D2 Tool Steel Balisong Butterfly Knife – Tanto Blade, Narra Burl & Brass Handle | Authentic Filipino Balisong BF-98

Tanto Narra Burl Balisong Knife (BF-98)

The BF-98 tanto narra burl balisong knife is hand-forged in D2 Tool Steel on the traditional Batangas pattern in the Philippines, by smiths working the way balisongs have been made for generations. The Pandayan Traditional Series takes its name from the Tagalog word for a smithy — pandayan, the forge. These follow the older Batangas proportions with a heavier bolster and a fuller handle profile than the standard line.

Blade & Steel

Blade steel is D2, the semi-stainless tool steel that built its reputation on wear resistance. Hardened to around 58–62 HRC, it holds a working edge dramatically longer than standard cutlery stainless. Sharpening rewards diamond or ceramic over a soft stone, and a thin coat of oil keeps the surface clean.

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

Inserts are narra burl, cut from the Philippine national tree. Burl wood carries chaotic, swirling figure that no two boards repeat, and narra’s warm red-gold tone deepens noticeably with age and handling. 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-98 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 Narra Burl 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