Pinoy Steel.
The best handforged Filipino blades right to your door.
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The Finest Bente Nueves.
Balisongs 3 and 4 are sold: the other balisongs are still available.
All five of these beautiful balisongs were made by the most gifted Batanguenyo craftsmen: they are still making bente nueves the way their fathers and grandfathers did, albeit with a few upgrades.
1. This 36.2 cm balisong is a monster. At 14 1/4”, this is an exceptionally large knife. The blade is hand forged 5160 spring steel that was then expertly hand ground down to the WWII-style bayonet profile. The quality of this ground is exceptional by any knifemaker’s standards. The bolsters, housing and latch are all 300-series stainless, which has outstanding corrosion resistance. The latch is thin and fileworked by the craftsman responsible for making the handles.
The inserts are outstanding Brazilian kingwood that I personally hand finished to 2000 grit before rubbing down the entire knife with Renaissance Wax. This prevents the handles from becoming too slick and also protects the blade and pins from corrosion. I highly recommend it for your carbon steel knives!
The scales and bolsters have been ground flat (the eight-sided style which is now a classic pattern, and which was first offered to the world here at Pinoy Steel).
The top bolsters are double pinned for durability, and the two extra thick tang pins also ensure better lockup and longevity.
The swedge is nice and thin (but not sharpened).
There is a tiny spot on the blade which I buffed clean before polishing, waxing and oiling the blade.
This is an exceptionally nice bali and part of a pair. 7.2 oz. $199, or $189 if you’re taking both.
2. This bente nueve is really a 29 at precisely 29 cm in length. It features the very popular (both in the Philippines and overseas) fully hollowground labaha (straight razor) profile. These make mean slicers and are often sharpened to zero edges. This one has a secondary bevel, but could be sharpened up to a razor edge if desired.
The inserts on this knife are nicely figured (and chatoyant) African bubinga that i personally hand finished to 2000 grit, before buffing Renaissance Wax into the wood and the blade. Renaissance Wax is a museum grade finish that is used to protect antiques. It also works well on protecting wood and carbon steel from the elements. I highly recommend the stuff: a large can will last you a long, long time.
The blade has some light surface discoloration from storage: I buffed it off as best as I could before hand polishing and waxing the blade.
There are also some tiny pits near the ricasso end of the blade.
The housing, bolsters and latch are all stainless on this balisong. The top bolsters are double pinned for extra durability. Discounted at $155.
3. Here’s another textbook bente nueve with a twist: 29 cm long with stainless bolsters, housing and latch. The blade is expertly forged 5160 spring steel that has been hardened for reliable penetration. The inserts are beautiful hand finished zebrawood, which will soon be in short supply due to overharvesting in Africa.
Each of the bolsters on this knife are double pinned. The inserts have great color and figuring. I hand finished them to 2000 grit before applying Renaissance Wax to the wood, bolsters and blade to protect them from the atmosphere. I strongly recommend applying Renaissance Wax to your carbon steel knives a few times a year, as well as oiling the pivots for smooth operation and protection against corrosion.
There is a tiny amount of buffing compound from when the balisong makers polished the bolsters and housing trapped in the wood. I removed the vast majority of it and then hand finished the inserts, which substantially improves the fit and finish of the wood over anything else you will find coming out of Batangas today.
The blade is the modern buyod (bowie) grind. Unfortunately it has a line of tiny pits on the right side from less than ideal storage conditions in the Philippines.
I have buffed the pits clean, so there is no active rust.
There is also a tiny forging mark on the ricasso.
Two more pits on the left side of the blade as well.
This is a beautiful bali that unfortunately has a few imperfections, but they could be ground off if desired. 5.3 oz. Ready to flip too! Discounted at $149.
4. This beautiful balisong was not made specifically for Pinoy Steel, so it only has a single tang pin in standard thickness. It has a carbon spring steel kris blade and measures in at 28.7 cm long. The bolsters, liners and latch are all solid stainless steel. The top bolsters are double pinned for increased durability.
The inserts are smooth horse bone, a classic (and economical) choice. This bone has great uniform color, aside from a darker area on the other side.
The blade was nicely ground. I have hand polished and waxed all the metal and bone on this knife to protect it from the elements. I recommend touching up the Renaissance Wax finish a few times a year to help keep your bali pristine.
The darker area toward the end of the insert is naturally occurring.
This is a beautiful and simple bente nueve that is seldom available in this exact combination of materials and blade grind. 5.6 oz. SOLD.
5. This smaller balisong measures in at 23.2 cm, a little shorter than standard for this class. It is however a great width and beautifully made. It features a hand forged carbon steel bowie blade with a nice swedge and two extra thick tang pins. The bolsters, housing and latch are stainless steel. The inserts are beautiful Siberian mammoth ivory sandwiched between absolutely jet black kamagong ebony heartwood.
The inserts were hand finished to 1000 grit before being oiled and finished with Renaissance Wax. This will protect the kamagong and ivory against the elements for quite a while, but I do recommend touching up the finish a few times a year to keep your knife pristine. There is a thin line in the mammoth ivory that is a naturally occurring inclusion. This is common since mammoth ivory has been stuck in the permafrost for thousands of years!
The blade is really beautiful. It has a tiny pit near the ricasso.
There are also some darker lines in the ivory on the other side of the knife. They look like hairline cracks, but are barely detectable by touch.
This is an exceptionally rare balisong and the contrast between the mammoth ivory and kamagong is stunning. 4.9 oz. $189.
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Kalimantan Dayak Mandau / Parang Iban.
SOLD.
This mandau is from the eastern portion of the island of Borneo, which is also known as Kalimantan by Indonesians. The island is divided between Indonesia and Malaysia, and the tiny Sultanate of Brunei also occupies a small area on the northern coast.
Mandaus were (and occasionally, still are) used in headhunting, which is a tradition with a long history on the massive, wild island. Heads were taken to settle disputes between and within Dayak tribes and also to control population. The Dayak tribes have been forced to adapt to the changes implemented by the governments that have divided up their land, but many of these tribespeople have stuck to their guns and occasionally lopped more than a few heads off to try and preserve their way of life. Tribesmen from what is now the Visayas and Mindanao also incurred losses when attempting to raid the coast of Borneo.
Many mandaus are exquisitely carved and decorated with natural materials from the resource-rich jungles and mountains of Borneo. Simpler ones are used for agriculture. This is a modern-made mandau and lacks the finesse of the finest mandaus used by tribesmen, but it is definitely not a standard working version by any means. While it has a few modern touches, this is one, thick, solid chisel-ground blade that was made by skilled traditional blacksmiths. This mandau is very capable of removing someone’s head from their shoulders.
The blade is around 1/4” thick at its base. The blade is 16 3/4” long. The balance point is 6.5” in front of the handle, meaning this is a blade heavy chopper (as it should be). The scabbard is crafted from a fragrant local wood and is carved with traditional motifs and shellacked. The scabbard also has nicely done rattan wrap in several places to hold it together, as well as a rattan loop to allow it to be attached to ones’ waist or carried or hung on a wall.
The blade features a beautiful dragon, which of course is a powerful symbol throughout Asia and much of Europe. This dragon was done entirely by hand and the contrast between the forge scale and polished metal is striking.
The handle has rattan wrap and what I believe to be plant fibers. Traditionally these fibers would be animal or human (!) hair. There are a few holes from pests in the handle.
This mandau comes with a small knife, which the Dayak headhunting tribes consider even more important than the large blade. While this is not a fancy blade by any means (I’m not sure what kind of metal was used for it), they were traditionally used to extricate the brains from victims. While these practices are far less common nowadays, it is believed that they still continue in areas of Borneo where vehicles cannot go. The small knife has a simple handle that is 5 9/16” long with a 2 7/8” blade. 0.4 oz.
The blade is definitely nicely done and made for real use.
The blde is sharp and the tip is nicely ground. There is a traditional twisted portion on the spine.
Being chisel ground, this is one effective chopper and will cut nice and deep.
The anthromorphic carvings are of traditional motifs and have religious significance.
The back of the scabbard has a small sheath for the brain knife to slip into.
There are forge marks and color on the blade from quenching.
These modern mandaus do come up from time to time, but are rarely described or photographed as thoroughly: if you’d like one for the collection or as a user, this one would serve you well. 22 5/16” overall with a 5 9/16” handle. Nice and solid at 14.3 oz, or 19.2 oz with the scabbard and small knife. SOLD.
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Indonesia.
The kujang keychain is now sold.
Here are some beautiful silver and gold-plated items from Indonesia. These items celebrate the history and culture of a truly incredible country.
1. This letter opener features Javanese shadow puppet-style depictions of Rama and Shinta, two characters from the Hindu epic the Ramayana. Although the island of Java is predominately Muslim now, there is still a great deal of respect for Hindu culture on the island. The body of the opener resembles a Javanese keris, and it comes in a box that has been hand wrapped with Javanese-batik printed paper. Together these embody some of the best of Indonesian history and culture. I have a Javanese keris at the entrance to my home, along with two wayang kulit (shadow puppets) and some great batik shirts from around Java.
This would be a great present for a pencak silat practitioner or anyone who is a fan of Indonesian culture and history, or even someone who enjoys the Ramayana. I have not yet had a chance to watch a live shadow puppet show in Indonesia, but it is definitely one of my goals!
The opener comes with English and Bahasa Indonesia descriptions of both Rama and Shinta.
There is a great deal of detail on these openers borrowed from the actual handmade and painted leather shadow puppets that are still in use today in Indonesia.
This opener is not available outside Indonesia, and even within Indonesia is only available in a few select locations. It is 6 3/4” long and nice and light at only half an ounce. $35.
2. This is a bookmark depicting the Javanese shadow puppet version of Rama, the chief character in the Sanskrit epic the Ramayana. It is plated in genuine silver and is beautifully presented in a batik paper-wrapped box with a short description of Rama’s significance in both English and Bahasa Indonesia.
The back of the bookmark is plain.
This is a great item and beautifully made: you won’t find one of these anywhere else outside Indonesia! 3”. 0.2 oz. $35.
3. This is a gold-plated kujang keychain. The kujang is revered by the Sundanese of West Java as much as the keris is revered in much of Central and Eastern Java. Aside from being an excellent weapon, it is also a religious symbol. The three holes on the top are thought to be representative of the trimurti, or the three central gods in Hinduism. Modern versions now sometimes have five holes since Islam is now the predominant religion in Indonesia. It was originally an agricultural tool (much like a small scythe), but it has far more symbolism now.
Standing between two wall-mounted kujangs is thought to mean death!
This beautiful keychain is great for the silat aficionado, especially those that practice West Javanese styles such as mande muda. This is not an item you’ll find anywhere else! Packed in a beautiful batik-paper wrapped box. 2”. 0.1 oz. SOLD.
4. This is a gold-plated keychain representing the golok, which is both an agricultural tool and a revered weapon in West Java, Indonesia. I own several goloks myself and train with them frequently. They are absolutely devastating blades.
The keychain comes in a batik-paper wrapped box.
This would be a great present for a silat practitioner or anyone who collects West Javanese weapons.
This absolutely represents a typical West Javanese golok to a T: I own one much like it! If it was silver plated, I’d wear it as a pendant! 2”. 0.2 oz. $35.
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Stainless beauties.
Only the first one is still available.
These four bente nueves have blades that were exceptionally well ground: some of the most equal grinds I’ve ever seen. They were all ground at around the same time and all four are real beauties. All four have been hand finished and I knocked down the edges on the liners with a fine file and high grit sandpaper.
1. This balisong is longer than normal. It measures in at 33.1 cm, which is a length a few of my buyers prefer. The blade is the modern version of the classic buyod, which in turn was inspired by the Arab-style grind that was common on the Spanish navajas (folding knives) that were ubiquitous in the Philippines and Europe. The modern buyod is of course ground on belts and wheels rather than on a bench stone.
The inserts on this bali are beautiful. Bloodwood will darken over time, much like blood, and this is from an absolute top-grade batch of timber. The wood has subtle chatoyancy and very even grain and color throughout. Bloodwood is good, hard wood, but not so hard that it is excessively brittle: this is a great wood for knife handles. I personally hand finished this wood to 2000 grit and it was well worth the hours it took me!
The blade is double pinned for durability and better lockup in both the open and closed positions. The top bolsters are double pinned for durability. The bolsters, liners and latch are all 300-series stainless steel.
There are 5-10 tiny pits on each side of the blade, but all of them have been buffed clean.
This is a really nicely ground bali, especially for its length, and the wood is absolutely stunning. Discounted because of the pits. 5.9 oz. $185.
2. This bali is a very unique piece with some very special inserts. It measures in at 28.9 cm (just under textbook bente nueve length). It features a hand forged carbon spring steel tari blade (hollowground and shaped like the spur used in cockfighting in the Philippines). This tari curves downward more than usual: I really like the way this grind turned out.
The inserts are a modern black weatherproof matrix that has been molded with an alligator skin pattern. The matrix has been left flat to preserve the pattern, which is sometimes done with stag and wood to preserve the texture or for a slightly different feel.
There was a hairline crack in one of the inserts (on the other side) that I filled with JB Epoxy. Since the epoxy was a little lighter in color than the scales, I rubbed some into the surface of the alligator textured-matrix to even out the color. It really helped highlight the pattern and helped the filled crack blend right in. The matrix is sandwiched between beautiful, dark Central American cocobolo that I hand finished to 2000 grit.
Each of the solid stainless bolsters is double pinned for durability. The liners and latch are also stainless steel.
The blade has a 3/8” long scratch from when a little grit from the sandpaper accidentally rubbed on it. I have polished most of the scratch out, but it needs a little more elbow grease to get it out completely.
You may be able to make out the thin crack on the lower scale in the pictures below.
The matrix was turned slightly blue by grinding and buffing because of the heat generated, but this is only visible in direct sunlight.
Excellent piece with a few very minor imperfections. 4.6 oz. Discounted at $175.
3. This bente nueve is one of the first the craftsmen really got creative on the spines on. These are becoming more common after I voiced my appreciation for the original piece that featured what we now call the bulaklak (flower) grind: it was originally an attempt to cover up a mistake in grinding and it actually turned out to be very attractive. I have the first piece that was ‘messed up’ in my collection and I will never part with it! :)
This balisong measures in at 28.9 cm (just under textbook bente nueve length).
The inserts are South American purpleheart with great color. I hand finished the wood to 2000 grit, but due to the nature of the wood, some buffing compound from finishing by the makers still remains. The inserts are triple pinned, which greatly aids durability. The top bolsters are also double pinned. The bolsters, liners and latch are all stainless steel: the latch on this one has been beautifully fileworked by the craftsman.
This blade is a real work of art! There is a tiny forge mark on the ricasso, which is very common on traditionally hand forged carbon steel blades.
This grind is extremely attractive and also has certain advantages in use that some of you may be able to figure out.
This is an incredible piece that you absolutely will not find anywhere else. it is very much a one of a kind and worthy of any collection of modern FHMs. 5.6 oz. SOLD.
4. Here’s a more classic-looking FHM, but with a few Pinoy Steel upgrades over the standard offerings from these craftsmen. The blade strongly resembles the classic buyod (bowie) grind, but has been ground slimmer so it doesn’t hit the liners when closed. There are two tang pins which alleviate movement of the blade in the closed position. The inserts are tripled pinned kamagong ebony heartwood that I personally hand finished to 2000 grit. This is absolutely beautiful kamagong as you can see, and it has very nice, tight grain. This one measures in at 27.6 cm, which to me is the perfect size for my hands.
Each of the solid stainless bolsters has been double pinned for durability. The liners and latch are also stainless steel.
This is a subtle bali all around: the swedge is of classic proportions.
While this may look like a run of the mill balisong, it is ground slimmer so it can be flipped closed and each of the bolsters is double pinned. It was also carefully and painstakingly hand finished by yours truly, which no other Batangas balisong dealer takes the time to do. Excellent bali with a very nice grind. 5.3 oz. SOLD.
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Bahi, Zebrawood, Cocobolo and Mun Ebony.
Balisongs 1, 3 and 4 are sold.
Four beautiful balisongs from the most skilled craftsmen making balisongs in the Philippines today. This skill has been handed down for generations: sadly, the current crop of makers may not be passing these skills down to their sons. These balisongs have evolved into their present form, but in many ways, are much like the first balisongs that were made in the 1900s.
1. This balisong measures in at exactly 29 cm: a true, textbook bente nueve. It features a carbon steel kris blade with two extra thick tang pins. The housing, bolsters and latch are all solid stainless steel, and the top bolsters are double pinned for extra durability.
The inserts on this one are beautiful Filipino bahi (palm wood). This is some of the nicest bahi I’ve ever seen. Up until last year, bahi had never been used on Filipino balisongs. This wood has been painstakingly hand finished to 2000 grit, which significantly improved its appearance and the fit of the wood to the bolsters and housing. A little dark buffing compound is still trapped in the grain of the wood, but I have removed almost all of it as you can see.
The blade has a handful of tiny pits that I have buffed clean. It is discounted because of this.
This is an exceptionally nice bente nueve and the palm wood is really incredible! Bahi is durable, heavy wood, and what my favorite arnis sticks are made of. 5.1 oz. SOLD.
2. This balisong features the now classic bayonet grind. This grind was first seen on balisongs around WWII and it is heavily inspired by the US Army bayonets that were prevalent at the time. The first bayonet bente nueve may have been made for a returning US troop. This one measures in at 28.9 cm: just under textbook bente nueve length. In actuality, most bente nueves are a little under or over 29 cm.
The blade has a nice, thin swedge, and two extra thick tang pins: what I like to call a real Pinoy Steel piece.
The inserts are African zebrawood which I hand finished to 1200 grit. The softness of this wood and the grain mean there is a little buffing compounded trapped in the wood. I removed almost all of it and then finished the wood with beeswax and linseed oil.
The bolsters, housing and latch on this knife are all solid 300-series stainless steel. Each of the bolsters is double pinned for durability.
This is a great bente nueve I know many of you will like: the warm, caramel-colored zebrawood contrasts nicely with the cold steel. 5.3 oz. $169.
3. This is an exceptionally nice bente nueve. It features blood red Central American cocobolo that I personally hand finished to 2000 grit, which brings out subtle figuring and color that simply isn’t visible at the 400 grit most knifemakers finish their wood to. This knife measures in at 29.1 cm in length.
This wood is a beautiful, dark, rich red.
The blade is 5160 spring steel that was hand forged the traditional way. It features the now classic kris grind. The tip is a little straighter (like some Maranao kris), which allows for easier insertion before the waves increase the size of the wound channel.
The blade features two extra thick tang pins. There are a couple of tiny forging marks on the ricasso.
The bolsters, housing and latch are all solid stainless steel. Each of the bolsters is double pinned for durability.
This is an exceptionally nice piece, and it’s a nice weight at 4.9 oz. $165.
4. This bente nueve is a beauty. It features mun ebony from Laos, which is increasingly hard to find. This wood may look like kamagong, but it has much tighter grain and different figuring from Filipino ebony. I really like this wood and would love one of these buyods for the collection! This one measures in at exactly 29 cm.
This balisong is built slimmer than usual: great for carry, and for those who like a more slender knife. The bolsters, liners and latch are all solid stainless steel, and all of the bolsters are double pinned.
The blade is hand forged 5160 and features a very nice buyod (bowie) grind. The swedge and clip are beautifully done.
The ebony has been hand finished to 1000 grit: I chose not to go higher since ebony becomes very smooth at high grits and won’t hold oil if it’s too smooth. The ebony was then finished with a hand buffed linseed oil and beeswax coat.
This is an especially nicely ground bente nueve. 4.6 oz. $179.
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Classic Kamagong.
The fork is still available. The rest of the items are sold.
Five items for you today: they all feature Filipino hardwood and the fork has classic Batangas jigged horse bone.
1. These eagle kris bente nueves are always popular. They aren’t made by the best makers, but they are still great knives, if a little rough around the edges. I personally picked this one from a small batch of eagle krises I was presented with and I only accepted one or two—the commercially produced balisongs aren’t made with the same degree of care and often have issues I can’t live with and don’t feel are worthy of being offered here at Pinoy Steel.
This kris measures in at 28 cm. It has a few forge marks on the ricasso and eagle tang: since the blades are hand forged the traditional way, using charcoal and an anvil, this is pretty much inevitable. The forge marks definitely lend the blade character you won’t find on a modern machine ground and electric oven-treated balisong produced in a sterile factory!
The inserts are beautiful red narra heartwood with great chatoyancy. The brass overlay was very nicely done. Brass overlay has been seen on bente nueves since at least the ’40s (I have one from back then I will never part with)! The inserts, housing and latch are all solid brass (no stainless liners on this one).
The entire handle is buffed after grinding, and the wood usually has dark compound and dust trapped in it. I have removed the vast majority of the compound, which really allows the color and chatoyancy to shine through, but some compound still remains around the brass overlay. No other dealer bothers with attempting to remove the buffing compound and steel dust, but I feel the wood is just too nice to leave covered up.
The blade features the kris grind, which is always a popular choice. The balisong I carry most often happens to be a brass and bone kris.
The top bolsters are double copper pinned for increased durability on this one.
This is an exceptionally nice eagle kris bali: you definitely don’t want to hesitate on this one if you like it, since they move fast. 7.5 oz (the brass housing and overlay really adds to the weight)! $115.
2. This bente nueve is a real beauty: I’d be happy to add this one to my collection of kamagong and stainless balisongs since the combination is just pure, simple beauty. The buyod blade was well ground and the clip and swedge just look perfect to me. This bali measures in at 28.8 cm.
The blade is hand forged carbon spring steel and only features a single tang pin (as is traditional).
The inserts are beautiful kamagong heartwood. I have removed the trapped buffing compound and metal dust from the wood, but I have not hand finished the ebony. It is at around 400 grit and has a few rough patches. I would be happy to refinish this balisong for you for an additional $15. I recommend taking it to 1000 grit if you’d like to try your hand at refinishing this one. At 1000 grit, ebony is very smooth, but still capable of holding oil to prevent checking.
The bolsters, liners and latch are all solid 300-series stainless. Each of the bolsters is pinned once. This bali is really pure simplicity.
5.9 oz. $115, or $129 with the optional hand finishing.
3. These stainless and kamagong balicombs are very popular. They are made by the best balisong makers still making bente nueves deep in the heart of Batangas, and it shows. These are difficult to make, and getting the teeth right takes a great deal of skill since each tooth is sawed into a stainless bar entirely by hand.
This comb measures in at 19 cm.
The comb has two extra thick tang pins: a Pinoy Steel comb through and through.
The inserts are beautiful kamagong heartwood with some subtle brown figuring. The bolsters, liners and latch are solid stainless steel. Each of the bolsters is double pinned: again, a Pinoy Steel hallmark.
The wood on this comb has been cleaned up to remove the excess buffing compound that you find on virtually all FHM balisongs. I would be happy to hand finish this comb for an extra $15. This significantly improves the fit of the insert to the liners and bolsters and also drastically improves the wood’s appearance and feel. SOLD.
4. This balicomb is in classic brass and kamagong. This is a popular item here in Pinoy Steel and with good reason. Crafted by Batangas’ best balisong makers, it is lightweight, easy to carry and great for combing your hair with! As with the real balisongs, this one should not be flipped closed hard repeatedly or the comb will wear down the liners over time.
This comb measures in at 19.1 cm long. It features two extra thick tang pins for increased durability—this is only found on Pinoy Steel FHM balicombs.
The bolsters and thick latch are both solid brass: the liners on this one are 300-series stainless, which is durable and also helps keep the weight down.
Each of the bolsters is double pinned for increased durability: again, this one is all Pinoy Steel.
The inserts are beautiful kamagong heartwood with great black and brown color. This wood has been cleaned up to remove the excess buffing compound that is commonly found on FHM balisongs, but it has not been hand finished. I charge $15 extra for this. Hand finishing will significantly improve the feel and appearance of the wood while also improving the fit of the inserts to the bolsters and liners.
4.2 oz. SOLD.
This balifork is not from the best makers and is definitely a little rougher around the edges, but it is perfectly usable. It is also a great deal for someone who doesn’t want to spring for the best quality, but still wants a balifork for the collection or to use. I don’t often offer these because I feel the quality doesn’t quite meet my standards, but I accepted this one for Pinoy Steel, although I am offering it with a few caveats.This fork measures in at 18.3 cm open.
The fork is solid 300-series stainless, but is only 1/8” thick versus the 3/16” thick forks on the ones from the best makers. The finish isn’t as even and there is an ‘orange peel’ texture near the bolsters.
The bolsters and latch are aluminum. Each bolster features a single copper pin. While nice and light, aluminum does ding up easily. The liners are stainless. Each of the bolsters is pinned once. The inserts are jigged horse bone.
Due to the thinner fork, the liners have to be pressed down to hold the fork in place. The fork has a slight bend in it to make it more natural in use.
This fork is nice and light at 3 oz. $45 including shipping.
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Stainless Arnis, Trainers with Bushings and a Titanium Pocket Tool.
Both of the channel construction trainers and the titanium skull are sold: three of the stainless arnis are still available.
I got these items in a few days ago—I think you’ll like them!
First up are four arnis sticks made on a small scale for Chinese kung fu practitioners. The Chinese have been interested in arnis ever since they saw Dan Inosanto face off with Bruce Lee in the Game of Death. These sticks were custom ordered and are excellent for training and use. They are 1mm thick 300-series stainless tubing with laser engraving. There are stylized dragons and traditional Chinese motifs on the sticks.
They measure in at 22”, shorter than standard arnis sticks. This makes them faster in use, easier to carry and also keeps the weight down.
Each stick weighs 10.1 oz. They are around 13/16” thick overall.
The engraving is classy and also provides some grip to the handles. You could of course refinish these if need be—a little sandpaper would give them a satin finish on the raised areas.
The ends, like the rest of these sticks, are nicely finished.
These are very solid sticks and they balance perfectly right in the middle, where there is an area without any engraving. Perfect balance is not easily achievable with natural materials, but these are uniform throughout. $49 each, or $95 for a pair.
This titanium alloy skull is great for EDC: it is light, durable and can even be worn as a pendant on a breakaway bead chain. I believe it can also be used as a bottle opener, although I haven’t tried it.
The skull measures in at 3.75” long and 2 9/16” wide.
The skull is a solid 3/16” thick.
The eyes are large enough to fit my fingers and the grooves in the sides of the skull will allow your fingers or thumb to rest in them, so you can brace the skull for impact.
2.9 oz. $48 including shipping.
These trainers have significantly better fit and finish than the last trainer I offered, and they also lock up much better in the closed position.
These trainers are from the same guys who make the spring latch balicombs I offer: these are one of their newest products. Rather than sandwich construction, the handles are made of cast 400-series stainless that is welded together. The screws have been ground flush with the handles and there are bushings in the pivots. This drastically reduces the handle play and makes them flip incredibly smoothly.
The handles have been well finished and buffed.They are solid and durable. The spring latch is much easier to deploy than on the originals.
The blades are 1/8” thick. The bushings on these are a major upgrade! These also have latch gates that prevent the latch from hitting the ‘blade,’ although this is not really an issue since they have spring latches.
Bushings really take the handle play out. The blade is, however, large enough to hit the inside of the liners and rub on the channels, but being thick, solid stainless, this isn’t going to affect durability.
These measure in at 5.5” closed, or 9 3/16” when open. 5 oz. $80 each.
This trainer is from a different supplier: it has sandwich construction handles that have been screwed together before the heads were ground flush with the handles. It is also 400-series stainless and features a spring latch and bushings in the pivots. The fit and finish on this trainer is very good, and the skeletonized handles and the training blade have been nicely done. The edges of the handles are smooth, but aren’t perfectly even, as these were hand ground. The tang pockets were also done by hand. The trainer locks up perfectly.
This trainer features very thick tang pins for durability.
This trainer measures in at 5 7/16” closed, or 8 7/8” open (a little shorter than the channel construction trainers).
The spring latch works well and this would be a pleasure to flip. 5 oz. $70.
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Old School Japanese Taylors.
These are still being made in Seki City, Japan: the traditional heart of Japanese knife and sword making. Japanese Spydercos are still made there today. These balis were designed by Taylor in the 80s and are made exactly the same way today. They are heavily FHM influenced: brass channels, beautiful chatoyant rosewood inserts and a 1/8” thick hollowground labaha-style blade.
The blade, wood and the outside of the channels have all been buffed, exactly in the same way as FHMs. The brass channels are absolutely mirror polished on the outside.
The latch does flop around: you’d want to either accept that the blade would get dinged up if you intend on flipping this bali closed (I no longer flip any of my balisongs closed), or you could put a rubber band on the latch to prevent damage.
At the same time, these are precision-made as you would expect from the Japanese. There is a lot of play in the handles when open (intentional), but it locks up rock solid. The blade is razor sharp Japanese 440C. It measures in at precisely 9”, or 22.9 cm, and weighs 8 oz.
The nylon sheath is 0.9 oz and is a perfect fit for the bali. $85 including shipping.
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Balis with Bushings and Impact Devices.
Some spring latch balicombs and a balisong today, along with a couple of pocket-sized tools I think you guys will like.
This first balicomb features skeletonized handles a la 42 with the basketweave pattern. This is the most expensive combo for these balicombs because of the extra work involved, and they also provides excellent grip. These are not currently available anywhere else.
These combs have nice, thick tang pins, bushings in the pivots that alleviate blade play and have them flipping like lightning, and the screws have been locked into place before the heads were ground off: these are good, durable flippers, but as with any knife, repeated drops on a hard surface will wreck them.
This comb is all 420 stainless. 22.5 cm. 4.8 oz. $85.
Here’s a laser-engraved balicomb from the same craftsmen in China as the other balisongs and combs with spring latches. There is a cloud pattern in the center of the handles. The engraving actually provides texture to the otherwise smooth handles, and should hold up well during use. These are truly excellent flippers, and should work well as combs too! They are all 420 stainless steel.
The spring latch, bushings in the pivots and very thick tang pins are all nice touches: these were definitely made to flip.
22.4 cm. 5 oz. $75.
Here’s the model that started it all: solid 420 stainless scales that are pinned together. Bushings in the pivots, a 420 stainless blade with a weehawk grind, spring latch, bushings in the pivots and oversized tang pins. These are excellent value: I have one of these in my own collection. These are absolutely made to flip first and foremost.
23.3 cm. The blade is nice and sharp. 5 oz. SOLD.
Two impact devices for your viewing pleasure today: the ‘cat’ keychain appears to be a fairly tough molded black plastic. The design allows you to slip your fingers through the eyes so you can punch with it. The ears will serve well for pressure point application. The holes are rather small (15/16”), so this might be better suited to someone with medium-sized hands. It is 5/16” thick, so it should hold up well. Nice and light at 0.3 oz. GIFTED.
The pry bar is chrome plated zinc alloy and is intended for use as a kubotan. It has a bottle opener at one end and tapers at the other end. Being zinc alloy, I don’t know how durable it would be for actual prying, but it makes an excellent (and discreet) impact device.
The pry bar has a short loop of bead chain on one end: this could be replaced with paracord or any other material you’d like to pass through the lanyard hole.
These pry bars (I have two) are 3/16” thick and 5 13/16” long. $15 with any other item.
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Brass, Bone and Bubinga.
The stag and bubinga bente nueve is still available: the horse bone and black Corian balisong is sold.
Happy Easter everyone!
These balisongs are from the handful of truly gifted craftsmen still making bente nueves deep in the heart of Batangas. These knives are true heirloom-grade pieces that will serve you well, and if cared for, will last forever.
This balisong measures in at 29 cm long (what I like to call a textbook bente nueve: the earliest butterfly knife in this size that I have seen (and have in my collection!) was made in the 1940s. It features a hollowground hand forged leaf spring ‘tari’ blade with a convex ground edge for increased toughness. Taris are cockfighting spurs that are attached to roosters’ feet in the Philippines, where virtually every town has a ‘cockpit’ where locals gather to bet on fights.
Hollowground blades can take extremely fine edges, which makes them mean slicers, and the upswept tip on the tari makes this perhaps my favorite profile of all.
The blade has two extra thick tang pins: a feature rarely seen on Batangas balisongs, but one you will find on most of my offerings here at Pinoy Steel. The extra tang pin helps reduce shock on the blade from being slammed closed (not recommended) and also prevents the blade from rattling inside the housing.
The inserts on this knife are European red stag with great color, sandwiched between African bubinga with amazing metallic flash. The wood has been hand finished to 2000 grit to really get the most out of it. This also substantially improves the fit of the wood to the bolsters and stainless housing.
Each of the brass bolsters is held in place with two copper pins, which contrasts nicely with the brass and also matches the bubinga well.
The blade is razor sharp for the first few inches of its length, and can be sharpened up if desired. One advantage of only having the first few inches sharpened is that you’re less likely to seriously cut yourself in a high pressure situation.
This balisong has a nice, thick brass latch. The latch fits the handles perfectly and is nice and flush: one of the hallmarks of a top quality FHM balisong.
The maker also took great care to line up the pins as carefully as possible: something else that divides the good bente nueves from the low grade tourist specials.
This is a truly beautiful bente nueve in every way. 5.4 oz. $165.
This balisong is shorter than usual at 22.8 cm, but it feels just like a regular 24 cm knife. It features the modern version of the classic buyod (bowie) grind, but with a long and shallow clip and swedge. This is a very attractive grind and was beautifully executed. The blade is hand forged 5160 spring steel: the steel was most likely from a Japanese vehicle’s suspension.
The inserts are classic Batangas horse bone, which has been used on balisongs since at least the 40s. It actually holds up better than the kalabaw (water buffalo) horn that was popular at the time, and is a great substitute for Filipino stag, which is now in short supply due to habitat loss, overpopulation and unsustainable hunting practices. Between the bone inserts we have some black Corian I hand finished to 2000 grit to improve its appearance and the fit of the Corian to the stainless housing and the bone inserts. This is definitely a unique combination that should prove to be nice and durable.
The blade on this knife is really beautiful: it does have three or four tiny surface pits and a little patina on the ricasso around the bolsters, but I have cleaned it off as best as I could by hand.
The brass bolsters are hand shaped and ground and the top bolsters (near the blade) are double pinned. This knife also features a thicker brass latch than usual.
The bone contrasts nicely with the Corian. There are some naturally occuring rougher patches on two of the bone inserts.
This is a great looking balisong: the black Corian resembles kalabaw horn, but is much more durable. You definitely won’t find an FHM like this one anywhere else!
Back in the 40s when bone and buffalo horn were being experimented with as replacements for stag, I don’t think the makers would ever have dreamt of combining a synthetic replacement with horse bone and having access to electric grinders and drills, let alone combining African and European wood and stag on a single knife!
While much remains the same with FHMs, the grinds and overall finishing of these knives is exceptional. 4.9 oz. SOLD.
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Karambits.
Both sold.
Two beautiful karambits for your viewing pleasure today: both of these were expertly crafted in the northern Philippines. I only have one of each of these at this time, so if you want one, don’t hesitate!
The first karambit is considered the classic Filipino style by some, although this of course has a few upgrades. It is full tang 5160 carbon steel with kamagong scales. This particular forge is very good at getting the most out of spring steel.
The blade is double-edged and sharp on both sides. It is just under 3/16” thick at the spine with a distal taper. The blade measures 6” along the spine and 4 3/4” along the main edge. The handle is 4 5/16” including the ring.
The scales are pinned through the tang in five places: this ensures they stay put even if the knife is dropped hard.
There is a crack in the kamagong—this is inevitable when pinning wood as hard as ebony. I would be happy to fill and seal the crack with steel epoxy for you if you like.
The sheath is molave hardwood with beautiful chatoyancy. The belt clip is 1/8” thick aluminum.
There is a small gap between the handle and the mouth of the sheath, but this knife draws smoothly and the sheath is an excellent fit.
This karambit is a good fit for those with large hands. The inside of the ring is smooth. There is visible epoxy in the ring between the scales and ring, but it has been nicely finished.
This karambit is nicely finished, and the ricasso ensures your hand has plenty of room for error when you aren’t in a situation where you are going to lose your fine motor control.
This is a beautiful karambit that is absolutely meant to be used. 6 oz, or 7.8 oz with the sheath. SOLD.
This second karambit has beautiful thick molave slabs and a modern and ergonomic design. The blade is double edged and tapers to a fine point. This one fits my hand well and is definitely a good one for someone with larger hands. This is hand forged 5160 spring steel which has the right amount of hardness and toughness for a karambit. There is a small pit on the blade that I have buffed clean.
The blade is double edged and hollow ground. It is 3/16” at the tang. The main edge is 3 1/8” and the back edge is 3 7/8”. The sheath is beautiful molave with a riveted aluminum clip for belt carry.
There is some minor corrosion on the tang and spine that I have buffed clean. It could of course be removed by sanding and buffing if desired.
Two pins through the tang ensure the scales stay put. They are really nice and thick.
The sheath is a good fit for the karambit and will hold it nice and tight until needed.
The tang sits a little proud, but it is still perfectly comfortable to hold.
This design really allows for a good, secure and comfortable hold.
There is plenty of room in forward grip.
This is a beautiful karambit I’d be happy to own, and I know you’ll like it too! 6.6 oz, or 8.2 oz in the sheath. SOLD.
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Zamboanga & Basilan.
The sanggot, ladies’ wallet and Yakan hat are sold.
Last summer, I visited the beautiful southwest of the Philippines and got to explore Zamboanga City and some of Isabela City, Basilan, the most dangerous city in the Philippines. Few visitors make it down there nowadays due to the high risk of bombing and kidnapping: every major world government has issued warnings to its citizens to avoid all travel to the region. It was a nerve wracking experience for sure, but it was a region I’ve long wanted to visit. One day, I hope there is peace in the ARMM, because I’d love to explore the area without having to worry about disappearing!
This sickle, known as a sanggot in the Visayas and a karit in Tagalog, was made in the Zamboanga peninsula for real use. These are definitely not available anywhere else. Due to the difficulty of transporting blades out of the area (I had to have a 40-minute discussion with the head of airport security), I was wary about buying too many: I carefully selected three working blades I felt were most representative of the region. I saw one of these sickles being used to cut through banana palm branches, and the blade was zipping through the thick branches like a hot knife through butter.
The blade is traditionally forged 5160 spring steel. The forge scale has been left on. Polishing off the scale hurts the temper of the blade: it is left on on working blades as they don’t need to be pretty and the scale also holds oil, which prevents corrosion. I have cleaned the handle and blade for these pictures.
The handle measures in at 5 1/8” and it is a solid 1 7/16” thick at its widest point. This would be a prime candidate for shaping: this is meant to be done by the end user. Many times, however, these blades are just used as is.
This style of blade is very much Filipino, and it reminds me of the hilt on a Tausug barung.
The blade is 13” along the spine, or 9 5/16” if measured in a straight line. It is 9 1/4” along the main edge. This blade is slightly convex ground, but you’d really have to look carefully to tell: it looks almost flat ground. This makes it a durable chopper. Blades like this were of course the precursor to the now famous karambit.
There are three stars on the blade from the forge.
There is also a notch in the blade to prevent sharpening too close to the ricasso. The blade is 1/8” thick.
While the handle isn’t made to be pretty, there is some lovely figuring and even three tiny knots in the wood. A little shaping would really bring out the beauty of this handle. The blade has been hot inserted into the wood, the traditional method of attaching blades to handles in the Philippines.
There is a hole in the bottom of the handle.
This working tool is definitely not something you’ll see anywhere else: few outside the Zamboanga peninsula and Basilan will ever see one of these. 9 oz. $75.
This wallet was made in the mountains of the beautiful island of Basilan. I bought these from a worker’s cooperative in Isabela City, Basilan, the most dangerous city in the Philippines. Due to the grip the Abu Sayyaf have on the island, this is not somewhere I recommend anyone go at this time. Kidnappings are all too frequent, and bombing and spontaneous gunfights are a fact of life there.
These items help support the women of these tribes, who weave Yakan fabric much as it has always been: on traditional, hand-and-foot powered looms. These wallets are not commonly available outside Basilan.
The wallet measures in at 7 3/4” x 3.5” when closed. It is made of good, heavy duty nylon fabric.
The Yakan fabric is of course hand loomed cotton.
Looming fabric this evenly by hand takes an incredible amount of skill and experience: Yakan weavers learn this skill from their mothers. Once upon a time, Yakan fabric was featured on the catwalks of European cities.
The inside of the wallet has five credit card slots and three larger slots for bank notes/papers/etc. It also has a zippered pocket for coins.
This beautiful wallet is definitely not available anywhere else! 2.7 oz. $59.99.
This Yakan men’s hat is a rare item indeed. Part of traditional Yakan garb, these are normally only worn on special occasions nowadays. This is something few have ever seen outside old pictures. The fabric and styling is distinctly Yakan. Hand woven in the mountains of the infamous island of Basilan by a cooperative of Yakan women, this rare item was purchased at a fair market price right on the island.
The hat measures in at just under 21” in circumference: this corresponds to a hat size of 6 5/8 - 6 3/4, but these hats are worn higher on the head. I would say this hat would be better suited to someone with a hat size of 7 to 7 1/8.
The inside of the hat is well lined and is soft and comfortable.
This is an extremely rare item you definitely won’t find anywhere else! 1.9 oz. $55.
This small zippered pouch is also from the Yakan women’s cooperative in the Basilan mountains. I have one of these for myself in yellow; I use it for storing my lighter in so it doesn’t get scratched up. It is made of beautiful hand loomed Yakan fabric and it is lined in soft black cotton.
The pouch measures in at 3 7/16” x 2 3/4”.
This is a beautiful pouch by anyone’s standards, and this was purchased from the cooperative at a fair market price. 0.2 oz. $29.
These bangles were also made by a Yakan woman’s cooperative on the island of Basilan. High in the mountains which the Abu Sayyaf call home, the proceeds from these items help support their families and allow their children to get an education. I paid a fair market price for these and truly risked life and limb to get the Yakan products I offer directly on the island.
These bangles feature beautiful hand loomed Yakan fabric. I believe there is a plastic bangle in the center. Making bangles like this by hand takes a great deal of skill to get the fabric taught and wrinkle free. Again, this is a unique item you won’t find anywhere else! The internal diameter of these bangles is 2 3/4”.
These are truly beautiful and rare items you won’t find anywhere else! $25 each, or $45 for the pair.
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9.2” Spring Latch Balisongs with Bushings.
The laser engraved balisong is still available. The basketweave balisong is now sold.
These balisongs are made on a small scale in China specifically for the new breed of very talented balisong flippers there. These balisongs have spring latches, all stainless construction and even have bushings in the pivots: these are made to flip and are extremely durable to boot. The bushings remove almost all handle play and lateral blade play, and the very thick double tang pins alleviate up and down play. These are sandwich construction, but the screws have been locked in place and the heads have been ground flush with the handles.
This first balisong has a bayonet/weehawk grind. It isn’t a perfect grind, but it is sharp enough to take hair off your arms. The blade is 420 stainless, which is actually easy to sharpen and has excellent corrosion resistance. The handles have laser engraved clouds which provide texture: definitely a nice touch. Laser engraving is expensive and it is also very durable.
The quillions aren’t too large: perfect for keeping your hand off the edge. The blade is 1/8” thick, giving it lots of slicing ability.
The live blade version of this model is currently not available anywhere else! 4.7 oz. $79.
This balisong also measures in at 9.2” and has a ‘woven’ texture in the handles which provides a good amount of grip. No skeletonizing in the handles on this one. It has a spring latch, bushings and all stainless construction, and this one was quite well ground too.
Live bladed versions of these are not available anywhere else! 5 oz. SOLD.
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9.1” Stainless Trainer with Bushings.
SOLD.
This trainer is from the same guys who make the spring latch balicombs I offer: this is one of their newest products. Rather than sandwich construction, the handles are made of cast 400-series stainless that is welded together. The screws have been ground flush with the handles and there are bushings in the pivots. This drastically reduces the handle play and makes them flip incredibly smoothly.
The handles have a rough finish like a popular balisong we’re all familiar with. It isn’t perfect (there are scratches and the casting could have been better), but they are solid and durable. The spring latch is also much easier to deploy than on the originals. It is extremely easy to deploy when the handles are latched open, but since this is meant to be a flipper, that probably isn’t of much concern.
The blade is 1/8” thick. it has a few scratches.
The bushings on these are a major upgrade!
Bushings really take the handle play out. The blade is, however, large enough to hit the inside of the liners and rub on the channels, but being thick, solid stainless, this isn’t going to affect durability.
This is an excellent trainer: I only have one of them at this time. 5 oz. SOLD.
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Bubinga and Red Stag Bayonet and a Red Narra Trainer.
These were both made by the best craftsmen around and it shows: you definitely won’t find anything like these two anywhere else!
The balisong measures in at exactly 29 cm: a textbook bente nueve. It features a well forged and tempered 5160 spring steel blade with a WWII-style bayonet grind. There is a bottle opener ground into the spine. As far as I know, this is the first bayonet to ever have been ground with an opener. Prior to my experimentation with openers on a variety of grinds, they were only ever found on the ‘rambo’ blades.
The bolsters are solid stainless and are double pinned for extra durability. The blade also features two extra thick tang pins. The top bolsters are longer than usual. The inserts are beautiful, chatoyant African bubinga I personally hand finished at 2000 grit: this really brings the most out of the wood and substantially improves the shape and fit of the inserts to the housing and bolsters.
Right in the middle of the bubinga, there is European red stag. Stag is the classic material for balisongs and was used on the original French fan knives. Red stag is much more plentiful than Filipino deer antler, so this gives you the benefits of stag handles without the guilt, and it is also an interesting throwback to the days of fan knife yore, when all butterfly knives had stag inserts (the originals may even have featured red stag, the most common kind in France)!
This bente nueve weighs in at 5.9 oz. $179.
The narra and stainless trainer measures in at 22.9 cm. I haven’t offered one of these in quite a while, and after being hand finished, this wood has stunning color and chatoyancy. It does have lots of natural checking that I have left unfilled as I prefer the natural look. This also allows you to apply the finish of your choice.
The blade, bolsters, housing and latch on the trainer are solid 300-series stainless. This is an excellent choice for a training blade as it will not rust: only the bolster pins are subject to corrosion. Each of the bolsters is only pinned once, and the blade features a single tang pin.
These trainers are excellent for someone who wants to train in the defensive use of a balisong (an FHM balisong in particular). I do not recommend repeated drops on hard surfaces unless you can fix this up yourself (the tang pin will need peening and eventual replacement, and the bolster and insert pins may work free). I also do not recommend it for general flipping for fun as the ‘blade’ will hit the liners, and this will damage them over time. The traditional method of Batangas balisong making is to make the blade as large as possible for a given housing. They have been made this way for over a century with few exceptions.
This trainer weighs in at a solid 5.8 oz due to the solid 3/16” stainless trainer blade. $105.
