Pinoy Steel.
The best handforged Filipino blades right to your door.
-
Stainless exotics.
Four stainless exotics to get the weekend started with. All of these balisongs feature premium African or Central American wood.
From top to bottom:
1. 29 cm FHM balisong with a carbon steel bayonet blade. The bayonet swedge is much sharper than normal for better penetration. Nice touch! Lovely European red stag sandwiched between red African bubinga. Stainless bolsters, liners and latch. Double tang pins (extra thick) and upgraded pivot pins. Each of the bolsters is also double pinned for durability. Great knife! 6 oz. SOLD.
2. 29 cm balicomb. The first one ever offered in 29 cm. Definitely only here at Pinoy Steel. These have never been made before. Solid 303 stainless comb. Each and every tooth was painstakingly sawed into a stainless bar by hand. Double tang pins (extra thick) and double pinned bolsters. Stainless bolsters, liners and latch.
Select smooth Batangas horse bone sandwiched between crosscut black wenge wood from Africa. Crosscut wenge is extremely difficult to pin, so there is a hairline crack in one of the wenge inlays, and more may develop over time, but there is no disputing the beauty of this wood. Incredible grain that has to be seen to be believed. 6 oz. SOLD.
3. 29 cm balisong with a carbon steel kris blade. Two extra thick tang pins, extra thick pivot pins and double pinned bolsters.
The blade starts off straight before the waves start: again, for easier penetration. The tip on this knife is extremely sharp: the sharpest I’ve ever seen on an FHM. Excellent quality knife all around. Nice and slim too. Stainless bolsters, liners and latch. The scales are beautiful Honduran rosewood. This is one I’d personally love to keep! 4.5 oz. SOLD.
4. 19 cm balicomb. Stainless comb, bolsters, liners and latch. African bubinga inserts with natural checking. This is from the first batch of bubinga balicombs ever made. Great comb! $109.
-
South American Rosewood Hexagon Chako & Kalabaw Horn Dulo-Dulo.
All sold.
These nunchaku were custom made for a buyer: he liked my pair, and asked me to get him some. He also purchased two kalabaw (Filipino water buffalo horn) dulo-dulo, so he got first pick! Kalabaw are the national animal of the Philippines. The dulo-dulo are $35 each including shipping. Dulo-dulo, or palm sticks, are used in arnis much like kubotan. I often carry one. These are the nicest kalabaw dulo-dulo I’ve seen in the Philippines and they are really well made and contoured.
From left to right:
1. 3.5 oz, 6.8” SOLD.
2. 3.2 oz, 7” SOLD.
3. 3.6 oz, 7.1” SOLD.
4. 3.4 oz, 7 3/16” TRADED.
5. 4 oz, 7 5/16” SOLD.
6. 4.8 oz, 7 9/16” SOLD.
The chako measure in at 9 3/8” and weigh 9.5 oz overall. The extra diamond-knotted paracord is included
-
Kingwood and Wenge.
The second wenge kris is available.
These three balisongs were made with some of the most beautiful wood the Southern Hemisphere has to offer: Brazilian Kingwood and African Wenge. Kingwood trees almost never have trunks over 10” in diameter, so it is not seen as often as other types of Central and South American rosewood. The figuring on the wood on this knife is bold and intense: a regular ordered a pair in brass which he supplied the wood for. He sent me two sets of scales, which was more than was needed, so I had another pair made in stainless. This is the first knife from the pair.
1. This balisong measures in at 36.1 cm: a true monster. The kingwood scales were ground flat and are only rounded at the ends: this style of balisong is known as the otso bados, or eight sides. Usually the bolsters on these balisongs are rounded like on usual balisongs, but these ones are flatter than usual and transition perfectly with the ends of the inserts. This is an exceptionally beautiful knife.
The kingwood was hand finished to 2000 grit before I applied a natural oil and wax finish over a mineral oil base. This protects the wood from the elements and naturally conditions it, and also brings out the inherent beauty of this wood. The deep, blood red and oranges of the kingwood are astounding. An added benefit of being hand finished is the sharp edges on the wood from grinding have been softened, meaning it is much more comfortable to hold onto.
The top bolsters are double pinned for durability.
The blade is hand forged carbon steel with the bayonet grind. The swedge is almost sharpened and is perfect for easy penetration and back cuts, but I do no guarantee it will pass the coin test because of the swedge. Two extra thick tang pins aid lockup.
This balisong was very well ground and put together by one of the best balisong makers in Batangas: this is definitely some of his best work.
7.1 oz. SOLD.
African wenge is now on CITES Red List and will not be available in a few years once stocks dwindle. This is a good thing for sure. The wenge used on these knives was imported from a US dealer, and hence is CITES compliant. This wenge has exceptionally fine grain and subtle figuring. It is dark (almost like kamagong), but with fine pores you don’t see in kamagong. This is without a doubt some of the most subtly figured wenge I’ve ever handled, and these krises were beautifully made.
The first kris measures in at exactly 29 cm, and the second measures in at 29.1 cm. These bente nueves have carbon spring steel kris blades with two extra thick tang pins. The solid brass bolsters are double pinned for durability.
The latches on both balisongs are brass and are extra thick, which makes deployment comfortable.
The wenge was hand finished to 2000 grit before I applied mineral oil and a proprietary blend of natural oils and waxes.
This really is some of the nicest wenge I’ve ever seen. I have some hand carved wenge I was given by a relative who once lived in the Congo, and this wenge, to me is much, much nicer.
All of the metal on these krises has been buffed and hand polished. There are three tiny pits on the first kris’ blade that I buffed clean. There are also some tiny forging marks on the second kris’ ricasso.
The first kris is 5.2 oz (SOLD), and the second one weighs in at 5 oz. $159.
-
Stag, Central American Cocobolo and Philippines Kamagong.
The second balisong is available. The first and third balisongs are sold.
These three balisongs are top quality, and were made by some of the best balisong makers in Batangas. All three are excellent representations of the skill of these men, who have been making these much the same way their parents and grandparents did. I have been fortunate enough to handle some of the oldest balisongs ever made in the Philippines, and these are definitely worthy of all the heritage and history they embody.
From top to bottom:
1. This balisong measures in at 28.9 cm long: just a hair under classic bente nueve length. It features a traditionally hand forged carbon spring steel blade with a modern buyod grind: the swedge is much longer and deeper than usual, and it has a nice, upswept point.
The inserts on this balisong are beautiful, presentation grade cocobolo and Filipino stag. I do not normally offer balisongs with Filipino stag as I feel that the jungles of the Philippines are already under enough stress from industry and a burgeoning population. This was a substitution on the part of the makers. The European stag I had provided them with wasn’t quite long enough to complete this knife, so they used some Southern Luzon sungay (horn) instead.
The wood has been hand sanded: it was buffed on a felt wheel by the original makers, so it was darker than it is now. The buffing machine left a layer of wax on the wood, which gave it a high gloss finish.Since the stag was quite close to the wood, I had to sand and oil the wood very carefully to prevent staining the stag. The wood to bolster/stag fit is now much improved: this is an exceptional balisong.
I believe this is the first balisong to ever feature Filipino stag and imported wood. This bolsters, liners and the slim latch on this knife are all stainless steel. The top bolsters are double pinned for extra durability. 5.4 oz. $175.
2. This balisong measures in at 28.6 cm long and features beautiful cocobolo inserts. The cocobolo on this balisong is more of a reddish brown with lengthwise figuring. The cocobolo has not been refinished: it would be an additional $15 to refinish the wood. This takes me two or more hours per knife and really brings out features of the wood you might not otherwise notice. Since there is no bone or stag on this knife, I would be happy to finish it with either natural oils or oil and varnish. It will not appear as glossy as it does here, however.
The hand forged carbon spring steel blade is very nicely ground with a thin swedge. The weehawk (or bayonet) profile is very popular here at Pinoy Steel, and this is a great example.
The bolsters and thick latch on this knife are solid brass: the housing is stainless steel. Each of the bolsters is pinned twice for extra durability, and two extra thick tang pins aid lockup in both the open and closed positions. Please note there are a few tiny forging marks on the ricasso. 5.6 oz. $145.
3. This exceptional piece is the last of a small batch of balisongs that were made in kamagong with decorative aluminum pins between the hand rolled copper pins used to hold the inserts in place. To me, this is one of the most exceptional pieces from the range. It measures in at 24 cm long and is slightly thicker than usual.
This is a classically made balisong with one tang pin. The bolsters, liners and latch are stainless steel. The top bolsters are pinned twice for durability.
The blade is very unique. It is carbon spring steel in a modified buyod grind: it has ‘Rambo’ holes and a very sharp swedge that can absolutely be used for back cuts. The blade also has ‘wings,’ which serve as a guard when the knife is open.
The swedge is nicely hollowground: due to the nature of balisongs, this knife feels exactly the same edge in or edge out (and technically, you have an edge to use either way)!
Please note there are some rings on the ricasso from contact with the holding pins in the bolsters. The blade is nice and thick and fills the top of the handles up very nicely. This is a very solid little bali.
There are a few tiny, tiny pits on the blade that I have buffed clean. 5 oz. $135.
-
South America to Southeast Asia.
The first one is still available: the rest are sold.
These beautiful bente nueves feature some of the nicest hardwood available today. Cocobolo is a Central American rosewood which is durable and resistant to climatic change, which makes it a popular choice for knife handles and pistol grips. It exudes its own natural oils, which protect it from the elements. The cocobolo on these knives was legally sourced from a dealer in the US. I hand finished all of the wood on these knives to 2000 grit.
Similarly, the purpleheart used on the fourth knife down was legally sourced from a dealer in the US. It features incredible color and even some curl (chatoyant bands)! It is a good, solid wood.
Kamagong, or Philippines’ ebony, is native to the Philippines. It is stunningly beautiful, as well as being hard and heavy. The kamagong used on the labaha below is some of the nicest kamagong heartwood I’ve ever seen.
I take all my pictures in natural light: unfortunately, it’s been a dark, wet few days here, so some of the pictures really don’t do the wood justice. It looks even better than it does in the pictures. I took no shortcuts in refinishing the wood on these knives.
1. This first balisong is exactly 29 cm long: a true bente nueve. This is the now classic size for an FHM balisong. It was handmade by some of the best makers alive today.
The blade is hand forged 5160 spring steel. The first few inches of the blade are razor sharp. I managed to slice my thumb just by accidentally touching the edge when cleaning this balisong up.
The bolsters, liners and latch on this knife are 300-series stainless steel. This is a highly corrosion resistant and durable choice of handle material.
The inserts are the aforementioned Central American cocobolo: they serve as the backdrop to Indian sambar stag. Sambar stag is now illegal to export from India. This stag is preban and was sourced from a UK dealer. There really is no substitute for sambar stag.
The bayonet/weehawk grind is a popular one. This knife features a thin and lightly sharpened swedge. No explanation needed. Two extra thick tang pins increase durability. The top bolsters are also double pinned for the same reason.
There is a tiny pit on the blade that I buffed clean.
One of the cocobolo inserts on this knife was pinned twice. Being handmade, balisongs are never 100% perfect, but they have a soul no factory knife can ever possess.
The latch on this knife was beautifully fileworked by the maker.
5.8 oz. Discounted at $169.
2. This balisong is a throwback to Batanguenyo days of yore. It features a blade that is heavily inspired by the classic buyod pattern. It wasn’t hand ground on a bench stone like the originals, but it does have a clip point without a swedge and a beautifully executed central ridge. It measures in at 29.1 cm: just a hair over bente nueve length. The bolsters, housing and latch on this knife are all solid brass, and the inserts are hand finished cocobolo. As with the vast majority of my balisong offerings, this piece was designed by yours truly, and I absolutely love how this one turned out. I hope to offer more brass-handled balisongs this year.
The grind on this blade is incredibly even: I’d rate it at 9.5/10.
The poor light still can’t hide the fact that this is incredibly beautiful wood, and after hand finishing, the bolster to insert fit is substantially improved. You won’t find a piece like this anywhere else.
Each of the bolsters is double pinned for improved durability: the blade also features two extra thick tang pins. The copper pins and brass contrast beautifully with the blood red cocobolo.
This is an exceptionally beautiful piece: do not hesitate if you want this one for the collection. I’d love this one for my own stash! 5.5 oz. SOLD.
3. This balisong measures in at 26.9 cm: comfortably between 24 and 29 cm territory. This is considered the perfect size by many. I know I have a few right around this size and they are among my favorite knives. This is a classic balisong in many ways: each bolster is only pinned once and it only features a single tang pin.
The blade is 5160 spring steel and it features the labaha (straight razor) hollow grind. The edge is convex ground, however, which significantly improves its strength. The bolsters, housing and latch are stainless steel.
The inserts are, of course, beautiful kamagong heartwood. There is subtle figuring in the wood, but my camera couldn’t pick it up. This wood is exceptionally nice.
This knife features an exceptionally thick latch.
This one is a beauty. There are three or four tiny (and I really mean tiny) pits on the blade and ricasso. 5 oz. SOLD.
4. This 23.3 cm balisong was custom ordered several months ago, and I finally got to it this week. The original buyer gets first dibs, of course. This one is all Pinoy Steel: two extra thick tang pins, double pinned top bolsters and triple pinned, hand finished purpleheart inserts.
This wood is beautiful: hand finishing it really brought out the color and figuring. There is curl in the wood, and the triple pinned inserts are a nice touch.
The blade is the modern version of the old school buyod grind, albeit with a deep clip point. This is a very nicely done piece. The blade is also ground narrower than usual, so the blade on this one will not hit the liners if it is flipped.
This is the first actual balisong ever made with purpleheart. 4.6 oz. SOLD.
-
No shortcuts.
These balisongs have evolved from the first balisongs made in Batangas in the early 1900s: things have changed considerably in the last century. These bente nueves carry all of the heritage and history that made the balisong synonymous with Batangas and the Philippines, but are also very unique pieces that are simple, beautiful and deadly.
All three were made by some of the best balisong makers alive today. They have lived and breathed balisongs all of their lives. They may not use CNC machines or have access to the plethora of tools and equipment available to American knifemakers, nor do they use factory-made parts: every single piece of these knives was crafted from raw materials. Sure, you can buy a fancy titanium bali with the latest super steel and precision heat treat if you want, but these knives represent over a century of pure skill and dedication from successive generations of Batanguenyo craftsmen.
From top to bottom:
1. This balisong is 28.9 cm: just under ‘bente nueve’ size if we’re going by the book. In actuality, bente nueves can be a little bigger or smaller, and in modern Filipino parlance, all balisongs are sometimes referred to as bente nueves.
This balisong features a 5160 carbon steel buyod (Spanish-inspired bowie with a modern swedge) blade with two extra thick tang pins. This blade is very nicely ground.
The inserts are beautiful pre-ban Indian sambar stag that swells nicely in the middle to fill up your hand. It is sandwiched between Central African zebrawood, or zebrano, with a darker than usual shade of brown. There is finer figuring in the wood than is apparent from the pics. I hand finished the wood all the way up to 2000 grit. This significantly improved the fit and finish of the wood, and brought out the color and appearance of the wood way beyond the 200-odd grit where most custom knife makers stop sanding wood.
The bolsters are longer than usual and are solid stainless steel. The housing and latch are also stainless steel. The thinner latch on this one makes deployment faster and easier. Each bolster is double pinned for increased durability.
The inserts were also ground to shape very well, and the swell is just right.
There’s a nice, shallow swedge on the blade.
This is a very nice balisong that took a lot of time and effort to refinish since I wanted to ensure I didn’t stain the stag with dust from the wood. It was well worth the time and effort! Please note the zebrawood was not oiled before the pics like the amboyna and amboyna burl were, so it doesn’t have the same glow in the pictures. 5.3 oz. $169.
2. This one is a stunner in every way. Exactly 29 cm long with classic brass bolsters, stainless housing and a brass latch. The inserts on this one are absolutely exceptional amboyna burl, which I again personally and painstakingly finished to 2000 grit. This wood is incredible. It has real fire in it and the figuring is easy to get lost in. I may just have to keep this one: I don’t have one in any kind of burl myself!
I applied a light coat of mineral oil to the wood to further accentuate the figuring and chatoyancy in the wood. It has an amazing aroma too.
The blade is deeply hollowground: this is known as the labaha, or straight razor grind. The edge is convex ground. This means it doesn’t slice quite as well as a pure zero ground, but on the plus side, this type of edge is much more durable in use.
Two extra thick tang pins on this one: now a Pinoy Steel signature.
Each of the bolsters has two copper pins for increased durability. I think going with brass bolsters on this one was a wise choice: the marriage of the brass, copper and beautiful burl really work well together.
This is one I wouldn’t hesitate on: if you want it, now’s your chance. This one is not going to be around for long! Nice and light at 4.9 oz. SOLD.
3. This one is 28.8 cm long and features Laotian amboyna, which is very closely related to the narra in the Philippines. It is a little different, however, and careful hand finishing has brought out some very interesting figure, color, and even subtle chatoyancy.
The figuring and chatoyancy you see in this picture would not be visible without the hours I put into taking this wood to 2000 grit. It is absolutely beautiful stuff.
The blade is an old school buyod-style grind, albeit nice and thick at 3/16” like most of my offerings. No swedge on this one, and it was very well ground. Hand forged 5160 spring steel is always a good choice when you want a tough blade you can depend on. Two extra thick tang pins aid durability. Each of the solid brass bolsters is also double pinned.
5.2 oz. $155.
-
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.
