Butterfly Knives a.k.a. Batangas BALISONG

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Whenever I attend out of the province gatherings, seminars, confabs, I am usually asked about balisong. (Of course this is after i have introduced my self and mentioned that i am a Batanguena.) If not all, most of them would ask, “So you have a balisong with you?” And then i would reply and say, “oh yah, which one? i mean, what size?” (kidding)

Attached to the common notion that Batanguenos are brave, hero-types, ‘magigiting’, is the idea that most Batanguenos carry balisong with them wherever they go. Well, this isn’t true.  I myself,  a certified Batangueno do not have even one.

Butterfly knives, also known as Balisong is a another Batangas’ pride. In the wikipedia, it is described as:  a Philippine  folding pocket knife with two handles counter-rotating around the tang such that, when closed, the blade is concealed within grooves in the handles. In the hands of a trained user, the knife blade can be brought to bear quickly using one hand. Manipulations, called flipping, are performed for art or amusement.

One would usually find batangas butterfly knives stalls on the highways of Lemery and Taal where one could directly buy balisongs. These knives  are of various sizes, from a key-chain to beinte nueve – (the standard size) up to a gaden-cutter size.

Here are the various balisong designs and sizes one can choose from: