Balisong Prime

Balisong Prime: The Top of the Bench

32 knives, $173.25 to $549.45, median $244.48. Prime is where our makers stop optimising for price and build the knife they would keep. Engraved bolsters, mother of pearl and black horn, wenge and micarta resin, and a fitted leather sheath with every knife.

The steel is the same D2 and Damascus we use across the site. That is deliberate and worth saying plainly: a Prime knife does not cut better than a $180 knife from the same steel. What you are paying for is handle material, bolster work, engraving and finish. Hours of hand work that do not show up in a spec sheet but are obvious the moment the knife is in your hand.

Custom Balisongs and Engraving

Prime is also where most custom balisong orders end up. If you want a custom butterfly knife: your choice of steel, handle material, bolsters, and hand engraving. This is the line to start from. Engraving is done by hand after the order comes in, so allow extra time, and tell us what you want engraved before you check out.

What Is on This Shelf

Who Should Buy Prime

Collectors, people buying a knife to mark something, and flippers who have already owned two or three balisongs and know exactly what handle weight they want. If this is your first butterfly knife, buy a $110 to $140 knife in 440C or VG10 first, learn what you like, and come back. That advice costs us money and it is still the right advice.

Common Questions

The Prime shelf, cheapest first

Prime is where the run sizes get small and the handle work gets fussy. The steel is not doing anything exotic here, the hours are. If you want to know where the money went, it went into fitting, finishing and a batch small enough that we know which ones we made. Fitted leather sheath included, trainer or live blade at the same price, 58-60 HRC.

• Handmade D2 Steel Balisong Knife Drop Point Blade | Rosewood & Brass Bolsters Handle | Premium Butterfly Knife with Leather Sheath BF-135 - $176.00
• Handmade D2 Steel Balisong Knife | Rosewood & Brass Bolsters Handle | Premium Butterfly Knife with Leather Sheath BF-134 - $192.50
• Handmade D2 Steel Balisong Knife with Eagle Shape Blade | Rosewood & Brass Bolsters Handle | Premium Butterfly Knife with Leather Sheath BF-133 - $225.50
• Handmade D2 Steel Balisong Knife with Rosewood & Brass Bolsters Handle | Custom Butterfly Knife with Leather Sheath BF-131 - $228.25
• HANDMADE D2 Steel Balisong Knife with Tanto Blade & Rosewood Handle with Brass Bolsters | Premium Butterfly Knife with Leather Sheath BF-132 - $231.00
• Handmade D2 Steel Balisong Knife | Rosewood & Brass Bolsters Handle | Premium Butterfly Knife with Leather Sheath BF-138 - $231.55
• Handmade D2 Steel Balisong Double Edge Knife| Rosewood & Brass Bolsters Handle | Premium Butterfly Knife with Leather Sheath BF-137 - $235.40
• Handmade D2 Steel Balisong Double Edge Knife| Rosewood & Brass Bolsters Handle | Premium Butterfly Knife with Leather Sheath BF-136 - $236.50
• Handmade D2 Steel Balisong Double Edge Eagle Knife| Rose Wood & Brass Bolsters Handle | Premium Butterfly Knife with Leather Sheath BF-143 - $242.00
• Handmade D2 Steel Balisong Double Edge Knife| Black Horn & Steel Engraved Bolsters Handle | Premium Butterfly Knife with Leather Sheath BF-139 - $244.75
• Handmade D2 Steel Balisong Knife| Rose Wood & Brass Bolsters Handle | Premium Butterfly Knife with Leather Sheath BF-151 - $247.50
• Handmade D2 Steel Balisong Knife| Brass Handle | Premium Butterfly Knife with Leather Sheath BF-154 - $269.50
• Handmade D2 Steel Balisong Knife| Stag & Brass Bolsters Handle | Premium Butterfly Knife with Leather Sheath BF-153 - $276.65
• [Handmade D2 Steel Balisong Double Edge Knife| Stag & Brass Bolsters Handle | Premium Butterfly Knife with Leather Sheath BF-152 - $280.50