Golden-Crowned Handmade VG10 Super Steel Original Filipino Balisong Butterfly Knife with Brass and Kamagong Wood Handle | 24cm EDC Flipper Gift for Him | BF-53
Original price was: $175.95.$131.96Current price is: $131.96.
The BF-53 Golden-Crowned takes a 12cm VG10 blade into a brass frame with kamagong inserts, at a steady 180g.
Blade Materials – Vg10 Super Steel
Handle Materials – Brass with Kamagong Wood Inserts
Overall Length – 24cm
Blade Length -12cm
Weight -180g
Handmade in Austin, TX. Ships Worldwide.
Every knife is built by hand in our workshop in Austin, Texas, by Filipino makers trained in the Batangas tradition. We ship to any country we are allowed to send a knife to. Free shipping inside the United States, 49 USD flat everywhere else. Shipping and delivery times
The BF-53 Golden-Crowned is a 180g VG10 balisong, brass handles with kamagong wood inserts, 12cm blade in a 24cm frame. The name comes from the golden-crowned flying fox, a Philippine bat and one of the largest in the world, which is a better piece of trivia than most product pages manage. What is worth your time on this page is the steel, because VG10 is the most misunderstood thing we sell.
What VG10 actually is on a butterfly knife
VG10 is a Japanese stainless steel developed for kitchen cutlery. Roughly 15% chromium, with vanadium and cobalt in the mix, hardened to around 60 HRC. Those numbers translate into three practical facts: it takes a very fine edge, it keeps that edge for a long time, and it does not rust in any life a balisong is likely to have.
The chromium is why it will survive a sweaty palm and a damp pocket. The hardness is why the edge lasts. Neither is marketing. You can look up the composition from the mill, which is more than can be said for a lot of the “surgical stainless steel” being sold at knife shows.
The bit that surprises everyone
VG10 is the cheapest steel band on this site. Not the most expensive, not a premium upgrade, the entry point. Our D2, high carbon and Damascus knives all cost more.
People find this hard to swallow because VG10 has spent twenty years being used as a selling point by kitchen brands, so the name arrived in the knife world carrying a premium it never really earned in raw material terms. It is a very good steel that happens to be widely produced and easy to buy. We are not going to charge you extra for a reputation.
The honest drawback
Hardness cuts both ways. Once a VG10 edge is genuinely dull, it takes more time and more patience on a stone than 440C does. The same hardness that keeps the edge sharp resists you when you are trying to put it back.
The practical answer is to never let it get there. A few passes on a strop every so often keeps a VG10 edge alive almost indefinitely, and most owners of this knife will never take it to a stone at all, because it is going to be flipped several thousand times more often than it is going to cut anything.
Sharpening it, if you want to
- Strop first. Leather with a little compound restores most of what feels like dullness.
- Diamond or ceramic if you go to a stone. Softer natural stones struggle at 60 HRC and you will wear the stone out before the edge comes back.
- Keep the angle low and consistent. VG10 rewards a fine edge, so do not put a thick shoulder on it out of impatience.
- Or send it back to us. We would rather resharpen a knife than watch someone ruin a good grind in an afternoon.
Specification
| Blade steel | VG10, around 60 HRC, roughly 15% chromium |
|---|---|
| Handle | Brass with kamagong wood inserts |
| Overall length | 24cm open |
| Blade length | 12cm |
| Weight | 180g |
How this VG10 balisong actually handles
At 180g this is one of the heavier short-frame knives in the series. Rollovers feel smooth because the mass carries the handle through, aerials hold their line, and reversals ask more of you than they would on one of the 150g builds. Kamagong inserts keep the brass from turning slick in a warm hand, which is the practical reason we use wood at all.
Trainer, sheath and shipping on this drop point balisong
The option above the Add to Cart button gives you this knife unsharpened, which also happens to sidestep the whole sharpening question. Fitted leather sheath included. Free US shipping, flat $49 worldwide.
the VG10 is hardened to 58-60 HRC, which is the window where it holds an edge without turning brittle on you.
Every knife is checked for lockup, pivot action and edge before it goes in the box. Nothing ships that we would not keep for ourselves.
Processing
Most orders leave the bench in 1 to 3 business days. If the knife you picked is not in stock we forge it for you, which takes roughly 2 to 3 weeks. Engraving adds a little time on top of that.
What shipping costs
- United States: free on every order.
- Everywhere else: a flat 49 dollars for the whole order, however many knives are in it, so two at once ship for the same as one.
How long it takes
- USA: 4 to 8 business days
- International: 8 to 14 business days, longer if customs takes an interest
Those are carrier estimates, not promises we can enforce.
Tracking
A tracking number reaches you by email as soon as the parcel is collected. Carriers often take 24 to 48 hours to start showing movement, so a quiet first day is normal.
Customs and local law
Import duty, VAT and customs fees are set by your own country and are yours to pay. Balisong law varies by country and by US state, so it is worth checking yours before you order.
The full detail lives on Order and Shipping and Return or Exchange.
Hand-forged in the Batangas tradition
The balisong was born in Batangas, Philippines. Every knife in this catalogue is made by Filipino artisans and metalworkers, many from families with generations of experience, now working in the United States. Blades are ground from 440C stainless, D2 tool steel, VG10, high carbon and Damascus, and fitted to handles of kamagong ebony, carabao horn, Philippine deer horn and bone.
Checked four times
Detailed hand inspection, smoothness and pivot testing, blade alignment checks, and durability and finish quality control. If a knife doesn't meet our standards, it never reaches our customers.
Engraving available
Initials or short text $19 in the font you choose, a custom logo $29. Select it above Add to Cart and upload the logo file at checkout.
A sheath with every knife
Every knife includes a fitted leather sheath. Both live blades and trainers are offered, and every order ships worldwide with tracking.
Buying more than one?
Trade pricing starts at ten pieces and reaches 45% under retail at volume, with your logo on the bolster. See wholesale and bulk, or design one from scratch.
Owner reviews
What owners say
12 reviews for Golden-Crowned Handmade VG10 Super Steel Original Filipino Balisong Butterfly Knife with Brass and Kamagong Wood Handle | 24cm EDC Flipper Gift for Him | BF-53
Shipping and returns
Processing
Most orders ship in 1 to 3 business days.
USA delivery
4 to 8 business days, tracked door to door.
International
8 to 14 business days. Customs times vary by country.
Made to order
Out of stock pieces are handcrafted for you in 2 to 3 weeks.
We ship worldwide. The customer is responsible for customs, VAT and local legality.
Returns and exchanges Read the warranty
Pamela Walker –
This balisong is a genuine work of art. Comes with a nice pouch which is a nice touch. Handle scales feel great in hand even during longer flip sessions. Highly recommend this one to any flipper.
Mohammed Adams –
Five stars isn’t even enough honestly. Weight is perfectly balanced for flipping. Worth every penny.
Larry Thomas –
Showed up right on time and looked even better than the photos. Action is smooth right out of the box. No break in needed. Blade came shaving sharp straight out of the box. 10/10 would buy again.
Sophia Nelson –
Knew this was a good one the second I felt the weight in hand. Fit and finish is way above what I expected at this price. Action is smooth right out of the box. No break in needed. Ordered from Balisong Butterfly before and the quality stays consistent every time. You can tell real Filipino makers built this. Made in the USA and shipped fast too. Already telling my flipper friends to check this out.
Christopher Anderson –
This blade came razor sharp out of the box. Weight is perfectly balanced for flipping. Will definitely order again for another one.
Pamela Walker –
This balisong is a genuine work of art. Comes with a nice pouch which is a nice touch. Handle scales feel great in hand even during longer flip sessions. Highly recommend this one to any flipper.
Mohammed Adams –
Five stars isn’t even enough honestly. Weight is perfectly balanced for flipping. Worth every penny.
Larry Thomas –
Showed up right on time and looked even better than the photos. Action is smooth right out of the box. No break in needed. Blade came shaving sharp straight out of the box. 10/10 would buy again.
Sophia Nelson –
Knew this was a good one the second I felt the weight in hand. Fit and finish is way above what I expected at this price. Action is smooth right out of the box. No break in needed. Ordered from Balisong Butterfly before and the quality stays consistent every time. You can tell real Filipino makers built this. Made in the USA and shipped fast too. Already telling my flipper friends to check this out.
Christopher Anderson –
This blade came razor sharp out of the box. Weight is perfectly balanced for flipping. Will definitely order again for another one.
Omar Green –
Didn’t think a balisong at this price could feel this premium. Not my first order from Balisong Butterfly and it won’t be my last.
Adam Davis –
I collect balisongs and this one is outstanding. This flips cleaner than knives twice the price. Comes with a nice pouch which is a nice touch. Happy customer here, through and through.