Groomsmen Butterfly Knives
A butterfly knife is the groomsman gift that gets opened, flipped and passed around the table before the speeches even start. This collection is for grooms who want the whole line to carry the same handmade Filipino balisong. Every listing here is a matched set of 6 or 12 identical butterfly knives, taken from our high carbon, D2, VG10, 440C, Damascus and karambit balisongs.
A set costs 15% less than buying the same knives one at a time. Text engraving is $19 per knife: tick the option, type one name per line, and each name is cut into its own knife, up to 20 characters a line.
Choose a set below. Further down there is a short guide to picking the right steel for your wedding party, how engraving works on a set and a few answers to the questions grooms ask us most.
Groomsmen Butterfly Knives: One Balisong for Every Man in the Line
Most groomsman gifts end up in a drawer. A flask gets used twice, a set of cufflinks gets worn once, and a monogrammed bottle opener lives in the kitchen until someone moves house. A balisong is different, mostly because nobody can leave one alone. Hand a butterfly knife to a group of grown men and within a minute somebody is trying a basic flip and somebody else is telling him he is doing it wrong.
That is exactly why it works as a wedding gift. It is a handmade piece of Filipino craft, it is personal once his name is on it, and it gives the whole wedding party something to talk about that is not the seating plan.
Each set on this page is built from one of our existing single balisongs. The main photo shows the full set together, and the rest of the gallery shows the single knife up close, so you know exactly what each groomsman will unbox.
Picking the Right Steel for Your Wedding Party
Every set on this page is made of live blades, handmade in the traditional Filipino style. The steel you choose changes how much care the knife needs after the wedding, so it is worth a minute of thought.
| Steel | Care needed | Suits the groomsman who | Browse singles |
|---|---|---|---|
| High carbon | Dry it and oil it now and then | Likes traditional tools and does not mind a patina | High carbon |
| D2 tool steel | Low | Will actually use it and wants an edge that lasts | D2 |
| 440C stainless | Very low | Lives somewhere damp or near the coast | 440C |
| VG10 stainless | Very low | Wants a stainless blade with a finer edge | VG10 |
| Damascus | Dry it and oil it now and then | Wants the one that looks best on a shelf | Damascus |
| Karambit balisong | Depends on the steel | Wants something nobody else in the room has seen | Karambit |
If you cannot decide and the group is a mix of flippers and people who have never held a balisong, a stainless blade is the easy choice. It forgives the groomsman who puts it away wet after the reception.
How Engraving Works on a Set
Sets use the same engraving option as our single knives, with a bigger box. Instead of one line of text you get one line per knife. Type a name, initials or a short date on each line and each line goes on its own balisong. Up to 20 characters a line, in the font you pick from the list.
Text engraving is $19 per knife, so $114 on a Set of 6 and $228 on a Set of 12. If you would rather put a logo or a family crest on every knife, logo engraving is $29 per knife and you upload the file at checkout.
Two things worth knowing before you order. Engraving is cut into the bolster and it is permanent, so engraved knives are final sale. And it adds 1 to 3 business days, so do not leave the order until the week of the wedding. Nobody wants to explain to the best man that his gift is still in the post.
Set of 6 or Set of 12
Count everyone who stands up with you: groomsmen, the best man, and any fathers or brothers you want to include. Most wedding parties fall somewhere between five and eight people, so the Set of 6 is the usual starting point, with the groom sometimes keeping the spare. The Set of 12 is for bigger parties, or for grooms who want a balisong for the ushers and the friend who organised the whole bachelor trip.
Both sizes save 15% against buying the same knives singly. If you need a different number, message us before you order.
Common Questions
Are all the balisongs in a set the same? Yes, the same model made the same way. They are handmade, so tiny differences in wood grain or horn colour between one knife and the next are normal.
Can every knife have a different name? Yes. One line in the engraving box per knife, one name per line.
Are these trainers or live blades? Live blades. If some of your groomsmen are brand new to flipping, point them at our trainer butterfly knives first. Their knuckles will thank you.
Are balisongs legal to give as gifts? Butterfly knife laws differ from state to state and sometimes from city to city. Please check the rules where each groomsman lives before you order.
Can I return an engraved set? Engraved knives are final sale because the engraving cannot be removed. Unengraved sets follow our normal returns policy.
Is there a superstition about giving knives? Some people say a gifted knife cuts the friendship. The traditional fix is for the person receiving it to pay a coin back. A penny in each box and the friendships are safe.
Guides Worth Reading Before You Buy
Our engraved butterfly knife gift guide covers wording, fonts and placement in more detail. Your first real balisong is a good read if the groomsmen are new to flipping, and balisong rust and care is worth forwarding to anyone who gets a high carbon or Damascus blade.
About our balisongs
The balisong began in Batangas, in the Philippines, and every knife in this collection is made in that tradition. Our knives are made by Filipino artisans and metalworkers, many from families with generations of experience, now working in the United States.
Blades are ground in 440C stainless, D2 tool steel, VG10, high carbon and Damascus steel. Handles are fitted in kamagong ebony, carabao horn, Philippine deer horn and bone, and every knife ships with a fitted leather sheath. Both live blades and trainers are offered.
Before a knife leaves the bench it passes a four-step quality process: 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.
Most orders ship in 1 to 3 business days and arrive in 4 to 8 business days across the USA, or 8 to 14 business days internationally. Out of stock knives are handcrafted to order in 2 to 3 weeks, and every order ships worldwide with tracking.