Damascus Steel Balisong Butterfly Knife – Tanto Blade, Stag Horn & Brass Handle | Authentic Filipino Balisong BF-129

Tanto Stag Horn Balisong Knife (BF-129)

The BF-129 tanto stag horn balisong knife is hand-forged in Damascus Steel on the traditional Batangas pattern in the Philippines, by smiths working the way balisongs have been made for generations. Part of the Filipino Traditional Series, which follows the Batangas pattern that defined the balisong long before it ever left the Philippines: sandwich construction, hand-fitted inserts, and a latch that seats with an audible click.

Blade & Steel

Damascus steel, pattern-welded by hand. Layers of contrasting steel are forge-welded, folded and drawn, then etched so the boundary between alloys reads as light and dark banding. The result is a genuinely one-off blade — grain, flow and figure differ from knife to knife — over a hardened high-carbon core that cuts like carbon steel because it is carbon steel.

The tanto blade puts a reinforced angular tip on the knife — far more material behind the point than a drop point carries, which makes it the strongest tip geometry for piercing work. The flat primary edge also makes sharpening straightforward.

Handle, Bolsters & Balance

The handle is set with stag horn — the premium natural handle material, and the one collectors pay for. Its ridged, irregular surface locks into the hand and its colouring runs from bone-white to deep amber. Because it is cut from natural antler, the piece you receive is unrepeatable. The frame around them is brass, which sets the knife’s weight and gives the inserts something rigid to sit in.

How It Flips

At 7.05 oz (200 g) this is a substantial knife, and it flips like one. The extra mass smooths the arc and makes openings feel deliberate rather than snappy — you are steering momentum instead of generating it. Flippers who like a knife with presence in the hand tend to prefer exactly this range. The brass in the handles pushes the balance point outward, which steadies the swing further and is why brass-handled balisongs feel calmer in the hand than their weight alone suggests.

Open, it measures in the compact-to-standard Batangas range — the size most Filipino makers settle on, and the size that suits the widest range of hands. Large enough to feel like a real knife, small enough to carry comfortably.

Specifications

Every knife is finished by hand, so dimensions and weight may vary by roughly 3–5%, and natural handle materials differ piece to piece. Yours will not be an exact twin of the photograph.

Who This Balisong Is For

The BF-129 suits flippers who want a real Filipino-made knife without going into custom territory. It is a working knife rather than a wall piece — it can be carried, flipped and sharpened — but the fit and the handle material make it a legitimate display piece too. If you are buying a gift, this is the price bracket where a balisong stops feeling like a novelty.

What’s Included

• 1 × Tanto Stag Horn Balisong Knife
• A handmade wooden presentation box is included with every order over $170.
• Care card with oiling and pivot-tuning notes

Care & Tuning

Keep a light film of mineral oil on the blade, wipe it dry after every session, and never store a carbon blade in a leather sheath long-term — leather holds moisture. If the handles develop play, seat the knife closed and tighten the pivot screws a quarter turn at a time until the play disappears without the action binding. Zen pins and tang pins can be dressed with a fine file if the handles start to strike the blade — do this a few strokes at a time.

Live blade, sold to adults 18 and over. Customers are responsible for knowing and complying with the knife laws that apply where they live.

Frequently Asked Questions