife and its history. The talk with Les de Asis includes a very informative clip showing the assembly of a custom Benchmade balisong.

Overall this video is very well done. It represents the balisong as it should be represented. While the techniques and manipulations are "flashy," the emphasis on the knife being used as both a tool and a practical defensive weapon is quite strong. The clips showing the balisong used in everyday situations, from gardening to the filleting of fish, show the balisong in a very good light. I enjoyed the fact that clips involved a woman using the balisong as well as a man.

Recommendation: This video is highly recommended for beginners and advanced balisongers alike. While many of the manipulation techniques are available for free on websites such as BalisongXtreme, the quality of the clips on a VHS video complete with commentary and slow motion clips is much better than the quality of an AVI clip streaming over the Internet. Jeff Imada has done a lot to promote the balisong and this video definitely helps him achieve this goal.

A special thanks goes to forumite gfhoward for loaning me his copy of The Balisong Knife.