| Batangas
Latch |
The
Batangas latch refers to a latch that is attached to the bite
handle of the balisong. |
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| Bite
Handle |
The
bite handle is the handle that comes into contact with the blade
of the balisong. Allowing the knife to close while you are holding
the bite handle will result in a cut (see picture). |
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| CCC |
CCC
stands for Charming China
Cheapie. These refer to
cheap balisongs made in China. Oftentimes these are ripoffs
of existing knives and are quite poor in quality. |
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| D'latch |
The
D-Latch was created by custom knifemaker Larry
Davidson. A common problem that occurs with balisongs is
that the lockup of the knife (either in the open or closed position)
loosens over time. The D-Latch solves this problem by the use
of an adjustable screw that allows the latch to be tightened
up as needed. |
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| FHM |
FHM
is the acronym for a Filipino
Hand Made
balisong. These balisongs are made in the Philippines and are
generally not good for flipping as they need a lot of breaking
in to flip smoothly. |
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| Hidden
Pins |
While
the newer balisongs are all made with adjustable pivot pins,
the older generation of balisongs utilized what's referred to
as "hidden pins." These pins are ground flush with
the handle surface so it appears that there are no pins present.
Hidden pins are non-adjustable and will loosen over time with
use and also become visible as seen in this
picture. |
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| Horns |
The
horns, sometimes referred to as the "ears," "quillion,"
"guard," or "hilt." The horns serve as a
guard when holding the balisong to prevent the hand from slipping
onto the blade. Some designs also provide a grooved "ramp"
for thumb when holding the knife in the sabre grip. |
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| IKBS |
IKBS is the acronym
for the Ikoma-Korth Bearing System. This system replaces the
standard pivot pins and washers in a balisong and utilizes
a closed bearing system. This allows for an extremely tight
fit and eliminates all play in the handles of the balisong.
You can read more
about the IKBS here.
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| Kicker |
The
kicker on a balisong refers to an area on the blade that prevents
the blade from contacting the channel inside of the handle which
could result in damage to the blade. |
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| Latch |
Most
balisongs utilize a latch for its locking system. In most cases,
the latch is connected to one handle and can be latched onto
the opposite handle to lock the balisong either in the open
or the closed position. Some balisongers choose not to use a
latch and therefore go "latchless." That is, they
either purchase production knives without latches, have custom
makers make their balisongs without latches, or remove the latch
from an existing balisong. Latches come in either the standard
"T-latch" or Benchmade's Spring Latch. |
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| Latch
Gate |
The
latch gate was introduced on the Benchmade Model 42. It prevents
the latch from coming into contact with the blade and thus preventing
damage to both the latch and the blade. |
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| Manila
Latch |
The
Manila latch refers to a latch that is attached to the safe
handle of the balisong. |
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| Pivot
Pins |
The
pivot pins are the pins that the connect the handles to the
balisong blade and allow the handles to rotate into position. |
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| Dual
Tang Pins |
On
some balisongs, makers choose to use dual tang pins rather than
a single tang pin and a kicker. These tang pins prevent the
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| Safe
Handle |
The
safe handle is considered the handle on the spine side of the
blade. That is, grasping the safe handle allows you to ricochet
the blade off of your hand because the edge would be away from
your hand. |
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| Spring
Latch |
The
spring latch was a creation of Benchmade and has replaced the
T-latch that was the standard for balisongs. The spring latch
utilizes a spring that puts tension on the latch and holds the
latch outward in a direct line with the handle. This also allows
the latch to be disengaged by simply squeezing the balisong's
handles together and allowing the latch to spring open. The
spring latch first appeared on the BM49 SPL and is now the standard
latch on all Benchmade balisongs. Terry Guinn is currently the
only custom balisong maker (that I know of) to use a form of
the spring latch on a balisong. |
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| T-Latch |
The
"T-Latch" refers to the standard balisong latch which
is "T" shaped and locks the balisong in the open or
closed position. |
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| Tang |
The
tang of the balisong is the base of the blade where the horns,
tang pins and pivot pins are located. Tangs may take different
shapes depending on the maker. While in the closed position,
the tang of a balisong can also be used as a "skull crusher." |
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| Tang
Cups |
The
tang cups are divots in the handles of the balisong that are
designed to accept the tang pins.Wear in this area can affect
how well a balisong latches. |
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| Tang
Pins |
The
tang pin on a balisong serves to lock the blade in the open
position. |
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| Zen
Pins |
The
zen pins are a creation of the Benchmade knife company and replace
the tang pin and kicker on the standard type balisong. The zen
pins, which are also referred to by some as "kick pins,"
are a second set of pins added to the handle just below the
pivot pins. These extra pins align with grooves in the blade
and the tang and serve to lock the blade in the open position
and to prevent the blade from hitting the inside channel of
the handle. |
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