Tala Handmade Karambit Balisong Butterfly Knife | High Polished High Carbon Steel | Rose Wood Handle with Brass Bolsters and Leather Sheath BF-174
Original price was: $292.95.$219.71Current price is: $219.71.
Rose wood, brass bolsters and a blade polished to a mirror along a curve. Polishing a straight flat is patient work. Polishing a curve is patient work that fights back.
Blade Material – High Carbon Steel, high polished
Handle Material – Rose Wood with brass bolsters, finger ring
Overall Length – 24 cm
Blade Length – 12 cm
Hardness – 58-60 HRC
Sheath – Fitted leather, included
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-174 is a karambit balisong in high carbon steel, mirror polished, with rose wood panels and brass bolsters. The finish is the expensive part of this knife and it is worth explaining why.
Why a curved blade is harder to polish
On a flat blade you can back the abrasive with something rigid and take the whole surface down evenly. Every pass covers the same ground and the scratch pattern stays uniform.
A karambit belly has no flat anywhere. The surface changes angle continuously from the ricasso to the tip, so a rigid backing rides high on the outside of the curve and never touches the inside. The abrasive has to be flexible enough to follow the shape and firm enough not to round off the grind lines.
Get it wrong and you can see it immediately: the polish is bright at the spine and dull in the hollow, or the grind line wanders. There is no way to hide either.
What that means for you
Practically, that the reflection stays continuous as you turn the knife. Run your eye along the belly and the highlight should sweep smoothly rather than breaking into patches. That is the test we use before a knife leaves, and it is a fair test to apply to anyone’s polished karambit.
Rose wood on a knife you hold through a ring
A ring changes how a handle is gripped. Your index finger is anchored, so the rest of the hand is doing less work than it would on a straight knife, and the handle mostly needs to not rotate and not get slippery.
Rose wood is well suited to that. It is dense and naturally oily, so it keeps a soft grip even when damp, and its close grain means it does not swell and shrink much with the weather. It is also hard enough that the ring end, which takes most of the knocks, does not dent easily.
It will darken. Rose wood moves from orange brown towards a deeper red brown over years, and that happens faster where hands touch it.
Brass bolsters, and where they sit
The bolsters are at the pivot end, which is where the load is. Brass machines cleanly, holds a tight pivot fit and will not corrode into anything that seizes.
They will lose their brightness. That is oxide forming, it protects the metal, and against rose wood it looks considerably better after a year than it does new. Polish it if you disagree; it takes a minute and nothing is harmed.
Specifications for this rose wood karambit balisong
| Overall length | 24 cm |
| Blade length | 12 cm |
| Blade | High carbon steel, mirror polished |
| Hardness | 58-60 HRC |
| Handle | Rose wood with brass bolsters, finger ring |
| Sheath | Fitted leather, included |
Ordering the BF-174
Sharpened, tuned and checked by hand, with a fitted leather sheath cut for this frame and a gift box. High carbon steel, so wipe it dry and store it outside the sheath.
Or take it as a trainer instead. Identical frame, identical weight, no cutting edge, and the price does not move.
Laser engraving is $29, chosen on this page. Free shipping inside the United States, flat $49 worldwide.
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
8 reviews for Tala Handmade Karambit Balisong Butterfly Knife | High Polished High Carbon Steel | Rose Wood Handle with Brass Bolsters and Leather Sheath BF-174
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
Alan Gutierrez –
Bought this on a whim and it turned out to be one of my favorite pickups this year. So worth it.
Brandon Scott –
Was nervous ordering a balisong online but so glad I did. Action is smooth right out of the box. No break in needed. This is my third order from Balisong Butterfly and they never disappoint. Made in the USA and shipped worldwide with no long wait on my end. Worth every penny.
Chen Bailey –
Got this as a gift for a friend and now I want one for myself too. Handle scales feel great in hand even during longer flip sessions. Pivots feel dialed in with zero blade play. So worth it.
Olivia Vance –
Knew this was a good one the second I felt the weight in hand. Handles have a great grip even during fast flips. Exactly the kind of quality that keeps me coming back.
Emma Kim –
This is hands down one of the best balisongs I’ve bought online. Can’t wait to see what else this maker has to offer.
Jonathan Miller –
This has already earned a permanent spot in my collection. Handles have a great grip even during fast flips. Beyond happy with how this turned out.
Hannah Morales –
Got this for a wedding gift and now I want one for myself too.
Kenneth Delacruz –
Was nervous ordering a balisong online but so glad I did. Bushings feel buttery smooth after just a bit of use. Comes with a nice pouch which is a nice touch. Blade came shaving sharp straight out of the box. Exactly the kind of quality that keeps me coming back.