Pinoy Steel.
The best handforged Filipino blades right to your door.
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From top to bottom:
1. Stainless bolsters, black all-weather matrix (made in North Carolina) inserts that look a lot like buffalo horn, but will never shrink or dry out, and a carbon steel ‘rambo’ blade. First time this material has ever been used on a FHM balisong. $120.
2. Brass bolsters, holly inserts from the US (the wood got stained with buffing compound, but it actually turned out looking pretty good!), and a hollowground ‘labaha’ (razor) blade. $75.
3. Brass bolsters, high-grade white holly inserts (again, from the US), and stainless steel comb. I’m the only one who has combs in the 9” size as they were my idea. If anyone else starts carrying them, you know who had them first. :) SOLD.
4. Absolutely beautiful 29. Stainless bolsters, zebrawood inserts (imported from Central Africa), carbon steel ‘dibuyod’ or cockfighting blade. If this one doesn’t sell within the next few days, I’m keeping it! SOLD.
5. Extra thick 29 balisong with brass bolsters, kamagong and jigged bone inserts and a double-edged dagger blade. Already a smooth flipper right from the makers. SOLD.
All prices include shipping and a free keychain of your choice! All of these items are unique and unavailable anywhere else with the exception of number 5, but as with all handmade items, it’s still one of a kind!
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A few months ago, I found the first balisong at the top for sale in the US. The seller didn’t know what it was, and honestly, I didn’t either. It had an extensive layer of rust on it and it looked pretty rough. I decided to take it off the seller’s hands. After looking at the picture of it some more, I realized there was a good chance it was an early FHM (Filipino hand-made) balisong.
Then I chanced upon the second and third balisongs. They were definitely FHMs, and I jumped at the chance to get older Batanguenyo balisongs as they are increasingly difficult to come across.
While they were on their way here from the US, I was in Batangas picking up the custom knives you’ve seen for sale over the last week. I got into a discussion with someone who’s been in the business for over thirty years. I asked him if he had any old—really old—balisongs, and he laughed, and said he didn’t have his lolo’s (grandfather’s) balisong, but he started looking for a pen. Being the EDC nut I’ve become, I whipped my Fisher Space Pen out of my Maxpedition M2 waistpack and he sketched out what his grandfather’s balisong looked like. Exactly like the balisong at the top.
The guy I was talking to was in his late 50s—his grandfather would have had his first balisong in his 20s, so his balisong would have been 80 years old at the very least. When I bought the balisong at the top, I had no idea I had chanced upon an antique Batangas balisong, but that’s exactly what I now have on my coffee table.
The second balisong has much thicker, all brass handles and a thick latch—it is from the 60s or 70s, I believe, and in outstanding condition. The horse bone has turned green with age, perhaps due to discoloration from the oxides in the brass.
The long 31 cm balisong under it is even older. It has flat bolsters (like the turn of the 20th century one at the top) and karabaw inserts with brass overlay, and an eagle tang. I had no idea that eagle tangs had been around that long. While the balisong is loose and there are cracks and pieces of the karabaw inserts are missing, it is still flippable, locks up tight and has no chips in the edge. It’s amazing how durable Filipino balisongs are, and these balisongs are a testament to their longevity!
The second last balisong is a recent custom I had made for myself. It has a bayonet blade and a pocket clip, and the inserts are smooth black karabaw horn.
The one on the bottom somewhat resembles the old 31 cm above it, although the overlay has changed and karabaw is far less common as a full-length insert than it once was. Also, the rambo blade is a relatively recent adaptation, as is the bottle opener on the tang.
I’ve been really lucky in terms of sourcing antique Pinoy blades recently. Before anyone asks: no, they’re not for sale. :)
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How balisong bolsters and latches have changed over the decades…
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From left to right:
1. 16 cm (5” overall) balisong with a labaha blade. Jigged narra inserts and brass bolsters. This little balisong was given away with the purchase of two larger items.
2. 24 cm (9” overall) balisong with a double edged dagger blade. Smooth kamagong inserts, brass bolsters and brass liners (instead of the usual aluminum). Eagle tang. Very nice little knife, and nice and thick—very popular with the locals in Batangas. SOLD.
3. 27.5 cm (just under 11”) slim, light old school style balisong with flat kamagong inserts, flat stainless bolters and a bearing steel traditional blade: one of my favorite styles. Older and shows some minor corrosion. Great deal. SOLD.
4. 28 cm thick labaha balisong with a carbon steel blade, brass bolsters and bone and kamagong inserts. Thicker than normal: definitely one for the Batanguenyos. SOLD TO DL.
5. 29 cm carbon steel ‘rambo’ blade, eagle tang, all brass bolsters,overlay and liners and narra wood inserts. Sweet knife. $109.
6. 29 cm carbon steel ‘dibuyod’ blade with rambo style holes. Modern, but still sedate. All brass bolsters, overlay and liners with narra wood inserts. My mom’s pick of today’s litter. SOLD.
7. 29 cm carbon steel dibuyod blade, brass bolsters and African zebrawood inserts. This is the one I’d pick if I had to choose. Has six lines on each side from the maker. This guy definitely knows what he’s doing. SOLD!
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29 cm black and tan balisong sheath. I haven’t been able to get these for months, so these might be the last ones ever offered. Really good quality. $20 shipped (a steal)! 100% Batangas leather. Batangas is famous for cattle too!
24 cm black balisong sheath. These are VERY popular and I managed to get a couple more. $20 shipped for this one too. If you want one, don’t hesitate as there might not be more ever again!One sheath free with the purchase of two or more larger items.
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Managed to find another World War II balisong that was brought back after the war. According to the vet’s grandson, the original owner of this knife was a POW in a Japanese camp in the Philippines. He brought back two balisongs (I have yet to see the other one) and several Japanese tsubas.
Unfortunately, he no longer remembers where he got this one, but it is definitely from Batangas. The bolsters are heavily patinated brass and the latch is aluminum, which first started appearing on Pinoy knives around this time. Aluminum is a scarce resource in the Philippines. Another interesting thing is the ‘Manila’ latch (actually more common than I thought in the Philippines and not known as a Manila latch there). I didn’t know latches were put on the safe handle back then, but apparently they were!
This FHM also has plastic inserts. What’s interesting about this plastic is that it appears to be Plexiglas—there’s a very good chance these inserts came from a downed US airplane, and the latch may have come from a plane too! Definitely a very unique piece and one I’m proud to add to the collection. Also definitely not for sale at this point. :)
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Balisong keychains and another heavy duty 29.
Balisong keychains in seven colors: pink, brown, green, black, red, white and blue. $13 each including shipping, or FREE with the purchase of any larger Batangas-made item.
The small balisong in the middle is from the 1940s and is a WWII bringback with a carbon steel blade and bone inserts. I didn’t know they made them this small back then. Not for sale.
The mabigat (heavy) bentenueve (29 cm FHM balisong) at the bottom has brass bolsters, jigged kamagong inserts and a bearing steel blade. $199 shipped. Definitely a great knife! The blade is 1/4” at the tang.
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Balicombs!
Balicombs and a mini balisong (top to bottom):
1. American osage orange and brass with a stainless comb. 18.5 cm. Great inserts and very well made, but there is a natural flaw in the wood on one side, so I’m taking a further $5 off on this one. SOLD.
2. American holly and brass. Stainless comb. 18 cm overall length. Nicely made balicomb! $75.
3. Small narra and brass balisong with a carbon steel labaha blade. Just under 6” long when open. Given away FREE with the purchase of two larger items.
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Some nice eight-sided balisongs
Some 23 cm balisongs with all-brass handles and eight-sided narra and kamagong inserts:
The narra-handled knife (on top) has a few minor flecks of rust on the tang and blade. It didn’t show up in the pics. I’ve cleaned it up well. The tang pin is also a little higher than normal on the one with narra inserts. The kamagong-handled balisong has some very minor corrosion on the blade too. I am discounting both knives because of this. The corrosion could easily be removed with a little work—a rust eraser would be perfect for getting at the tiny flecks of rust on the tang.
The kamagong one has a maker’s mark on the tang. The narra-handled one is marked “Philippines” on the latch. I have one of these in kamagong in my own collection. They are great knives and IMO all FHM aficionados should have one of these knives with eight-sided inserts. The kamagong knife weighs around 7 oz and the narra-handled FHM weighs 6.5 oz. These are a little heavier than normal because of the brass channels on these—nowadays most balisongs are made with aluminum channels.
The kamagong is SOLD and $90 for the narra.
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Two more eight-sided kamagong balisongs!
The second balisong is reserved.
The 23 cm on top has brass bolsters, a traditional-style carbon steel blade and an aluminum latch. The inserts are eight-sided kamagong. The inserts are slightly raised near the bolsters. I epoxied them down, but there is still a small gap, so I’m offering it at a discount: SOLD.
The 18 cm bali on the bottom has stainless bolsters, a carbon steel labaha blade and a brass latch. It is very nicely ground (it is absolutely razor sharp), but there is a very small dent on one of the liners which doesn’t affect function one bit. $5 off. $95.
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Some bone-handled bente nueves today!
Here at Pinoy Steel, we offer some very modern FHMs that have never been seen before, but we also love the classics. Today we have some more traditional Batangas FHM balisongs for sale:
1. Bente nueve (29 cm) balisong with narra and horse bone inserts, brass bolsters, and a carbon steel rambo blade with four holes and a bottle opener on the spine. Great knife! SOLD.
2. 29 cm with kamagong and horse bone inserts, brass bolsters and a carbon steel rambo blade with a bottle opener. SOLD.
3. 23 cm bone and brass balisong with a nice and sharp dagger blade. Really well made and a steal. $85.
