Hoopoe Handmade High Carbon Steel Original Filipino Balisong Butterfly Knife with Brass and Kamagong Wood Handle | 24cm EDC Flipper Gift for Him | BF-60
Original price was: $167.95.$125.96Current price is: $125.96.
The hoopoe opens and folds its crest in one motion, which is a fair description of the BF-60 in high carbon steel.
Blade Materials – High Carbon 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
Not quite what you want?
Pick your own blade, steel and handle in our custom balisong builder.
The BF-60 Hoopoe is a 24cm high carbon balisong, 180g, brass and kamagong. If you have never sharpened a knife properly and would like to learn, this is the steel to learn on and this page is the lesson.
Why high carbon is the right teacher
Sharpening is a skill with a slow feedback loop, and slow feedback is what makes people give up. High carbon shortens the loop. It gives ground quickly on an ordinary stone, you feel the burr form within a couple of minutes, and you can see the result immediately.
Try to learn on D2 and you will spend forty minutes wondering whether anything is happening at all. That is not a criticism of D2, it is a criticism of learning on it.
What you actually need
| Item | Why |
|---|---|
| A combination waterstone, roughly 1000 and 3000 grit | 1000 does the work. 3000 refines it. This is the whole kit |
| A flat surface and a damp cloth under the stone | A sliding stone is how people cut themselves |
| Water | Soak the stone. Keep it wet |
| Ten minutes and no audience | Rushing is the only real mistake |
You do not need a guided system, a diamond plate, a strop, or anything with a brand story attached. On this steel, none of it earns its price.
The actual method
- Find the existing bevel. Lay the blade flat on the stone, then lift until the bevel sits flush. That is your angle. Do not invent a new one.
- Push the edge along the stone as though you were slicing a thin layer off it. Light pressure. The stone does the cutting, not your arm.
- Work one side until you can feel a tiny wire of metal on the opposite side of the edge. Run a fingernail off the edge, not along it. That wire is the burr and it means you have reached the apex.
- Do the same number of strokes on the other side until the burr flips over.
- Move to the finer grit and repeat with even lighter pressure until the burr falls away.
- Dry the blade properly and put a light oil on it, because you have just exposed fresh steel and fresh carbon steel is enthusiastic about rust.
That last step is the one everybody skips and then emails us about.
What people get wrong
- Too much pressure. You are abrading steel, not sanding a floor.
- Chasing a thinner angle. A thinner edge is sharper and chips sooner. We ground it where we ground it for a reason.
- Stopping before the burr. No burr means you never reached the apex and the edge is polished but blunt.
- A pull-through sharpener. These tear the edge rather than grinding it. On a knife like this it is genuinely vandalism.
The high carbon steel and the balisong frame
Plain carbon steel, around one percent carbon and essentially no chromium, heat treated to 58-60 HRC. Fine grain, keen apex, no corrosion resistance whatsoever. It will spot if left wet and it will develop a grey patina if you simply wipe it, and the patina is the good outcome.
The frame is our standard 24cm at 180g, brass with kamagong inserts. Kamagong is Philippine ebony, dense and stable, and it needs nothing from you at all.
Ordering this high carbon butterfly knife
Trainer version, unsharpened, chosen above the Add to Cart button. There is an argument for buying both eventually: practise flipping on the trainer and practise sharpening on the sharp one, and neither skill costs you a knuckle.
A fitted leather sheath is included. Store the knife outside it rather than in it. Free US shipping, flat $49 worldwide for any order size.
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
13 reviews for Hoopoe Handmade High Carbon Steel Original Filipino Balisong Butterfly Knife with Brass and Kamagong Wood Handle | 24cm EDC Flipper Gift for Him | BF-60
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
Larry Howard –
Got this as a gift for a friend and now I want one for myself too. This is my new favorite in the collection.
Rebecca Delacruz –
Turned out better than I expected going in. Latch works fine, just a bit stiff at first. Handle feels solid, just a touch heavier than I expected. Nice that it’s US made with real Filipino balisong roots. Would still tell others to give this a try.
Benjamin Cruz –
Perfect knife. Perfect action. No complaints. This is my third order from Balisong Butterfly and they never disappoint. This shop clearly takes pride in their work.
Sandra Martin –
This thing flips like a dream. Latch snaps shut clean every time. If you’re on the fence just get it. You won’t regret it.
Alan Sanders –
Feels way more premium than the price suggests. Already planning my next pickup from this shop.
Larry Howard –
Got this as a gift for a friend and now I want one for myself too. This is my new favorite in the collection.
Rebecca Delacruz –
Turned out better than I expected going in. Latch works fine, just a bit stiff at first. Handle feels solid, just a touch heavier than I expected. Nice that it’s US made with real Filipino balisong roots. Would still tell others to give this a try.
Benjamin Cruz –
Perfect knife. Perfect action. No complaints. This is my third order from Balisong Butterfly and they never disappoint. This shop clearly takes pride in their work.
Sandra Martin –
This thing flips like a dream. Latch snaps shut clean every time. If you’re on the fence just get it. You won’t regret it.
Alan Sanders –
Feels way more premium than the price suggests. Already planning my next pickup from this shop.
Ryan Ward –
Beautifully made quality for the price point. Comes with a nice pouch which is a nice touch. Already telling my flipper friends to check this out.
Roger Mendoza –
Did not expect this level of fit and finish for the price. Bushings feel buttery smooth after just a bit of use. This is the kind of purchase that makes online shopping worth it.
Betty Garcia –
Five stars isn’t even enough honestly. Ordered from Balisong Butterfly before and the quality stays consistent every time.